haue alreadie lost But your owne madnesse needsly make it more Will you seeke safety in a forraine Coast Your wiues and children pittied you before But when your own blood your own swords imbrue Who pitties them which once did pittie you 19 The neighbouring groues dispoiled of their trees For boates and timber to assay this flood Where men are laboring as the Summer bee Some hollowing truncks som binding heaps of wood Some on their breasts some working on their knees To winne the bancke whereon the Barrons stood Which o're this current they by strength must tew To shed that blood that many ages rew 20 Some sharpen swords some on their Murrians set The Greaues and pouldrons others riuet fast The archers now their bearded arrowes whet Whilst euery where the clamerous Drums are bra'st Some taking view where surest ground to get And euery one advantage doth fore-cast In ranks and fyles each plaine and meadow swarmes As though the land were clad in angry Armes 21 The crests and honours of the English name Against their owne opposed rudely stand As angry with th'atchieuements whence they came That to their vertues gaue the generous brand O you vnworthy of your ancient fame Against your selues to lift your conqu'ring hand Since forraine swords your height could not abate By your owne powre your selues to ruinate 22 Vpon his surcoate valiant Neuell bore A siluer saltoyre grac'd on martiall red A Ladies sleeue hie-spirited Hastings wore Ferrer his Taberd with rich verry spred Wel knowne in many a warlike match before A Rauen sate on Corbets warlike head Cou'ring his Helmet Culpepper inrayld On maiden Armes a bloodie bend engrayld 23 The noble Percy in this furious day With a bright Cressant in his guide-home came In his faire Cornet Verdoon dooth display A Geuly fret priz'd in this mortall game That had beene taskt in many a doubtfull fray His launces pennons stained with the same The angry horse chafde with the stubborne bit The ruinous earth with rage and horror smit 24 I could the summe of Staffords arming show What colours Courtney Rosse and Warren holde Each sundry blazon I could let you know And all the glorious circumstance haue tolde What all the Ensignes standing in arow But wailing in a Muse ah me thou arte controlde When in remembrance of this horred deede My pen for inke euen drops of blood doth sheede 25 Th' imperiall standard in this place is pitcht With all the hatchments of the English crowne Great Lancaster with all his power enricht Sets the same Leopards in his Colours downe O if with furie you be not bewitcht Haue but remembrance on your selfe you frowne A little note or difference is in all How can the same stand when the same dooth fall 26 Behold the Eagles Lyons Talbots Beares The badges of your famous ancestries And shall they now by their inglorious heires Stand thus oppos'd against their families More honoured markes no Christian nation weares Reliques vnworthie of their progenies Those beasts you beare do in their kindes agree O that than beasts more sauage men should bee 27 But whilst the king no course concluded yet In his directions variably doth houer See how misfortunes still her time can fit Such as were sent the Country to discouer As vp and downe from place to place they flit Had found a foord to land their forces ouer Ill newes hath wings and with the winde doth goe Comfort 's a Cripple and comes euer slow 28 When Edward fearing Lancasters supplies Prowd Richmond Surry and great Penbrooke sent On whose successe his chiefest hope relies Vnder whose conduct halfe his Army went The neerest way conducted by thespies And he himselfe and Edmond Earle of Kent Vpon the hill in sight of Burton lay Watching to take aduantage of the day 29 Stay Surry stay thou mai'st too soone be gone Pawse till this rage be somewhat ouer past Why runn'st thou thus to thy destruction Richmond and Penbrooke whither doe you haste You labour still to bring more horror on Neuer seeke sorrow for it comes too fast Why do you striue to passe this fatall flood To fetch new wounds and shed your natiue blood 30 Great Lancaster sheath vp thy angry sword On Edwards armes whose edge thou shouldst not whet Thy naturall kinsman and thy soueraigne Lord Are you not one both true Plantaginet Call but to mind thy once-engaged word Canst thou thy oath to Longshankes thus forget Consider well before all other things Our vowes be kept we make to Gods and Kings 31 The windes are hush'd no little breath doth blow Which seemes so still as though it listning stood With trampling crouds the verie earth doth bow And through the smoke the sunne appeares like blood What with the shout and with the dreadfull show The heirds and flockes runne bellowing to the wood When drums and trumpets giue the fearfull sound As they would shake the clowds vnto the ground 32 The Earles then charging with their power of horse Taking a signall when they should beginne Being in view of the imperiall force Which at the time assay'd the bridge to winne That now the Barrons change th' intended course T' auoide the danger they were lately in Which on the suddaine had they not fore-cast Of their blacke day this howre had beene the last 33 When from the hill the Kings maine power comes downe Which had Aquarius to their valiant guide Braue Lancaster and Herford from the towne Now issue forth vpon the other side Peere against peere the crowne against the crowne The one assailes the other munifide Englands red crosse vpon both sides doth flie Saint George the king S. George the Barrons crie 34 Like as an exhalation hote and dry Amongst the ayre-bred moistie vapors throwne Spetteth his lightning forth outragiously Rending the grosse clowdes with the thunder-stone Whose fierie splinters through the thin ayre flie That with the terror heauen and earth doth grone With the like clamor and confused woe To the dread shocke these desp'rate Armies goe 35 Now might you see the famous English Bowes So fortunate in times we did subdue Shoote their sharpe arrowes in the face of those which many a time victoriously them drew Shunning their aime as troubled in the loose The winged weapons mourning as they slew Cleaue to the string now in potent and slacke As to the Archers they would faine turne backe 36 Behold theremnant of Troyes auntient stocke Laying on blowes as Smiths on Anuils strike Grapling together in this fearefull shocke whereas the like incountreth with the like As firme and ruthlesse as th' obdurate Rocke Deadly opposed at the push of pike Still as the wings or battels brought together when Fortune yet giues vantage vnto neither 37 From battred caskes with euery enuious blow The scattred plumes flie loosly heere and there which in the ayre dooth seeme as drifts of snow which euery light breath on his wings dooth beare As they had sence and feeling of our woe And thus affrighted with
sits a helmet and there lies a shield O ill did fate these noble Armes bestow Which as a quarry on the soilde earth lay Seizde on by conquest as a glorious pray 58 Heere noble Bohune that braue issued peere Herford so hie in euery gracious heart Vnto his country so receiude and deere Wounded by treason in the lower part As o're the bridge his men returning were Through those ill-ioynd planckes by an enuious dart But Lancaster whose lot not yet to die Taken reseru'd to greater infamie 59 O subiect for some sadder Muse to sing Of fiue great Earledomes happily possest Of the direct line of the English king with fauours friends and earthly honours blest If so that all these happinesse could bring Or could endow assurednes of rest But what estate stands free from fortunes powre The Fates haue guidance of our time and howre 60 Some few themselues in sanctuaries hide In mercie of that priuiledged place Yet are their bodies so vnsanctifide As scarce their soules can euer hope for grace Whereas they still in want and feare abide A poore dead life this draweth out a space Hate stands without and horror sits within Prolonging shame but pard'ning not their sinne 61 Here is not death contented with the dead As though of some thing carelesly denide Till which might firmely be accomplished His vtmost fully were not specifide That all exactly might be perfected A further torment vengeanec dooth prouide That dead men should in misery remaine To make the liuing die with greater paine 62 You soueraine Citties of th' afflicted I le In Cipresse wreathes and widowed attire Prepare yee now to build the funerall pile Lay your pale hands vnto this latest fire All mirth and comfort from your streetes exile Till you be purgde of this infectious ite The noblest blood yet liuing to be shed That euer dropt from your rebellious dead 63 When this braue Lord great Lancaster who late This puâ—ssant force had now thus long retainde As the first Agent in this strange debate At fatall Pomfret for those facts arraignde 〈◊〉 whom of all things they articulate To whom these factions chiefly appertainde Whose proofes apparant so directly sped As from his body reft a reuerent head 64 Yet Lancaster it is not thy deere breath Can ransome backe the safety of the Crowne Nor make a league of so great powre with death To warrant what is rightfully our owne But they must pay the forfait of their faith Which sondly broke with their ambition when now reuenge vnto the vtmost rackt The Agents iustly suffer with the act 65 Euen in that place where he had lately led As this darke path vnto the rest to show It was not long ere many followed In the same steps that he before did goe London thy freedom is prohibited The first in place O would the first in woe Others in blood did not excell thee farre That now deuoure the remnant of this warre 66 O parents ruthfull and hart-renting sight To see that sonne thy tender bosome fed A mothers ioy a fathers sole delight That with much cost yet with more care was bred A spectacle euen able to affright Th' most sencelesse thing and terrifie the dead His blood so deere vpon the cold earth powr'd His quarter'd coarse of birds and beasts deuour'd 67 But t' is not you that heere complaine alone Or to your selues this fearefull portion share Heere 's choice and strange variety of moane Poore childrens teares with widdowes mixed are Many a friends sigh many a maidens grone So innocent so simply pure and rare As though euen Nature that long silent kept Burst out in plaints and bitterly had wept 68 O wretched age had not these things beene done I had not now in these more calmer times Into the search of former troubles runne Nor had my virgine impolluted rimes Altred the course wherein they first begunne To sing these bloodie and vnnaturall crimes My layes had still beene to Ideas bowre Of my deere Ankor or her loued Stoure 69 Or for our subiect your faire worth to chuse Your birth your vertue and your hie respects That gently daine to patronize our Muse Who our free soule ingeniously elects To publish your deserts and all your dues Maugre the Momists and Satyricke sects Whilst my great verse eternally is sung You still may liue with me in spight of wrong 70 But greater things reserued are in store Vnto this taske my armed Muse to keepe Still offering me occasion as before Matter whereof my tragicke verse may weepe And as a vessell being neere the shore By aduerse windes enforced to the deepe Am driuen backe from whence I came of late Vnto the bus'nes of a troubled state The end of the second Canto ⧠The third Booke of the Barrons warres The Argument By asleepie potion that the Queene ordaines Lord Mortimen escapes out of the Tower And by false slights and many subtile traines Shee gets to France to raise aforraigne power The French King leaues his sister neede constraines The Queene to Henault in a happie hower Edward her sonne to Philip is affide And for inuasion presently prouide 1 SCarce had these passed miseries their ends When other troubles instantly begunne As still new matter mischiefe apprehends By things that inconsid'rately were done And further yet this insolence extends Whilst all not yeelded that the sword had wonne For some there were that secretly did lie That to this bus'nes had a watchfull eye 2 Whenas the King whilst things thus fairely went Who by this happy victory grew strong Sommons at Yorke a present Parlement To plant his right and helpe the Spensers wrong By which he thinkes t' establish his intent Whence more more his Minions greatnes sprong Whose counsells still in all proceedings crossde Th' inraged Queene whom all misfortunes tossde 3 When now the eldst a man extreamely hated Whom yet the King not aptly could preferre The edge of their sharpe insolence abated This Parlement makes Earle of Winchester Where Herckley Earle of Carlell is created And Baldocke likewise is made Chancellor On whom the king had for his purpose wrought A man as subtile so corrupt and nought 4 When now mishaps that seldome come alone Thicke in the necks of one an other fell The Scot pretends a new inuasion And France doth thence our vse-full powre expell Treasons suspected to attend his throne The grieued Commons euery day rebell Mischiefe on mischiefe curse doth follow curse One ill scarce past when after comes a worse 5 For Mortimer this winde yet fitly blew Troubling their eyes which else perhaps might see Whilst the wise Queene who all aduantage knew Is closly plotting his deliuery Which now she dooth with all her powres pursue Aptly continu'd by her deepe policie Against opinion and the course of might To worke her will euen through the jawes of spite 6 A sleepy drinke she secretly hath made Whose operation had such wondrous powre As with cold numnesse could the sense inuade And
the remembrance of the thing To make the people more abhorre their King Nor shall a Spenser be he ne're so great Possesse our Wigmore our renowned seate To raze the antient Trophies of our race With our deserts their monuments to grace Nor shall he leade our valiant marchers forth To make the Spensers famous in the North Nor be the Gardants of the British pales Defending England and preseruing Wales At first our troubles easily reculde But now growne head-strong hardly to be rulde With grauest counsell all must be directed Where plainest shewes are openly suspected For where mis-hap our errour dooth assault There doth it eassiest make vs see our fault Then sweet represse all fond and wilfull spleene Two things to be a woman and a Queene Keepe close the cindars lest the fire should burne It is not this which yet must serue our turne And if I doe not much mistake the thing The next supply shall greater comfort bring Till when I leaue my Princesse for a while Liue thou in rest though I liue in exile Notes of the Chronicle Historie Of one condemnd and long lodgde vp in death ROger Mortimer Lord of Wigmore had stoode publikely condemned for his insurrection with Thomas erle of Lancaster and Bohune earle of Herford by the space of three months and as the report went the day of his execution was determined to haue bin shortly after which he preuented by his escape Twice all was taken twice thou all didst giue At what time the two Mortimers this Roger lord of Wigmore and his vncle Roger Mortimer the elder were apprehended in the west the Queene by meanes of Torlton Bishop of Hereford and Becke Bishop of Duresme and Patriarke of Ierusalem being then both mighty in the state vpon the submission of the Mortimers somewhat pacified the king and now secondly shee wrought meanes for his escape Leauing the cordes to tell where I had gone With strong ladders made of cords prouided him for the purpose he escaped out of the Tower which when the same were found fastned to the walles in such a desperate attempt they bred astonishment to the beholders Nor let the Spensers glory in my dâ—awe The two Hugh Spensers the father and the sonne then being so highly fauored of the King knew that their greatest safety came by his exile whose high and turbulent spirit could neuer brooke any corriuall in greatnes My grandsire was the first since Arthurs raigne That the Round-table rectifide againe Roger Mortimer called the great Lord Mortimer Grandfather to this Roger which was afterward the first Earle of March reeâ—ected againe the Round-table at Kenelwoorth after the ancient order of king Arthurs table with the retinue of a hudred knights and a hundred ladies in his house for the entertaining of such aduentures as came thither from all parts of Christendome Whilest famous Longshanks bones in Fortunes scorne Edward Longshanks willed at his death that his body should be boyled the flesh from the bones and that the bones should bee borne to the wars in Scotland which he was perswaded vnto by aprophecie which told that the English should still be fortunate in conquest so long as his bones were caried in the field The English blood that stained Banocksburne In the great voyage Edward the second made against the Scots at the battell at Striueling neere vnto the riuer of Banocksburne in Scotland where there was in the English campe such banketâ—ing and excesse such riot and misorder that the Scots who in the meane time laboured for aduauntage gaue to the English a great ouerthrow And in the Dead-sea sincke our horses fame From whose c. Mortimer so called of Mare mortuum and in French Mort mer in English the Dead-sea which is said to be where Sodom â—nd Go morra once were before they were destroyed by fire froÌ„ Heauen And for that hatefull sacrilegious sin Which by the Pope he stand◠〈…〉 ursed in Gaustelinus and Lucas two Cardinals sent into England from Pope Clement to appease the auncient hate betweene the King and Thomas Earle of Lancaster to whose Embassie the king seemed to yeeld but after their departure hee went backe from his promises for which he was accursed at Rome Of those industrious Roman Colonies A Colony is a sort or number of people that come to inhabite a place before not inhabited whereby he seemes here to prophecie of the subuersion of the land the Pope ioyning with the power of other Princes against Edward for the breach of his promise Charles by inuasiue Armes againe shall take Charles the French King mooued by the wrong done vnto his sister seiseth the Prouinces which belonged to the King of England into his hands stirred the rather thereto by Mortimer who solicited her cause in France as is expressed before in the other Epistle in the glosse vpon this poynt And those great Lords now after their attaints Canonized among the English Saints After the death of Thomas Earle of Lancaster at Pomfret the people imagined great myracles to be done by his reliques as they did of the body of Bohune earle of Hereford slaine at Borough bridge Finis ⧠To my worthy and honored friend Sir Walter Aston Knight of the Bath SIR though without suspition of flatterie I might in more ample and free tearmes intimate my affection vnto you yet hauing so sensible a taste of your generous and noble aisposition which without this habite of ceremony can estimate my loue I will rather affect bre 〈…〉 though it should seeme my fault than by my tedious complement to trouble mine owne opinion setled in your iudgement and discretion I make you the Patron of this Epistle of the Blacke-Prince which I pray you accept till more easie houres may offer vppe from mee some thing more worthy of your view and my trauell Yours truely deuoted Mich Drayton ¶ Edward the Blacke-Prince to Alice Countesse of Salisbury The Argument Alice Countesse of Salisbury remaining at Roxborough castle in the North in the absence of the earle her husband who was by the Kings commaund sent ouer into Flaunders and there deceased ere his returne This Lady being besieged in her castle by the Scots Edward the Blacke-Prince being sent by the King his father to relieue the north parts with an Armie and to remooue the siege of Roxborough there fell in loue with the Countesse when after she returned to London hee sought by diuers and sundry meanes to winne her to his youthfull pleasures as by forcing the Earle of Kent her father and her mother vnnaturally to become his Agents in his vaine desire where after a long and assured triall of her inuincible constancie hee taketh her to his wife to which end he only frameth this Epistle REceiue these papers from thy wofull Lord With farre more woes than they with wordes are storde Which if thine eie with rashnes do reproue Thei 'le say they came from that imperious loue In euery letter thou maist vnderstand Which loue
