THE POETICALL ESSAYES OF SAM DANYEL Newly corrected and augmented AEtas prima canat veneres postrema tumultus AT LONDON Printed by P. Short for Simon Waterson 1599. The Argumentes of these Essayes following THe ciuill wars betweene the two houses of Lancaster and Yorke Musophilus or a defence of learning The Epistle of Octauia to Antonius The Tragedy of Cleopatra corrected The complaint of Rosamond To the Right honorable Sir Charles Blunt Knight Lord Mountioy and Knight of the most Noble order of the Garter and his most worthy Lord. I Do not plant thy great respected name Here in this front to th' end thou shouldst protect These my endeuors from contempt or blame Which none but their own forces must effect Nor do I seeke to win thy more respect Most learned Lord by these Essaies of mine Since that cleere iudgement that did first elect To fauor me will alwaies keepe me thine Nor do I this more honor to assigne Vnto thy worth that is not more hereby Since th' offrings made vnto the powers deuine Enrich not them but shew mens pietie But this I do to th' end if destinie Shall any monument reserue of me Those times should see my loue how willing I That liu'd by thee would haue thee lius with me S. D. THE CIVIL WARS OF ENGLAND BEtween the two Houses of Lancaster and Yorke AEtas prima canat veneres postrema tumultus SAM DANIELL AT LONDON Printed by P. S. for Symon Waterson 1599. THE ARGVMENT OF THE FIRST BOOKE What times forgoe Richard the seconds raigne The fatall causes of this ciuile warre His Vnckles pride his greedte Minions gaine Glosters reuolt and death dcliuered are Herford accusd exild calld backe againe Pretends t' amend what others Rule did marre The King from Ireland hastes but did no good Whilst strange prodigious signes foretoken bloud 1 I Sing the ciuil warrs tumultuous broyles And bloudy factions of a mighty land VVhose people hauty proud with forain spoyles Vpon themselues turne back their conquering hand VVhilst Kin their Kin brother the brother foyles Like Ensignes all against like Ensignes band Bowes against bowes the Crowne against the crowne vvhil'st all pretending right all right throwen downe 2 What furie ô what madnes held you so Deare people to too prodigall of bloud To wast so much and warre without a foe Whilst France to see your spoyles at pleasure stood How much might you haue purchasd with lesse wo Thaue done you honor and your Nephewes good Yours might haue beene what euer lies betweene The Perenei and Alps Aquitayne and Rbeine 3 And yet ô God wee haue no cause to plaine Since hereby came the quiet calme we ioye The blisse of thee ELIZA happie gaine For all our losse for that no other waye The heauens could find then vnite againe The fatall seu'red families that they Might bring forth thee that in thy peace might grow That glory which no age could euer show 4 O sacred Goddesse I no muse but thee Invoke in this great worke I now entend Do thou inspire my thoughts infuse in mee A power to bring the same to happie end Raise vp a worke for latter times to see That may thy glorie and my paines commend Strengthen thy subiect strang thinges to rehearse And giue peace to my life life to my verse 5 And thou Charles Mountioy borne the worldes That hast receiu'd into thy quiet shore delight Me tempest-driuen fortune-tossed wight Tir'd with expecting and could hope no more And cheerest on my better yeares to write A sadder Subiect then I tooke before Receiue the worke I consecrate to thee Borne of that rest which thou dost giue to mee 6 And MEMORIE preseruresse of thinges done Come thou vnfold the wounds the wracke the wast Reucale to me how all the strife begunne Twixt Lancaster and Yorke in ages past How causes counsels and euents did runne So long as these vnhappie times did last Vnintermixt with fictions fantasies I versifie the troth not poetize 7 And to the end we maie with better ease Iudge the true progresse here bigin to showe What weare the times fore going nere to thease That these we maie with better profit knowe Tell how the world fell into this disease And how so great distemperature did growe So shall we see by what degrees it came How thinges grown full do sone grow out of frame 8 Ten kings had now raignd of the Norman race With variable fortune turning chaunce All in two hundreth sixtie one yeares space When Edward third of name and first of Fraunce Possest the crowne in fortunes highest grace And did to greatest state his state aduaunce When England might the largest limits see That euer any king attaind but hee 9 For most of all the rest toyld in vnrest What with wrong titles what with inward broyl Hardlie a true establishment possest Of what they sought with such exceeding toyle For why their power within it self opprest Scarce could breake forth to greatnes al that while Such wo the childhood of this state did passe Before it could attaine to what it wasse 10 For first the Norman conquering all by might By might was forst to keepe what hee had got Altring the lawes chaunging the forme of Right And placing barbarous Customes he had brought Maistring the mighty humbling the poorer wight With grieuous taxes tyranie had sought Scarce laide th' assured groundes to build vpon The chaunge so hatefull in such course begon 11 William his sonne tracing the selfesame wayes The great outworne with war or slaine in peace Onely vpon depressed weakenes prayes