multitudes of such as had lost their way in the last flight lighted vnhappily upon the victorious English and were severely put to the Sword Among those that came with fresh forces to ayd the King were the Archbishop of Roan and the Grand Prior of France who were both slaine after a great and sore battell with the English for they brought a good strength with them The Earles of Northampton Suffolke and Norfolke had execution of the French which fled from this last overthrow for the space of nine English miles from the ground where they encountred And it is the generall consent of Authors that more of the French were slaine upon this second day then were the day before when the great battell was fought some Prisoners were then taken though none of great name for they were spent in the day before When the account was taken it was found that there dyed in all of the French side eleven great Princes of Earles Barons and gentry of high account about fifteene hundred of common souldiers above thirty thousand And to make the victory the more wonderfull there was not one man of honour or note slaine upon the English side of common souldiers so few that we finde no mention of the number THE REIGNE OF KING EDWARD THE THIRD The fourth Booke Argument IIII. Calleis by Edward is besieg'd and wonne Great deeds in severall parts of France are done By Edward's souldiers whilest in England here The King of Scotland's taken prisoner FIve mornes had cleer'd the Earth with Phoebus light And from the Pole remov'd the dampes of night Since England's conquering King from Crescy gone Without controll of foes had marched on Through Picardy and now before the Towne Of Calleis sate with his strong Army downe Resoly'd in spite of all releefe or fence Till he had gain'd it not to rise from thence Impregnable was Calleis to be wonne Not by assault but length of siedge alone Where meagre famine Natures greatest foe And heavens fear'd plague must all th'atchivement doe For which great Edward had on every side His Campe entrench'd and strongly fortifi'd With timber-workes investing it by land The circuit round the Sea at his command Was wholly then where his strong Navy lay And brought his Campe provisions every way But while the siedge is yet but new begun Fortune presents a brave occasion To make King Edward s noble nature knowne That all the Countrey may as much renowne His minds brave sweetnesse as his Martiall fame And learne to love as well as feare his name De Vein the Marshall and Lord Dandregan That then commanded Calleis while they can Resolve to th' utmost to preserve so deare A pledge and nought but onely famine feare They therefore straight enforce out of the Towne The folke that now for warre are uselesse growne Full fifteene hundred heads to spare their store The lame the sicke the aged and the poore At mercy of the foe these wretches goe If to such wretches Edward were a foe But he remembers he 's a King and they Too weake alas to be the Lion's prey Instead of foes his bounty makes them guests And French by French forsaken Edward feasts With store of victuals and with money too He sends them thence who every step they goe Send backe a prayer for his prosperity And in their hearts acknowledge silently That he 's the lawfull Soveraigne of the land For when two titles thus in question stand Whose doe the people thinke should be the right But his whom first just heaven assists in fight And makes ' gainst odds a conquerour of his foes And who besides by his compassion showes Himselfe his Countries father as Kings are Those barricado'd strongest works of warre Which must in spite of Philip's forces stand Till Calleis keyes be given to Edward's hand Can these weake people find a passage through Which th'armed strength of France could never doe Nor loses Edward time in staying there For every day to his rejoycing eare Some prosperous newes from forreine parts is brought Of what abroad his conquering men have wrought How every action 's crown'd with high successe And all their conflicts adde some happinesse To his triumphant side as if that then Kind Fortune strove the name of Englishmen Even to the highest point of fame to bring Or that the Genius of so great a King Through all the lower parts diffused were To guide their deeds alike For wheresoe're They fight the Garland's wonne and every warre A Crescy proves where Edward's souldiers are From Guyenne first he heares the prosperous fights Of noble a Darby who with Gascoyne Knights And other Lords from Burdeaux tooke his way And o're the river of Garonne 'twixt Blay And that great City march'd through Philip's lands Faire Mirabell is yeelded to his hands Aunay and her strong Castle with Benon And Maraunt in Poictou by force are wonne Tailebourgh and Bourgh Saint Maximent they win Both by assault and Montrevill Bonin Nor with so small a power of Souldiers feares The warrelike Darby to assault Poictiers So large in circuit that he could not lay Round siege about it but one onely way Surpriz'd it by assault and many moe Atchievements high did his small army doe There many noble Prisoners did he take And march'd without controll to Burdeaux backe There breakes his Army up with thankes and home His souldiers fill'd with wealth and honour come As much true honour wonne the English name In Brittaines warres as radiant was their fame Where Charles of Bloys the great Competitour By valiant Dagworth and his English power Was overthrowne and taken Prisoner The odds so wondrous in their numbers were One Writer then amazed in his thought Among the deeds of th' ancient Worthies sought A paralell for Dagworth's victory Entituling him another Machabee But that which most secur'd great Edward's state Left English swords should prove lesse fortunate In England then in forraigne parts they were That Conquest was and royall Prisoner Which his brave men had in his absence gain'd Queene Philip sent the newes and there complain'd Of Copland's stout demeanour who to her Deny'd to yeeld the King his Prisoner For which to Calleis Copland sent for had So good excuses to great Edward made That for the service from his royall hand He gain'd a â—â—â—h reward The King commands Him to relate the battell and display Each circumstance of that victorious day Full well quoth noble Edward doe I know That most to God's Almighty hand I owe For preservation of my kingdome there What strength had you alas what forces were In readinesse what Army could you bring Against th' invasion of a warrelike King Whilest here our selfe with our chiefe Army lay At Calleis siedge the second was away As farre as Guyenne and the third then fought In Brittaines wars what were the hands that wrought This great atchievement but King David brake The truce he made with us that he might take With Philip's fortune Philip's falling side
come As Curio his by his afflicted Rome This stirring Frenchman Edward joyes to see And honours him with Richmonds signiory Then ore the Seas to Antwerpe to provide Confederacies to support his side He sailes in person with his Queene and Sonne Where what Queene Philips father had begun The noble William Heinaults Earle to draw Those German Dukes to his great sonne in law King Edward's royall presence in their land Soone brings to passe the Dukes of Gelderland And Brabant joyne with him and to his side The potent Flemmings too though strongly ty'd By oath and obligation to the Crowne Of France by c Iames of Artevile are won Nor were their oathes and obligations broke For noble Edward to preserve them tooke Vpon himselfe the style and armes of France And on his royall Standard did advance The Flower deleces thence he past the Rhine And there with speed did to his party joyne The potent Prelate that did then the land Of Agrippina's Colony command There did Bavarian Lewis the Emperour Bestow on Edward more to same his power An office high creating him ore all The Roman Empire Vicar generall Though soone unconstant Lewis did revoke That grant and to his owne dishonour tooke The side of France that men might after know By Edward's conquest Philip's overthrow That Lewis the Roman Emperour could be Nor usefull friend nor hurtfull enemy No lesse doos Philip labour to advance His strength by leagues and to his wealthy France The power of many forraine Princes draw With him the two great Dukes of Austria And the old warlike King of Boheme joyne With Cassimere th Elector Palatine And in this heat on either side too soone By little sparkles is the fire begun Pope