did plainely appeare it would séeme incredible to be tolde and no lesse admirable how hee did abstaine from lasciuious liuing and auaritious desires in such time and estate of riches and prouoking youth In the time of losse he was no more sad then in the times of victory which cōstancy fewe Princes haue euer vsed To speake of his bounty and liberality no man could be more free gentle and liberall in bestowing rewardes vpon all persons according to their deserts sauing that hee did not regarde money to kéepe but to giue away and to spend What may besayd he was the Myrror of al Christendome and the glory of his Country the flower of Kings passed and the glasse of all succéeding Maiestie No Prince had lesse of his subiects no king conquered more whose fame by his death liuely florished as his acts in his life were séene and remembred The losse of such a Prince could not bée sufficiently lamented of his subiectes blaming fortune for taking away so precious a iewel so noble an ornament so sure a defence for no doubt so much hope as was taken away from the Englishmen the assured conquest of all France by his sodaine death so much trust was increased in the French nations stomackes to recouer their late losses againe as not many yeares after they did indéed Peeter Basset Esquier and one of his chamber affirmed that he dyed of a Pleurisy there were others that did astirme otherwise but the most likely was a Pleurisy indeed the nature of that disease being then vnknowen to Phisicians or to the world in those dayes especially This King raigned nine yeares fiue moneths and three and twenty dayes and liued not full thirty eight yeares he was of stature higher then the common sort of body leane singularly proportioned and strongly made of face bewtifull something long necked blacke haired stoute of stomacke eloquent of tongue in Martiall affaires a perfect maister and of chiualry the very peragon His body inbalmed and lapped in lead was layd in a chariot royall richly apparelled in cloth of golde vpon his corps was layde a representation of his person adorned with robes diademe scepter and ball like a king the which chariot was drawen with sixe horses richly trapped with seuerall armes the first with the armes of S. George the second with the armes of Normandy the third with the armes of king Arthur the fourth with the armes of S. Edward the fift with the armes of France the sixt with the armes of England and France On this Chariot gaue attendance Iames King of Scotland principall Mourner his Unkle Thomas duke of Exceter Richard Earle of Warwicke Edmond Earle of March Humfrey Earle of Stafford Edmond Earle of Mortaine The Lord Fitz Hugh Hugh L. Beufort Walt. L. Hungerford Sir Lewis Robsert Lord Bourchier Sir Iohn Cornwall Lord Fanhope and the Lord Cromwell were the mourners The Lord Louell the Lord Audley the Lord Zouch bare the banners of Saints the Baron of Dublin bare the standard The Earle of Longvile bare the banner The Hatchments were borne onely by Captaines to the number of twelue and round about the Chariot rode fiue hundred men at Armes all in black armour and their horses barbd with black carrying the but end of their spears vpwards The conuoy of this dolorous funerall was committed to Sir William Philips Treasurer of his househould to Sir William Porter his chiefe caruer and other mourners on each side the chariot were 300. men bearing long torches and Lords bearing banners baueroles and penons With this funerall pompe he was conuaied from Bois De Vincens to Paris and so to Roan to Abuill to Calis to Douer and so through London to Westminster where he was buried with such solemnities as to such a Prince appertained especially such lamenting of the Lords and such mourning of the Commons asn euer before those daies were seene in the Realme of England There is as I doe thinke an Epitaph fixed vpon his Tumbe at Westminster but I held it my dutie to continue my course in writing a simple one of my owne in honour of him c. His Epitaphe OHad I Homers pen and Virgills wit With Tullies Eloquence to prayse this Prince And would the Muses come and by me sit Yet pen and paper would my Muse conuince For who can write of this most famous King And shall not erre in many a worthy thing His life immaculate what doth that meane But that he conquered sinne the world the flesh Vnspotted sure O heart and body cleane Almost two hundred yeares agoe yet fresh The memorie of thee O King remaines Thy Tumbe like Crystall shines deuoyd of staines Prose be thy prayse which Holinshed