And treades down what was likeliest to increase Those that were left being left to wofull daies Had onely powre to wish for some release Whilst giuing beastes what did to men pertaine Tooke for a beast himselfe was after slaine 12 Henrie his brother raignes when he had donne Who Roberts title better to reiect The Norman Duke the Conquerours first sonne Lightens in shew rather then in effect Those greeuances his fatall race begunne Reformes the lawes which soone he did neglect Whose sons being drownd for whō he did prepare Leaues crowne strif to Maud his daughters care 13 Whom Stephen his Nephew falsifying his oath Preuents assailes the Realm obtaines the crown Raising such tumults as torment them both Whil'st both held nothing certainlie their owne Th' afflicted Realme deuided in their troth And partiall faith most miserable growne Endures the while till peace and Stephens death Conclude some hope of quiet to take breath 14 The sonne of Maud from Saxon bloud deriu'd By mothers line succeeds th'vnrightfull king Henrie the second in whose raigne reuiu'd Th' oppressed state and first began to spring And ô if he had not beene too long liu'd T' haue seene th'affliction that his age did bring By his vngodly sonnes then happie man For they against him warr'd for whom hewan 15 All Ireland Scotland th'Iles of Orcades Poytiers Guienna Brittany hee got And leades forth
sorrow from it selfe to thease Recouers strength at home so feeble brought Giues courage to the strong to weaker ease Ads to the state what England neuer sought Who him succeed the forraine bloud out growne Are home born kings by speech and birth our owne 16 Lo hitherto the new borne state in teares Was in her raw and wayling infancie During a hundred two and twentie yeares Vnder the hand of straungers tyranny And now some better strength and youth appeares Which promises a glad recouery For hard beginnings haue the greatest states What with their owne or neighbourers debates 17 Euen like to Rheine which in his birth opprest Strangled almost with rocks and mightie hils Workes out a way to come to better rest Wars with the mountaines striues against their wils Bringes forth his streames in vnitie possest Into the quiet bed he proudlie fils Carrying that greatnes which he cannot keepe Vnto his death and buriall in the deepe 18 So did the worldes proud Mistres Rome at first Striue with a hard beginning warr'd with need Forcing her strong Confiners to the worst And in her bloud her greatnes first did breed So Spaine at home with Moores ere forth it burst Did practize long and in it selfe did bleed So did our state begin with her owne woundes To try her strength ere it enlarg'd her boundes 19 But now comes Richard to succeed his fire Who much the glorie of our armes increast His fathers limits bound not his desire He spreeds the English Ensignes in the East And whilst his vertues would haue raisd him hyer Treason and malice his great actions ceast A faithles brother and a fatall king Cut off his growth of glory in the spring 20 Which wicked brother contrarie to course False John vsurpes his Nephew Arthurs right Gets to the crowne by craft by wrong by force Rules it with lust oppression rigor might Murders the lawfull heire without remorse Wherefore procuring all the worldes despight A Tyrant loth'd a homicide conuented Poysoned he dies disgrac'd and vnlamented 21 Henrie his sonne is chosen king though young And Lewes of Fraunce elected first beguilde After the mightie had debated long Doubtfull to choose a straunger or a child With him the Barons in these times grown strōg Warre for their auncient lawes so long exild He graunts the Charter that pretended ease And kept his owne yet did his owne appease 22 Edward his sonne a martiall king succeedes Iust prudent graue religious fortunate Whose happy ordred raigne most fertile breeds Plentie of mightie spirits to strength his state And worthy mindes to manage worthy deeds Th' experience of those times ingenerate For euer great imployment for the great Quickens the bloud and honour doth beget 23 And had not his mis-lead lasciuious sonne Edward the second intermitted so The course of glorie happilie begunne Which brought him and his fauorites to woe That happy current without stop had runne Vnto the full of his sonne Edwards flo But who hath often seene in such a state Father and sonne like good like fortunate 24 But now this great succeeder all repaires And rebrings-backe that discontinued good He buildes vp strength and greatnes for his heires Out of the vertues that adornd his bloud He makes his subiects Lords of more then theirs And sets their bounds farre wider then they stood Could greatnes haue but kept what he had gote It was enough he did and what he wrought 25 And had his heire surviu'd him in due course What limits England hadst thou found what barre What world could haue resisted so great force O more then men two thunderbolts of warre Why did not time your ioined worth diuorse T' haue made your seuerall glories greater farre Too prodigall was nature thus to doe To spend in one age what should serue for two 26 But now the scepter in this glorious state Supported with strong powre and victorie Was left vnto a child ordain'd by fate To stay the course of what might grow too hie Here was a stop that greatnes did abate When powre vpon so weake a base did lie For lest great