late duke Humfries old alies With banisht Elnors base complices Attending their reuenge grow wondrous crouse And threaten death and vengeance to our house And I lone the wofull remnant am T' endure these stormes with wofull Buckingham I pray thee Poole haue care how thou doost passe Neuer the Sea yet halfe so dangerous was And one foretolde by Water thou shouldst die Ah! foule befall that foule tongues prophecie And euery night am troubled in my dreames That I doe see thee tosst in dangerous streames And oft-times shipwrackt cast vpon the land And lying breathlesse on the queachy sand And oft in visions see thee in the night Where thou at Sea maintainst a dangerous fight And with thy proued target and thy sword Beatst backe the pyrate which would come aboord Yet be not angry that I warne thee thus The truest loue is most suspitious Sorrow doth vtter what vs still doth grieue But hope forbids vs sorrovve to belieue And in my counsell yet this comfort is It can not hurt although I thinke amisse Then liue in hope in triumph to returne When cleerer dayes shall leaue in cloudes to mourne But so hath sorrow girt my soule about That that word Hope me thinks comes slowly out The reason is I know it heere vvould rest Where it vvould still behold thee in my breast Farewell sweete Pole faine more I would indite But that my teares doe blot as I do write ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie Or brings in Burgoyne to ayde Lancaster PHillip Duke of Burgoyne and his sonne were alwaies great fauorites of the house of Lancaster howbeit they often dissembled both with Lancaster and Yorke Who in the North our lawfull claime commends To win vs credite with our valiant friends The chiefe Lords of the North parts in the time of Henry the fixt withstood the Duke of Yorke at his rising giuing him two great ouerthrowes To that allegeance Yorke was bound by oth To Henries heires and safety of vs both No longer now he meanes Records shall beare it He will dispence with heauen and will vnsweare it The Duke of Yorke at the death of Henry the fift and at this Kings coronation tooke his oth to be true subiect to him and his heires for euer but afterward dispensing therewith claimed the crowne as his rightfull and proper inheritance If three sonnes faile shee 'le make the fourth a King The Duke of Yorke had foure sonnes Edward Earle of March that afterward was Duke of Yorke and King of England when he had deposed Henry the sixt and Edmund Earle of Rutland slaine by the Lord Clifford at the battel at Wakefield and George Duke of Clarence that was murthered in the Tower and Richard Duke of Gloster who was after he had murthered his brothers sonnes King by the name of Richard the third He that 's so like his Dam her yongest Dicke That fowle illfauored crookeback'd Stigmaticke c. Till this verse As though begot an age c. This Richard whom ironically she heere calls Dicke that by treason after his Nephewes murthered obtained the crowne was a man low of stature crooke-back'd the left shoulder much higher then the right and of a very crabbed and sower countenance his mother could not be deliuered of him hee was borne toothd with his feet forward contrary to the course of nature To ouershadow our vermilian Rose The red Rose was the badge of the house of Lancaster and the white Rose of Yorke which by the marriage of Henry the seauenth with Elizabeth indubitate heire of the house of Yorke was happily vnited Or who will muzzell that vnruly beare The Earle of Warwicke the setter vp and puller downe of Kings gaue for his Armes the white Beare rampant and the ragged staffe My Daisie flower which erst perfumde the ayre Which for my fauour Princes once did weare c. The Daisie in French is called Margaret which was Queene Margarets badge where-withall the Nobilitie and chiualrie of the Land at the first arriuall were so delighted that they wore it in their hats in token of honour And who be starres but Warwikes bearded staues The ragged or bearded staffe was a part of the Armes belonging to the Earledome of Warwicke Slandring Duke Rayner with base beggery Rayner Duke of Aniou called himselfe King of Naples Cicile and Ierusalem hauing neither inheritance nor tribute from those parts and was not able at the marriage of the Queene of his owne charges to send her into England though he gaue no dower with her which by the Dutchesse of Glocester was often in disgrace cast in her teeth A Kentish rebell a base vpslart groome This was Iacke Cade which caused the Kentish-men to rebell in the 28. yeere of King Henry the fixth And this is he the white Rose must prefer By Clarence daughter match'd to Mortimer This Iacke Cade instructed by the Duke of Yorke pretended to be descended from Mortimer which married Lady Phillip daughter to the Duke of Clarence And makes vs weake by strengthning Ireland The Duke of Yorke being made Deputy of Ireland first there began to practise his long pretended purpose strengthning himselfe by all meanes possible that hee might at his returne into England by open warre claime that which so long he had priuily gone about to obtaine Great Winchester vntimely is deceasde Henry Benford Bishop and Cardinall of Winchester sonne to Iohn of Gaunt begot in his age was a prowd and ambitious Prelate fauouring mightily the Queene and the Duke of Suffolke continually heaping vp innumerable treasure in hope to haue beene Pope as himselfe on his death-bed confessed With France t' vpbraide the valiant Somerset Edmund Duke of Somerset in the 24. of Henry the sixth was made Regent of France and sent into Normandie to desend the English territories against the French inuasions but in short time he lost all that King Henry the fifth won for which cause the Nobles and Commons euer after hated him T' endure these stormes with wofull Buckingham Humfrey Duke of Buckingham was a great fauorite of the Queenes faction in the time of Henry the sixt And one sore-told by water thou shouldst die The Witch of Eye receiued answer from her spirit that the Duke of Suffolke should take heede of water which the Queene forwarnes him of as remembring the Witches prophecie which afterwards came to passe Finis To the Right Worshipfull Sir Thomas Munson Knight SIR amongst many which most deseruedly loue you though I the least yet am loth to be the last whose endeuours may make knowne how highly they esteeme of your noble and kinde disposition Let this Epistle Sir I beseech you which vnworthily weares the badge of your worthy name acknowledge my zeale with the rest though much lesse deseruing which for your sake doe honour the house of the Mounsons I know true generositie accepteth what is zealously offred though not euer deseruingly excellent yet for loue of the Art from whence it receiueth resemblance The light Phrigian harmony
strength and now his brightnesse loseth As well the best discerning eye may doubt Whether it yet be in or whether out Thus in my cheeke my diuers passions shew'd Now ashy pale and now againe it glow'd If in your verse there be a power to moue It 's you alone who are the cause I loue It 's you bewitch my bosome by mine eare Vnto that end I did not place you there Ayres to asswage the bloody souldiers minde Poore women we are naturally kinde Perhaps you 'le thinke that I these termes enforce For that in Court this kindenesse is of course Or that it is that honny-steeped gall We oft are said to bait our loues withall That in one eye we carry strong desire The other drops which quickly quench the fire Ah what so false can Enuy speake of vs But shall finde some too vainely credulous I do not so and to adde proofe thereto I loue in faith in faith sweete Lord I do Nor let the enuie of enuenom'd tongues Which still is grounded on poore Ladies wrongs Thy noble breast diasterly possesse By any doubt to make my loue the lesse My house from Florence I do not pretend Nor from Giraldi claime I to descend Nor hold those honours insufficient are That I receiue from Desmond or Kyldare Nor adde I greater worth vnto my blood Than Irish milke to giue me infant food Nor better ayre will euer boast to breathe Then that of Lemster Mounster or of Meathe Nor craue I other forraine farre alies Then Windsor or Fitz-geralds families It is enough to leaue vnto my heires If they will but acknowledge me for theires To what place euer did the Court remoue But that the howse giues matter to my loue At Windsor still I see thee sit and walke There mount thy Courser there deuise there talke The roabes the garter and the state of Kings Into my thoughts thy hoped greatnes brings Non such the name imports me thinks so much None such as thou nor as my Lord none such In Hamptons great magnificence I finde The liuely image of thy princely minde Faire Richmonds Towers like goodly pillars stand Rearde by the power of thy victorious hand White-halls triumphing galleries are yet Adornde with rich deuises of thy wit In Greenewich yet as in a glasse I view Where last thou badst thy Geraldine adiew VVith euery little gentle breath that blowes How are my thoughts confusde with ioyes woes As through a gate so through my longing eares Passe to my hart whole multitudes of feares O in a map that I might see thee show The place where now in danger thou doost goe VVhilst we discourse to trauaile with our eye Romania ruscaine and faire Lumbardy Or with thy pen exactly to set downe The modell of that Tempell or that Towne And to relate at large where thou hast beene And there and there and what thou there hast seene Or to describe by figure of thy hand There Naples lies and there doth Florence stand Or as the Grecians finger dip'd in wine Drawing a Riuer in a little line And with a drop a gulfe to figure out To modell Venice moted round about Then adding more to counterfet a Sea And draw the front of stately Genoa These from thy lips were like harmonious tones Which now do found like Mandrakes dreadful grones Some trauell hence t' enrich their mindes with skill Leaue heere their good and bring home others ill VVhich seeme to like all Countries but their owne Affecting most where they the least are knowne Their leg their thigh their back their neck their head As they had been in seuerall Countries bred In their attire their jesture and their gate Fond in each one in all Italionate So well in all deformitie in fashion Borrowing a limbe on euery seuerall Nation And nothing more then England hold in scorne So liue as strangers where as they were borne But thy returne in this I do not reede Thou art a perfect Gentleman indeede O God forbid that Howards noble line From ancient vertue should so farre decline The Muses traine whereof your selfe are chiefe Onely with me participate their griefe To sooth their humors I do lend them eares He giues a Poet that his verses heares Till thy returne by hope they onely liue Yet had they all they all avvay would giue The world and they so ill according be That wealth and Poets neuer can agree Few liue in Court that of their good haue care The Muses friends are euery where so rare Some praise thy worth that it did neuer know Onely because the better sort doe so Whose iudgement neuer further doth extend Then it doth please the greatest to commend So great an ill vpon desert doth chaunce When it doth passe by beastly ignoraunce Why arte thou slacke whilst no man puts his hand To raise the mount vvhere Surreys tovvers must stand Or who the groundsill of that worke doth lay Whilst like a wandrer thou abroade doost stray Clipt in the armes of some lasciuious dame When thou shouldst reare an â—â—on to thy name When shall the Muses by faire Norwhich dvvell To be the Cittie of the learned VVell Or Phoebus altars there with incense heapt As once in Cyrrha or in Thebe kept Or vvhen shall that faire hoofe-plowd spring distill From great mount Surrey out of Leonards hill Till thou returne the Court I will exchange For some poore cottage or some countrey Grange Where to our distaues as we sit and spin My maide and I will tell of things haue bin Our Lutes vnstrung shall hang vpon the wall Our lessons serue to wrap our Towe withall And passe the night whiles winter tales we tell Of many things that long ago befell Or tune such homely Carrols as were sung In Countrey sports when we our selues were yung In prettie Râ—ddles to bewray our loues In questions purpose or in drawing gloues The nob est spirits to vertue most inclind These heere in Court thy greatest want do find Other there be on which we feede our eye Like Arras worke or such like Imagerie Many of vs desire Queene Katherines state â—ut very few her vertues imitate Then as Vlyffes wife vvrite I to thee Make no reply but come thy selfe to me ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie Then Windsore or Fitzgeralds families THE cost of many Kings which from time to time haue adorned the Castle at Windsor with their princely magnificence â—atâ— made it more noble then that it need to hee spoken of now as though obscure and I hold it more meet to referre you to our 〈◊〉 monuments for the founders and finishers thereof then to meddle with matter nothing neere to the purpose As for the family of the Fitz-gerald of whence this excellent Lady was lineâ—lly discended the original was English though the branches did prâ—â—d themselues into distant places names nothing coÌ„sonant 〈◊〉 in former times it was vsual to denominate themselues of their â—nanours oâ—â—orenames as may partly appeare in that which enâ—uâ—th