hathpend And praysed be thy name O King for euer Thy owne pure prayse no mortall man can mend Thy name cannot forgotten be no neuer England and France ring forth thy famous praise Though thou raigne with the Ancient of all dayes Yet as a mirror or a looking glasse Thou mai'st remaine ô King amongst vs still Succeeding princes will not let thee passe To Heauen without administring thy Will Such testaments grant all thy heires to proue Then Englands glory neuer shall remoue Rest then ô Rex and rise vp with renowne VVestmonastery doth thy tombe possesse Succeeding Soueraigne doth enioy thy Crowne And Kingdomes all one more for whome we blesse Thy name great God who long prolong his dayes To Englands comfort and ay-lasting praise King Henry the sixt AFter that death had bereft the World of that noble Prince King Henry the fift his only sonne Prince Henry béeing of the age of nine moneths or thereabout with the sownde of Trumpets was openly proclaimed King of England and of France the thirtéenth day of August Anno. 1422. by the name of King Henry the sixt The custody of this young Prince was committed to the Duke of Exceter and to Henry Beuford Bishop of Winchester In the eight yeare of his raigne the same of his age he was with all solemnity crowned king at Westminster not long after which time he tooke the sea at Douer landed at Calis from thence to Roan and so to Paris whither attended on him his Uncle the Cardinall of VVinchester the Cardinall and Archbishop of Yorke the Dukes of Bedford Yorke and Norfolke the Earles of Warwicke Salisbury Oxford Huntington Ormond Mortaine and Suffolk of Gaskoines there were the Earles of Longvoile and March besides many Noble men of England Gwyen and Normandy and the chiefe of the French Nation were the Dukes of Burgundy Lewis of Luxenburgh Cardinall and Chauncelor of France for King Henry the Bishops of Bauiors and Noyom both Péeres of France the Bishop of Paris and diuers other Bishops the Earle of Vandemont with a great number of other Noble-men superfluous to be named And hee had a Guarde about his person of thrée hundred choyse Archers some on horsebacke and parte on foote With what tryumphes pageants riche and sumptuous shewes hee was
Kings in Kingly armors clad Were beaten downe by the Earle Dowglas hand To see them fall it seem'd his heart to glad To rise againe he sayd ô powerfull land That valiant harts withstanding fortunes checke Three Kings to rise each one in others necke King Henry the fift THe Prince of Wales son and heire to king Henry the fourth was born at Mounmouth in Wales vpon the riuer of Wy after his Father was departed this life he tooke on him the regiment of the Realme of England the 20. day of March and beeing proclaimed King by the name of Henry the fift the yeare of our Lord 1413 such great hope good expectation was had of this kings fortunate successe to follow that within sowre dayes after his Fathers departure diuers Noble men and honourable personages did to him homage and sware to him due obedience which had not béen séen done to any his predecessors kings of this Realme till they had been possessed of the Crowne Hee was crowned the ninth day of Aprill beeing Palme-sonday and béeing a very fierce and cruell day for variety of fowle weather men diuined and déemed diuersely what might insue of such a beginning But whatsoeuer mens fantasies might or did coniecture yet this was the King that according to the prouerbe did shewe and declare indéede how trewe and new honor ought to make exchange of old and euill manners For no sooner was he inuested king and had receiued the Crowne but hee did put vpon him the shape of a newe man turning insolency and wildenesse into grauity and sobernesse and whereas hee had passed his youth with wanton and dissolute wild yong gentlemen who had led him into all excesse of ryot in so much as one of his youthfull traine beeing committed by the Lord chiefe Iustice for misdemeanour the youthfull Prince did strike the Lord chiefe Iustice vpon the face who also presently committed the Prince to straite and close prison The King his Father mainetained the Lorde chiefe Iustice banished the Prince from his presence and Courte did remoue him from the Counsell Table and woulde not readmit him into fauour vntill with submission extraordinary hee obtained the same But as before beeing placed in the seate Royall hee called these Gallants before him toulde them of his and their owne faultes banished them from his presence not vnrewarded nor yet vnpreferred inhibiting them