fortune should presume too farre Such oppositions interposed are 27 Neuer this Iland better peopled stood Neuer more men of might and mindes addrest Neuer more Princes of the royall bloud If not too many for the publique rest Nor euer was more treasure wealth and good Then when this Richard first the crowne possest Second of name a name in two accurst And well we might haue mist all but the first 28 In this mans raigne began this fatall strife The bloudy argument where of we treate That dearely cost so many ' a Prince his life That spoild the weake euen consum'd the great That wherein all calamitie was rife That memory euen grieues her to repeate And would that time would now this knowledge lose But that t is good to learne by others woes 29 Edward the third being dead had left this child Sonne of his worthy sonne deceasd of late The crowne and Scepter of this Realme to wield Appointing the protectors of his state Two of his sonnes to be his better shield Supposing vnckles free from guile or hate Would order all things for his better good In the respect and honour of their bloud 30 Of these John Duke of Lancaster was one Too great a subiect growne for such a state The title of a king and what h 'had done In great exploits his mind did eleuate Aboue proportion kingdomes stand vpon Which made him push at what his issue gate The other Edmond Langley whose milde sprite Affected quiet and a safe delight 31 With these did interpose his proud vnrest Thomas of woodstocke one most violent Impatient of command of peace of rest Whose brow would shew that which his hart had ment His open malice and repugnant brest Procur'd much mischiefe by his discontent And these had all the charge of king and state Till by himselfe he might it ordinate 32 And in the first yeares of this gouernement Things past as first the warres in Fraunce proceede Though not with that same fortune and euent Being now not followed with such carefull heed Our people here at home growne discontent Through great exactions insurrections breed Priuate respectes hindred the common weale And idle ease doth on the mighty steale 33 Too many kings breed factions in the court The head too weake the members grown too great O this is that which kingdomes doth transport This plague the heauens do for iniustice threat When children rule who euer in this sort Confound the state their auncestors did get For the ambitious once inur'd to raigne Can neuer brooke a priuate state againe 34 And kingdomes euer suffer this distresse For one or manie guide the infant king Which one or manie tasting this excesse Of greatnes and command can neuer bring Their thoughts againe t' obay or to be lesse From hence these insolencies euer spring Contempt of others
whom they seeke to foile Then follow leagues destruction ruine spoile 35 Whether it were that they which had the charge Suffred the king to take a youthfull vaine That they their priuate better might inlarge Or whether he himselfe would farther straine Thinking his yeares sufficient to discharge The gouernment presumd to take the raigne We will not saie but now his eare he lendes To youthfull counsell and his lusts attends 36 And courts were neuer barren yet of those Which could with subtle traine and apt aduise Worke on the Princes weakenes and dispose Of feeble frailtie easiest to intice And such no doubt about this king arose Whose flattery the daungerous nurse of vice Got hand vpon his youth to pleasures bent Which lead by them did others discontent 37 For now his vnckles grew much to mislike These ill proceedings were it that they saw That others fauor'd did aspiring seeke Their nephew from their counsels to withdraw Seeing his nature flexible and mecke Because they onely would keepe all in awe Or that indeed they found the king and state Abusde by such as now in office sate 38 Or rather else they all were in the fault Th' ambitious vnckles th' indiscreet young king The greedy counsell and the Minions naught And all togither did this tempest bring Besides the times withall iniustice fraught Concurr'd in this confusd disordering That we may truly say this spoild the state Youthfull Counsell priuate gaine partiall hate 39 And sure the king plainly discouereth Apparant cause his vnckles to suspect For John of Gaunt was said to seeke his death By secret meanes which came not to effect The Duke of Gloster like wise practiseth In open world that all men might detect And leagues his Nobles and in greatest strength Rises in armes against him too at length 40 Vnder pretence from him to take away Such as they said the states oppressors weare To whom the Realme was now become a pray The chiefe of whom they nam'd was Robert Vere Then Duke of Ireland bearing greatest sway About the king who held him only dere Him they would haue remou'd and diuers more Or else would neuer lay downe armes they swore 41 The king was forst in that next Parliment To grant them what he durst not well refuse For thither arm'd they came and fully bent To suffer no repulse nor no excuse And here they did accomplish their intent Where iustice did her sword not ballance vse For euen that sacred place they violate And there arest the Iudges as they sate 42 Which soone with many others had their end Cruelly slaine without the course of right And still these warres that publique good pretend Worke most iniustice being done for spight