Benedict now summers gawdy pride Had his belov d Avignion beavtify d With all the Court resided there to whom Those Lords that saught the peace of Christendome Which as they justly fear d would by the warre Of these two Monarchs be engag'd too farre Resorted thither daily to complaine The Pope himselfe was griev'd that he in vaine Had by his Legates often striv'd of late To reconcile the Kings that fresh debate Was nourish'd daily and that either Land Had felt already warres ungentle hand That Philip's royall Navy which had beene Prepar'd for pious wars in Palaestine To free th' afflicted Christians of the East Was now so ill diverted to infest The shores of England sometimes would he chide King Edwards heat and too ambitious pride That durst make such a claime or hope at all That he could conquer with a strength so small So great a land so rich a crowne from one That had already firme possession Sometimes againe would he expostulate ' Gainst Philip's punctuall and vainglorious state That Edward's strictest homage would require And tease a spirit active as the fire One Prince in vertue as in honour high Robert the learned King of Sicily Was then in person at Avignion Whose skill discerning every motion Aspect and powerfull influence of the starres Foresaw th event of these so tragicke warres And wail'd the woes that France would suffer thence Of that the Pope desir'd intelligence About his chaire the revered Colledge sate By whom the King was plac'd in fitting state When thus the Pope bespake him Royall Sonne Since well we know your good intention And can no lesse commend your pious will To end these warres then we admire that skill By which your noble soules delighted eye Takes wise survey of all the starry skye And in that glorious booke the future fates Of men can read and change of greatest states And shall we thinke the stars would ever show What shall betide mortality if now They would be silent in so great a warre If this great warre proceed that doos so farre Engage the shaken state of Christendome And looke so full of tragicke threats on whom If they neglect a state so eminent As France or England can they be intent Vnto our cares declare renowned d King What strange effects these stars are like to bring For we allow that Christian use may be Made of praedictions by Astrology Let dim-ey'd heathens count it double woe When future fates they are enforc'd to know Who thinke the stars no higher power obey And judgements unavoidable which they Denounce ' gainst mortall men which when they heare Their hopes are fled and they can onely feare But we that worship his eternall name That rules the stars that heaven and earth did frame Have learn'd that though their usuall vertue guide The state of earth and show what shall betide Beyond controll of Nature certaine still It is not certaine ' gainst his sacred will If not ' gainst him then why should we despaire It is not certaine ' gainst a Christians prayer That sacred charme has power to thwart the law Which constant Nature strives to keepe to draw The moving stars on t of their wonted way And in the height of his carriere to stay The glorious Sunne himselfe which once was done When noble Ioshuah fought in Gibeon As afterward he was enforc'd to take A backward course for Hezekiah's sake In vaine a cause of this great wonder wrought Chaldaeaes wise Astrologers had sought To finde by Art for all Arts uselesse prov'd Vntill the great Assyrian Monarch mov'd His servants sent to Hezekiah's land The powerfull working of so great a hand None but inspired Prophets could descry No Oracle but Iuda's Deiry We therefore may beleeve no starres portent Is sure against a Christian paenitent Nay more if paenitence have oft controll'd Those doomes which sacred Prophets have foretold And could reverse the Lord's severe decree Denounc'd by Ionas ' gainst great Ninivee It well may thwart what ere the heavens portend But happy are those threats when they amend The sinfull world made usefull so to be A wholesome cure and not a malady Be therefore pleased learned Prince to show To us what Kingdomes are most threatned now King Robert sigh'd since holy Sir quoth he Yov have beene pleas'd to grace Astrology And tell her Christian uses I shall now My good entents with greater freedome show But when I speake of this ensuing warre Expect no actions in particular Too dim an eye have we Astrologers Too generall to search out those the stars Distinctly cannot future things decree Or mens fraile skill exactly cannot see Inspired Prophets onely that can finde Allow'd to speake their great Creators minde Whose eye of Providence counts nothing small As to his power is nothing great at all But thus we finde if this sad warre proceed So much so long unhappy France shall bleed Th' enfeebled Kingdome shall expire or neere To utter ruine grow full fourescore yeere This blacke and balefull influence shall last Recount oh France thy former woes what wast The conquering Romans made what blood so ere The Frankes drew from thee to inhabite here Or when fierce Rollo with his Danish flood Broke in upon thee to this sea of blood 'T
For heaven does justly warres successes guide Doe thou relate the fight The King had done When humbly bowing Copland thus begun Since you are pleas d dread Soveraigne to command For whose victorious brow the sacred hand Of heaven is weaving Garlands every where From me the meanest of your servants heare This battels great successe and what for you The same high hand has wrought in England now To Durham walls while farre his terror spread Among the people had King David led His royall army where those warrelike Peeres Of Scotland march'd that had for many yeeres Late past so well the English borders knowne That there so many strange exploits had done And wealthy pillage gain'd when to withstand That threatning force and guard their native land With noble spirits the English Lords prepare And draw their forces to this sudden warre Lord Percy Nevill Mowbray D' Eincourt there Humfrevile Mawley Musgrave Scroope appeare And many more of worthy note to whom The men at armes and nerved Archers come Nor in so great a danger was it thought Enough if onely usuall souldiers fought To save their Countryes universall harme The Churchmen fight the reverend Prelates arme The two Archbishops and grave Durham there Their Crosier-staves ' midst streaming Ensignes beare No cause they thought could make them to refuse So deare a warre no calling could excuse O're all the field doe armed Priests appeare And shaven Monkes unused helmets weare Such was that law the ancient Romans made When e're the furious Gaules did them invade No Priesthood from warres service then excus'd But that which into th' English breasts infus'd The noblest fire was that your vertuous Queene Great Sir among us was in person seene Nor could the Princely burden of her wombe Great as she was with childe detaine her from That gracious visit As along she rode On every ranke and squadron she bestow'd Words that inspir'd new life such seemed shee Such did her lookes and cheerefull Majesty Appeare to each adoring souldier As Poets fancy'd in the Trojan warre Majesticke Iuno when in all her state Shee would descend from heaven to animate The warrelike Greekes or Pallas come to lead Her wise Vlisses or stout Diomed. At Nevils Crofle a place not fam'd at all Till this great conflict and King David's fall The eager Armies meet to try their cause Our English Lords in foure Battalia's Bring on their forces but so furious growes In little time the fight so neare the blowes That soone no order we perceive at all For like one body closely move they all And thought the archers had at first begun The fight with wondrous happinesse and done So much as caus'd the future victory Yet now their arrowes scarce have roome to flye While swords and bils doe all while hand to hand The armies wrastling with each other stand Small ground and that alternately they gave As by a rivers side tall reeds doe wave Or when a field of lofty standing corne Two severall wayes by different gales is borne That if a man had from some hill survei'd The fight and seene what equall motion sway'd Both armies there he would have beene so farre From judging which should conquer in that warre As to have fear'd almost that all would dye And leave no conquest but one tragaedy No stratagem no foule default was show'd Nor could your servants tell to what they ow'd Vnlesse to justice of their cause it were That dayes hard