vpon a great payne not once to approach lodge or soiourne within ten myles of his Courte or Mansions And then hee made choise of graue wise and politicke Counsellors by whose high wisdomes and prudent aduertisements he might at all times rule to his honour and gouerne to his profit And considering with himself what charge hee had in hand and what appertained to his duty and office he trusted not too much to his owne wisedome Iudgement and directions but as is aforesayde he called to his Counsell such honourable personages as might assist him in the gouernmēt of so weighty a charge to instruct him with such good reasons and fruitefull perswasions as that thereby he might shewe himselfe to his subiects a Mirror of vertue and an example of iust and vpright dealing And hauing first laid the foundations of his gouernment sure he did prouidently forecast and consider in his Princely minde that euery good gifte and euery perfect gifte commeth downe from the Father of lightes He determined withall to begin with something most acceptable to his diuine Maiestie And therfore cōmanded the Clergy sincerely truly to preach the Word of God and liue accordingly that they might be as they ought to be and their profession required lanternes of light to the temporaltie The Lay men he commanded to serue God and obey their Prince prohibiting them aboue all things the breach of matrimony the fowle abuse of swearing chiefely of wilfull periury and to that end he ordained good holesome lawes and presently summoned a Parliament in the which in honor of the most noble order of the garter he ordained the day of S. George euer after to be kept with a double feast in this his first parliament he propounded matters of questiō touching the hierarchy of Churchgouernment that time but was answered with the iust and lawful title which he had to the kingdome of France Which when he had conceiued to pursue the Dolphin of France a valiant yong prince sent vnto his Maiesty a barrel of tennis bals as if he would haue sayd these are fit instruments for such a young gentleman to play withall as you the King of England is not at these years to forecast the conquest or rather a Reconquest of the noble and renowned kingdome of France which the King my Father and I the Dolphin doe and will possesse mauger the power of England But this redoubted king magnanimous wise graue and settled to all kingly resolutions sendeth the Dolphin this mild and sober answere Go tell that gallant yong gentleman your Master that I doe thanke him for his present and will with all speed prepare to send him in requitall such store of London bals as shall batter the strongest holdes make stoops the most bewtifull Towers and make flat the chimnies and roufes of houses about his and his Fathers eares that are contained in the realme confines of France For I will make the highest crowne to stoop and the proudest miter to kneele down yea and that before one yeare doe passe me by the power of God Which thing to make good he slacked no time omitted no occasiō lost no opportunitie but made preparation both by sea and land to execute the full of his intended purposes Being furnished for the expedition of the fleet ready for his Maiestie and Armies to saile forth for the intire conquest of all France behold a conspiracy was practized against this immaculate king by the Earle of Cambridge and others at Sowthhampton vpon whom he commanded though sore against his wil as some Authors do affirme execution to be done vpon his going to shipborde making it knowen by a most louing and princely Oration how vnwilling hee was to haue taken life away or to haue left the noble Earle of Camebridge deade and sequestred from his then victorious voyage Yet had he seene or foreséene at that time to haue shewed the like vpon the Earle of March Richard Duke of Yorke had not claimed afterward as he did nor confounded the state and gouernement of this kings onely sonne nor wrought his owne end at Wakefield as he did but the Almighty is and euer wil be all in all This his first and honourable voyage into France his warlike proceedings there his conquest of many particulars his battaile or most famous victorie at Agincourt where hee slewe and subiected to himselfe as prisoners and captiues al the flower and chiualry of France his returne againe into England his second voyage backe againe his second conquest of all France the Homages of Philip duke of Burgundy with other estates of