the light whereof proceeded from my learned and verie 〈◊〉 friend Maister Francis Thinne Walter of Windsor the â—onne of Oterus had issue William of whom Henry now Lord Windsor is discended and Robert of Windsor of whom Robert the now Earle of Essex and Gerald of Windsor his third sonne who married the daughter of Râ—es the great Prince of Wales of whom came Nesta paraâ—our to Henry the first Which Gerald had issue Maurice Fitz-gerald auncestor to Thomas Fitz-maurice Iustice of Ireland buried at Trayly leauing issue Iohn his eldest sonne first Earle of Kildare ancestor to Geraldine and Maurice his second sonne first earle of Desâ—oond To raisethe mount where Surreys Towers must stand Alludeth to the sumptuous house which was afterward builded by him vpon Leonards hill right against Norwich which in the rebellion of Norffolke vnder Ket inking Edward the 6. time was much defaced by that impure rabble Betvvixt the hil and the Citie as Alexander Neuill describes it the riuer of Yarmouth runs hauing West and South thereof a wood and a little Village called Thorpe and on the North the pastures of Mousholl which containes about sixe miles in length and breadth So that besides the stately greatnes of Mount-Surrey which was the houses name the prospect and site thereof was passing pleasant and commodious and no where else did that encreasing euill of the Norffolke furie enkâ—nnell it selfe but then there as it were for a manifest token of their intent to debase all high things and to prophaneall holy Like Arras worke or other imagerie Such was he whom â—â—uenall taxeth in this manner truncoque similimus Hermae Nullo quippe alâ—o vineis discrimine quamquod Illi marmoreum caput est tua vâ—â—it image Being to be borne for nothing else but apparell and the outward appearance intituled Complement with whom theridiculous fable of the Ape in Esope sorteth fitly who comming into a Caruers house and viewing many Marble workes tooke vp the head of a man very cunningly wrought who greatly in praysing did seeme to pittie it that hauing so comely an outside it had nothing within like emptie figures walke and talke in euery place at whom the noble Geraldine modestly glanceth Finis To the virtuous Lady the Lady Francis Goodere wife to sir Henry Goodere Knight MY very gratious and good Mistris the loue and duety I bare unto your father whilst he liued now after his decease is to your hereditarie to whome by the blessing of your birth he left his vertues Who bequeathed you those which were his gaue you whatsoeuer good is mine as deuoted to his he being gone whome I honoured so much whilest he liued which you may iustly challenge by all lawes of thankefulnesse My selfe hauing beene a witnesse of your excellent education and milde disposition as I may say euer from your Cradle dedicate this Epistle of this vertuous and godly Lady to your selfe so like her in all perfection both of wisedome and learning which I pray you accept till time shall enable me to leaue you some greater monument of my loue M. Drayton The Lady Jane Gray to the Lord Gilford Dudley The Argument After the death of that vertuous young Prince King Edward the sixt the sonne of that famous King Henry the eight Iane the daughter of Henry Gray Duke of Suffolke by the consent of Iohn Dudley Duke of Northumberland was proclaimed Queene of England being married to Gilford Dudley the fourth sonne of the fore-said Duke of Northumberland which match was concluded by their ambitious fathers who went about by this meanes to bring the Crowne vnto their children and to dispossesse the Princesse Mary eldest daughter to King Henry the eight heire to King Edward her brother Queene Mary rising in Armes to claime her rightfull Crowne taketh the saide Iane Gray and the Lord Gilford her husband being lodged in the Tower for their more safetie which place being lastly their Pallace by this meanes became their prison where being seuered in sundry prisons they write these Epistles one to another MIne own deere Lord sith thou art lockt froÌ„ mee In this disguise my loue must steale to thee Since to renue all loues all kindnesse past This refuge scarcely left yet this the last My Keeper comming I of thee enquire Who with thy greeting answers my desire Which my tongue willing to returne againe Griefe stops my words and I but striue in vaine Wherewith amazde away in haste he goes When throgh my lips my hart thrusts forth my woes Whenas the dores that make a dolefull sound Driue backe my words that in the noise are drownd Which somewhat hush'd the Eccho doth record And twice or thrice reiterates my word When like an aduerse winde in Isis course Against the tide bending his boistrous force But when the flood hath wrought it selfe about He following on doth head-long thrust it out Thus striue my fighes with teares e're they begin And breaking out againe sighes driue them in A thousand formes present my troubled thought Yet proue abortiue when they forth are brought The depth of woe with words wee hardely sound Sorrow is so insensibly profound As teares do fall and rise sighes come and goe So do these numbers ebbe so do they flow These briny teares do make my incke looke pale My incke clothes teares in this sad mourning vaile The letters mourners weepe with my dim eye The paper pale grieu'd at my misery Yet miserable our selues why should we deeme Sith none is so but in his owne esteeme Who in distresse from resolution flies Is rightly said to yeelde to miseries They which begot vs did beget this sin They first begun what did our griefe begin we tasted not t' was they which did rebell Not our offence but in their fall we fell They which a crowne would to my Lord haue linckt All hope of life and liberty extinct A subiect borne a Soueraigne to haue beene Hath made me now nor subiect nor a Queene Ah vile ambition how doost thou deceiue vs which shew'st vs heauen and yet in hell doost leaue vs Seldome vntouch'd doth innocence escape when error commeth in good counsailes shape A lawfull title countercheckes prowd might The weakest things become strong props to right Then my deere Lord although affliction grieue vs Yet let our spotlesse innocence relieue vs. Death but an acted passion doth appeare where truth giues courage and the conscience cleere And let thy comfort thus consist in mine That I beare part of whatsoe're is thine As when we liude vntouch'd with these disgraces whenas our kingdome was our deere embraces At Durham Pallace where sweete Hymen sang whose buildings with our nuptiall musicke rang when Prothalamions praisde that happy day wherein great Dudley match'd with noble Gray when they deuisde to lincke by wedlockes band The house of Suffolke to Northumberland Our fatall Dukedome to your Dukedome bound To frame this building on so weake a ground For what auailes a lawlesse vsurpation which giues a Scepter but
O nurse not factions flowing in excesse That with thy members shouldst their griefe condole In thee rests power this outrage to represse Which might thy zeale and sanctitie enrole Come thou in purenesse meekely with the word Lay not thy hand to the vnhalowed sword 7 Blood-thirsting warre arising first from hell And in progression seizing on this I le Where it before neere forty yeeres did dwell And with pollution horribly defile By which so many a woorthy English fell By our first Edward banished awhile Transferd by Fortune to the Scottish meare To ransacke that as it had rauinde heere 8 Where hovering still with inauspicious wings About the verge of these distempered climes Returning now new errour hether brings To stirre vs vp to these disastrous crimes Weakeneth our power by oft diminishings And taking holde on these vnsetled times Forcing our frailty sensually at length Crackt the stiffe nerves that knit our antient strength 9 Whose frightfull vision at the first approach With violent madnes strooke that desperate age So many sundry miseries abroach Giuing full speed to their vnbrideled rage That did our antient libertie encroach And in these strong conspiracies ingage The worthiest blood the subiects losse to bring By innaturall wrongs vnto their naturall king 10 When in the North whilst horror yet was yoong These dangerous seasons swiftly comming on Whilst o're our heads portentious meteors hung And in the skies sterne Comets brightly shone Prodigious births oft intermixt among Such as before to times had beene vnknowne In bloody issues forth the earth doth breake Weeping for vs whose woes it could not speake 11 When by the rankenes of contagious aire A mortall plague inuadeth man and beast Which soone disperst and raging every where In doubt the same too quickely should have ceast More to confirme the certaintie of feare By cruell famine haplesly enereast As though the heauens in their remisfull doome Tooke those best lou'd from worâ—er daies to come 12 The leuell course that we propose to goe Now to th' intent you may more plainely see And that we euery circumstance may show The state of things and truely what they be And with what skill or proiect we bestow As our accurrents happen in degree From these portents we now diuert our view To bring to birth the horrors that ensue 13 The calling backe of banisht Gaueston Gainst which the Barrons were to Longshanks sworne That insolent lascivious Minion A Soueraignes blemish and a countries scorne The signiories and great promotion Him in his lawlesse courses to suborne Stirres vp that hatefull and outragious strife That cost ere long so many an English life 14 O worthy Laâ—y hadst thou sparde that breath Which shortly after Nature thee denide To Lancaster deliuered at thy death To whom thy onely daughter was affide That this sterne warre too quickely publisheth To ayde the Barrons gainst that Minions pride Thy Earledomes lands and titles of renowne Had not so soone returnd vnto the Crowne 15 The Lordships Bruse vnto the Spensers past Crossing the Barrons vehement desire As from Ioues hand that fearefull lightning cast When fifty townes lay spent in enuious fire Alas too vaine and prodigall a waste The strong effect of their conceived ire Vrging the weake King with a violent hand T' abiure those false Lordes from the troubled land 16 When the faire Queene that progressing in Kent Lastly denide her entrance into Leedes Whom Badlesmere vnkindly dooth preuent Who gainst his Soueraigne in this course proceedes As adding further to this discontent One of the springs which this great mischiefe feedes Heaping on rage and horror more and more To thrust on that which went too fast before 17 Which more and more a kingly rage increast Moou'd with the wrongs of Gaueston disgraded Which had so long beene setled in his breast That all his powers it wholy had inuaded Giuing the Spensers an assured rest By whom his reasons chiefly are perswaded By whose lewd counsells he is onely led To leaue his true Queene and his lawfull bed 18 That now herselfe who while she stood in grace Applied her powers these discords to appease When yet confusion had not fully place Nor former times so dangerous as these A party now in theyr afflicted case A willing hand to his destruction layes That time whose soft palme heals the wound of war May cure the soare but neuer close the scar 19 In all this heate his greatnes first began The serious subiect of our sadder vaine Braue Mortimer that euer-matchlesse man Of the old Heroes great and God-like straine For whom invention dooing best it can His weight of honour hardly can sustaine Bearing his name immortaliz'd and hie When he in earth vnnumbred times shall lie 20 That vncle now whose name this Nephew bare The onely comfort of the wofull Queene Who from his cradle held him as his care In whom the hope of that great name was seene For this young Lord now wisely doth prepare Whilst yet this deepe hart-goaring wound is greene And on this faire aduantage firmely wrought To place him highly in her princely thought 21 At whose deliberate and vnusuall byrth The heauens were said to counsell to retire And in aspects of happinesse and mirth Breath'd him a spirit insatiatly t' aspire That tooke no mixture of the ponderous earth But all comprest of cleere ascending fire So well made vp that such an one as he Ioue in a man like Mortimer would be 22 The temper of that nobler moouing part With such rare purenesse rectified his blood Raising the powers of his resolued hart Too prowd to be lockt vp within a flood That no misfortune possibly could thwart Which from the natiue greatnesse where it stood Euen by the vertue of a piercing eye Shew'd that his pitch was boundlesse as the sky 23 Worthy the grand-child of so great a Lord Who whilst first Edward fortunately raign'd Reedified great Arthurs auncient boord The seate at goodly Kennelworth ordain'd The order of old Knighthood there restor'd To which a hundreth duely appertain'd With all the grace and beauties of a Court As best became that braue and martiall sport 24 The hart-swolne Lords with furie set on fire Whom Edwards wrongs to vengeance still prouoke With Lancaster and Hartfoord now conspire No more to beare the Spensers seruile yoke And thus whilst all a mutuall change desire The ancient bonds of their allegeance broke Resolu'd with blood their libertie to buy And in this quarrell vow'd to liue and dye 25 What priuiledge hath our free birth say they Or in our blood what vertue doth remaine To each lasciuious Minion made a pray That vs and our nobilitie disdaine Whilst they tryumphing boast of our decay Either those spirits we do not now retaine That were our fathers or by fate we fall Both from their greatnes liberty and all 26 Honour deiected from that soueraigne state From whence at first it challenged a being Now prostitute to infamy and hate As with it selfe in
mortifie the patient by an houre The lifelesse coarse in such a slumber laide As though pale death did wholy it deuoure Nor for two dayes take benefite of eyes By all meanes Arte or Physicke could deuise 7 For which she Plantane and colde Lettice had The water Lilly from the marrish ground with the wanne Poppy and the Night-shade sad And the short mosse that on the trees is found The poysning Henbane and the Mandrake drad With Cypresse flowers that with the rest are pownd The braine of Cranes like purposely she takes Mixt with the blood of Dormise and of Snakes 8 Thus sits the great Enchauntresse in her Cell Strongly engiâ—t with ceremonious charmes Her cleansed body sensde with halowing smell With vestall fire her potent liquor warmes Hauing full heate vnto her busnes fell When her with Magicke instruments she armes And from the herbs the powrefull verdure wrong To make the medcine forcible and strong 9 The sundry doubts that incident arise Might be supposde her trembling hand to stay If she considred of the enterprise To thinke what perill in th'attempting lay The secret lurking of deceitfull spies That on her steps continually do pray But when they leaue off vertue to esteeme Those greatly erre which take them as they seeme 10 Their plighted faith for liberty they leaue Their loue is colde their lust hote hote their hate With smiles and teares they serpent-like deceaue In their desires they be insatiate There 's no restraint their purpose can bereaue Their will no bound nor their reuenge no date All feare exempt where they at ruine aime Couering their sinne with their discouered shame 11 The elder of the Mortimers this space That many sundry miseries had past So long restrainde within that healthlesse place Redeemde by death yet happily at last That much auailes the other in this case And from this Lord that imposition cast Which the deare safety of his vncles breath within the tower so strictly limiteth 12 Put there was more did on his death depend Than heauen was pleasde the foolish worlde shoulde know And why the Fates thus hasted on his end Thereby intending greater things to show Braue Lord in vaine thy breath thou didst not spend From thy corruption further matters grow And some beginning fruitfully to spring New formes of feare vpon the time to bring 13 All things preparde in readinesse and fit The Queene attends her potions powre to proue Their stedfast friends their best assisting it Their seruanâ—s seale their secrets vp in loue And he expresse his valure and his wit Whome of the rest it chiefly doth behoue Places resolu'd where guide and horses lay And where the ship him safely to conuay 14 As his large bounties liberally were heap't To all deseruing or to those that heede His solemne birth-dayes festiuall was kept At his free charge all in the Tower to feede which may suspition cleerely intercept A strong assistant in so great a neede VVhen midd'st their cates their furious thirst to quench Mixing their wine with this approoued drench 15 Which soone each sence and eu'ry power doth seize when he that knew the strength of euery warde And to the purpose sorting all his keyes His corded ladders readily preparde And lurking foorth by the most secret wayes Not now to learne his Compasse by the Carde To winne the walles couragiously doth goe which looke as scorning to be maistied so 16 They soundly sleepe whilst his quicke spirites awake Opposde to perill and the stern'st extreames Alcydes labours new to vndertake Of walls of gates of watches and of streames Through which his passage he is now to make And let them tell king Edward of their dreames For ere they rose out of the brainsicke fraunce He hopes to tell this noble jeast in Fraunce 17 The sullen night hath her blacke curtaines spred Lowring the day had tarried vp so long Whose faire eyes closing softly steales to bed When all the heauens with duskie clowdes are hung And Cynthia now pluckes in her horned head And to the West incontinently flung As she had long'd to certifie the sunne What in his absence in her Court was done 18 The glimmering lights like Sentinels in warre Behind the clowdes stand craftily to pry And through false loope-holes looking from afarre To see him skirmish with his desteny Not any fix'd nor any wandring starre As they had held a counsell in the skie And had before concluded with the night It should not looke for any cheerefull sight 19 In deadly silence all the shores are hush'd Onely the Skreech-howle sounds to the assault And Isis with a troubled murmure rush'd As if consenting and would hide the fault And as his foote the sand or grauell crush'd A little whisp'ring mou'd within the vault Made by the treading softly as he went Which seem'd to say it furthred his intent 20 This wondrous Queene whom care yet restlesse kept Now for his speede to heauen holds vp her hands A thousand strange thoughts in her bosome heap't As in her closet listning still she stands That many a sigh spent many a warme teare wept And though diuided as in sundry strands Most absent present in desires they bee Our mindes discerne where eyes do cease to see 21 The small clowdes issuing from his lips she saith Labouring so fast as he the ladder clame Should purge the ayre of pestilence and death And as sometime that filch'd Promethian flame Euen so the power and vertue of his breath New creatures in the elements should frame And to what part of heauen it happ'd to stray There should path out another milkie way 22 Attainde the top halfe spent a while to blow Now round about he casts his longing eyes The gentle earth salutes him from below And couered with the comfortable skies Viewing the way that he is now to goe Cheer'd with the beames of Isabels faire eyes Downe from the turret desperately doth slide Night be successefull fortune be his guide 23 With his descent her eye so still descends As feare had fix'd it to fore-warne his fall On whom her hope and fortune now depends When suddaine feare her sences doth appall For present aide her god-like hand extends Forgets herselfe and speedie aide doth call Silent againe if ought but good should hap She begs of heauen his graue may be her lap 24 Now she intreates the darke distempred ayre Then by strong Magicks she coniures the wind Then she inuokes the gloomie night by prayre Then with her spells the mortall sence to bind And fearing much lest these yet frustrate are Now by the burning tapers she diuin'd Intreating Thames to giue a friendly passe The deerest fraught ere on her bosome was 25 The rushing murmure stills her like a song But yet in feare the streame should fall in loue Suspects the drops that on his tresses hung And that the billowes for his beautie stroue To this faire body that so closely clong Which when in swimming with his breast he droue Palled with
