English crowne Victorious Longshanks flower of chiualrie First of his name that raign'd in Albion Through worlds renown'd to all posteritie My youth began and then began my blis Euen in his daies those blessed daies of his 9 O daies no daies but little worlds of mirth O yeeres no yeeres time slyding with a trice O world no world a very heauen on earth O earth no earth a verie Paradice A King a man nay more then this was hee If earthly man more then a man might be 10 Such a one hee was as Englands Beta is Such as shee is euen such a one was hee Betwixt her rarest excellence and his VVas neuer yet so neere a simpathy To tell your worth and to giue him his due I say my Soueraigne hee was like to you 11 His Court a schoole where Arts were dailie red And yet a Campe where Armes are exercised Vertue and learning heere were nourished And stratagems by souldiers still deuised Heere skilfull Schoolmen were his Counsailors Schollers his Captains Captains Senators 12 Here sprang the roote of true gentilitie Vertue was clad in gold crown'd with honor Honor intitled to Nobilitie Admired so of all that looked on her Wisdom not wealth possessed wisemens roomes Vnfitting base insinuating Groomes 13 Then were vile worldlings loth'd as filthy toades And good men as rare pearls were richly prized The learned were accounted little Gods The hatefull Atheist as the plague despised Desert then gaynd what vertues merit craues And Artles Pesants scornd as basest slaues 14 Pride was not then which all things ouerwhelms Promotion was not purchased with gold Men hew'd their honor out of steeled helms In those daies fame with blood was bought sold No petti-fogger pol'd the poore for pence These dolts these dogs as traytors banisht hence 15 Then was the Souldier prodigall of blood His deeds eterniz'd by the Poets pen VVho spar'd his life to doe his Countrie good VVhen after death his fame remain'd with men Then learning liu'd with liberalitie And men were crownd with immortalitie 16 Graunt pardon then vnto my wandring ghost Although I seeme lasciuious in my praise And of perfection though I vainlie boast VVhilst here on earth I troad this wearie maze VVhilst yet my soule in body did abide And whilst my flesh was pampred here in pride 17 My valiant Father was in Gascoygne borne A man at Arms and matchlesse with his launce A Souldier vow'd and to King Edward sworne VVith whom he seru'd in all his warrs in Fraunce His goods and lands he pawnd layd to gage To follow him the wonder of that age 18 And thus himselfe hee from his home exil'd Who with his sword sought to aduaunce his fame VVith me his ioy but then a little chyld Vnto the Court of famous England came Whereas the King for seruice he had done Made me a Page vnto the Prince his sonne 19 My tender youth yet scarce crept from the shell Vnto the world brought such a wonderment That all perfection seem'd in mee to dwell And that the heauens me all their graces lent Some sware I was the quintessence of Nature And some an Angel and no earthly creature 20 The heauens had limm'd my face with such a die As made each curious eye on earth amazed Tempring my lookes with loue and maiestie A miracle to all that euer gazed So that it seem'd some power had in my birth Ordained me his Image heere on earth 21 O beautious varnish of the heauens aboue Pure grain-dy'd colour of a perfect birth O fairest tincture Adamant of loue Angell-hewd blush the prospective of mirth O sparkling luster ioying humaine sight Liues ioy harts fire loues nurse y e soules delight 22 As purple-tressed Titan with his beames The sable clowdes of night in sunder cleaueth Enameling the earth with golden streames VVhen he his crimson Canapie vpheaueth Such where my beauties pure translucent rayes Which cheer'd y e Sun cleerd y e drouping daies 23 My lookes perswading Orators of loue My speech diuine infusing harmonie And every word so well could passion moue So were my icstures grac'd with modestie As where my thoughts intended to surprize I easly made a conquest with mine eyes 24 A gracious minde a passing louelie eye A hand that gaue a mouth y e neuer vaunted A chast desire a tongue that would not lye A Lyons hart a courage neuer daunted A sweet conceit in such a cariage placed As with my iesture all my words were graced 25 Such was the work which Nature had begun As promised a Iem of wondrous price This little starre fore-told a glorious Sunne This curious plot an earthly Paradice This Globe of beauty wherein all might see An after world of wonders heere in mee 26 As in th' Autumnall season of the yeere Some death-presaging Comet doth arise Or some prodigious meteor doth appeare Or fearefull Chasma vnto humaine eyes Euen such a wonder was I to behold Where heauen seem'd all her secrets to vnfold 27 If cunnings't pensill-man that euer wrought By skilfull Arte of secret Sumetrie Or the diuine Idea of the thought VVith rare descriptions of high Poesie Should all compose a body and a minde Such one was I the wonder of my kinde 28 VVith this faire bayte I fisht for Edwards loue My daintie youth so pleasd his princlie eye Heere grewe the league which time could not remoue So deeplie grasted in our infancie That frend nor so nor life nor death could sunder So seldom seene and to the world a wonder 29 O heauenlie concord musick of the minde Touching the hart-strings with such harmonie The ground of nature and the law of kinde Which in coniunction doe so well agree VVhose reuolution by effect doth proue That mortall men