of this your tender youth may be found meete Gentlemen to attend so worthy a Prince Remember I beseech you the Poesies borne in some of your honourable Ensignes Vero nihil verius Virtutis comes Inuidia Serò sed seriò And neuer forget the most worthy saying of that thrice honourable late Senatour Corvnum via vna These Mottoes well imprinted in youth will bring honour to olde age Which the God of heauen and earth make you all partakers of in the present and possessors in the future and the same after many yeeres to be permanent in the heauens for euer Your Honours in all humility euer to be commanded ROBERT FLETCHER To his friend M. Ro. Fletcher vpon his Subiect of the nine Worthies WHo dreads the fume of euery froathy spirit And begs th' applause of ech fantastick braine Frighting with causelesse feares industrious merit Too much deiects exalted Poesies straine Let blind distrust insinuate approbation A princely Subiect scornes base deprecation Vino vendibili non opus est suspensa bedera φιλαÏετὴ R. Fenne Thomas Lord Windsor his humble congratulation of the ninth Worthy WHo-euer shall a vertuous mind imbrace Present renowne and glory shall him grace Long after life as in these Worthies nine It doth appeare For they long since are dead Their Vertues liue in Chronicles they shine Their Corps consum'd to dust yea euen the Lead That clos'd their earthly bodies in the graue Can not be seene no signe thereof we haue Their names nor fames their deeds will neuer die Their Acts their Monuments their worthy praise These registred doe liue perpetually There is no end or period of their dayes Liue so Great Britaines Prince as they haue donne Ninth Worthy hopeful HENRY great Kings Sonne Sir William Whorewood Knight in honour of the ninth Worthy WHen Siluius Post-humus did seeke this soile And therin thought to raigne to rule to rest Trauailes he found and stormes with bitter broile But little space in quiet he possest Since when what alterations and what change By Conquest and by Tyrants bloody hand To write at large it would be true but strange To count the troubles of now happy land Yet by eight HENRIES settled in it selfe Lastly vnited to one Kingdome more What needeth it to care for Indian pelse Gold Plate and Pearle it now possesseth store And more then all a King a Queene a Plant A Royall Issue Parents chiefest ioy A Captaine that in time will those supplant That dare attempt Great Britains least annoy Ninth Worthy worthiest next our Soueraigne be God grant long Raigne of both may Britaine see Iohn Widevp the elder Gent. vpon the Worthies but with most humble dueties to the Worthiest of them all NIne Worthies were described long agone And as forgotten are intumbed dead No Monument remaines of any one Though they were Shrined better then in Lead But Iosua Dauid Macchabeus be In Bible booked for first Worthies three Next in that Ranke and so the number nine Were Iulius Alexander Macedon Hector of Troy and Godfrey-de-Boloigne Arthur of Britaine Charles King Pepins sonne In other bookes their Stories written are With whom eight HENRIES welnigh may coÌ„pare The ninth in hope more worthy then the eight Vpon whose shoulders wisest heads haue hurld Of future honour a farre greater weight Applauded of Europa and the World Besides all these one Worthy more I sing The worthiest of Worthies IAMES our King Jo Guilliams Gent. vpon the ancient nine Worthies THe drift and scope of princely Subiect this Is bent to very perfect honest end The Writer thought he could not write amisse In writing that which formerly was pend Nine former Worthies Stories theirs extend Some of them vp to heauen with endlesse praise All of them liv'd most worthy in their dayes But all were not of one nor oneselfe sort Three excellents of God ordaind before Three other valiant famous by report The first three Kings one Prophet valour store All three commended heauenly vertues lore Three other were profane but valiant men Three Christian Kings that vsed pike for pen. Paul Peart Gent. vpon the later nine Worthies TO make those Worthies liue againe Which long agoe were lapt in Lead Is worthy praise for taken paine To him that raiseth from the dead Such Princes as in time possest The Regal Scepter Crowne and Globe And in their Tumbs haue taken rest That once did weare a kingly Robe Now to appeare on princely Stage And to resigne a princely power Vnto a Prince whose tender age IEHOVA blesse and grant each hower Him to attend the royall hest And follow after true renowne He then from heauen shall be blest Nor dare proud Fortune euer frowne On him that vertuously doth liue To whom