conquest which 'gan then appeare When those chiefe flowers of Scotlands noble blood Strew'd dead those places where before they stood There Murrey's Earle the noble Randolph sonne To that renowned Randolph that had done His native land such wondrous service falls Encircled not with vulgar funerals Alone but men of Scotlands greatest power Her Marshall Chamberlaine and Chancellour With many moe of note and dignity The King himselfe who with resolve as high As any souldier had maintain'd the fight Neere still where greatest danger did invite His forward sword and might for valiancy Deserve a conquest not captivity That through the thigh had with a lance bin strucke Besides two shafts that in his body stucke And lost much royall blood when he beheld His Army now discomfited in field Not yet dismay'd fought on when 't was my chance Your Graces meanest souldier to advance The next to him I humbly bade him there To yeeld himselfe King Edward's prisoner And gently came to take his hand but hee That sought for death before captivity And therefore strove our anger to provoke My face so fiercely with his Gauntlet strooke That two teeths loste can witnesse yet the blow Then with his sword though hurt and weary'd now He flyes among us while disdaine and ire Into his weary nerves new strength inspire That scarce could we his most unwilling foes Preserve that life which he desir'd to lose At last he fell by which our royall prey We seiz'd and bore him by maine strength away That fate the greatest Nobles of his land The Earles of Fife Menteith and Southerland With warrelike Douglas are enforc'd to take While all the rest that could escape the wracke Of that sad day forsake the tragicke fight And into Scotland take disordred flight King Edward pleas'd with this relation And what John Coplond in that fight had done Conferres on him beside revenues great The martiall honour of Knight Banneret And sends him backe for England with command To yeeld his prisoner to Queene Philip's hand Despaire had entred the besieged Towne Of Calleis now pale famine which alone Subdues the strongest forts had taken hold Vpon the wretched Citizens and gold Which reignes in humane breasts at other times Esteem'd a price even for the greatest crimes Is proved no just rate at all to beare Food only is of price and valu'd there All former hopes of their releefe were crost In vaine had Philip with a numerous hoast From Amiens marched Edward's siedge to raise And challeng'd him in vaine for all the wayes Of their approaching both by sea and land Were by the English kept each passage mann'd And now though late the governors were bent To yeeld to termes and to King Edward sent Who scornes t' accept of any termes but these That six the wealthiest of their Burgesses With halters on their neckes resolv'd to dye Should to his pleasure yeeld them presently And that their deaths his wrath should expiate That all conditions else should come too late And he no mercy on the Towne would take These sad conditions are returned backe And through all hearts had strucke a chilling feare In every visage did pale Death appeare For though destruction challeng'd but a few It threatned every head untill they knew What heads would suffer They despair'd to find Among the noblest ranke so brave a mind That would on that condition choose to dye As once for Rome devoted Decij In this amaze the weeping people throng Into the publike Market-place Among Their cryes confus'd and different
wisdome as his prosperous reigne Shall cure againe the wounds of bleeding France His quiet gowne her state shall re-advance Recovering all by policy alone Which English swords in those fam'd battels wonne But Love with Honour strives to beare a part And cure what he had wounded Edward's heart Within the house since her deare husbands Fate Had Kent's faire Countesse beene immur'd of late Her mourning times not fully yet expir'd To comfort her as thus she sate retir'd The other Ladies daily doe resort There they discourse the triumphs of the Court Of every Princely prisoner they tell And on Prince Edward's worth and praises dwell Nor can the mourning Countesse chuse how-e're Her times may seeme but with true pleasure heare His noble story told from her faire breast Sometimes a sigh would steale not like the rest Nor ought of kinne to those sad sighes at all She us'd to fetch for Holland's funerall A Blush would seize her then as if shee knew That stranger-sigh encroach'd on Holland's due But yet she knew not truly whence it came Nor did the sparke so soone begin to flame And teach her bosome that the tyrant Love As many teares and sighes as deepe can move As death by dearest funerals can doe Loves winged god into her chamber though Hung with so sad a darknesse and unfit For such a guest had tane his secret flight As once into the darke Elysian grove Among the silent ghosts as if he strove To show no place so melancholly were But that his god-head could or change or cheere Love-care in time his place 'bove sorrow takes And by degrees another watching makes Her pale and reaves the quiet of her breast And whensoe're she takes her flumbering rest No dreames of death are sent Before her eyes Moves Edward's image in triumphant wise Like Liber clad in golden armes when from The spiced Inde he came with conquest home And yoked Tygers his proud chariot drew She dreamt and could not chuse but wish it true Nor did th' event prove lesse that Love appear'd In such a shape as she had often heard The Boy described and thus gently spake To her at last Now is the time to take What was ordain'd thee faire Plantagenet Fate pity'd thee and would no longer let That Royall blood and heavenly beauty lye Ecclipsed in a private family Let all thy thoughts of sorrow now expire For Holland's death and cherish Edward's sire As did thy fathers so thy seed shall reigne And thou descended from the Crowne againe Art bound to propagate the royall stemme And beare an Heire to England's Diadem But when the Countesse from this flattering sleepe For such it seem'd was waked sighing deepe Shee ' gan accuse Dayes too ambitious thought That had by night so vaine a vision brought Resolv'd to checke that thought for evermore And rather court the sorrow which before Her breast had lodg'd She studies to recall Her mourning and on Holland's funerall Againe to fix thinking that griefe more free From torture than an hopelesse love can be Why was I curs'd quoth she by envious Fate Did not the mournings of a widow'd state Seeme sad enough to punish me unlesse A passion more than franticke should possesse My breast and wound it deeper than it was Why should I hope for Edward's love alas Or fondly thinke the heire of England's Crowne And such a Prince as he high in renowne As in his Royall birth and now become The onely Theame of praise in Christendome On whom the greatest Monarchs would bestow Their fairest daughters should descend so low As give that pretious love to me and grace The beauties of a widowes waning face Too much ambition had it beene for me To hope nay thinke of such a dignity In my fresh Virgin flower and blooming prime Much more alas in this autumnall time When like a sully'd Lilly or a Rose Too fully blowne my fading beauty showes That for a Prince his love is too much wasted Whose sweets two subjects have already tasted Yet Edward's lookes and frequent visits here Seeme to betoken Love if with uncleare And partiall eyes my state I did not see And so suppose his noble Courtesie To be Love-passion But alas we all Are our owne flatterers and I mis-call That Love which is a kinsmans kind regard Oh would that name of nearenesse could be spar'd In that againe as in his high estate Am I debarr'd from such a blessed Fate And by that nearenesse farther from his love But Dispensations of the Church remove Those obstacles and nearer kindred tye Oh wherefore wander my wild thoughts so high Sinke downe for aye false hope disturbe no more The quiet griefe that I enjoy'd before Thus would she strive those fancies to remove But his kind visits still renew'd her love And as her flame encreas'st his noble heart Was more and more pierst with Loves golden dart Vntill at last Prince Edward to prevent All others plainly told his kind entent And both their wishes in so full a joy Are met too high for fortune to destroy Though she a while deferre their Nuptiall rites And growing warre breake off Loves sweet delights For while the French delay by treaties vaine The ransome of their King sad France