For the agrieued euermore doe bend Against those whom they see of greatest might Who though themselues are wrong'd often forst Yet for they can doe most are thought the worst 43 And yet I doe not seeme herein to excuse The Iustices and Minions of the king Which might their office and their grace abuse But onely blame the course of managing For great men too well grac'd much rigor vse Presuming fauorites mischiefe euer bring So that concluding I may boldly speake Minions too great argue a king too weake 44 Now that so much was granted as was sought A reconcilement made although not ment Appeasd them all in shew but not in thought Whilst euery one seem'd outwardlie content Though hereby king nor peeres nor people got More loue more strength or easier gouerment But euery day things now succeeded worse For good from kings must not be drawne by force 45 And this it lo continued till by chance The Queene which was the emperours daughter dy'de When as the king t' establish peace with Fraunce And better for home quiet to prouide Sought by contracting marriage to aduance His owne affaires against his vnckles pride Tooke the young daughter of king Charles to wife Which after in the end raisd greater strife 46 For now his vnckle Gloster much repin'd Against this french aliance and this peace Hauing himselfe a working stirring mind Which neuer was content the warres should cease Whether he did dishonourable finde Those articles that did our boundes decrease And therfore storm'd because the crown had wrōg Or that he fear'd the king would grow too strong 47 Or whatsoeuer mou'd him this is sure Hereby he wrought his ruine in the end And was a fatall cause that did procure The swift approching mischiefes that attend For lo the king no longer could indure Thus to be crost in what he did intend And therefore watcht but some occasion fit T' attach the Duke when he thought least of it 48 And fortune now to further this intent The great Earle of S. Paule doth hither bring From Charles of Fraunce vnto the young Q. sent To see both her and to salute the king To whom he shewes his vnckles discontent And of his secret dangerous practising How he his subiects sought to fulleuare And breake the league with Fraunce concluded late 49 To whom the suttle Earle forthwith replies Great Prince it is within your power with ease To remedy such feares such ielousies And rid you of such mutiners as thease By cutting off that which might greater rise And now at first preuenting this disease And that before he shall your wrath disclose For who threates first means of reuenge doth lose 50 First take his head then tell the reason why Stand not to finde him guilty by your lawes Easier you shall with him your quarrell try Dead then aliue who hath the better cause For in the murmuring vulgar vsually This publique course of yours compassion drawes Especially in cases of the great Which worke much pitty in the vndiscreat 51 And this is sure though his offence be such Yet doth calamitie attract commorse And men repine at Princes bloudshed much How iust-socuer iudging t is by force I know not how their death giues such a tuch In those that reach not to a true discourse That so shall you obseruing formall right Be still thought as vniust and win more spight 52 And oft the cause may come preuented so And therefore when t is done let it be heard So shall you hereby scape your priuate wo And satisfie the world to afterward What need you weigh the rumors that shall go What is that breath being with your life compard And therefore if you will be rul'd by me Strangled or poison'd secret let him be 53 And then araigne the chiefe of those you find Were of his faction secretly compact Whom you maie wisely order in such kind That you maie such confessions then exact As both you maie appease the peoples mind And by their death much aggrauate the fact So shall you rid your selfe of dangers quite And shew the world that you haue done but right 54 This counsell vttred vnto such an eare As willing listens to the safest waies Workes on the yeelding matter of his feare Which easelie
pretendant race t' haue laid full low If thou proceeded hadst with crueltie Not suffering anie fatall branch to grow But vnsuspicious magnanimitie Shames such effects of feare and force to show Busied in free and open Actions still Being great for being good hates to be ill 36 Which ô how much it were to be requir'd In all of might if all were like of mind But when that all depraued haue conspird To be vniust what saftie shall they find After the date of vertue is expird That do not practize in the selfe-same kind And countermine against deceite with guile But ô what mischiefe feeles the world the while 37 And yet such wronges are held meete to be don And often for the state thought requisite As when the publicke good depends thereon When most iniustice is esteemd most right But ô what good with doing ill is won Who hath of bloud made such a benefite As hath not fear'd more after then before And made his peace the lesse his plague the more 38 Far otherwise dealt this vndaunted king That cheerished the ofspring of his foes And his competitors to grace did bring And them his frendes for Armes and honors chose As if plaine courses were the safest thing Where vpright goodnes sure and stedfast goes Free from that subtile mask't impietie Which this depraued world