eight HENRIES honour giue Iohn Widevp the yonger Gent. of the nine Worthies THe primier Worthies which we Worthies cal Were worthy three for godly exhortation Iosua Dauid Macchabeus and all The other sixe for valours imitation Nine worthies more behold eight Kings a Prince Yong Tender Sweete Great Britaines hopefull Ioy Who will in time his fathers Foes conuince And worthy prooue as Hector was of Troy Then eighteen Worthies with the Prince of Britain This booke doth note Loe here their stories written Thomas Webber seruant to the Kings Maiestie vpon the sixt Worthy King HENRY the sixt THe King was left an infant most vnfit To Raigne by age but not to rule till when He should attaine in time to riper wit Thereby to iudge the differences of men Yet Crownd in Paris King of mighty France In tender yeeres almost an infant still His vncles and his Nobles did aduance His Regal power as did his father will They should But yet this King a tender childe Was rul'd and ouer-rul'd by Tutors head For de-la-Poole his nonage then beguil'd And brought King Rayners daughter to his bed Yet during nonage or his kingly youth The valiant Dukes of Bedford Glocester thoe Salisbury Shrewsbury Earles these bent their truth T'vphold him King of France in spite of foe In whose time Talbot was a terror great To all the French For as his dubbing drums With armed souldiers did their walles downe beat So women fear'd their children TALBOT comes Thus whil'st these Nobles liv'd this Worthy thriues They being dead then all was lost againe Salisbury Talbot both did lose their liues Bedford likewise Now both these valiants slaine This King at home drencht in domesticke strife Fierce factions set his Nobles at debate Some followed him and some his head-strong wife Till Richard Duke of Yorke disturbd their State Who claimd the Crowne yet neuer could attaine The same but Edward fourth his valiant sonne Rose into Armes though first his father slaine At Wakefield where the Queene a battell wonne With these and thousands moe this worthy King Tost and turmoyled spent his Mortall time Till Tyrant Gloster in the Tower did bring To death this worthy Prince deuoide of crime In all his life who euer shunned euill Conquering Sinne the World the
of Northumberland that day was so richly apparrelled in garments garnished with goldsmithes worke stone and pearle his Hexemen also and the barbes and trappings of his horses besides 400. tall med well mounted apparelled in his liuery colours that he seemed more like a king then an Earle From Lamberton the foresaid Lady was conuaied to Edenborough and there the day after king Iames espoused her in the presence of all the Nobilitie of Scotland and of those English that attended her with great feastings banketings iustes and Princely pastimes and after all things finished to such a solemnity appertaining the Earle of Surry beeing chiefe in commission with the Earle of Northumberland and all the other English Lords and Ladies returned into their Countrey againe But as al earthly creatures and things transitory haue their end and period so had this Mighty prince K. Henry the seauenth For his sicknesse increasing daily more and more he well perceaued that his end drew néere therefore meaning to doe some comfort to his people hee did grant them of his owne free motion a generall pardon for all men and for all offences committed against any his Lawes and Statutes Thieues Murtherers and certaine others were excepted he also payde the fées of all prisoners in and about the gaoles of London abiding there onely for that dutie Hee payde also the debts of all such persons as lay in the Counters or Ludgate for forty shillings and vnder and some he relieued that were condemned in ten pounds Generall prayer being made to God for the restitution of his health neuerthelesse hee was so wasted with his long Malady that nature could no longer sustaine his life and so he departed this life the 22 of Aprill 1509 at his palace at Richmond his corps was conuaied to Westminster with all funerall pompe and there buried by the good Quéen his wife in a sumptuous Chappell which he not long before had caused to be builded And as the greatest Trauellers haue reported it is one of the most bewtiful and most curious peeces of work in the World His Issue HE raigned twentie thrée yéeres seauen moneths od dayes and liued fifty two yéeres he had by his Quéene fowre sonnes and fower Daughters of the which number there remained aliue behinde him Henry his second son prince of Wales which after him