againe Is forc'd to feele revengefull Edward's hands Who with a great and powerfull army lands At Calleis marching through the heart of France In three Battalia's his whole puissance Is drawne along himselfe conducting one Another led by his renowned sonne The third by Henry Duke of Lancaster ' Gainst whom while no resisting foes appeare They wast and spoyle the Countrey without fight The greatest Cities to his force submit Burgundia's Duke at Edward's conquering hands With money buyes the safety of his lands Aras is tane with many townes beside Within faire Paris strongly fortifi'd With all his forces Charles the Dauphin lay Whom Edward dares to triall of the day But wary Charles instructed by the sad Successe his father â—â—d his Grandsire had Within the walls â—â—ntaines his army now Nor to the hazard of one fatall blow Against the English dares he trust his strength Whence Edward after his vaine stay at length Drawes backe his forces when no hope he sees At all of fighting with his enemies Much lesse he hop'd to force a Towne so strong Wasting the wretched Countries all along As farre as Chartres uncontroll'd he goes But there although no mortall strength oppose God's mighty b hand does th'English hoast dismay Blacke on a sudden growes the troubled day Heavens cheerefull face wrapt in a pitchy cloud No beame sheds forth while cracks of thunder loud Rend all the ayre and in the frighted eyes Of every souldier horrid lightning flyes In more than usuall manner and anon Like murdring stones throwne from a Castle downe Vpon th' assailants fatall hailestones fall Of such amazing greatnesse over all The English army that nor man nor horse Is able to endure their fatall force But both together are beat downe and slaine While
bright Princesse and in words declares How just a cause excites him to the warres Besides the honour he from thence may gaine That Pedro is the true-borne Lord of Spaine And crowned Monarch that no vice what-e're Can wash away that sacred Character That Subjects may not put their Soveraigne downe Nor give Don Henry title to their Crowne But ought to leave that power to God alone Who can revenge at full what he has done Or else so clense him from the greatest crimes That Pedro's penitence in after-times May all his former impious reigne redeeme Like King Manasses in Ierusalem That it concern'd a true-borne Prince his right To take that part lest other Nations might Hereafter from a president so bad Vsurpe more freedome than they justly had Then taking leave of his deare wife he went To that which after prov'd by accident A fatall warre to England Where though he Obtain'd a great and glorious victory And present honour through all Europe gate Yet most unhappy to his future state The voyage was his treasures wast which cost Sad tumults and his French Dominions lost Besides his losse of health All which was sent Perchance to Edward as a punishment For ayding such a monster though true heire Nor long held Pedro his recover'd chaire Soone after th'English went from thence againe Depos'd and by victorious Henry slaine Thus all their punishments did undergoe Castile Don Pedro and Prince Edward too The Tyrant Pedro for his impious reigne Edward for lifting up the fiend againe And all Castile by England's conquering sword Scourg'd for deposing of their lawfull Lord. With noble Edward to this Spanish warre Young Iohn of Gaunt the Duke of Lancaster His brother marches to whose future state Castile shall prove a name more fortunate Who by the marriage of Don Pedro's heire The Royall title of that land shall weare With large revenues thence The Duke commands One of the three Battalia's with him stands Brave Sir Iohn Chandois who in warre before Had ever beene Prince Edward's Counsellor Now set to guide the youth of Princely Iohn With him young Beauchamp noble Warwick's sonne And stout Lord Dalbert with a gallant traine Of Gentlemen and Knights of Aquitaine The Prince of Wales himselfe commands the maine And middle Battell Pedro King of Spaine For whom the warre is made by Edward's side There marches on and English Chieftaines try'd In many a Battell then esteem'd to be The very flowers of Europes Chevalry With many Lords of high account and name That from Poictou from Maine and Guyenne came A Monarch leads the third Battalia on Iames of Mallorques King that in renowne Like th' ancient Caesars might blacke Edward stand And Kings not scorne to serve in his command There th' Earle of Arminacke leads on his power And English Knolls that expert warriour Thither the Lords of Dalbreth Piergort And many noble Knights and Squires resort With all his army thirty thousand strong The Prince sets forth from France to passe along The famous streights of Roncevall and through The kingdome of Navarre gets leave to goe By which with faithfull guides they passe as farre Before they meet th'approach of any warre As faire Victoria on the bounds of Spaine There some fore-runners of King Henry's traine Descry'd gave notice that the blow was neere But thrice as many as Prince Edward's were The troops that Henry of Castile had brought Besides the natives of the Land that fought To guard their new-elected King and free Themselves from Pedro's future tyranny Th'expertest souldiers of the Realme of France Come to encrease King Henry's puissance And Saracens from our invasions free Beare here a part in Christian enmity And ' gainst Don Pedro guard his brothers throne In three great bodies comes that army on The first and noblest where the French-men stand Is under Bertram of Cleâ—quy's command The greatest body in the midd'st the King Himselfe drawes up the last his brothers bring And now beside the towne of Naveret In faire array are both the battel 's set Renowned Edward to his men declares Th' undoubted justice of their present warres And that no odds of numbers he can feare When he beholds those men those Leaders there Who but ' gainst odds did never battell try Yet never fought without a victory As those that Sluces navall fight had seene That had in Crescy field and Poictiers beene And bids them now maintaine that old renowne They in so many honour'd fields had wonne As much does Bertram his French troops excite And briefly tells them they not onely fight King Henry's Crowne and honour to maintaine And winne fame there but to redeeme againe That dearest honour ' gainst the English hoast Which France of late had to that Nation lost But when King Henry whose great cause was try'd In that dayes hazard saw the English side Were marching on against him in array And that the warre admitted no delay He thus bespeakes his souldiers If a cause Of such great weight as to this battell drawes Your farre-engaged hands could need at all Th' inciting language of a Generall The wrongs of Spaine and brutish cruelty Our foe has us'd afford a scope to me Too large too sad to play the Oratour But well I know your Countries love has power Enough to raise your highest courages And bring you forward were our army lesse Than theirs in number as the odds is ours Vnlesse this battell make us Conquerors There can no people be so low as we No land so wretched as Castile will be T is not our wealth alone or lawes we lose Nor to be quite o're-runne by forreine foes Though every Nation have esteemed those The worst but Spaine must suffer greater woes ' Gainst her so fierce no forreine sword can be As her restored tyrants cruelty His who was once depos'd when to a mind Before so bloody sterne revenge is joyn'd If Spaine before could not endure his yoke How will she beare it now if by warres stroke Our conquering hands make not the action good Better the tyrant undisturb'd had stood What made old Marius when returned home With so much slaughter fill the streets of Rome Marius whose hand was once her best defence But that himselfe had beene exil'd from thence The prisons stinch the shackles that he bore The bread he begg'd on wasted Affrick's shore Which he himselfe before had overcome Made his returne so sad to wretched Rome And can we here feare lesse than Marius brought On Rome or than the Butcher Sylla wrought When not in warres but executions So many thousands were destroy'd at once If in this battell Pedro should o'recome But God avert from Spaine so sad a doome What sights would all her mourning Cities see But racks and gibbets blood and cruelty The land no place in such a peace could yeeld More safe from slaughter than this fighting field And tortur'd wretches that were left in Spaine Would call us happy who in warre were slaine But such a
