was Venus or else bred In all her arts and subtle sure as she Who now by Henry was employ'd to be The chiefest Agent in his amorous ends Vpon whose skill his sweetest hope depends No farther distance then at ease a day Might reach from London stood the place which they Had chose for beautious Rosamund to bide Within a forrest rarely beautify'd Without by all that nature could afford Within the house it selfe was richly stor'd As guesse you may with what a bounteous King To please his dearest Mistres eye would bring The place it selfe did seeme his sute to move And intimate a silent plea for love Such was that bower where oft the Paphian Queene With young Anchises was on Ida seene About this house such groves springs gardens were As Poëts placed in Loves region where The Westwinds ever blow faire youth doth stay And keepes from thence old age and care away To this delicious countrey house is she Conducted by a trusty company Appointed by the King on her to waite And doe her service in the higest state While Henry's love is in such gifts exprest As might have power to tempt the chastest brest And each day courts her with a richer shower Then rain'd on Danae in the brazen tower The subtle Dame that waited on her there On all occasions fill'd her tender eare With Henry's praise and fame striving t'endeare His bounty and unaequall'd love to her Into a spatious gallery they went Where well-wrought pictures did to life present Those things which ancient tales or stories told Which whilest faire Rosamund did pleas'd behold And entertain'd with fresh variety To severall pictures oft remov'd her eye The cunning Dame pick'd some nor would she name Those beauties that had beene of loosest fame But chose the coyest out behold quoth she My noble daughter the severity Of Dian ' there by which Actaeon dy'd Cause unawares her naked limbs he spy'd Yet this forsooth soure Goddesse turne your eye The tother way by Pan of Arcady Is caught and with a toy of no esteeme A white-fleec'd Ramme see how she followes him Into the grove and does not there disdaine In kindest sort to ease a Lovers paine See Atalanta the swift running maide Whose cruell beauty to sad death betray'd So many noble youths at last by one For three gold apples willingly is wonne And yeilds her beauty to Hippomenes Oh Gods what pretious gifts indeed are these What is a white fleec'd Ramme or golden ball Compar'd to what the greatest Lord of all This Westerne world great Henry can bestow Nay blush not faire one this conceit just now Runne crosse my brest nor was it in my thought That gifts could merit or true love be bought But where true love doth reigne guifts may expresse And that alone is great mens happinesse That by so brave a way as gifts can show That love that poore ones are enforc'd to doe By sighes and teares and many times too late By pining death behold that cruell fate In Iphis there that hangs himselfe and see The faire but scornesull Anaxarete Who with dry eyes beholds poore Iphis death Whom onely love of her had reft of breath The Gods themselves were mov'd her spite to see And in revenge of such a cruelty Turn'd her to stone replyes faire Rosamund If love have power to make so deepe a wound Has he not justice too those two should be Inseparable in a Deity Why fits he not his shafts to both the parts And wounds reciprocally Lovers hearts That sure were justice I remember I Once read and pittyed Iphis tragedy And wonder'd that her cruelty was such To kill a heart to whom she ow'd so much And thought what I in such a case should doe The subtle Dame straight answers and would'st thou Be juster faire one since we here are free I le boldly speake a Monarch pines for thee And what the difference is 'twixt slighting him And vulgar loves weigh in a just esteeme I doe not speake it onely 'cause a King in power a greater recompense can bring For love then others juster reasons farre And truer fairest Rosamund there are As kings have greater soules so they in love Doe feele farre stronger passions then can move A private brest besides those spirits that raigne Ore other people lesse can brooke disdaine It therefore double cruelty must prove To give a sterne repulse to those whose love Is both in nature strongest and beside Lesse patient a denyall to abide But most of all consider at how great And high a value Monarchs lives are set If they should dye for love that sway the fate Of nations borne to change the worlds estate Or settle it to judge of peace and warre Oh what respects of private honour are To be in