are made diuine by loue 30 O strong combining chayne of secrecie Sweet ioy of heauen the Angels oratorie The bond of faith the seale of sanctitie The soules true blisse youths solace ages glorie And endles league a bond thats neuer broken A thing diuine a word with wonder spoken 31 With this faire bud of that same blessed Rose Edward surnam'd Carnaruan by his birth VVho in his youth it seem'd that Nature chose To make the like whose like was not on earth Had not his lust and my lasciuious will Made him and me the instruments of ill 32 With this sweet Prince the mirror of my blisse My souls delight my ioy my fortunes pride My youth enioyd such perfect happines Whilst Tutors care his wandring yeeres did guide As his affections on my thoughts attended And with my life his ioyes began and ended 33 Whether it were my beauties excellence Or rare perfections that so pleasd his eye Or some diuine and heauenly influence Or naturall attracting simpathy My pleasing youth became his sences obiect Where all his passions wrought vpō this subiect 34 Thou Arke of heauen where wonders are inroled O depth of nature who can looke on thee O who is he that hath thy doome controuled Or
soonest pry Whose nature thus I chose to be the mould Therein to worke what forme of hap I would 98 His owne compassion cause of his owne care Vpon his thought his constant promise stood Vertue in him most naturally rare No vile base humor tainted his pure blood His bounty still gaue good desert her food His mind so great and honorably free Made him too prone to loose credulitie 99 His counsels thus are combred by his care In nothing certaine bnt vncertaintie His friends resolu'd on nothing but dispaire Yet shewes he greatnes in most misery Each place become a stage for Tragedy By error wandring far beyond his scope Strong in desire but weakest in his hope 100 In publique shame oft counsell seemes disgrac'd No priuiledge can from the Fates protect In desperation counsell hath no taste Vntamed rage doth all aduise reiect Hiding the course which reason should direct Making himselfe the author of his harms VVithout experience valor wants his arms 101 Now I whose power in Williams wars was seene VVhen first on Williams conquest he begun To shew my selfe the worlds imperious Queene Now turne my selfe against his warlike son To lose by me by me his Father won On Englands part gainst Normandy to stand Which Normandy had conquered by my hand 102 The conquest William made vpon this Ile VVith Norman blood be-peopling Brittany Euen now as Brittons made within a while Turne with reuenge to conquer Normandy Thus victory goes back to victory That his own blood wins what before he won His conquering son subdu'd his conquering son 103 Thus Norman townes begirt with English arms The furious brother dealing wrathfull blowes Both pressing in where deadly perrill swarms These English-Norman Norman-English foes At last doe get what they at first did lose As Normandy did Englands fall prouoke Now Norman necks must beare the English yoke 104 The flood of mischiefe thus comes in againe VVhat Fortune works not alwaies seems pretéded The wind thus turn'd blows back the fire amaine VVhere first mischance began she will be ended And he defend him from those he offended For this we find the course of fatall things Is best discern'd in states of Realms Kings 105 On whom of late in Palaestine I smild In ciuill warrs now dreadfully I frowne He call'd from exile I from him exil'd To leaue his crowne who had refus'd a crowne Who beat all down now heare is beaten down Here to lose all who there had gotten all To make his fall more grieuous in his fall 106 To England now a prisoner they him bring Now is he hers which claim'd her for his owne A Captiue where he should haue been a King His dūgeon made wher shold haue been his throne Now buried there wheras he shold haue growne In one poore tower mew'd vp within one place Whose Empires bounds the Ocean shold embrace 107 Could mortall sence containe immortall hate Or reason sound the depth of things diuine Iudgement might stand amaz'd at Roberts state And thinke no might to be compar'd with mine That all power may vnto my power resigne And that in Roberts fall the world may see Amongst the starrs what power remaines in mee 108 That sword which on his fortune hath such power Yet powerles is to end his wretched dayes Those daies w c in their course all things deuoure To his swift griefe makes slow and lazie staies To Tyrannies long raigne he thus obaies That he in life a thousand deaths might die Onely in mercy rackt with crueltie 109 He hath no ioy but in his miseries His greatest comfort is the blessed light For which as I were angry with his eyes I make the King depriue him of his sight To sute his daies so iustly with the night That sencles stones to mone he should not see Yet sencles stones behold his misery 120 And this he felt that Fortune made him blinde Least his eyes obiects yet might lighten care That y e light wanting more might light his minde VVhose eyes might see how great his sorrows are That euery sence that sences woe might share And so that sence depriu'd of ioy alone Might more increase the griefe of euery one 111 These griefes and horrors enemies of rest VVhich murther life where they do harbor long Kill humors which his body oft opprest Vnnaturally thus making nature strong As out of deaths dead stock new life still sprong As life with death had tempted him till now Yet death to life no ease would er'e