vaine past glories if the tyrant Love Had not in prison found him out to move His more disquiet th' absence of the Queene From whose desir'd embraces he had beene So long divorc'd dooes now afflict his minde That she should prove so cruelly unkinde To his dejected state as to deny Her presence now which in prosperity While crowne and scepter he possest above The joyes of scepter or of crowne did love Who would beleeve fond love could give a wound So deepe as might ' mongst all those woes be found He that had lost the glories of a crowne And fell from that transcendent honour downe To fortunes lowest wretched'st step can he Be sensible of loves calamity ' Mongst all his sad distempers must that be Praedominant and greatest malady Such is the power or the unhappy fate Of love as deepest felt in wretched state So can it crosse the best prosperity And soure all other joyes though nere so high The happiest Monarch that may seeme possest Of all earths joyes with wealth fame honour blest Yet if he want the object that he loves No banquets please no aire of Musicke moves Delight he sits uneasie on his throne And seemes in midd'st of his rich court alone How short are sweets of love enjoy'd how vaine Compared to a star-crost lovers paine But such in all we are nor can we so Esteeme our good as we can feele our woe The best degree of health cannot content Fraile man so much as sicknesse can torment How oft have they that did associate This wofull Prince in his dejected state Heard him those amorous passions to disclose Though arm'd with patience ' gainst all other woes How oft in lamentable notes would he Like mourning Orpheus for Eurydice Complaine and move the hearers with his mones As Orpheus did the trees and senselesse stones But all in vaine like him no more was shee To be recall'd then was Eurydice Oft would he vow how constant he had beene To his belov'd but now too cruell Queene That never flame had scorch'd him but from her These passions mov'd the Noble Lancaster Whose true and gentle soule abhorr'd to see A love so fervent and so just to be Repay'd with scornefull spight and to the Queene He signifies what he had heard and seene But what effects in her sterne breast it wrought What mischiefes on poore Edwards head it brought Let them imagine who did ever know What mis-led womens wild desires will doe When they extremely doe or lust or loath Cruell alike alike unjust in both And from their worst desires most hardly chang'd Her heart from Edward was too farre estrang'd To yeild to pitty for the love shee ow'd To him had shee on Mortimer bestow'd And now that wrong that was begun must be Made perfect by a greater injury Remorse can little in such cases move And pitty seldome can engender love Now does the faire but cruell Queene begin To thinke what courses may secure her sinne And fearing whilest her husband was alive The power of holy Church would make her give What nuptiall rites were due to him since she Did wed his person not his dignity And must be still wife to his meanest state That people would his woes commiserate And her brave sonne the King with all the lawes Of God and man would favovr such a cause While all these doubts within her breast arise She cals oh partiall counsell to advise With her that wicked Bishop Hereford The greatest foe to her vnhappy Lord With him proud Mortimer to whom she gave That beavties use that Edward ought to have Oh what events could be expected there When svch the Queene and such her counsell were And first to bring their pollicies to end As for the young King a safety they pretend The noble Earle of Lancaster to be A man unfit for such a charge that he Allow'd him greater freedome then would stand Well with the peace and quiet of the land That daily tumults might arise whilest he Remain'd within so loose a custody Then by their power the Earle of Lancaster Is straight discharged of his prisoner And to succeede him in that wretched care The Lord Matrevers and Lord Berkley are Appointed by the Queenes command and they To Berkley Castle carry him away From Killingworth but noble Berkley showes Himselfe compassionate of Edwards woes And uses him in more respective wise Then was allow'd by his sterne enemies Lord Berkley therefore is discharged from His Gaolers office too and in his roome To serue the utmost of their dire entent Hell findes them out a cursed instrument Sir Thomas Gurney a fit man to be Ioyn'd with Matrevers in that treachery As great a staine to Knighthood as the base Matrevers was to honourable race These men for flattery and hire could show More cruelty then hate it selfe would doe And so afflict his heart as Hereford And Mortimer perchance would have abhorr'd If they themselves had seene these monsters foule Demeanour to him they torment his soule With all opprobrious words all spites that can Be thought or throwne upon a wretched man In hope to end his life no rest no food When Edward wish'd to have it was allow'd To make him feele his wretched fall how low The man that tumbles from a throne may goe To let him know how great a change the state Of mortall man may suffer and what fate When she would seeke extremities can doo Instead of Kingly cates they nought allow But what they know is most distastefull meat Instead of rich perfumes and odours fet From farthest lands to feast a Prince his sent These cruell feinds oh cursed punishment Dead carrions round about his lodging strow To kill his spirits and stifle nature so Instead of Musickes gentle aire t' invite Soft sleepe and charme his senses with delight A spitefull Drum was beat to reave his rest And banish sleepe from that afflicted breast All which by strength of nature he sustaines Preserv'd alas to feele more horrid paines Why miscreants doe you torment him so Yet not your owne but others mischiefes doe Yov in this action are not principall While Edward reign'd he wrong'd not you at all His threats like Hereford yov did not feare Nor court his beavtious Queene like Mortimer How base it is for men of name to be The instruments of others villanie Then least some plot for his deliverie His friends might lay these Gaolers cunningly By night would often carry him abroad And often change the place of his abode First to Corfe Castle and to Bristow thence Where when the villaines had intelligence Some Burgers pitying his aggrievances Would rescue and transport him ore the Seas They durst no longer in that place detaine Their wofull prisoner but backe againe To Berkley Castle in the dead of night Remov'd him thence pale Cynthia lent her light As if to give some comfort to his way Along the Meades and marish grounds that lay By Severnes side they came where oh sad crime
sustein'd in sorrow and dismay Bewailing France and cursing that sad day He tack'd about to be in safety gone But by the warlike Earle of Huntington The Southerne Admirall so sore was chas'd And hard-beset he was enforc'd at last By secret flight almost alone to goe A sad reporter of so great a blow Blacke night now challeng'd her alternate reigne Sâ—â—â— soone enough to hide that tragicke staine Which on the blushing face of Neptune lay Not soone enough to part the mortall fray Warres raging fire was spent the fuell gone And all that Mars could doe already done Nor would great Edward then approach the shore But make the Oceans bosome which before Had beene the stage of his victorious fight To be his lodging field whilest all the night Drums beat and Trumpets to the havens nigh Proclaime his great and noble victory But when the rosie morning gan appeare With joy to welcome his arrivall there The towne of Sluce prepares while all along The haven people numberlesse doe throng To view the face of that Heroicke King And all the shores with acclamations ring At last great Edward lands and waited on By all the noblest Burgers of the towne And English Lords in triumph takes his way To Gaunt where his belov d Queene Philip lay With such expressions of true state and love Did white-arm'd Iuno meet triumphant Iove When from the Gyants warres he came as she Her Lord return'd from this great victory With her at Gaunt remain'd the greatest States Of Netherland and best confoederates King Edward had for his great warre in hand The Dukes of Brabant and of Gelderland With Heinaults Earle his comming did attend And Iames of Artevile his constant friend Whose power had drawne those people to his side There all their leagves are firmely ratifi'd While