ballance put with these but let Me speake in more particular as great As high a fortune would from Henry's love Accrew to Rosamund should death remove Queene Elianor away as Englands thronâ—… And royall title nor can death alone Divide her from him a divorce may doe it And her unkindnesses may move him to it She was divorc'd before from Lewis of France He brook'd her not great Henry did advance Her lessen'd state agayne to royalty By leave obtein'd from Rome and may not he Againe reject her may not Rome be wonne And that for Henry which for Lewiâ—… was done Oh could'st thou Fortunes gratious proffers use While thus alone they were discoursing newes Was brought them up the King was lighted there Faire Rosamund was strooke with suddaine feare Yet such a feare as did containe a kinde Of joy and twixt the two perplex'd her minde Nor had she leisure to dispute the case The King himselfe so soone appear'd in place Who with so sweete a kisse salutes his love That in his lipps his soule did seeme to moove And meete the object it desir'd so much His powerfull language Cupid aides and such His whole deportment was as most might moove And seeme to challenge by desert a love Oh what beseidged chastity could long Hold out against so many and so strong Assaults such cruell snares as there were lay'd What beauty could escape the noble Maide At last alas is wonne to his delight Within whose armes he spends the wanton night Th' unlawfull fruite of his desires he tasts And by that action with dishonour blasts The pity'd sweetnesse of so fresh a Rose Yet thence when time maturely shall disclose Her burden'd wombe the fates had so decree'd A brave and Noble offspring must proceede William surnamed Long-sword after by His right of Marriage Earle of Salisbury And made the happy father of a faire And Noble issue by that Earle domes heire Great Henry now possest of that bright gemme Which almost aequall to his Diadem His longing fancy oft had priz'd before In this sweete trance could slumber evermore Heere could he dwell arrived at the height Of his desires and ravish'd with delight Contemning fame could be a while content To lay
Coronation day But most of all though least discerning why Vnusuall joy the Vulgar testify Not good but new things please the peoples eyes Nor dooes King Henry in his love surmise That all the face of England all the state Were witnesses enow to celebrate His sonnes high honour but King William too Arriv'd from Scotland must be brought to doo His homage to him as to Englands King And with him must his brother David bring The sacred oile in banish'd Becket's stead Is by Yorkes Prelate powr'd upon his head The Diadem which was possess'd before Empales his brow whilest all the Peeres adore Two Sunnes at once and ill presaging see What aâ—…ter proov'd a fatall prodigy How ill Imperiall Majesty can brooke A sharer seeke not farre nor neede you looke Sâ—…oryes whose credit time has ruin'd quite Nor neede you read what old Tragaedians write Of this â—…add Theame or east your pitying eyes Vâ—…on the Theban brothers tragoedyes Oâ—… brothers blood that Romes first walls did stayne The sâ—…arious heavens as Poets wisely faine Brook'd not old Saturne and his Iupiter By every age and dire examples neere To us how oft has this sadd truth been proov'd How many sonnes and fathers have been moov'd To parricide to set themselues but free From that which Henry makes himselfe to be Rivall'd in reigne but if he still retayne Full Regall power what more dost thou obtaine By this thy father's kinde donation Young King then title and a fruitlesse throne How vaine thy Scepter is when thou shalt see The power divided from the dignity Yet doe not so mistake thy fate no lesse Nay greater farre esteeme thy happinesse Then if thou now wert seiz'd of all alone The â—…ares and dangers waiting on a Crowne Have made some feare the burden or despise That sacred jewell of unvalewed price A prudent King when he awhile survey'd The glittering splendour that his Crowne display'd Was sighing heard to say if those that view Farre off thy flattering gloryes only knew How many cares and gâ—…efes in thee are found They would be loath to take thee upp from ground This wisest Monarch if he now should see Thy royall State young King would envy thee And count thee happy sure that doost alone Weare without cares the glories of a Crowne That from the burden of a King art free Invested only with the dignity Yet this prerogative bâ—…ings no content To thee that seem'st to want th' accomplishment Of royalty