carke for plenty and for dearth Fame neuer lookes vpon these prostrate drones Man is allotted at his princely birth To manage Empires and to sit on thrones Frighting coy Fortune when she sternst appeares Which else scornes sighes and jeeteth at our teares 46 When now Report with her fleet murmuring wing Tucht the still entrance of his listning eare A fleete preparde this royall Queene to bring And her arriuall still awaited neare When euery sound a note of loue doth sing The ioyfull thoughts that in his bosome were The soule in doubt to make her function lesse Denies the vtterance fully to expresse 47 Quoth he Slide billowes gently for her sake Whose sight can make your aged Nereus yong For her faire passage euen allies make On the sleeke waters wast her sailes along And whilst she glides vpon the pleasant lake Let the sweete Syrens rocke her with a Song Though not Loues mother that dooth passe this way Fairer than she that 's borne vpon the sea 48 You Sea-bred creatures gaze vpon her eie And neuer after with your kinde make warre O steale the accents from her lip that flie Which like the musicke 's of the Angels are And them vnto your amorous thoughts apply Comparde with which Aryons did but jarre Wrap them in aire and when blacke tempests rage Vse them as charmes the rough seas to asswage 49 France send to fetch her with full sholes of oares With which her fleete may euery way be plide And being landed on thy happie shoares As the vast nauie dooth at anckor ride For her departure when the wilde sea roares Ship mount to heauen there brightly stellifide Next Iasons Argo on the burnisht throne Assume thee there a constellation 50 Her person hence conuaide with that delight Which best the languish of her iournies easde That to her pleasure dooth it selfe inuite Whereon her mind and subtil fancie seasde And that most deare her liking might excite Which then this Lorde naught more her presence pleasd where when with state she first her time could take Thus the faire Queene her Mortimer bespake 51 O Mortimer great Mortimer quoth shee What angry power did first this meane deuise To seperate Queene Isabell and thee whome loues eternall vnion strongly ties But if supposde this fault beganne by mee For a iust pennance to my longing eyes Though guiltlesse they this punishment assignde To gaze vpon thee till they leaue me blinde 52 T is strange sweete friend how thou arte altred thus Since first in Court thou didst our fauours weare whose shape seemde then not mortall vnto vs when in our eye thy brow was beauties spheare In all perfection so harmonious A thousand seuerall graces mooving there But what then couldst thou be not now thou arte An alien first last home-borne in my heart 53 That powerfull fate thy safetie did inforce And from the worst of danger did thee free Still regular and constant in one course Wrought me a firme and euen path to thee Of our affections as it tooke remorce Our birth-fix't starres so happily agree Whose reuolution seriously directs Our like proceedings to the like effects 54 New forme of counsaile in the course of things To our dissignement findes a neerer way That by a cleere and perfect managing Is that firme prop whereon we onely stay Which in it selfe th' authoritie doth bring That weake opinion hath no power to sway Confuting such whose sightlesse iudgement sit In the thicke ranke with euery vulgar wit 55 Then since pleasde Time our wish'd content assures Imbrace the blessings of our mutuall rest And whilst the day of our good hap endures And we as fauorites leane on Fortunes breast Which doth for vs this vacancie procure In choice make free election of the best Ne're feare the sâ—orme before thou feele the shower My sonne a King an Empire is my dower 56 Of wanton Edward when I first was woo'd Why cam'st thou not into the Court of France Thy selfe alone then in my grace hadst stood Deere Mortimer how good had beene thy chance My loue attempted in that youthfull mood I might haue beene thine owne inheritance Where entring now by force thou hold'st thy might And art deseisor of anothers right 57 Honour thou Idole women so adore How many plagues doost thou retaine to grieue vs When still we finde there is remaining more Then that great word of Maiesty can giue vs Which takes more from vs then it can restore And of that comfort often doth depriue vs That with our owne selues sets vs at debate And mak'st vs beggars vnder our estate 58 Those pleasing raptures from her graces rise Strongly inuading his impressiue breast That soone entranced all his faculties Of the prowd fulnesse of their ioyes possest And hauing throughly wrought him in this wise Like tempting Syrens sing him to his rest When eu'ry power is passiue of some good Felt by the spirits of his high-rauisht blood 59 Like as a Lute that 's touch'd with curious skill In musickes language sweetely speaking plaine When eu'ry string his note with sound doth fill Taking the tones and giuing them againe And the eare bath's in harmony at will A diapason closing eu'ry straine So their affections set in keyes so like Still fall in consort as their humors strike 60 When now the path to their desire appeares Of which before they had been long debar'd By desolution of some threatning feares That for destruction seem'd to stand prepar'd Which the smooth face of better safetie beares And now protected by a stronger guard Giues the large scope of leisure to fore-cast Euents to come by things alreadie past 61 These great dissignements setting easly out By due proportion measuring eu'ry pace T' auoide the cumbrance of each hindring doubt That might distort the comlinesse and grace Comming with eu'ry circumstance about Strictly obseruing person time and place All ornaments in faire discretions lawes Could giue attire to beautifie the cause 62 The Embassie in termes of equall height As well their state and dignity might fit Apparelling a matter of that weight In ceremony well beseeming it To carry things so steddy and so right Where Wisedome with cleare maiesty might sit All things still seeming strictly to effect That Loue commaunds and Greatnesse should respect 63 Whos 's expedition by this faire successe That doth againe this antient league combine when Edward should by couenant release And to the Prince the Prouinces resigne With whome king Charles renues the happy peace Receiuing homage due to him for Guyne And lastly now to consumate their speede Edwards owne person to confirme the deede 64 Who whilst he stands yet doubtfull what to do The Spensers chiefely that his counsels guide Nor with their Soueraigne into Fraunce durst goe Nor in his absence durst at home abide Now whilst the weake king stands perplexed so His listning eares with such perswasion plide As he at last to stay in England's wonne And in his place to send the Prince his sonne 65 Thus
haplesse raigne Since treason first these troubles did beget which through more strange varieties had runne Than it that time celestiall signes hath done 2 Whilst our ill thriuing in those Scottish broiles Their strength and courage greatly doth aduance That being made fat and wealthy by our spoiles When we still weakned by the jarres in France And thus dis-hartned by continuall foiles Yeeldes other cause whereat our Muse may glance And Herckleys treasons lastly brings to view Whose power of late the Barrons ouer-threw 3 Now when the Scot with an inuasiue hand By daily inroads on the borders made Had spoilde the Country of Northumberland whose buildings leuell with the ground were laide And finding none that dare his power withstand Without controlement eu'ry where had praide Bearing with pride what was by pillage got As our last fall appointed to their lot 4 For which false Herckley by his Soueraigne sent T' intreate this needefull though dishonored peace Cloking his treasons by this fain'd intent Kinling the warre which otherwise might cease And with a Scot new mischiefes doth inuent T' intrap King Edward and their feare release For which their faith they constantly haue plight In peace and warre to stand for eithers right 5 For which the King his sister doth bestow Vpon this false Lord which to him affy'd Maketh too plaine and euident a show Of what before his trust did closely hide But being found from whence this match should grow By such as now into their actions pry'd Displaies the treasons which not quickly crost Would shed more blood then all the wars had cost 6 Whether the Kings weake Counsells causes are That eu'ry thing so badly sorteth out Or that the Earle did of our state dispaire when nothing prosperd that was gone about And therefore carelesse how these matters fare I le not define but leaue it as a doubt Or some vaine title his ambition lackt Hatch'd in his breast this treasonable act 7 Which now reueal'd vnto the jealous King For apprehension of this trait'rous Peere To the Lord Lucy leaues the managing One whose knowne faith he euer held so deere By whose dispatch and trauell in this thing He doth well worthy of his trust appeare In his owne Castell carelesly desended The trecherous Herckley closely apprehended 8 For which ere long vnto his triall led In all the roabes befitting his degree Where Scroope chiefe Iustice in King Edwards sted was now prepar'd his lawfull Iudge to bee Vrging the proofes by his enditement read Where they his treasons euidently see Which now themselues so plainely do expresse As might at first declare his bad successe 9 His honor'd title backe againe restord Noted with termes of infamie and scorne And then disarmed of his knightly sword On which his faith and loyalty was sworne And by a varlet of his spurres dispur'd His coate of Armes in peeces hal'd and torne To taste deserued punishment is sent T' a traitrous death that traitrously had meant 10 When such the fauorers of this fatall warre Whom this occasion dóth more sharpely whet Those for this cause that yet impris'ned are Boldly attempt at libertie to set Whose purpose frustrate by the others care Doth greater wounds continually beget Warning the King more strictly looke about These secret fires still daily breaking out 11 And Hereford in Parlement accusde Of treasons which apparantly were wrought That with the Queene and Mortimers were vsde Whereby subuersion of the Realme was sought And both his calling and his trust abusde Which now to answer when he should be brought Seizde by the Clergie in the Kings despight Vnder the colour of the Churches right 12 Whilst now the Queene from England day by day That of these troubles still had certaine word Whose friends much blamde her tedious long delay When now the time occasion doth afford With better haste doth for her selfe puruay Bearing prouision presently abord Ships of all vses daily rigging are Fit'st for inuasion to transport a warre 13 The Earle of Kent by 's soueraigne brother plac'd As the great Generall of his force in Gwine Who in his absence heere at home disgrac'd And frustrated both of his men and coine By such lewd persons to mainetaine their waste From the Kings treasures ceas'd not to proloine Th'lasciuious Prince though mou'd regardlesse still Both of his owne losse and his brothers ill 14 Whose discontentment being quickly found By such as all aduantages await That still apply'd strong corsiues to the wound And by their sharpe and intricate deceit Hindred all meanes might possibly redound This fast-arising mischiefe to defeate Vntill his wrongs were to that fulnesse growne That they haue made him absolute their owne 15 Whose selfe-like followers in these faithlesse warres Men most experienc'd and of worthiest parts Which for their pay receiued onely scarres Whilst the inglorious reap'd their due desarts And Mineons hate of other hope debarres With too much violence vrg'd their grieued harts On Iohn of Henault wholy doe rely Who led a great and valiant company 16 That in this conquest do themselues combine The Lords Pocelles Sares and Boyseers Dambretticourt the young and valiant Heyn Estoteuill Comines and Villeers Others his Knights Sir Michaell de la Lyne Sir Robert Balioll Boswit and Semeers Men of great power whom spoile glory warmes Such as were wholy dedicate to Armes 17 Three thousand souldiers mustred men in pay Of French Scotch Almaine Swiser and the Dutch Of natiue English fled beyond the sea Whose number neere amounted to asmuch which long had look'd for this vnhappie day whom her reuenge did but too neerely tutch Her friends now ready to receiue her in And new commotions eu'ry day begin 18 When she for England fitly setting forth Spreading her prowd sailes on the watry plaine Shaping her course directly to the North with her young Edward Duke of Aquitaine with th' other three of speciall name and worth The destainde scourges of his lawlesse raigne Her souldier Beumount with the Earle of Kent And Mortimer that mightie malconsent 19 A fore-winde now for Harwich fitly blowes Blow not too fast to kindle such a fire whilst with full saile and fairer tide shegoes Turne gentle winde and force her to retire The fleete thou driu'st is fraughted with our woes But windes and seas do Edwards wracke conspire For when iust heauen to chastice vs is bent All things conuert to our due punishment 20 Thy coasts be kept with a continuall ward Thy Beacons watch'd her comming to discry O had the loue of subiects beene thy guard T 'had beene t' effect that thou didst fortifie But whilst thou standst gainst forraigne foes prepard Thou art betraide by thy home enemy Small helpe by this thou art but like to win Shutting death out thou keep'st destruction in 21 When Henry brother to that haplesse Prince The first great engine of this ciuill strife Deere Lancaster who law did late conuince And that at Pomfret left his wretched life This Henry in whose great
be for her sake as respecting only her honour more then his natiue Country and his owne fortunes And to withstand a tyrants lewd desire Beheld his Towers and Castles set on fire Knitting vp her Epistle with a great and constant resolution Though Dunmow giue no refuge heere at all Dunmow can giue my body buriall Finis ¶ To the vertuous Lady the Lady Anne Harrington wife to the honorable Gentleman sir Iohn Harrington Knight MY singuler good Lady your many vertues knowne in generall to all and your gracious fauors to my vnworthy selfe haue confirmed that in me which before I knew you I onlie saw by the light of other mens iudgements Honour seated in your breast findes her selfe adorned as in a rich Pallace making that excellent which makes her admirable which like the Sunne from thence begetteth most pretious things of this earthly world onely by the vertue of his rayes not the nature of the mould Worth is best discerned by the worthy deiected minds want that pure fire which should giue vigor to vertue I referre to your great thoughts the vnpartiall Iudges of true affection the vnfained zeale I haue euer borne to your honourable seruice and so rest your Ladiships humbly to commaund Mich Drayton Queene Isabell to Mortimer The Argument Queene Isabel the wife of Edward the second called Edward Carnaruan beeing the daughter of Philip de Beau King of France forsaken by the King her husband who delighted onely in the company of Piers Gaueston his minion and fauorite and after his death seduced by the euil counsel of the Spencers This Queene thus left by her husband euen in the glory of her youth drew into her especiall fauour Roger Mortimer Lord of Wigmore a man of a mightie and inuincible spirit This Lord Mortimer rising in armes against the King with Thomas Earle of Lancaster and the Barons was taken ere he could gather his power by the King committed to the tower of London During his imprisonment he ordained a feast in honor of his birth-day to which he inuited Sir Stephen Segraue Lieutenant of the Tower and the rest of the officers where by meanes of a drinke prepared by the Queene he cast them all into a heauie sleepe and with Ladders of coards being ready prepared for the purpose he escapeth and flieth into Fraunce whither she sendeth this Epistie complaining her owne misfortunes and greatly reioycing at his safe escape THough such sweet comfort comes not now from her As Englands Queene hath sent to Mortimer Yet what that wants which might my power approue If lines can bring this shall supply with loue Me thinks affliction should not fright me so Noâ— should resume these sundry shapes of woe But when I faine would finde the cause of this Thy absence shewes me where the errour is Oft when I thinke of thy departing hence Sad sorrow then possesseth eu'ry sence But finding thy deere blood preseru'd thereby And in thy life my long-wisht liberty With that sweet thought my selff I only please Amidst my griefe which sometimes giues me case Thus doe extreamest ills a ioy possesse And one