happy Gaunt is proud to entertaine So brave a Monarch with his noble traine But much more proud that she had beene the place Of birth to one faire branch of Edward's race Young princely Iohn who thence shall take his name And lend the towne in liev eternall fame Annotations upon the second Booke a This great battell of Halydon hill a place neere Berwick was tought in the sixt yeere of the reigne of King Edward the third of England and the second of King David of Scotland who being then a childe remained in France and Archimbald Dowglas Earle of Argus governed the realme of Scotland for him the English army was led by King Edward himselfe in person that of Scotland by the forenamed Earle of Angus Regent of the Kingdome in this battell the Scots received a great overthrow although the writers of those times doe much disagree about the number of those that perished in the vanquished army the Scottish Histories allowing foureteene thousand the English naming aboue thirty thousand but howsoever it were by this victory Berwicke was gained to the Crowne of England b This Robert of Artois was a Prince of the blood of France descended from Robert Sonne to Lewis the eight there had beene a suit betwixt the said Robert and Maud his Aunt Countesse of Burgundy about the Earledome of Artois Robert presuming upon his owne power and the service he had done King Philip in advancing him to the Crowne for Robert of Artois was at the first a great maintainer of Philips title against Edward of England forges a deed thereby to overthrow his Aunts right which being afterwards discovered made her right the more and moved the French King to give judgement on her side so that the County of Artois was by Parliament confirmed upon Maud which so offended Robert as in his rage he openly said hee would unmake the King by the same power that he had made him This rash threatning so incensed the King that he presently layed to apprehend him but failing therein he proclaimed him Traitour confiscated his estate forbidding all his Subjects to receive or aide him Robert of Arto is being thus distressed comes over into England is joyfully entertained by King Edward made of his Councell and invested in the Earledome of Richmond where hee becomes a great incendiary betweene the two Kings discovering to King Edward the secrets of France and disapproving now of King Philips title upon which a Declaration is published and sent to the Pope and all the neighbour Princes shewing the usurpation of Philip de Valois upon the Crowne of France c There was among the Flemmings one Iaques de Artevile a Citizen of Gavnt of great estimation among the people he was their Leader and Tribune as it were in all their tumults him King Edward gets by great rewards to take his part and thereby had them all ready to assaile the French King upon any occasion This Iaques though a man of meane condition was an usefull friend to England whose death happening about seven yeeres after for in a tumult his braines were beaten out was much lamented by King Edward d This Robert King of Cicily as Collenutius and other Neopolitan writers testifie was a learned Prince and much renowned for his skill in Astrology hee was about this time saith our Froissard at Avignion with Pope Benedict where he declared to the Pope by his skill what great warres and blood-shed was like to be and lamented the miseries of France That report of Froissard gave ground to this discouse in the Poem e This Navall fight which is here at large described in the Poem was out of doubt the greatest that ever had been vpon these narrow Seas the numbers were many the fight was cruell and the slaughter exceeding great The French Navy by consent of most writers consisted of 400 saile the English consisted according to some authors of 200 saile according to others of 200. to others of 300. although Froissard report that the Frenchmen were foure to one English which may be thought too much oddes to be beleeved for the French in those dayes had good Sea-men but the slaughter was exceeding great and the victory as compleat on the English side as could be imagined for very few of the French ships escaped home but were either sunke or taken and 30000 of their men flaine of the English those writers that report most have mentioned but 4000. THE REIGNE OF KING EDWARD THE THIRD The third Booke Argument III. Atruce ' twixt France and Englands Kings is made The Garter fâ—unded Edward dooes invade King Philip's lands the warre 's to tryall brought And that renowned field of Crescy fought A Wound so mortall had enfeebled France By Sea receiv'd she could no more advance Her colours there no more had she or veine To bleed or spirits left to strive againe What now remaines of this lovd-threatning warre The Continent alone must feele as farre As Tourney fill'd with high and wealthy hopes Victorious Edward leads his cheerefull troops Augmented lately with new-mustred bands Of his confederates in the Netherlands That towne is first enobled by his stay Iudg'd worthy to be made the
maiden prey A royall army would vouchsafe to take Nor is King Philip in her rescue slacke But for the late dishonourable blow Fill'd with revenge and fury thither now Is marching with a numerous hoast and brings Besides his French-men the two warlike Kings Navarre and Boheme nor will Edward rise From Tourneys siedge although too small a prize One Cities conquest now appeares to be For Edward's sword but Fortune lets him see That she to crowne his glorious hopes so nigh Had brought a warre of greater dignity And now the two incensed Kings are met And their great cause on one dayes tryall set As all beleeve all expectations neere Are drawne nor have they time to hope or feare The armies both stand rang'd in faire array And fierce Bellona proud of such a day As if it lay not in the power of chance That storme to scatter shakes her dreadfull lance For like two high-swoll'n seas on either side Whose meeting rage no Isthmos did divide But windes that from contrary quarters blow Together drive the two Battaliaes show But that Eternall God who from on high Surveys all hoasts disposes victory Call'd thence the Lord of hoasts and sets the times Of warre or peace as sinfull Nations crimes Provoke his justice did not thinke it good That cloud should yet dissolue in showres of blood But pleas'd to respite for a time the woes Of wretched France and for his purpose chose An instrument whose weaknesse might make knowne The power that reconcil'd them was his owne A veiled Nun alone could enterpose And stay the fury of these armed foes Jane de Valois a Princely Lady neere To one in blood as by alliance deere To tother Mother to great Edward's Queene And Philip's sister who of late had beene Since Heinaults death at Fontenelles vow'd A holy Nun She waken'd with the loud Alarmes of this so great so fear'd a blow Her quiet cloister had forsaken now Amidst their armed troopes her way she tooke And through the rudest breasts a reverence strooke Well did the fame of her chaste life before Become the sacred habit that she wore Pure innocence her snow-white veile profest Her blacke a sorrow silently exprest Grave was her comely face Devotion On beavties ruines with more beavty shone In all her gestures dwelt humility But temper'd with commanding Majesty As thus she passes to perswade the Kings Faire Peace descends and with her silver wings Cutting the ayre above the Princesse still Hangs gently hovering whose calme breath doth fill The changed Campes the Souldiers 'gan to feele A mildenesse seize their breasts all thoughts of steele Of blood and slaughter seemed to withdraw This gentle Nymph when fierce Bellona saw As she from heaven descended downe and knew Her hopes were now put off away she flew And left the field but with an angry looke Turn'd backe and proudly her plum'd helmet shooke Goe sluggish Nymph quoth she enjoy thy day Fates may deferre but cannot wipe away This Kingdomes wounds but 't is not their decree The fields of Tourney should renowned be To future times for such a glorious day In Crescy fields brave Edward shall display His conquering colours there the French shall fall And that poore Village now scarce nam'd at all Shall for the death of many thousands be A place of fame to all posterity There I shall reigne till then dull fields adieu And like a Dragon through the ayre she flew And now so well the Princesse did perswade Both Kings so powerfull he that sent her made Her pious Eloquence that all their hate