the power and Regall sâ—…ay Nothing alas this Coronation day Has brought thee to but to a nearer sight Of what thou hast not nor is yet thy right Thy stirring minde meetes torture with a throne But Tantalized in dominion The cause alas of woes that must ensue And thy great father too too soone shal rue That dayes solemnity in truest state The Court of England strove to celebrate And with such great magnificence as might The Majesty of that high presence fitt Where all at once three Kings two Queenes were mett Besides so many high borne Princes great In same and wealth the feasting boords were fill'd With what this Iland or â—…ich France could yeild Sâ—…ch cates as those with which old Poets fain'd In Thessaly the Gods were entertain'd At sâ—…lver-footed Thetis bridall feast Where â—…ove himselfe vouchsaf'd to be a guest Where aged Chiron waited at the boord And brought what aire earth waters could afâ—…ord When all rich Tempe and th' adjoyning seas Were search'd besides what then the Najades What young Palaemon Glaucus and the greene Sea-nymphs had brought to grace their beautious queen The choisest Wines that France or Spaine could yeild In cupps of gold studded with gemms were fill'd And antique Gobletts where the Carver strove To aequall natures skill beasts seem'd to moove And pretious birds their glistering wings display'd The faire and mâ—…ssy vessels that conveyâ—…d The feast to them did far in their high rates Exceede the valew of those sumptuous cates King Henry wanton with excesse of joy Which now he thought no fortune could destroy How soone deceiv'd how soone enforc'de to finde The errour in his ill-presaging minde To testifie a great affection And grace the state of his young-crowned Sonne Himselfe as sewer will vouchsafe to waite Vpon his sonne who sitts in Regall state And to his table the first dish present The Lords and Princes all with one câ—…nsent Applaud the King 's great love but secretly Are stroke with wonder these strange rites to see Some seeke examples for it some within Themselues doe sadly from that sight divine When Yorkes Arch-Bishop the young King bespake Rejoyce my Princely sonne and freely take The comfort of your state no Monarch know On Earth has such a servitour as you With that the Prelate gently smil'd but he With a proud looke replyes why wonder yee Or thinke these rites so strange my Father â—…ooes My birth is farre more Royall well he knowes Then his he only by the Mothers side With high Imperiall blood was dignify'de His father was but Anjous Earle but I Derive from both my Parents royalty A King and Queene thâ—…y all with wonder heare King Henry sigh'd and gan even then to â—…eare What after might ensue from such a pride But at that triumph he resolv'd to hide His feares or griefes instead of which the Court Was fill'd with Revells with all Royall sport All showes that high magnificence could give There art in strange varietyes did strive Both to perplexe and please the eyes of all â—…ut nature more for to the festivall From every part the choisest beauties came There like a fire aetheriall every Dame Did blaze more bright then Elements could make While from the Countreys they all flock'd to take Survey of Kingly gloryes while they sought To view the lustre of a Court they brought The lustre with them and might seeme to be Themselues that splendour that they came to see Amidd'st those sparkling beauties Cupid sate Loves powerfull God and rul'd in highest state Arm'd with his fires and shafts resolv'd to be In Henry's Court a greater King then he Whose yoake the King must suffer On the state Of Cupid there the little Loves did waite Throughout the Court they tooke their wanton flight With wings unseene and when they list would light Vpon the Ladyes shoulders or their breasts Their Ruffes or tires they feele not those light guests Which they give harbour to Bold Lycence there Sweete reconciled Anger blushing Feare Vnsafe Delight did with pale Watching fly Desiring teares with Wanton perjury And all the rest They say the beauteous Queene Of Love her selfe upon that day was seene Approching London up cleare Thames his streame Borne on a sounding Triton's backe she came The River smooth'd his face to entertaine The Queene of Love with her ligâ—…t footed traine The silver Swans ador'de her all 〈◊〉 way And churking did their snow-white wings display The river-nymphes that saw her comming thought Some sweete atchievement now was to be wrought That Cupid sure