woe makes another woe seeme lesse That blessed night that milde-aspected howre Wherein thou madst escape out of the Tower Shall consecrated euermore remaine What gentle Planet in that houre did raigne And shall be happy in the birth of men Which was chiefe lord of the Ascendant then O how I feard that sleepy iuyce I sent Might yet want power to further thine intent Or that some vnseene mysterie might luâ—ke Which wanting order kindly should not worke Oft did I wish those dreadfull poysned lees That closde the euer-waking Dragons eies Or I had had those sence-berâ—auing stalkes That grow in shady Proserpines darke walkes Or those blacke weedes on Lethe bankes below Or Lunary that doth on Latmus flow Oft did I feare this moist and soggy clime Or that the earth waxt barren now with time Should not haue hearbes to help me in this case Such as do thriue on Indiaes parched face That morrow when the blessed Sunne did rise And shut the liddes of all heauens lesser eies Forth from my pallace by a secret staire I steale to Thames as though to take the ayre And aske the gentle floud as it doth glide Or thou didst passe or perish by the tide If thou didst perish I desire the streame To lay thee softly on her siluer teame And bring thee to me to the quiet shore That with hir tears thou mightst haue some tears more When sodainely doth rise a rougher gale With that me thinkes the troubled waues looke pale And sighing with that little gust that blowes With this remembrance seeme to knit their browes Euen as this so daine passion doth affright me The cheerfull Sunne breaks from a cloude to light me Then doth the bottome euident appeere As it would shew me that thou wast not there Whenas the water flowing where I stand Doth seeme to tell me Thou art safe on land Did Bulloyne once a festiuall prepare For England Almaine Cicile and Nauarre When France enuied those buildings only blest Gracde with the Orgies of my Bridall feast That English Edward should refuse my bed For that incestuous shamelesse Ganimed And in my place vpon his regall throne To set that gerle-boy wanton Gaueston Betwixt the feature of my face and his My glasse assures me no such difference is That a foule witches bastard should thereby Be thought more worthy of his loue than I. What doth auaile vs to be Princes heires When we can boast our birth is onely theirs When base dissembling flatterers shall deceiue vs Of all our famous auncestors did leaue vs And of our princely iewels and our dowres We but enjoy the least of what is ours when minions heads must weare our monarks crowns To raise vp dunghills with our famous townes When beggars-brats are wrapt in rich perfumes Their buzzard wings impt with our Eagles plumes And matcht with the braue issue of our blood Alle the kingdome to their crauand brood Did Longshankes purchase with his conquering hand Albania Gascoyne Cambria Ireland That yoong Carnarnan his vnhappy sonne Should giue away all that his father wonne To backe a stranger prowdly bearing downe The brake alies and branches of the crowne And did great Edward on his death-bed giue This charge to them which afterwards should liue That that prowde Gascoyne banished the land No more should treade vpon the English sand And haue these great Lords in the quarrell stood And sealde his last will with their decrest blood That after all this fearefull massacre The fall of Beauchamp Lacy Lancaster Another faithlesse fauòrite should arise To cloude the sunne of our Nobilities And gloried I in Gauestons great fall That now a Spenser should succeede in all And that his ashes should another breed Which in his place and Empire should succeede That wanting one a kingdomes wealth to spend Of what that left this now shall make an end To waste all that
sweare Forsworne in loue with louers oathes doth beare Loue causelesse still doth aggrauate his cause It is his law to violate all lawes His reason is in onely wanting reason And were vntrue not deepely tuch'd with treason Th'vnlawfull meanes doth make his lawfull gaine Hee speakes most true when he the most doth faine Pardon the faults that haue escapde by mee Against faire vertue chastitie and thee If Gods can their owne excellence excell Is it in pardoning mortalls that rebell When all thy trialls are enrol'd by fame And all thy sexe made glorious by thy name Then I a captiue shall be brought heereby To adorne the triumph of thy chastitie I sue not now thy Paramore to bee But as a husband to be linck'd to thee I am Englands heire I thinke thou wilt confesse Wert thou a Prince I hope I am no lesse But that thy birth doth make thy stocke diuine Else durst I boast my blood as good as thine Disdaine me not nor take my loue in scorne Whose brow a crowne heereafter may adorne But what I am I call mine owne no more Take what thou wilt and what thou wilt restore Onely I craue what ere I did intend In faithfull loue now happily may end Farewell sweete Lady so well maist thou fare To equall â—oy with measure of my care Thy vertues more then mortall tongue can tell A thousand thousand times farewell farewell Notes of the Chronicle history Receiue these papers from thy wofull Lord. BAndello by whoÌ„ this history was made famous being an ItaliaÌ„ as it is the peoples custom in that clime rather to faile somtime in the truth of circumstance then to forgoe the grace of their conceit n like manner as the Grecians of whom the Satyrist Et quicquid Graetia mendax Audet in historia Thinking it to be a greater triall that a Countesse should be sude vnto by a King then by the sonne of a King and conseqently that the honour of her chastitie should be the more hath caused it to be generally taken so but as by Polidore Fabian and Froisard appeares the contrarie is true Yet may Bandello be very well excused as being a stranger whose errors in the truth of our historie are not so materiall that they should neede an inuectiue lest his wit should bee defrauded of any part of his due which were not lesse were euery part a fiction Howbeit lest a common error should preuaile against a truth these Epistles are conceiued in those persons who were indeede the actors to wit Edward surnamed the Blacke 〈◊〉 not so much of his complexion as of the dismall battells which he fought in France in like sence as we may say a blacke day for some tragicall euent though the Sunne shine neuer so bright therein And Alice the Countesse of Salsburie who as it is certaine was beloued of Prince Edward so it is as certaine that many points now current in the receiued story can neuer hold together with likelihoode of such enforcement had it not beene shewed vnder the title of a King And when thou let'st downe that transparent lid Not that the lid is transparent for no part of the skin is transparent but for the gemme which at that closure is said to containt is transparent for otherwise how could the minde vnderstand by the eye should not the images slide through the same and replenish the stage of the phantasie But this belongs to Optickes The Latines call the eye lid cilium I will not say of celando as the eye brow supercilium and the haire on the eye lids palpebra perhaps quod palpitet all which haue their distinct and necessary vses Alice Countesse of Salsbury to the Blacke Prince AS one would grant yet gladly would deny Twixt hope and feare I doubtfully reply A womans weakenesse lest I should discouer Answering a Prince and writing to a louer And some say Loue with Reason doth dispence And wrest our plaine words to another sence Thinke you not then poore women had not neede Be well aduisde to write what men should reade When being silent moouing but awry Giues cause of scandall and of obloquy Whilst in our hearts our secret thoughts abide Th'inuenom'd tongue of slander yet is tide But if once spoke deliuered vp to Fame Hers the report but ours returnes the shame About to write yet newly entring in Me thinkes I end ere I can well begin When I would end then something makes me stay And then me thinkes I should haue more to say And some one thing remaineth in my breast For want of words that cannot be exprest What I would say as said to thee I faine Then in thy person I reply againe Then in thy cause vrge all I can obiect Then what againe mine honour must respect O Lord what sundry passions do I trie Striuing to hate you forcing contrarie Being a Prince I blame you not to proue The greater reason to obtaine your loue That greatnesse which doth challenge no deniall The onely rest that doth allow my triall Edward so great the greater were his fall And my offence in this were capitall To men is granted priuiledge to tempt But in that charter women be exempt Men win vs not except we giue consent Against our selues except our selues are bent Who doth impute it is a fault to you You proue not false except we be vntrue It is your vertue being men to try And it is ours by vertue to deny Your fault it selfe serues for the faults excuse And makes it ours though yours be the abuse Beautie a beggar fie it is too bad When in it selfe sufficiencie is had Not made a Lure t' entice the wandring eye But an attire t' adorne sweete modestie If modestie and women once do seuer We may bid farewell to our fame for euer Let Iohn and Henry Edwards instance be Matilda and faire Rosamond for me A like both woo'd alike su'd to be wonne Th' one by the father th' other by the sonne Henry obtaining did our weakenesse wound And laies the fault on wanton Rosamond Matilda chaste in life and death all one By her deniall lâ—â—es the fault on Iohn By these we proue men accessary still But women only principalls of ill What praise is ours but what our vertues get If they be lent so much we be in debt Whilst our owne honours vertue doth defend All force too weake what euer men pretend If all the world else should suborne our fame T is we our selues that ouerthrow the same And howsoe're although by force you win Yet on our weakenes still returnes the sin A vertuous Prince who doth not Edward call And shall I then be guiltie of your fall Now God for bid yet rather let me die Then such a sin vpon my soule should lie Where is great Edward whither is he led At whose victorious name whole armies fled Is that braue spirit that conquerd so in France Thus ouercome and vanquisht with a glance Is that great hart that did aspire
matchlesse Gentleman was the first cherisher of my Muse which had beene by his death left a poore Orphan to the world had he not before bequeathed it to that Lady whom he so deerely liued Vouchsafe then my deere Lord to accept this epistle which I dedicate as zealously as I hope you will patronize willingly vntill some more acceptable seruice may be witnesse of my loue to your honour Your Lordships euer Michaell Drayton Queene Isabell to Richard the second The Argument Queene Isabel the daughter of Charles king of France being the second wife of Richard the second the son of Edward the Blacke Prince the eldest sonne of King Edward the third After the saide Richard her husband was deposed from his crowne and kingly dignitie by Henry duke of Herford the eldest son of Iohn of Gaunt duke of Lancaster the fourth sonne of Edward the third this Ladie being then very yong was sent backe againe into Fraunce without dowre at what time the deposed King her husband was sent from the Tower of London as a prisoner vnto Pomfret Castle Whether this poore Lady bewailing her husbands misfortunes writeth this Epistle from France AS dooth the yeerely Auger of the spring In deapth of woe thus I my sorrow sing Words tunde with sighes teares falling oft among A dolefull burthen to a heauy song Words issue forth to finde my griefe some way Teares ouertake them and doe bid them stay Thus whilst one striues to keepe the other backe Both once too forward now are both too slacke If fatall Pomfret hath in former time Nurrisht the griefe of that vnnaturall clime Thether I send my sorrowes to be sed But where first boâ—ne where fitter to be bred They vnto France be aliens and vnknowne England from her doth challenge these her owne They say all mischiefe commeth from the North It is too true my fall doth set it forth But why should I thus limite Griefe a place When all the world is filld with our disgrace And we in bounds thus striuing to containe it The more resists the more we doe restraine it Oh how euen yet I hate these wretched eies And in my glasse oft call them faithlesse spies Preparde for Richard that vnwares did looke Vpon that traitor Henry Bulingbrooke But that excesse of ioy my sence bereau'd So much my sight had neuer bin deceau'd Oh how vnlike to my lou'd Lord was hee Whom rashly I sweet Richard tooke for thee I might haue seene the Couâ—sers selfe did lacke That Princely rider should bestride his backe He that since Nature her great worke began Shee made to be the mirrour of a man That when she meant to forme some matchlesse lim Still for a patterne tooke some part of him And iealous of her cunning brake the mould In his proportion done the best she could Oh let that day be guiltie of all sinne That is to come or heeretofore hath bin Wherein great Norffolkes forward course was staide To prooue the treasons he to Hersord laide When with sterne furie both these Dukes enragde Their warlike gloues at Couentry engag'd When first thou didst repeale thy former grant Seal'd to braue Mowbray as thy Combatant From his vnnumbred howres let time deuide it Lest in his minutes he should hap to hide it Yet on his brow continually to beare it That when it comes all other daies may feare it And all ill-boding Planets by consent That day may hold their dreadfull parlement Be it in heauens decrees enroled thus Blacke dismall fatall inauspitious Prowd Herford then in height of all his pride Vnder great Mowbraies valiant hand had dide Nor should not thus from banishment retire The fatall brand to set our Troy on fire O why did Charles relieue his needy state A vagabond and stragling runnagate And in this Court with grace did entertaine This vagrant exile this abiected Caine Who with a thousand mothers curses went Mark'd with the brand often yeeres banishment When thou to Ireland took'st thy last farewell Millions of knees vpon the pauements fell And euery where th' applauding ecchoes ring The ioyfull showts that did salute a King Thy parting hence what pompe did not adorne At thy returne who laugh'd thee not to scorne Who to my Lord a looke vouchsafde to lend Then all too few on Herford to attend Princes like sunnes be euermore in sight All see the clowdes betwixt them and their light Yet they which lighten all downe from the skies See not the clowdes offending others eyes And deeme their noone-tide is desir'd of all When all expect cleere changes by their fall What colour seemes to shadow Herfords claime When law and right his fathers hopes doth maime Affirm'd by church-men which should beare no hate That Iohn of Gaunt was illegiâ—timate Whom his reputed mothers tongue did spot By a base Flemish Boore to be begot Whom Edwards Eglets mortally did shun Daring with them to gaze against the Sun Where lawfull right and conquest doth allow A triple crowne on Richards princely brow Three kingly Lions beares his bloody field No bastards marke doth blot his conquering shield Neuer durst he attempt our haplesse shore Nor set his foote on fatall Rauensporâ— Nor durst his slugging Hulkes approch the strand Nor stoope a top as signall to the land Had not the Percyes promisde aide to bring Against their oath vnto their lawfull King Against their faith vnto our crownes true heire Their valiant kinsman Edmond Mortimer When I to England came a world of eyes Like starres attended on my faire arise At my decline like angry Planets frowne And all are set before my going downe The smooth fac'd ayre did on my comming smile But with rough stormes are driuen to exile But Bullingbrooke deuisâ—e we thus should part Fearing two sorrowes should possesse one heart To make affliction stronger doth denie That one poore comfort left our miserie He had before diuorc'd thy crowne and thee Which might suffice and not to widdow mee But that to proue the vtmost of his hate To make our fall the greater by our state Oh would Aumerle had suncke when he betraid The complot which that holy Abbot laid When he infring'd the oth which he first tooke For thy reuenge on peâ—iurde Bullingbrooke And beene the ransome of our friends deere blood Vntimely lost and for the earth too good And we vntimely mourne our hard estate They gone too soone and we remaine too late And though with teares I from my Lord depart This curse on Horford fall to ease my heart If the fowle breach of a chaste nuptiall bed May bring a curse my curse light on his head If murthers guilt with blood may deepely staine Greene Scroope and Bushie die his fault in graine If periury may heauens pure gates debar Damn'd be the oth he made at Dancaster If the deposing of a lawfull King The curse condemne him if no other thing If these disioynde for vengeance cannot call Let them vnited strongly curse him all And for the Percyes heauen may