Seem'd banish'd Philip of Valois forgate His thirst of vengeance for the fatall blow France tooke in that great Navall overthrow Edward relented too content to cease His royall clayme a while a sudden peace Is for three yeeres concluded to remaine The dreadfull colours folded up againe The threatning swords are sheath'd not stained yet In blood at all and all those Princes met To make the tryall of so great a day Depart againe King Edward takes his way By Flanders home and with his dearest Queene That royall pledge that for two yeeres had beene Left there by him the honour of their clime And there had brought within that happy time His royall family a faire increase Two Princely Sonnes to England crost the Seas But soone Wars flame that had a while in vaine Beene by the Truce deprest broke out againe And higher blaz'd but by degrees it came Nor did the royall quarrell and great claime That Edward laid to France begin the jarre But to draw on this great and fatall Warre Collaterall causes are found out by fates And first in aide of their confoederates Abovt the question'd right of Brittaines Lands Th'engaged Princes by their servants hands And meaner strengths begin to blow the flame To England Montford's widow'd Dutchesse came And here from Edward noble succours gain'd Gainst Charles of Bloys whom Philip's power sustain'd The Earles of Suffolke Pembrooke Salisbury And Stafford flowers of English chevalry Bourchier and Spencer Lords and many moe Of honour'd name with her to Brittaine goe With them went Robert of Artois who first In Edward kindled that ambitious thirst And fir'd his active spirit to advance His owne high honour by the woes of France At Vannes siedge so fate ordain'd he tooke His mortall wound but ere the soule forsooke Her earthly reliques thence to Englands ground Transported backe a quiet grave he found Her Souldier England willingly entomb'd His native France that by his meanes was doom'd So many following mischiefes to endure Bestow'd his death but not his sepulture Vannes and other little townes are won And lost but no important action This warre produces where the threats are high Save that the two great foes are drawne so nigh Though timely truces doe againe prevent The fatall blow great Edward not content To send in Montford's aide those forces ore Arrives himselfe upon the Brittaine shore To whom Prince Iohn the Duke of Normandy With forty thousand men approached nigh In Bloys his right the armies both prepare To give the blow Neere was the stroke of warre And Brittaine Vannes had almost beheld What was decreed to Crescyes fatall field The royall powers of England and of France In Brittaines cause to try their puissance Before their owne great quarrell they maintaine But Brittaines Dutchie must not hope to gaine So great an honour here cleere growes the day Without a showre this cloud is blowne away The warre is done two Cardinals attone As earst a Ladies gentle breath had done The royall Armies and so well perswade Truce is againe 'twixt France and England made Sterne Mars a while from deeds of blood restrain'd Strove still to whet his rage and entertain'd That breathing space in pastimes to prepare His cruell forces for th' ensuing warre For like a Campe showes Edwards marshall Court To which the Knights of greatest fame resort From every land their prowesse there to try And gaine renowne by active Chevalry
Strikes England so yet this they comfort call Into the hands of man they shall not fall b Sad growes the time nor with her wonted cheare Or usuall dressing does the Spring appeare No cleansing gale of Zephyre moves the ayre While rising fogs obscure the welk in faire Without his showres contagious Auster blowes And painted Summer no kind fruit bestowes Nor does the Sunne as if inflam'd with ire Send out that wholesome and prolifique fire He us'd to doe but beames of mortall heat And from the bosome of the twins as great Combustion kindles here as if he then Vpon the Nemean Lion's backe had beene Within the farthest Easterne Lands from whence Day breakes breakes forth the fatall pestilence As if with rising Titan it begunne And follow'd thence the motion of the Sunne To Europe then does th hot contagion flye Raging through euery part of Italy And France that bled so late is forc'd to see Beside warres stroke a new mortality But most of all o're England's mourning face The sad infection spreads and Death apace In his pale Chariot rides through all the land No age nor sexe escape his vengefull hand Young men in prime of all their strength are strooke And yeeld The sucking Infant what he tooke From Nature soone is summon'd to repay From those soft limbs untimely fleets away The new-come Soule before it can be growne Acquainted with the tender mansion The aged man not because aged goes But onely ' cause he had a life to lose The mourning grave becomes a marriage bed To beauteous maids praeposterously dead One father wailes his sonne another all His houshold carries in one funerall And for so many deaths one mourning serves If one be left to mourne No care preserves Nor antidote can save from this disease Their greatest hope is but to dye in peace For oft the fiery sicknesse did invade Reasons coole seat and there prevailing made A strange distraction worse then losse of breath For which their friends wish'd as a cure their death The face oft burn'd no moisture had the eye Nor could by teares expresse their misery Some while their dearest friends they doe entombe Before that pious office done become Themselves a funerall Death makes him to be An hearse that came a mourning obsequy Nor does this venemous contagion Worke the destruction of mankind alone The sheepe and cattell perish as if growne On earth quite uselesse since the men are gone Wast lye the Lawnes the fields of tillage now Are desolate while the forsaken plow Nor men nor cattell scarce can exercise The Oxe in midst of all his labour dyes And leaves behind his mourning fellow now Dismist from toyle and service of the plow Who takes no comfort now in shady woods In flowery meadowes or cleare Chrystall floods That destiny alas for him remaines Although at rest The warrelike horse disdaines The pleasant streames and sicke forgetteth quite His food or th' honour of a race or fight Even Toads and Vipers dye acquainted growne With venome farre more mortall then their owne Twice through th' Horrizon had Hyperion runne Since first the fatall Pestilence begunne Before th' Almighty did his sword restraine And with his favour visit earth againe He now is pleas'd to cast a gracious eye On this distemper'd world her misery He cures and makes her former beauty come With kindly fruits he fills earth's fertile wombe And makes sweet blasts to move the wholesome ayre The people find at last their humble prayer Is heard and now the teares are wip'd away Due praise and thankes before his Altar pay Annotations upon the fourth Booke a Those that would see at large the actions of the Earle of Darby in Guyenne Aquitaine and Normandy let them read Froissard where they shall see them fully though not elegantly related This Earle of Darby a man of great worth and neere in blood to King Edward was afterwards by him created Duke of Lancaster the first Duke that ever was in England and left behind him no other issue but one daughter who being his sole heire was married to Iohn of Gaunt the Kings sonne and brought to him a large dowry together with the title of Duke of Lancaster b This wonderfull mortality which it pleased God in his wrath to send upon the wretched earth happened in the 22. yeare of King Edward immediately after the taking of Calleis a greater pestilence wee can scarce read of in any particular land or kingdome much lesse so great and with all so generall as this was For not onely England but France Italy and most of the Easterne and Southerne kingdomes were visited at that time and felt the rod most heavy and sad on them The fore-runner of this great sicknesse was immoderate raine for our Chronicles agree in generall that from Midsummer to Christmas it rained every day or night The yeare following it is noted that there dyed in London betweene Ianuary and the end of July seven and fifty thousand persons Other Cities and Townes suffered the like according to their proportions insomuch that some writers of those times were of opinion that halfe the inhabitants of the Land dyed for we must not beleeve Walsingham who sayes there was not above a tenth part of mankinde left alive As