instruments that I from hence shal bring Will soone divert it all and make this king Whose strength the world so much admires and feaâ—… Whom now they deeme so blest ere many yeares Into themselves revolve againe to be The pity of his foes nature for me Against herselfe is working come and veiw My champions here that shall with speed pursue What I designe with that he leades her by The denns where all along his Viâ—…es ly There in her denâ—… lay pompous Luxury Stretch'd out at length no Vice could boast such hiâ—…h And generall victories as she had wonne Of which proud trophees there at large were showne Besides small States and kingdomes ruined Those mighty Monarchies that had orespread The spatious earth and stretch'd their conquering arme From Pole to Pole by her â—…nsuaring charmes Were quite consum'd there lay imperiall Rome That vanquishâ—… all the worl'd by her orecome Fetter'd was th' old Assyrian Lion there The Graecian Leopard and the Persian Beare With others numberlesse lamenting by Examples of the power of luxury Next with erected lookes Ambition stood Whose trophees all were pourtray'd forth in blood Vnder his feet Law and religion He trampled downe sack'd cities there were showne Rivers and feilds with slaughter overspread And stain'd with blood which his wild sons had shed There Ninus image stood who first of all By lawlesse armes and slaughter did enthrall The quiet nations that liv'd free till then And first tooke pride to triumph over men There was Sesostres figur'd there the sonne Of Philip lay whose dire ambition Not all the spatious earth could satisfy Swift as the lightning did his conquests fly â—…rom Greece to farthest Easterne lands and like Some dire contagion through the world did strike Death and destruction purple were the floods Of every region with their natives bloods Next him thaâ—… Roman lay who first of all Captiv'd his countrey there were figur'd all His warres and mischiefes and what ever woes Through all the world by dire ambition rose Next to that Fiend lay pale Revenge with gore His ghastly visage was all sprinckled ore The hate he bore to others had quite reft Him of all love unto himselfe and left No place for nature ore his den were showne Such tragedies and sad destruction As would dissolve true humane hearts to heare And from the furies selves inforce a teare Those bloody slaughters there to veiw were brought Which Iacobs cruell sonnes in Shechem wrought When all the Males but newly circumcis'd To their revengfull rage were sacrific'd There the slaine youth of Alexandrialy By Caracalla's vengefull butchery The captiv'd fate of Spaine was there display'd Which wrathfull â—…ulian in revenge betray'd To Pagan Moores and ruin'd so his owne Sad house his country and religion Not all these sacred bonds with him prevaile When he beholds his ravish'd daughter waile Wring her white hands and that faire bosome strike That too much pleas'd the lustfull Rhoderike The next Sedition lay not like the rest Was he attir'd nor in his lookes exprest Hatred to heaven and vertues lawes but he Pretends religion law or liberty Seeming t' adore what he did most orethrow And would perswade vertue to be a foe To peace and lawfull power above his den For boasting trophees hung suâ—…h robes as when Old Sparta stood her Ephori did weare And Romes bold Tribunes Stories carved there Of his atcheivements numberlesse were sâ—…ene Sâ—…ch as the Gracchâ—…s factâ—…ous stirres had beene In ancient Rome and such as were the crimes â—…hat oft wrack'd Greece in her most potent times Sâ—…ch as learn'd Athens and bold Sparta knew And from their ablest souldiers oft did rue Next to that Vice lay foule Impiety At large display'd the cursed enemy Of natures best and holyest lawes through all Her loathsome denne unthankfull vipers crawle Above those stories were display'd which show How much the Monarchy of Hell did owe â—…or peoples wracke to that abhorred Vice There were Mycenae's balefull tragedies And all the woes that fatall Theâ—…es had wrought There false Medea when away she brought Her owne betrayed countries spoiles before Her weeping father Aeta peicemeale tore Her brother's limbes and strew'd them ore the feild There with the same impiety she kill'd Her owne two sonnes and through the aire apace By draggons drawne she fled from Iason's face There strong Alcathoë king Nisus towne By Sâ—…yllaes impious treason was orethrowne And sack'd with fire and sword the wretched maide Had from her lofty sounding tower survey'd King Minos hoast and doating on her faire Foes face cut off her fathers purple haire This this is she