heare my prayre That Bullingbrooke now placde in Richards chaire Such cause of woe vnto their wiues may be As those rebellious Lords haue beene to me And that prowd Dame which now controlleth all And in her pompe triumpheth in my fall For her great Lord may water her sad eyne With as salt teares as I haue done for mine And mourne for Henry Hotspur her deere sonne As I for my sweete Mortimer haue done And as I am so succourlesse be sent Lastly to taste perpetuall banishment Then loose thy care where first thy crowne was lost Sell it so deerely for it deerely cost And sith they did of libertie depriue thee Burying thy hope let not thy care out-liue thee But hard God knowes with sorrow doth it goe When woe becomes a comforter to woe Yet much me thinkes of comfort I could say If from my hart pale feare were rid away Something there is which tells me still of woe But what it is that heauen aboue doth know Griefe to it selfe most dreadfull doth appeare And neuer yet was sorrow voide of feare But yet in death doth sorrow hope the best And with this farewell wish thee happy rest Notes of the Chronicle Historie If fatall Pomfret hath in former time POmfret Castle euer a fatall place to the Princes of England and most ominous to the blood of Plantaginet Oh how euen yet I hate these wretched eyes And in my glasse c. When Bullingbrooke returned to London from the West bringing Richard a prisoner with him the Queene who little knew of her husbands hard successe staid to behold his comming in little thinking to haue seene her husband thus ledde in triumph by his foe and now seeming to hate her eyes that so much had graced her mortall enemie Wherein great Norfolks forward course was staid She remembreth the meeting of two Dukes of Herford and Norfolke at Couentry vrging the iustnesse of Mowbrayes quarrell against the Duke of Herford and the faithfull assurance of his victorie O why did Charles relieue his needie state A vagabond c. Charles the French King her father receiued the Duke of Herford in his Court and releeued him in Fraunce being so neerely alied as Cosin german to king Richard his sonne in Law which he did simply little thinking that hee should after returne into England and dispossesse King Richard of the Crowne When thou to Ireland took'st thy last farewell King Richard made a voyage with his Armie into Ireland against Onell and Mackemur which rebelled at what time Henry entred here at home and robd him of all kingly dignitie Affirmde by Church-men which should beare no hate That Iohn of Gaunt was illegitâ—imate William Wickham in the great quarrell betwixt Iohn of Gaunt and the Clergy of meere spight and malice as it should seeme reported that the Queene confessed to him on her deathbed being then her Confessor that Iohn of Gaunt was the son of a Flemming and that shee was brought to bed of a woman childe at Gaunt which was smothered in the cradle by mischance that she obtained this childe of a poore woman making the king beleeue it was her owne greatly fearing his displeasure Fox eâ— Chron. Alban No bastards marke doth blot our conquering shield Shewing the true and indubitate birth of Richard his right vnto the Crowne of England as carrying the Armes without blot or difference Against their faith vnto the Crownes true heire Their noble kinsman c. Edmund Mortimer Earle of March sonne of Earle Roger Mortimer which was sonne to Lady Phillip daughter to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third sonne to King Edward the third which Edmund King Richard going into Ireland was proclaimed heire apparant to the Crowne whose Aunt called Ellinor this Lord Piercie had married O would Aumerle had suncke when he betrayd The complâ—t which that holy Abbot layd The Abbot of Westminster had plotted the death of King Henry to haue beene done at a Tilt at Oxford of which confederacie there was Iohn Holland Duke of Excester Thomas Holland Duke of Surrey the Duke of Aumerle Mountacute Earle of Salsbury Spenser Earle of Gloster the Bishop of Carlile Sir Thomas Blunt these all had bound themselues one to another by Indenture to performe it but were all betrayd by the Duke of Aumerle Scroope Greene and Bushie die his fault in graine Henry going towards the Castle of Flint where King Richard was caused Scroope Greene and Bushie to be executed at Bristow as vile persons which had seduced this King to this lasciuious and wicked life Damn'd be the oth he made at Doncaster After Henries exile at his returne into England he tooke his oth at Doncaster vpon the Sacrament not to claime the crowne or Kingdome of England but onely the Dukedome of Lancaster his owne proper right and the right of his wife And mourne for Henry Hotspur her deere sonne As I for my c. This was the braue couragious Henry Hotspur that obtained so many victories against the Scots which after falling out right with the curse of Queene Isabell was slaine by Henry at the battaile at Shrewsbury Richard the second to Queene Isabell WHat may my Queene but hope for froÌ„ that hand Vnfit to write vnskilfull to coÌ„mand A Kingdomes greatnesse hardly can he sway That wholesome counsaile neuer did obay Ill this rude hand did guide a Scepter then Worse now I feare me gouerneth a pen How shall I call my selfe or by what name To make thee know from whence these letters came Not from thy husband for my hatefull life Hath made thee widdow being yet a wife Nor from a King that title I haue lost Now of that name prowd Bullingbroke may boast What I haue beene doth but this comfort bring That no woe is to say I was a King This lawlesse life which first procurde my hate This tongue which then denounc'd my regall state This abiect minde that did consent vnto it This hand that was the instrument to doe it All these be witnesse that I doe denie All passed hopes all former soueraigntie Didst thou for my sake leaue thy fathers Court Thy famous Country and thy virgine port And vndertook'st to trauaile dangerous waies Driuen by aukward windes and boist'rous seas And left 's great Burbon for thy loue to mee Who su'd in marriage to be linck'd to thee Offring for dower the Countries neighbouring nie Of fruitfull Almaine and rich Burgundie Didst thou all this that England should receiue thee To miserable banishment to leaue thee And in my downefall and my fortunes wracke Forsaken thus to France to send thee backe When quiet sleepe the heauie hearts reliefe Hath rested sorrow somwhat lesned griefe My passed greatnes vnto minde I call And thinke this while I dreamed of my fall With this conceit my sorrowes I beguile That my faire Queene is but with-drawne a while And my attendants in some chamber by As in the height of my prosperitie Calling alowd and asking who is there The Eccho
Palador Caer-Septon now called Shaftsburie at whose building it was said an â—â—agle prophecied or rather one named Aquila of the fame of that place and of the recouerie of the I le of the Brytaines bringing backe with them the bones of Cadwallader from Rome And from Eneons line the South-wales King From Theodor c. This Eneon was slaine by the Rebels of Gwentsland he was a noble and worthie Gentleman who in his life did many noble acts and was father to Theodor or Tudor Maur of whom discended the Princes of South-wales From her great Grandam faire Guenelliam Guenelliam the daughter of Rees ap Griffeth ap Theodor Prince of South-wales maried Edniuet Vahan auncestor to Owen Tudor By true descent from Liolin the great This is tho Lewhelin called Liolinus Magnus Prince of North-wales Nor that word Croggen nick-name of disgrace In the voyage that Henry the second made against the Welchmen as his Souldiers passed Offas ditch at Croggen Castel they were ouerthrowne by the Welchmen which word Croggen hath since beene vsed to the Welchmens disgrace which was at first begun with their honour And old Caer-Merdin Merlins famous towne Caer-Merdin or Merlins Towne so called of Merlius beeing found there This was Ambrose Merlin whose prophecies wee haue There was another of that name called Merlin Siluestris borne in Scotland surnamed Calidonius of the Forrest Calidon where he prophecied And kept our natiue language now thus long The Welchmen bee those ancient Britaines which when the Picts Danes and Saxons inuaded heere were first driuen into those parts where they haue kept their language euer since the first without commixtion with any other language Finis To my worthy and deerly esteemed friend Maister Iames Huish SIR your own naturall inclination to vertue your loue to the Muses assure me of your kinde acceptance of my dedication It is seated by custome from which wee are now bolde to assume authoritie to beare the names of our friends vpon the fronts of our bookes as Gentlemen vse to set their Armes ouer their gates Some say this vse began by the Heroes braue spirits of the old world which were desirous to be thought to patronize learning and men in requitall honour the names of those braue Princes But I think some after put the names of great men in their bookes for that men should say there was some thing good only because indeed their names stood there But for mine owne part not to dissemble I find no such vertue in any of their great titles to do so much for any thing of mine and so let them passe Take knowledge by this I loue you and in good faith worthie of all loue I thinke you which I pray you may supply the place of further complement Yours euer M. Drayton Elinor Cobham to Duke Humfrey The Argument Elinor Cobham daughter to the Lord Cobham of Sterborough and wife to Humfrey Plantaginet duke of Glocester the sonne of Henry the fourth King of England surnamed Bullingbrooke This noble Duke for his great wisdome and iustice called the good was by King Henry the fift brother to this Duke at his death appointed Protector of the land during the nonage of Henry the sixt this Elinor Duches of Glocester a prowd and ambicious woman knowing that if young Henry died without issue the Duke her husband was the neerest of the bloud conspired with one Bullingbrooke otherwise called Onely a great Magitian Hun a priest and Iourdane witch of Eye by sorcerie to make away the King and by coniuration to know who should succeed Of this being iustly conuicted shee was adiudged to do penance three seuerall times openly in London and then to perpetuall banishment in the I le of Man from whence she writeth this Epistle ME thinks not knowing who these lines should send Thou straight turn'st ouer to the latter end Where thou my name no sooner hast espi'd But in disdaine my letters cast aside Why if thou wilt I will my selfe denie Nay I 'le affirme and sweare I am not I Orifin that thy shame thou doost perceiue I le leaue that name that name my selfe shall leaue And yet me thinkes amazd thou shouldst not stand Nor seeme so much appauled at my hand For my misfortunes haue invrde thine eie Long before this to sights of misery No no reade on t is I the very same All thou canst reade is but to reade my shame Be not dismaide nor let my name affright The worst it can is but t' offend thy sight It cannot wound nor doe thee deadly harme It is no dreadfull spell nor magique charme If shee that sent it loue duke Humfrey so I st possible her name should be his foe Yes I am Elnor I am verie shee Who brought for dower a virgins hed to thee Though enuious Beuford slaunderd me before To be duke Humfreis wanton Paramore And though indeede I can it not denie To Magique once I did my selfe apply I wonne thee not as there be many thinke With poisning Philters and bewitching drinke Nor on thy person did I euer proue Those wicked portions so procuring loue I cannot boast to be rich Hollands heire Nor of the bloud and greatnes of Bauire Yet Elnor brought no forraine armies in To fetch her backe as did thy Iacomin Nor clamorous husbands followed me that fled Exclayming Humfrey to defile his bed Nor wast thou forcde the slaunder to suppresse To send me backe as an adulteresse Brabant nor Burgoyne claimed me by force Nor su'd to Rome to hasten my deuorce Nor Belgias pompe defac'd with Belgias fire The iust reward of her vniust desire Nor Bedford spouse your noble sister Anne That princely-issued great Burgunnian Should stand with me to moue a womans strife To yeelde the place to the Protectors wife If Cobhams name my birth can dignifie Or Sterborough renowne my familie Where 's Greenewich now thy Elnors Court of late Where she with Humfrey held a princely state That pleasant Kent when I abroad should ride That to my pleasure laid forth all her pride The Thames by water when I tooke the ayre Danc'd with my Barge in lanching from the staire The ankoring ships that when I pass'd the road Were wont to hang their chequered tops abroad How could it be those that were wont to stand To see my pompe so goddesse-like on land Should after see me mayld vp in a sheete Doe shamefull penance three times in the streetâ— Rung with a bell a Taper in my hand Bare-foote to trudge before a Beedles wand That little babes not hauing vse of tongue Stood pointing at me as I came along Where 's Humfreys power where was his great command Wast thou not Lord-protector of the Land Or for thy iustice who can thee deny The title of the good Duke Humfrey Hast thou not at thy life and in thy looke The seale of Gaunt the hand of Bulling brooke What blood extract from famous Edwards line Can boast it selfe to be so pure as
smother Breaking for griefe ennying one another When the prowd Barke for ioy thy steps to feele Scornd the salt waues shuld kisse her furrowing keele And trick'd in all her flags her selfe she braues Capring for ioy vpon the siluer waues When like a Bull from the Phenician strand Ioue with Europa tripping from the land Vpon the bosome of the maine doth scud And with his swannish breast cleauing the floud Tow'rd the faire fields vpon the other side Beareth Agenors ioy Phâ—â—icias pride All heauenly beauties ioyne themselues in one To shew their glory in thine eye alone Which when it turneth that celestiall ball A thousand sweet starres rise a thousand fall Who iustly saith mine banishment to bee When onely France for my recourse is free To view the plaines where I haue seene so oft Englands victorious engines raisde aloft When this shall be my comfort in my way To see the place where I may boldly say Heere mighty Bedford forth the vaward led Heere Talbot charg'd and heere the Frenchmen fled Heere with our Archers valiant Scales did lie Heere stood the Tents of famous Willoughbie Heere Mountacute rangde his conquering band Heere forth we march'd and heere we made a stand What should we stand to mourne and grieue all day For that which time doth easily take away What fortune hurts let patience onely heale No wisedome with extreamities to deale To know our selues to come of humane birth These sad afflictions crosse vs heere on earth A taxe imposde by heauens eternall law To keepe our rude rebellious will in awe In vaine we prize that at so deere a rate Whose best assurance is a fickle state And needelesse we examine our intent When with preuention we cannot preuent When we ourselues fore-seeing cannot shun That which before with destinie doth run Henry hath power and may my life depose Mine honour mine that none hath power to lose Then be as cheerefull beauteous royall Queene As in the Court of France we erst haue beene As when arriu'd in Porchesters faire road Where for our comming Henry made aboad When in mine armes I brought thee safe to land And gaue my loue to Henries royall hand The happy howres we passed with the King At faire South-hampton long in banquetting With such content as lodg'd in Henries breast When he to London brought thee from the West Through golden Cheape when he in pompe did ride To Westminster to entertaine his Bride Notes of the Chronicle Historie Our Falcons kinde cannot the cage indure HE alludes in these verses to the Falcon which was the antient deuice of the Poles comparing the greatnesse and hawtinesse of his spirit to the nature of this bird This was the meane prowd Warwicke did inuent To my disgrace c. The Commons at this Parlement through Warwicks meanes accused Suffolke of treason and vrged the accusation so vehemently that the king was forced to exile him for fiue yeeres That onely I by yeelding vp of Maine Should be the losse of fertile Aquitaine The Duke of Suffolke being sent into France to conclude a peace chose Duke Rainers daughter the Lady Margaret whom he espoused for Henry the sixt deliuering for her to her father the Countries of Aniou and Maine and the Citty of Mauns Whereupon the Earle of Arminach whose daughter was before promised to the King seeing himselfe to bee deluded caused all the Englishmen to be expulsed Aquitino Gascoyne and Guyen With the base vulgar sort to win him same To be the heyre of good Duke Humfreys name This Richard that was called the great Earle of Warwicke when Duke Humfrey was dead grew into exceeding great fauour with the Commons With Salisburie his vile ambicious Sire In Yorks sterne breast kindling long hidden fire By Clarence title working to supplant The Eagle Ayrie of great Iohn of Gaunt Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke in the time of Henry the sixt claimed the Crowne being assisted by this Richard Neaâ—ll Earle of Salisburie and father to the great Earle of Warwicke who fauoured exceedingly the house of Yorke in open Parliament as heir to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third sonne of Edward the third making his title by Anne his Mother wife to Richard Earle of Cambridge sonne to Edmund of Langley Duke of Yorke which Anne was daughter to Roger Mortimer Earle of March which Roger was sonne heire to Edmund Mortimer that married the Ladie Philip daughter and heire to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third sonne of King Edward to whom the crowne after King Richard the seconds death linealy descended he dying without issue And not to the heires of the Duke of Lancaster that was yonger brother to the Duke of Clarence Hall cap. 1. Tit. Yor. Lanc. Vrg'd by these enuious Lords to spend their breath Calling reuenge on the Protectors death Humfrey Duke of Glocester Lord Protector in the 25. yeare of Henry the sixt by the meanes of the Queene and the Duke of Suffolke was arrested by the Lord Beumond at the Parliament holden at Berrie and the same night after murthered in his bed If they would know who robd him c. To this verse To know how Humfrey died and who shall raigne In these verses he iests at the Protectors wife who being accused conuicted of treason because with Iohn Hun a priest Roger Bullingbrooke a Negromancer Margery Iordan called the Witch of Eie she had consulted by sorcery to kil the king was adiudged to perpetuall prison in the I le of Man and to doe penance openly in three publique places in London For twentie yeares and haue I seru'd in Fraunce In the sixt yeare of Henry the sixt the Duke of Bedford being deceased then Lieutenant generall and Regent of Fraunce this Duke of Suffolke was promoted to that dignity hauing the Lord Talbot Lord Scales and the Lord Mountacute to assist him Against great Charles and bastard Orleance This was Charles the seauenth and after the death of Henry the fifth obtained the crowne of France and recouered againe much of that his father had lost Bastard Orleance was sonne to the Duke of Orleance begotten of the Lord Cawnies wife preferred highly to many notable offices because hee being a most valiant Captaine was continuall enemie to the Englishmen dayly infesting them with diuerse incursions And haue I seene Vernoyla's batfull fields Vernoyle is that noted place in Fraunce where the great battell was fought in the beginning of Henrie the sixt his raigne where the most of the French Chiualrie were ouercome by the Duke of Bedford And from Aumerle with-drew my warlike powers Aumerle is that strong defenced towne in France which the Duke of Suffolke got after 24. great assaults giuen vnto it And came my selfe in person first to Towers Th'Embassadours for truce to entertaine From Belgia Denmarke Hungary and Spaine Towers is a Cittie in France built by Brutus as hee came into Britaine where in the twentie and one yeare of the raigne of Henry the sixt was appoynted a great