was king Margaret Queene of Scotland and Marie promised to Charles king of Castile His Description HE was of body but leane and spare yet mighty and strong therewith of personage and stature somewhat higher then the common sorte of men of a wonderfull bewtie and faire complexion of countenance merry and smiling especially in his communication his eyes gray his téeth single and haire thinne of wit in all things quicke and prompt of a princely stomake and hauty courage in great perils doubtfull affaires and matters of importance supernaturall and as it were diuine for he ordered all his dooings aduisedly and with great deliberation He was sober modest moderate honest curteous bountious so much abhorring pride and arrogancy that he was euer sharpe and quicke to all about him noted with that fault he was also an vpright Iustice by the which one propertie he wan to him the heartes of many people He left to that lustie valiant and gallant young Prince his sonne and heyre many excellent good partes and properties of a Prince as also Coffers full stuffed with coyne iewells and treasure To conclude he had in him as many good giftes both of body and minde and fortune as it was possible for any King to haue his politicke wisedome in gouernance was ūngular his wisedome alwayes assured reasons pithy and substantiall his memorie fresh and holding his experience notable his counsels fortunate and taken by wise deliberation his speeches grations in diuers languages leagues and confederations he had with all Princes Christian his mighty power was dread euery where both within his owne Realme and without all his people were to him in humble subiection as euer they were to King his land many a day in peace and tranquilitie his prosperitie in battayle against his enemies was maruellous his dealing in time of perils and dangers was cold and sober with great hardinesse If any treason were conspired against him it was miraculously discouered his buildings most sumptuous and goodly all of the newest forme and fashion and cast all of pleasure So this king liued all his time in fortunes fauour in high honour wealth and glory and all which wrought his fame in this world and the same euerlasting in the world which shall neuer haue end His Epitaphe MOst prouident most politicke most wise Most sumptuous builder most profound in all The things that wealth and wisdom can deuise The things that Art to memorie can call All things that God and nature did decree Those with this worthie king concluded be Not any other with this mightie King May be receiued nor intertainment haue That which doth peace and plentie to him bring That which his Realmes and subiects liues can saue Those he receaues that blessing brings from God Those he reiects which threaten scourge and Rod. Thrise blessings in his mariages he made First was his owne Queene El'zabeth his wife Before the which was many a bloudy blade Bath'd in the bowels of continued strife The house of Lancaster with Yorke did striue To leaue of Prince nor Subiect one aliue This Worthy brought into his nuptiall bed The bride whose bewtie did the World excell This Worthy ioyn'd the white Rose with the red This bed doth now in Windsor wardrobe dwell This manage wrought that perfect Vnitie By which this day all Britaines happie be The second was his eldest Virgin pure The Lady Margret Vnto Iames the King Bishop of Durham did that match procure Earle of Northumberland the bride did bring Home into Scotland Iames the fourth did wed Britaine most happy by that nuptiall bed Onely these two though more this worthy made May now and shall suffice for all the rest No Actor he of Hymenaeus trade We in these two most happie now are blest And blest in heauen are the authors all As we thereby redeemed are from thrall Henry the seauenth seauen Sciences imbrac't All liberall all princely all of power All enemies he from his kingdomes chac't And left a Sonne of Chivalry the flower Succeeding Henry and the eight to be Worthy but now a worthyer is then hee King Henry the eight KIng Henry the eight was borne at Greenwich the 22. of Iune Anno. 1492. He began his raign the 22. day of Aprill 1509. he raigned 37 yeares 9. moneths and od dayes being 18. yeares olde when he began to raignè And although this worthy king was in years young in person strong bewtifull and valiant in treasure rich passing any his predecessors mighty and worthy in power and in action yet being adorned and bewtified with learning to his Princely magnanimity he ordained his Councell by the aduice