this is the Vice must goe Quoth Luâ—…ifer to worke the overthrow Of Englands peace Impiety shall doe What ever thy designes can reach unto She shall ascend to England and possesse The breasts of Henri's sonnes with what successâ—… Enyo feare not I have seene the boyes Though yet but young I marke to swell my joyes Such forward signes of their ambition They soone will by Impiety be blowne Vp into such attempts as that thy brand Shall quickly blaze againe through every land That Henry rules this is the cause that hee Continues yet in his prosperity His sonnes are not of age they they must grow Their fathers onely ruine th' overthrow Of all his weale besides to further our Deâ—…gue in this and lend us present power 〈◊〉 king himselfe consents who govern'd by 〈◊〉 dotage and disastrous policy Does now entend to crowne his eldest sonne Soone as his feasts at Windsore shall be done Where now with William Scotland's king he lyes Shall Westminstâ—…r see these solemnityes Theâ—…e see how soone â—…mpiety shall fire The young kings brest and make him more aspire The more his father gives and though of late Sedition well have wrought upon the State By Becket who these five yeares ha's beene fled And yet that strife is not extinguished No warres from thence grow nor has thy desire Enyo beene fulfill'd that faâ—…tious fire Has burnt no cities nor has blood at all Beene drawne in that be sure in this there shall Impiety shall doe 't the Feind here ends And pleas'd Enyo from the cave ascends THE REIGNE OF King HENRY the Second The Second Booke The Argument of the second Booke King Hâ—…nry Crownes at Westminster his sonne But soone beginns to feare what he had done He feasts the King of Scotland at his Court. Among the tempting beauties that resort To that great festivall he falls in Love With Rosamond arm'd Pallas from above Appeares to Henry's sleepe chides him as slow In his affaires of Ireland and does show What lasting honour that great Ile shall be To him and his victorious progeny NOw had great Henry his designe declar'd To crowne his Sonne and all that state prepard That might befit the great solemnity The Peeres and people all approove what he Rashly decrees and in the triumph joyne Withglittering pompe the streetes of London shine Their wealth the greatest Citizens display To grace young Henry's
promise satisfy'de Which Henry freely gaue and did maintaine That he ere long would crowne his sonne againe And then young Margaret should full sharer be In all her Husbands state and dignity Then to performe what he had promis'd there Since these late-raised stormes allayed were Back into England Henry crost againe And in his noble breast ' gann entertaine The thought of Ireland's conquest now although He yet in person did not meane to goe But unto Dermot th' Irish Prince he gave Free leave from any of his Realmes to have What Voluntaryes he could carry ore That might hereafter to the Irish shoâ—…e Prepare his passage and begin the warres On fitter tearmes but not those high affaires Of Warre and Fame could keepe imperious Love From tyrannizing nor much lesse remoove His force that had before found entrance therâ—… Againe to him did Rosamund appeare And what ensu'd declare my Muse resound The love of Henry and faire Rosamund Thou knowest it Erato thou that to give My pen a true intelligence did'st dive So lately downe into th' Elysian groves And there beheld'st the seat of tragicke Loves That farre renowned shade of Mirtles where The beautious troope of Love-slaine dames appeare And weare the markes of their sad ruines yet Vpon those gloomy grounds no flowers are set But such alone which as old Poets sing Did from wail'd deaths and tragike changes spring Such as the pale-fac'd Daffadill that from That too too beautious boy's self-selfe-love did come And purple Hyacinth that first tooke growth From that so much lamented Spartan youth Adonis short-liv'd flower of crimson hew That from faire Venus sprinckled Nectar grew Dooes there appeare by whom is sadly set The pining Clyties pale-leav'd Violet Thou Erato within that Mirtle grove Saw'st those fam'd Ladyes whom their owne sad love Or others love had ruin'd wandring there Thou saw'st the Theban Semele appeare Wâ—…o too too late complain'd of amorous Iove And now condemn'd her owne ambitious Love There with the fatall shaft did Procris stand Who yet forgave her Lord's mistaking hand Faire Dido too of life and crowne bereft Bâ—… whom the perjur'd Trojan's sword was left And there by Aspes destroy'd sent from above In all her gloryes