long hath trauailed before When thou to Abuile heldst th' appointed day We heard how Lewes met thee on the way Where thou in glittering Tissue strangely dight Appear'dst vnto him like the Queene of light In cloth of siluer all thy virgin traine In beautie sumptuous as the Northerne waine And thou alone the formost glorious star Which lead'st the teame of that great Wagoner What could thy thought be but as I do thinke When thine eyes tasted what mine eares did drinke A cripple King laid bed-rid long before Yet at thy comming crept out of the doore T' was well he rid he had no legs to goe But this thy beautie forc'd his body to For whom a cullice had more fitter beene Then in a golden bed a gallant Queene To vse thy beautie as the miser gold Which hoards it vp but onely to behold Still looking on it with a iealous eye Fearing to lend yet louing vsurie O Sacriledge if beautie be diuine The prophane hand shuld touch the halowed shrine To 〈◊〉 sicknesse on the sound mans diet To rob content yet still to liue vnquiet And hauing all to be of all beguild And yet still longing like a little child When Marques Dorset and the valiant Graies To purchase fame first crost the narrow Seas With all the Knights that my associates went In honour of thy nuptiall turnament Thinkst thou I ioy'd not in thy beauties pride When thou in triumph didst through Paris ride Where all the streetes as thou didst pace along With Arras Bisse and Tapestry were hung Ten thousand gallant Cittizens prepar'd In rich atâ—ire thy princely selfe to guard Next them three thousand choise 〈…〉 igious men In golden vestments followed on agen And in procession as they came along With Hymeneus sang thy marriage song Then fiue great Dukes as did their places fall To each of these a princely Cardinall Then thou on thy imperiall Chariot set Crown'd with a rich imperled Coronet Whilst the Persian dames as thy traine past Their pretious incence in abundance cast As Cinthia from the waue-embatteld shrowdes Opening the West comes streaming through the clowds With shining troupes of siluer-tressed stars Attending on her as her torch-bearers And all the lesser lights about her throne With admiration stand as lookers on Whilst she alone in height of all her pride The Queene of light along her spheare doth glide When on thy tilt my horse like thunder came No other signall had I but thy name Thy voyce my trumpet and my guide thine eyes And but thy beautie I esteemde no prize That large 〈…〉 d Almaine of the Giants race Which bare strength on his breast feare in his face Whose sinewde armes with his steele-temperd blade Through plate and male such open passage made Vpon whose might the Frenchmens glory lay And all the hope of that victorious day Thou sawe'st thy Brandon beate him on his knee Offring his shield a conquerd spoile to thee But thou wilt say perhaps I vainely boast And tell thee thee which thou already know'st No sacred Queene my valour I denie It was thy beautie not my chiualrie One of thy tressed curles which falling downe As loth to be imprisoned in thy crowne I saw the soft ayre sportiuely to take it To diuers shapes and sundry formes to make it Now parting it to foure to three to twaine Now twisting it and then vntwist againe Then make the thrids to dally with thine eye A sunny candle for a golden flie At length from thence one little teare it got Which falling downe as though a star had shot My vp-turnde eye pursues it with my sight The which againe redoubleth all my might T is but in vaine of my descent to boast When heauens lampe shines all other lights be lost Faulcons gaze not the Eagle sitting by Whose broode suruaies the sunne with open eye Else might my blood finde issue from his force In Bosworth plaine beate Richard from his horse Whose puissant armes great Richmond chose to wield His glorious colours in that conquering field And with his sword in his deere Soueraignes fight To his last breath stood fast in Henries right Then beauteous Empresse thinke this safe delay Shall be the euen to a ioyfull day Fore-sight doth still on all aduantage lie Wise-men must giue place to necessitie To put backe ill our good we must forbeare Better first feare then after still to feare T' were ouer-sight in that at which we aime To put the hazard on an after-game With patience then let vs our hopes attend And till I come receiue these lines I send ¶ Notes of the Chronicle-Historie When Longauile to Mary was affied THe Duke of Longauile which was prisonet in England vpon the peace to be concluded betweene England and France was deliuered and married the Princesse Mary for Lewes the French King his Maister How in a storme thy well rigg'd ships were tost And thou c. As the Queene sailed for France a mighty storme arose at sea so that the Nauy was in great danger and was seuered some driuen vpon the coast of Flanders some on Brittaine the ship wherein the Queene was was driuen into the hauen at Bullen with very great danger When thou to Abuile heldst th' appointed day King Lewes met her by Abuile neere to the Forrest of Arders and brought her into Abuile with great solemnitie Appear'dst vnto him like the Queene of light Expressing the sumptuous attire of the Queene her train attended by the chiefe of the Nobility of England with 36. Ladies al in cloth of siluer their horses trapped with crimson veluet A cripple King laid bed-rid long before King Lewes was a man of great yeeres troubled much with the gowt so that he had long time before little vse of legs When Marques Dorset and the valiant Graies The Duke of Suffolke when the proclamation came into England of iusts to be holden in France at Paris he for the Queenes sake his Mistris obtained of the King to go thither with whom went the Marquesse Dorset and his foure brothers the Lord Clinton Sir Edward Neuell Sir Giles Chappell Tho Cheyney which went all ouer with the Duke as his assistants When thou in triumph didst through Paris ride A true description of the Queenes entring into Paris after her coronation performed at S. Dennis Then fiue great Dukes as did their places fall The Dukes of Alansoon Burbon Vandome Longauile Suffolke with fiue Cardinalls That large-limd Almaine of the Giants race Francis Valoys the Dolphin of France enuying the glory that the Englishmen had obtained at the Tilt brought in an Almaine secretly a man thought almost of incomparable strength which encountred Charles Brandon at Barriers but the Duke grapling with him so beate him about the head with the pumell of his sword that the blood came out of the sight of his Caske Else might my blood finde issue from his force In Bosworth c. Sir William Brandon Standard-bearer to the Earle of Richmond after Henry the 7.
not rules a Nation Onely the surfet of a vaine opinion What giues content giues what exceedes dominion When first mine eares were pierced with the fame Of Iane proclaimed by a Princesse name A suddaine fright my trembling heart appalls The feare of conscience entreth yron walls Thrice happy for our fathers had it beene If what we fearde they wisely had fore-seene And kept a meane gate in an humble path To haue escapde the heauens impetuous wrath The true-bred Eagle strongly beares the winde And not each bird that 's neere vnto their kinde That like a King doth from the clowdes command The fearefull fowle that moues but neere the Land Though Mary be from mighty Kings descended My blood not from Plantaginet pretended My gransire Brandon did our house aduance By princely Mary Dowager of France The fruit of that faire stocke which did combine And Yorkes sweete branch with Lancasters entwine And in one stalke did happily vnite The pure vermilion Rose with purer white I the vntimely slip of that rich stem Whose golden bud brings forth a Diadem But oh forgiue me Lord it is not I Nor do I boast of this but learne to die Whilst we were as our selues conioyned then Nature to nature now an alien The purest blood polluted is in blood Neerenes contemn'd if soueraignty withstood A Diadem once dazeling the eye The day too darke to see affinitie And where the arme is stretch'd to reach a Crowne Friendship is broke the deerest thing throwne downe For what great Henry most stroue to auoide The heauens haue built where earth would haue destroide And seating Edward on his regall throne He giues to Mary all that was his owne By death assuring what by life is theirs The lawfull claime of Henries lawfull heâ—res By mortall lawes the bound may be diuorc'd But heauens decree by no meanes can be forc'd That rules the case when men haue all decreed Who tooke him hence fore-saw who should succeed For we in vaine relie on humaine lawes WheÌ„ heauen stands forth to plead the righteous cause Thus rule the heauens in their continuall course That yeeldes to fate that doth not yeelde to force Mans wit doth build for time but to deuoure But vertue 's free from time and fortunes powre Then my kinde Lord sweete Gilford be not grieu'd The soule is heauenly and from heauen relieu'd And as we once haue plighted troth together Now let vs make exchange of mindes to either To thy faire breast take my resolued minde Armde against blacke dispaire and all her kinde And to my bosome breathe that soule of thine There to be made as perfect as is mine So shall our faith as firmely be approued As I of thee or thou of me beloued This life no life were thou not deere to mee Nor this no death were I not woe for thee Thou my deere husband and my Lord before But truely learne to die thou shalt be more Now liue by prayer on heauen fixe all thy thought And surely finde what e're by zeale is sought For each good motion that the soule awakes A heauenly figure sees from whence it takes That sweete resemblance which by power of kinde Formes like it selfe an image in the minde And in our faith the operations bee Of that diuinenesse which through that we see Which neuer erres but accidentally By our fraile fleshes imbecillitie By each temptation ouer-apt to slide Except our spirit becomes our bodies guide For as these Towers our bodies do inclose Their prisons so vnto our soules suppose Our bodies stopping that celestiall light As these do hinder our exterior sight Whereon death seasing doth discharge the debt And vs at blessed liberty doth set Then draw thy forces all vnto thy heart The strongest fortresse of this earthly part And on these three let thy assurance lie On faith repentance and humilitie By which to heauen ascending by degrees Persist in prayer vpon your bended knees Whereon if you assuredly be staide You neede in perill not to be distnaide Which still shall keepe you that you shall not fall For any perill that you can appall The key of heauen thus willâ— you you shall beare And grace you guiding giue you entrance there And you of those celestiall ioyes possesse Which mortal tongue 's vnable to expresse Then thanke the heauen preparing vs this roome Crowning our heads with glorious martiredome Before the blacke and dismall daies beginne The daies of all idolatry and sinne Not suffering vs to see that wicked age When persecution vehemently shall rage When tyranny nâ—w tortures shall inuent Inflicting vengeance on the innocent Yet heauen forbids that Maries wombe shall bring Englands faire Scepter to a forraigne King But vnto faire Elizabeth shall leaue it Which broken hurt and wounded shall receiue it And on her temples hauing placde the Crowne Roote out the dregs Idolatry hath sowne And Syons glory shall againe restore Laid ruine waste and desolate before And from blacke sinders and rude heapes of stones Shall gather vp the Martires sacred bones And shall extirpe the power of Rome againe And cast aside the heauie yoke of Spaine Farewell sweete Gilford know our end is neere Heauen is our home we are but strangers heere Let vs make haste to goe vnto the blest Which from these weary worldly labours rest And with these lines my deerest Lord I greete thee Vntill in heauen thy Iane againe shall meet thee ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie They which begâ—t vs did beget this siâ—ne SHewing the ambition of the two Dukes their Fathers whose pride was the cause of the vtter ouerthrow of their children At Durham Pallace where sweete Hymen sang The buildings c. The Lord Gilford Dudley fourth sonne to Iohn Dudley Duke of Northumberland married the Lady Iane Grey daughter to the Duke of Suffolke at Durham house in the Strand When first mine eares were pierced with the fame Of Iane proclaimed by a princes name Presently vpon the death of King Edward the Lady Iane was taken as Queene conueyed by water to the Tower of London for her safetie and after proclaimed in diuers parts of the realme as so ordained by king Edwards Letters-pattents and his will My Grandsire Brandon did our house aduaunce By princely Mary dowager of Fraunce Henry Gray duke of Suffolk married Frauncis the eldest daughter of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke by the French Queene by which Frauncis he had this Lady Iane this Mary the French Queene was daughter to king Henry the seuenth by Elizabeth his Queene which happie mariage conioyned the two noble families of Lancaster and Yorke For what great Henry most stroue to auoyde Noting the distrust that King Henry the eight euer had in the Princesse Mary his daughter fearing she should alter the state of Religion in the land by matching with a stranger confessing the right that King Henries issue had to the Crowne And vnto faire Elizabeth shall leaue it A prophecie of Queene Maries barrennesse and of the happie and