great a death of Cattell happened both that and the yeere following Thie was the greatest but not the onely plague which happened during the reigne of this King Edward For twelve yeeres after England was visited with another which our Chronicles called the second great Plague In that many of the Nobility dyed and among the rest that noble Henry Duke of Lancaster a chiefe actor in all the warres and victories of Edward and a maine Pillar of the state at that time THE REIGNE OF KING EDWARD THE THIRD The fifth Booke Argument V. Prince Edward levyes forces to maintaine Against the French his right in Aquitaine The King wasts Scotland Poictiers field is fought From whence King Iohn of France is prisoner brought PHilip of France had left the earth and John The eldest Sonne as in his father's Throne So in his sad mis-fortunes does succeed Who what the Fates in vengeance had decreed Against his Realme by rashnesse hastens on And gainst all right on Charles his eldest sonne Conferres the stile of Duke of Aquitaine Great Edward bound in honour to maintaine His owne inheritance creates his Sonne Young Edward Prince of that Dominion Exhorts him bravely to defend his right And ' gainst the French for his just Title fight For which Prince Edward armes and with a traine Of valiant Lords prepares for Aquitaine Never did Fortune with more favour smile On any armes nor from this martiall Ile Did ever army crosse the Seas before That more triumphant did returne or wore A richer Garland from Bellona's tree There to maintaine young Edward's signiory Brave Warwicke armes who neare the Prince his side When Crescy field his mayden prowesse try'd Before had fought and Suffolke whose renowne
troubles cease By France and Englands late concluded peace Of those the Prince an aâ—my soone may take For that great warre which he entends to make And happily may free his Countrey too From spoyle and rapine which they daily doe As much does Henry of Castile provide To guard his late-gain'd Throne and to his side Has gotten many expert troops of France Bertram's their leader to whose puissance In future times faire France so much shall owe. The warre to Spaine must be removed now Yet there the French ' gainst English fight wars rage The same and nothing alter'd but the stage The fortune too shall be the same and they In Spaine must grace victorious Edward's day The French must there before the English fall Nor shall the Climate change their fate at all To Bertram's Standard cashier'd souldiers flocke From farthest Provence Dauphine Languedocke And other people arme not they alone That till the neighbouring fields and dwell upon Seines nearest banks but those that see his head And from those mountaines where the Marve is bred Who gliding through the meadowes of Champaigne In various windings falls into the Seine And they that live by Isdrus streame who gets Growth from so many rising rivolets Till he himselfe be swallow'd by the Rhone Who by so many large encreases growne Rowles on his furious billowes and in three Faire channels fals into the mid-land Sea From that faire Southerne shore that bounds th'extent Of France her rich and spacious continent To Edward's Standard with couragious hopes Beside those active well-provided troops That unto him from England crossed o're Arriving on the Aquitanian shore And with lowd clangor filling th' ayre of France The greatest part of Edward's puissance a From France her Northerne coast doe souldiers come And cashierd troops from farthest South and from The banks of Seure those that neere the bounds Of Aquitaine are bred whose fertile grounds Are farre together water'd by Dordonne And those that see the mouth of fam'd Garoone With souldiers dwelling on the farthest land Of France where those renowned mountaines stand The bounds of Spaine which if we trust to fame Did from the faire Pyrene take their name All France in ayd of these two Spanish Kings Is fill'd with streaming Ensignes now and rings Of warres alarmes yet ne're more free from feares Shrill Trumpets sound th'unfrighted plow man heares And loves the noise ' mongst drums the shepherd swains Feed their faire flocks securely on the plaines And middâ—st those seeming terrors joyfull are To heare the sound of a departing warre So look'd the ancient Gaules then when sterne Fate Was bent to wound great Romes divided state And mighty Caesar drew from thence at once His there dispers'd and wint'ring Legions When dreadfull Classicks in all parts were heard And threatning Eagles every where appear'd Yet they rejoyc'd and saw in that stout hoast How great a danger left their quiet coast But while the chearefull Souldiers all prepare And Edward's thoughts are fixed on the warre His beauteous wife is sad those starry eyes Oft dimm'd with sorrowes clouds nor can she prize So much one conquests fame or aëry praise As she his danger and his absence weighes And thinks how long a time though he be grac'd With victory her feares and doubts must last Besides alas her tender breast abhorr'd That savage Tyrant in whose right her Lord Himselfe adventures ' gainst the strength of Spaine And thus to him deep-sighing she began Though I should rather to my selfe deny The happinesse of Edward's company Than love it with so great presumption As for mine owne delights to hinder one Of his resolves yet pardon dearest Lord If to mine owne desires I doe afford One place in love why shouldst thou march so farre To find out danger seeke a causelesse warre When none provokes thy sword compelling those That are not in their thoughts to be thy foes England is safe firme peace with France is made Nor does this Henry of Castile invade Thy lands But oh deare Edward when I see For whom thou mak'st all Spaine thine enemy That men oh no that monster in whose right Thou go'st I tremble that my Lord should fight For such a tyrant mankind's enemy Who has out-done in brutish cruelty What ere 's of Rome's most hated Caesar's told Or those Sicilian tyrants fam'd of old No Christian Pagan or Mahumetan Can be compar'd with this Castilian Not Spain's great forces onely are thy foes Not Henry but the murder'd ghosts of those Who now for vengeance ' gainst Don Pedro cry Will plead to heaven against thy victory There is no human heart that can forbeare To melt when they his cruell story heare I tremble to recite it in his reigne How forty Lords of greatest marke in Spaine He butcher'd cruelly without a cause How scorning both divine and humane lawes Being admitted into Toro Towne Vpon condition he should murder none He broke his faith and in his mothers fight As blood and torture were his chiefe delight Commanded foure the greatest Lords to dye The Queene abhorring her sonnes cruelty Forsooke his Court and to her father went How foure and twenty Burgers innocent Within Toledo 'fore the tyrants face Were executed in the Market place Or with how many study'd tortures there He rack'd a Iew that was his Treasurer With all his friends and kindred to confesse Their Treasury and flew them ne're the lesse Nor safe could his owne blood and kindred be Of either sex from that dire cruelty He kill'd three brothers of his owne his wife Queene Blanch he poyson'd and bereav'd of life In cruell wise his Aunt Queene Leonore Commanding then two noble Ladies more That were his kindred both and did remaine As prisoners in his keeping to be slaine But would you see besides his bloody vice Perfidiousnesse and sordid Avarice A King of Moores exiled from his land Old Aben Alamar at Pedro's hand To find some succour came just so as he Now comes my Edward suppliant to thee But he that never knew what pitty was In stead of that when he perceiv'd alas Th' old King was rich in jewels caus'd for gaine Himselfe and all his servants to be slaine And as to blood to all impiety Is this Don Pedro giv'n nor is he free From lust besides Padilla who had beene His strumpet long and for whose sake the Queene At last was murdred when he could not get To satisfie a sudden lustfull heat Faire Donna Iane of Castro to his bed A false divorce he caused to be read Betwixt Queene Blanch and him and so to Iane Was marry'd whom he soone forsooke againe For all his divellish acts at last though late The holy Church did excommunicate This impious Prince Wilt thou deare Edward be A friend to whom the Church is enemy Oh pardon me if now I feare thy Fate Though still in warre victorious yet With that Downe her faire cheeks the teares distill'd apace The noble Edward with a kind embrace Cheeres his