to th' Elysian grove â—…at Cleopatra walk'd there thou did'st see The Lesbian Sappho sadd Eryphile Thâ—… waâ—…ling Phaedra sham'd Pasiphaë Câ—…st â—…hisbe and incestuous Canace Witâ—… them the much lamented Sestian Maide And thousands moe whom whilest thine eyes survey'd Thou saw'st the second Henry's Paramour Faire Rosamund within that gloomy bower Among the rest and now return'd relate The circumstances of her love and fate While those late stirres detain'd the King in France By power of Cupid's godhead or by chance To Court the beautious Rosamund had beene Brought up to waite on Elianor the Queene There did the longing eyes of Henry finde Their brightest blisse the wishes of his mind There met their bound and her at court to whom He had resolv'd the Court it selfe should come T was then too late for him to checke desire Or to suppresse so strong and sweet a fire When he had seene his love againe so soone A longer absence might perchance have done That cure on him short absence hurt him more And made his wound farre greater then before Absence not long enough to root out quite All love encreases love at second sight So fares it now with Henry who pursues His amorous wishes taught by Love to use All those rich aides that Nature could allow That birth and hight of fortune could bestow For him his persons worth his deedes of glory His royall gifts the strongest oratory Doe proudly pleade all subject-wits must move As second causes serve the will of love For him that he may his desires enjoy And great enough are his desires t' employ All aides in this faire suite you might descry The charmes of beauty power of majesty And all that ancient Poëts sung of Love When they ascrib'd it to Imperiall Iove When he a bull would for Europa be A shower of gold for beautious Danae A Swanne for Leda with a thousand moe Such shapes to woe and winne faire Dames why so Could he change shapes and gaine in them so much Because he was great Iove his power was such But why should Iove himselfe vouchsafe to take Such humble formes as these why should he make Himselfe a bull a swanne a golden shower Because so great was Loves commanding power And nothing else was shadow'd in those things But power of beauty and the power of Kings How oft in Court the royall Henry strove By secret favours to endeare his love To Rosamund yet to delude the eyes Of Elianor and her officious spies How many spyes a jealous Queene may finde Some bounty makes some Dames an envious minde Workes to that cruell office to betray And ruine her that is more grac'd then they Faire Rosamund so young and inocent She could not fully sound the kings intent Yet loves the grace he does her loves the thought Of that effect which her owne beauty wrought And though she feele no flames reciprocall Nor Cupid's golden shaft 'gainst her at all Had beene discharg'd she loves king Henry's flame As her owne trophee there 's no beautious Dame But in that kind's unjust they often strive To gaine love there where they refuse to give And spread their proudly charming nets t' enthrall All hearts but cherish few or none at all They joy that men are forc'd to make the suite Yet too much grudge that men should reape the fruite Of their desires and wish those hearts to have Which they resolve to ruine not to save But Cupid oft is just and by degrees while they foresee not workes his servants ease Making those beauties while they boast the fame Of firing hearts approach too neere the flame And be themselves at last the selfe-same way By which they meant to triumph made a prey The open Court in Henry's owne surmise Was thought a place too full of eares and eyes Too full of eminence to woo and winne A maid so coy so young and bashfull in That love that he to her had then declar'd By graces at the Court had but prepar'd Her mind and taught her how to entertaine That parley that must his full suite obtaine A faire retreat of greater privacy Remov'd from London then was sought where he Might lodge that jewell which he meant t' enjoy With other agents fitting to employ An ancient Dame skill'd in those arts was found To aide the kings desires of most profound And subtle wit of winning speech was she And such in all â—…he might be thought to bee No Beldame but wise Venus lurking in A Beldames shape faire Rosamund to winne False Venus for her ends has oft done so And once as Homer's wisest Muse did show She tooke the shape of an old Spartan Dame In Hellens brest to blow Loves powerfull flame And subtly winne her to the Trojan's bed Perchance this Dame