glorious raigne of Queene Elizabeth her restoring of Religion the abolishing of the Romish seruitude and casting aside the yoke of Spaine ¶ Gilford Dudley to Iane Gray AS the Swanne singing at his dying howre So I reply from my imprisning towre O could there be that powre but in my verse To expresse the griefe my wounded heart doth pierce The very walles that straitly thee inclose Would surely weepe at reading of my woes Let your eies lend I le pay you euery teare And giue you intrest if you doe forbeare Drop for a drop and if you le needes haue lone I will repay you franckly two for one Perhaps you le thinke your sorrowes to appease That words of comfort fitter were than these True and in you when such perfection liueth As in most griefe most comfort alwaies giueth And thinke not Iane that cowardly I faint To begge mans mercy by my sad complaint That death so much my courage can controule At the departing of my liuing roule For if one life a thousand liues could bee All those too few to consummate with thee When thou this crosse so patiently doost beare As if thou wert incapable of feare And doost no more this desolution flie Than if long age constrained thee to die Yet it is strange thou arte become my foe And onely now add'st most vnto my woe Not that I loathe that most did me delight But that so long depriued of thy sight For when I speake and would complaine my wrong Straitwayes thy name possesseth all my tong As thou before me ouermore didst lie The present obiect to my longing eie No ominous starte did at thy birth tide shine That might of thy sad destiny diuine T is onely I that did thy fall perswade And thou by me a sacrifice arte made As in those countries where the louing wiues With their kinde husbands end their happy liues And crownd with garlands in their Brides attire Burne with his body in the funerall fire And she the worthiest reckned is of all Whome loast the perill seemeth to appall I boast not of Northumberland great name Nor of Ket conquered adding to our fame When he to Norffolke with his armies sped And thence in chaines the rebells captiue led And brought safe peace returning to our dores Yet soread his glory on the easterne shores Not of my brothers from whose naturall grace Vertue may spring to beautifie our Race Not of Grates match my children borne by thee Of the great blood indoubtedly to bee But of thy vertues onely doe I boast That wherein I may iustly glory most I crau'd no kingdomes though I thee did craue It might suffice thy onely selfe to haue Yet let me say how-euer it befell Me thinkes a Crowne should haue become thee well For sure thy wisedome merited or none To haue beene heard with wonder from a throne When from thy lippes the counsell to each deede Doth as from some wise oracle proceede And more esteemd thy vertues were to mee Then all that else might euer come by thee So chaste thy loue so innocent thy life As being a virgine when thou wert a wife So great a gift the heauen on me bestow'd As giuing that it nothing could haue ow'd Such was the good I did possesse of late Ere worldly cares disturbde our quiet state Ere trouble did in euery place abound And angry warre our former peace did wound This is all that ambition vs affordes One crowne is guarded with a thousand swords To meane estates meane sorrowes are out showne But crowns h 〈…〉 cares whose workings be vnknowne When Dudley led his armies to the east Of our whole forces generally possest What then was thought his enter prise could let Whome a graue counsell freely did abet That had the iudgement of the powrefull lawes In euery poynt to iustifie the cause The holy Church a helping hand that layde Who would haue thought that these could not haue swayde But what alas can parlements auaile Where Maries right must Edwards Act 〈…〉 When Suffolkes powre doth Suffolkes hopes withstand Northumberland doth leaue Northumberland And they that should our greatnes vndergoe Vs and our actions onely ouerthrow Ere greatnes gain'd we giue it all our hart But being once come could wish it would depart And indescreetly follow that so fast Which ouertaken punisheth our haste If any one doe pitty our offence Let him be sure that it be farre from hence Heere is no place for any one that shall So much as once commiserate our fall And we of mercy vainely should but thinke Our timelesse teares th' insatiate earth doth drinke All lamentations vtterly forlorne Dying before they fully can be borne Mothers that should their woefull children rue Fathers in death too kindely bid adue Friends their deare farewell louingly to take The faithfull seruant weeping for our sake Brothers and sisters waiting on our beere Mourners to tell what we were liuing heare But we alas depriued are of all So fatall is our miserable fall And where at first for safety we were shut Now in darke prison wofully are put And from height of our ambitious state Lie to repent our arrogance too late To thy perswasion thus I then reply Holde on thy course resolued still to die And when we shall so happily be gone Leaue it to heauen to giue the rightfull throne And with that health regreet I thee againe Which I of late did gladly entertaine Notes of the Chronicle Historie Not of Ket conquered adding to our fame IOhn Duke of Northumberland when before he was Earle of Warwike in his expedition against Ket ouerthrew the rebels of Norfolke and Suffolke encamped at Mount-Surrey in Norfolke Nor of my brothers from whose naturall grace Gilford Dudley as remembring in this place the towardnesse of his brothers which were all likely indeed to haue raised that house of the Dudleys of which he was a fourth brother if not suppressed by their fathers ouerthrow Nor of Grayes match my children borne by thee Noting in this place the aliance of the Lady Iane Gray by her mother which was Francis the daughter of Charles Brandon by Mary the French Queene daughter to Henry the seuenth and sister to Henry the eight To haue beene heard with wonder from a throne Seldome hath it euer beene knowne of any woman endued with such wonderfull gifts as was this Ladie both for her wisdome and learning of whose skill in the tongues one reporteth by this Epigram Miraris Ianam Graio sermone valere Quo â—â—â—mum nata est tempore Graia fuit When Dudley led his armies to the East The Duke of Northumberland prepared his power at London for his expedition against the Rebels in Norfolke and making haste away appoynted the rest of his forces to meete him at Newmarket Heath of whom this saying is reported that passing through Shorditch the Lord Gray in his companie seeing the people in great numbers came to see him he sayd the people presse to see vs but none bid God
father with the Norman sword On fruitfull England prosprous entrance made I cast the proiect that this youthfull Lord In the meane time should Normandie inuade And with as prou'd and powerfull a blade Him I perswaded constantly by this To make his owne yet doubtfull to be his That Robert daily in disgrace might runne As still the Conqueror towards his end did grow who well in yeeres thus vexed by his sonne which now his will so openly did show His state deuised wisely to bestow For his owne safety that his daies to close He might himselfe more quietly repose And that lest time might coole his weakned blood This lucklesse warre by lingring I supplide That whilst Duke Robert iustly censured stood Vnder the weight of his vnnaturall pride In heate of all this Conqueror William dide Setting young Rufus on th'vnrightfull throne Leauing h 〈…〉 strugling for his owne Which in small time so many mischiefes bred As sundry plagues on Williams of-springs sent Attaining to so violent a head which pollicie not after could preuent when to destruction all things head-long went And in the end as consumating all Was Roberts irrecouerable fall When none could prosprous Nonmandie disswade From sending ensignes to the English field Brother opposde the brother to inuade Sword against sword shield menaced to shield whose equall worth to other scorne to yield One arme a front the others furious stroke Scepter with septer violently broke These sundry soiles in both of which was sowne By so approu'd and fortunate a hand The seede to both might prosprously haue growne By their 〈◊〉 in a mutuall band Now when these Princes opposite do stand what them should foster greater wounds them lent Then the prowd'st powre that Europe could haue sent Hauing my selfe wonne William in his life This conquered Realme to Rufus that did giue Getting by strength what he did leaue in strife Those to molest that after him should liue In this aduantage cunningly I driue T' afflict his issue with a generall ill Yet th' extreame in Robert to fulfill As when stowt Odo that with William held Daily prickt forward by prowd Lanfrancks spight Both powerfull Prelates rigorously compeld Rufus to leaue abetting Roberts right Drawing both Mortaines and Mongomeries might Mangling the I le with many a greeuous scarre Scarcely yet cured of the former warre That being set in so direct a way Strong friends at hand his enterprize to becke Ready before him when his entrance lay Of all supplide that he did lately lacke Him I perswade the remedy to slacke Stopping the course which he did lately runne All to vndoe that he had euer done Thus did I stirre vp that vnkindely rage That did so farre preuaile vpon his blood And at my pleasure did againe asswage When now this heate in sted might him haue stood Thus with his humour altred I my mood That first by Armes his vigor he might lose Which then laid down gaue strength vnto his foes That by concluding this vntimely peace I might thereby a lingring warre beginne That whil'st these tumults did a little cease Craft more aduantage cunningly might winne Thus let I treason secretly in Giuing deceitfull Pollicie the kay To the faire closet where his councells lay Thus reconciling outwardly a friend I drew an inward and a dangerous foe That all his wit ambitiously did lend To clothe his treasons in a vertuous show Which were contriued â—so currantly to goe That secret mallice strengthned more and more Lastly should proue more dangerous then before And now poore Fame my power to thee addrest And thee mine onely instrument I made That whilst these brothers at this passe do rest Him to the warres I wonne thee to perswade With those that now were going to inuade With great Duke Godfrey pressing for his bands From Pagans power t'regaine the holy lands His youthfull humour finely thus I feed The meane most fit to draw him forth abroad When now at home his presence most should neede In forraine lands to fasten his aboad Him in this order onely I bestow'd That William dying Robert being gone Henry might seate him on his brothers throne So sweete the sounds of these aduent'rous Armes And euery sence so strougly they do binde That he hath now no feeling of his harmes So farre away transported is his minde Declaring well the greatnesse of his kinde That him so high and forcibly doth beare As when most cause he least his ill doth feare Him hauing throwne into eternall thrall Wisely fore-casting how the same should bee When euery thing made fit vnto his fall Which none could hinder though the most fore-see For which I made an instrument of thee For where destruction sadly I pretend Mischiefe like lines all to their centre bend He gone and William yeelded vp the breath The younger Henry couetous of raigne Offered so fairely by his brothers death whilst Robert doth in Palestine remaine And now a Kingdome easily might gaine what by his power and science to perswade Himselfe a Monarch absolutely made Whilst this great Duke imbraced is by thee which thou as thine doost absolutely claime Finding meere shadowes onely missing mee And idle Castles in the ayre doth frame Lot such a mighty Monarchesse is Fame That what she giues so easie is to beare As none therefore needes violence to feare Vntill returning from those holy warres So highly honored with the Pagans flight From forraigne battells vnto ciuill â—arres And getting others for his owne to fight Inforc'd to vse the vtmost of his might with that rich sword in Pagan blood imbru'd Himselfe to saue by his owne friends pursu'd When wanting summes the sinewes of his force which his great courage quickly comes to finde Euen in the high speede of his forward course So skilfully I mannaged his minde That I a way out readily did finde To his destruction Henry to supply His future safetie happily to buy Him by all waies to amity to winne Not fully yet establish'd as he would Hauing thus farre already gotten in Setting himselfe substantially to hold By the francke offers of bewitching gold The yearely tribute from his Crowne to rise Which might all former iniuries suffice Which entertaind by confident beleefe By which to passe his purposes were brought Not yet suspitious of this secret theefe By which he soone and cunningly was caught Of which the least when princely Robert thought Euen in a moment did annoy him more Then all their powre could euer do before Which to this great Lord vtterly vnknowne Not vnderstanding easily could not flie Into his way that subtilly was throwne which to auoide Duke Robert look'd too hie Into good minds fraud doth the soonest prie whose pliant nature I securely chose To worke vvhat forme it pleasde me to dispose This fatall tribute cutting off the claime A lawfull Prince to Englands Empire laid His former right doth altogether maime As they agreed yeerely to be paid Thereon relying after being staid As from a fountaine plenteously did spring The
whence Fame carries thither she doth bring And which soeuer she doth lowdly ring Thither ah me vnhappily she brought Where I my barre vnfortunately caught There stood my beautie boldly for the prize Where the most cleere and perfectst iudgements be And of the same the most iudiciall eyes Did giue the gole impartially to me So did I stand vnparaleld and free And like a comet in the euenings skie Strooke with amazement euery wondring eye This t' was possest the breast of princely Iohn This on his hart-strings endlesse musicke made This wholy wonne him vnto it alone And fully did his faculties inuade From which not reason euer could disswade This taught his eyes their due attendance still Holding the reines which rulde his princely will When yet my father fortunate in Court And by his blood ranck'd equall with the best Hauing his quicke eare touch'd with this report Which yet the newes but hardly could digest And on my youth his onely care did rest Straitly pursues it by those secret spies As still in Courts attend on Princes eyes And he thus while who seemed but to sleepe Till he the Princes purposes could sound And to himselfe yet secretly did keepe What he but late had prouidently found So well that wise Lord could conceale his wound That well fore-saw how daugerous it would proue To crosse the course of his impatient loue When hauing found how violent a flame Vnbrideled will had kindled in the King If on the suddaine he should stop the same A greater inconuenience might bring Which being knowne so dangerous a thing Me doth bethinke him fittest to perswade E're for my safety further means he made Deare girle quoth he thou seest who doth await T' intrap that beautie bred to be thy foe Being so faire and delicate a bait Tempting all eyes themselues there to bestow Whose power the King is taught too soone to know Of his desire that what the end may bee Thy youth may feare my knowledge doth fore-see And for thou liuest publiquely in Court Whose priuiledge doth euery meane protect Where the ensample of the greatest sort Doth more then opportunitie effect None thriuing there that dwell vpon respect Being a lottery where but few do winne Falshood th' aduenture and the prize but sinne Subt'ly opposing to thy longing sight What may to pleasure possibly prouoke And fitly fashioned vnto thy delight That with the grauest strikes too great a stroke Hauing withall emperious power thy cloke With such strong reasons on her part propounded As may leaue vertue seemingly confounded Many the waies inducing to thy fall And to thy safety none is left to guide thee And when thy danger greatest is of all Euen then thy succour soonest is denide thee So sundry meanes from vertue to diuide thee Hauing with all mortalitie about thee Frailty with in temptation set without thee The leachers tongue is neuer voide of guile Nor wants he teares when he would winne his pray The subtilst tempter hath the smoothest stile Sirens sing sweetely when they would betray Lust of it selfe had neuer any stay Nor to containe it bounds could haue deuisde That when most fild is least of all suffisde With euery meane and maiestie is fraught That all things hath contained in his power And who wil conquer leaues no meane vnsaught Soft golden drops did pierce the brazen Tower Watching th' aduantage of each passing hower Time offering still each howre to doe amisse Thy banefull poison spiced with thy blisse And when this heady and vnseasned rage Which in his blood doth violently raigne Time that the heate shall peceably asswage Shall shew the more apparently thy staine Which vnto ages euer shall remaine Sinne in a chaine leades on her sister shame And both in gyues fast fettered to defame Kings vse their loues as garments they haue worne Or as the meate whereon they fully fed The Saint once gone who doth the shrine adorne Or what is Nectar carelesly if shed vvhat Princes vvealth redeemes thy maidenhead vvhich should be held as pretious as thy breath vvhose desolution consumates thy death The stately Eagle on his height dooth stand And from the maine the fearefull fowle doth smite Yet scornes to tuch it lying on the land When he hath felt the sweete of his delight But leaues the same a prey to euery kite With much we surffet plenty makes vs poore The vvretched Indian spurnes the golden ore When now he points the periode with a teare vvhich in my bosome made so great a breach As euery precept firmely fixed there And still his councel vnto me did preach A father so effectually should teach That then his words I after euer found Written on so immaculate a ground The youthfull king deluded but the while That in his breast did beare this quenchlesse fire Whilst flattring hope his sences doth beguile That with fresh life still quickned his desire And gone so farre now meant not to retire Thinkes if that aptly winning him but place By loue or power to purchase him my grace Which still deferring found he still did faile Nor to his minde aught kindely tooke effect Couragiously resoluing to assaile That other meanes doth vtterly neglect In spite what feare could any way obiect And finding time not booting to be mute Thus to me lastly did preferre his sute Deare maide quoth he when Nature had ordained Thee to the world her workemanship to bring All other creatures knowing she had stained By so diuine and excellent a thing Onely therefore to gratifie a King Seal'd thee the Charter dated at thy birth Mirrour of heauen the wonder of the earth Hoord not thy beautie heauen doth giue thee store Pittie such treasure should lie idely dead Which being imparted shall increase the more And by the interest euermore be fed To be mans comfort that was onelie bred vvhich of it selfe is of such povver and might As like the sunne ioyes all things with the sight From those bright stars such streams of lightning glide As through the eies doe wound the very hart Whose vertues may be sundrie waies applide Hurting and healing like Achilles dart Such bountie Nature did to them impart Those lampes two planets clearer then the seauen That with their splendor light the world to heauen Had Art such colours as could truly show Each rare perfection rightly in his kinde And on each one sufficiently bestowe Vnto the glory properly assignde Painting the beauties aptly to the minde But O alone thy excellence is such As words though many lessen worth so much He is thy king who is become thy subiect Sometimes thy Lord now seruant to thy loue Thy gracefull features be his onely obiect Who for thy sake a thousand deaths durst proue A Princes prayer should some compassion moue Let woolues and beares be cruell in their kindes But women meeke and haue relenting mindes Daine deare to looke vpon these brimfull eyes With tides of teares continually frequented Where hope without foode hunger-staruen lies which to