calles policie 39 Yet how hath fate dispos'd of all this good What haue these vertues after times availd In what steed hath hy-raised valor stood When this continuing cause of greatnes faild Then when proud-growne the irritated bloud Enduring not it selfe it selfe assaild As though that Prowesse had but learnt to spill Much bloud abrode to cut her throte with skill 40 O doth th' Eternall in the course of thinges So mixe the causes both of good and ill That thus the one effects of th' other bringes As what seemes made to blisse is borne to spill What from the best of vertues glorie springes That which the world with miserie doth fill Is th' end of happines but wretchednesse Hath sin his plague and vertue no successe 41 Either that is not good the world holds good Or else is so confusd with ill that we Abused with th' appearing likelihood Run to offend whilst we thinke good to be Or else the heauens made man in furious bloud To torture man And that no course is free From mischiefe long And that faire daies do breed But storms to make more foule times that succeed 42 Who would haue thought but so great victories Such conquests riches land and kingdome gaind Could not but haue establish't in such wise This powreful state in state to haue remaind Who would haue thought that mischief could deuise A way so soone to loose what was attaind As greatnes were but shewd to grieue not grace And to reduce vs into far worse case 43 With what contagion France didst thou insect The land by thee made proud to disagree T'inrage them so their owne swords to direct Vpon themselues that were made sharpe in thee Why didst thou teach them here at home t' erect Trophees of their bloud which of thine should be Or was the date of thy affliction out And so was ours by course to come about 44 But that vntimely death of this Great King Whose nine yeares raign so mighty wōders wrought To thee thy hopes to vs despaire did bring Not long to keepe and gouerne what was gote For those that had th' affaires in managing Although their countries good they greatly sought Yet so ill accidents vnfitly fell That their desseignes could hardly prosper well 45 An infant king doth in the state succeed Skarse one yeare old left vnto others guide Whose carefull trust though such as shewd indeed They waighd their charge more then the world beside And did with dutie zeale and loue proceed Yet for all what their trauaile could prouide Could not woo fortune to remaine with vs When this her Minion was departed thus 46 But by degrees first this then that regaind The turning tide beares backe with flowing chaunce Vnto the Dolphin all we had attaind And fils the late low-running hopes of Fraunce When Bedford who our onely hold maintaind Death takes from vs their fortune to aduaunce And then home strife that on it selfe did fall Neglecting forraine care did soone loose all 47 Nere three score years are past since Bullinbrooke Did first attaine God knowes how iust the crowne And now his race for right possessors tooke Were held of all to hold nought but their owne When Richard Duke of Yorke begins to looke Into their right and makes his title knowne Wakening vp sleeping-wrong that lay as dead To witnes how his race was iniured 48 His fathers end in him no feare could moue T' attempt the like against the like of might Where long possession now of feare and loue Seem'd to prescribe euen an innated right So that to proue his state was to disproue Time law consent oth and allegeance quight And no way but the waie of bloud there was Through which with all confusion he must passe 49 O then yet how much better had it beene T' indure a wrong with peace then with such toyle T' obtaine a bloudie right since Right is sinne That is ill sought and purchased with spoile What madnes vnconstrained to begin To right his state to put the state in broyle Iustice her selfe maie euen do wrong in this No war be'ing right but that which needfull is 50 And yet that oportunity which led Him to attempt seemes likewise him t' excuse A feeble spirited king that gouerned Vnworthy of the Scepter he did vse His enemies that his worth maliced Who both the land and him did much abuse The poeples loue and his apparant right May seeme sufficient motiues to incite 51 Besides the now ripe wrath deferd till now Of that sure and vnfailing Justicer That neuer suffers wrong so long to grow And to incorporate with right so farre That it might come to seeme the same in show T' incourage those that euill minded are By such successe but that at last he will Confound the branch whose root was planted ill 52 Else might the ympious say with grudging spright Doth God permit the great to riot free And blesse the mighty though they doe vnright As if he did vnto their wrongs agree And only plague the weake and wretched wights For smallest faults euen in the highest degree When he but vsing them others to scourge Likewise of them at length the world doth purge 53 But could not ô for bloudshed satisfie The now well-ruling of th'ill-gotten crowne Must euen the good receiue the penaltie Of former sinnes that neuer were their owne And must a iust kings bloud with miserie Pay for a bad vniustly ouerthrowne Then ô I see due course must rightly goe And th' earth must trace it or else purchase woe 54 And sure this king that now the crowne possest Henry the sixt was one whose life was free From that