allow 112 Death he fear'd not is taught his end to feare Life once he lou'd with him now fall'n in loue That foe a friend to hurt him doth forbeare That friend a foe he cannot now remoue Twixt them he all extremities doth proue Aged in youth to pine his ioy thereby Youthfull in age to suffer misery 113 Courage forbids that he himselfe should kill His life too proud to be constrain'd to die His will permits not death now when he will VVhat would dispaire true valor doth deny Thus life's life foe death is deaths enemy VVilling to die by life him double killing Vrging to die twice dying he vnwilling 114 So many yeeres as he hath worne a crowne So many yeeres as he hath hop'd to rise So many yeeres he liues thus quite thrown downe So many yeeres he liues without his eyes So many yeeres in dying ere hee dyes So many yeeres lockt vp in prison strong Though sorrow make the shortest time seeme long 115 Thus sway I in the course of earthly things That Time might worke him euerlasting spite To shew that power yet euer makes not kings Nor that conceit can compasse my deceit In fined things such meruails infinite Nor any wonder is to be supposed In that wherein all wonders are inclosed 116 AT Fortuns speech they stand as all amaz'd Whilst Fame herselfe doth wonder at his woe And all vpon this deadly Image gaz'd VVhose misery shee had discribed so But in reuenge of this dispightfull foe Fame from a slumber as it seem'd awake On his behalfe thus for herselfe be-spake 117 What time I came frō world-renowned Rome To waken Europe from her drouzie traunce Summoning the Princes of great Christendome To Palaestine their Ensignes to aduaunce Soūding my trump in England Spaine Fraunce To moue the Christians to religious war Frō Pagans hands to free CHRISTS sepulchar 118 That holy Hermit Peter then as one VVhich as a Saint bewaild so great a losse With Bulloigne Godfrey Christs strong champion Vnder the Banner of the bloody CROSSE Now on the Alps the conquering collours tosse Leading along the brauest Christian band To reare their Tropheys in the HOLY LAND 119 Hether the flocks of gallant spirits do throng The place whence immortalitie doth spring To whom the hope of conquest doth belong Nor any thought lesse then to be a King Hether doth Fame her deerest children bring And in this Camp shee makes her treasury The rarest Iems of Europs Chiualry 120 This conquering lord
the world with so diuine a thing But as a gyft to gratifie a King Seal'd thee this Charter dated at thy birth To be the fair'st that euer liu'd on earth 49 Locke not thy treasure heauen doth giue the store A thousand Graces at thine eyes are fed Thy bosome is the Angels secret dore Thy breast the pillowes of faire Venus bed Regards of honour on thy browes are red Thy cheeks the banquet where sweet Loue doth feast The royall Pawne of Beauties interest 50 Thy lips y e Bath where sorrows wounds are healed VVhere abstinence keepes Vertue in a diet And in thy wit all wonders are reuealed VVisedom growne welthy liueth there at quiet Thy modest eye controles Loues wanton ryot Thine eye that planet clearer then the seauen Whose radient splēdour lights y e world to heauen 51 Frō thy sweet looks such streams of lightning glide As through the eyes do wound the very hart Killing and curing as they are applide Hurting and healing like Achilles Dart Which to the world do heauenly things impart And thou alone the spirit of all delight Which like the sun ioy'st all things with thy sight 52 Could heauen allowe wher-with to lim thee forth Or earth afford things of esteeme to praise thee VVere words sufficient to expresse thy worth Or could inuention to thy glory raise thee Could art deuise a waight wherby to peize thee But thy surpassing excellence is such As eyes may gaze but nothing els can tuch 53 Hee is thy King who is becom thy subiect Thy soueraigne Lord who onely seekes thy loue Thy beauty is his eyes commaunding obiect Who for thy sake a thousand deaths would proue Sweet Maid let prayers some compassion moue Let VVolues Beares be cruell in their kinds But women meeke and haue relenting minds 54 Loue forc'd the Gods to things for Gods vnmeet Behold a Monarch kneeling to a maide Apollo prostrate at his Daphnes feete Great Atlas bowes on whom the heauen is staide Thy Ioue his Scepter on thy lap hath laide Thou in his throne doest sit as Chancellor And he become thy daylie Orator 55 Looke on these browes the perfect Map of care The truest mirrour of my miserie In wrinkled lines where sorrowes written are VVhere Time still reades on Loues Anotomy My bloodlesse vaines with greefes Phlebotomy A stanchlesse hart dead-wounded euer bleeding On whō that nere-fild vulture Loue sits seeding 56 Pitty this soule-euaporating smoke The purest incense of most perfect zeale These deep-fetcht sighes confounding words halfe spoke VVhere swoln-ey'd passion doth her selfe reueale That ragefull fier no reason can conceale VVhere torments last ioyes are still diluded VVhere all infernall torture is included 57 Behold the brim-full Cesterns of these eyes VVith surging Tydes of brackist teares frequented VVhere foodlesse Hope still hunger-staruen lies In burning Pooles eternally tormented VVhich to betray my hart at first consented VVhere as the spirit of woe hath euer being Blinded in teares yet in teares only seeing 58 Shyne thou like Cynthia vnder mine estate Thy tresses deckt with Ariadnes Crowne In pompe redubling costly Iunos rate And cloud the world in sable with a frowne Aduance thy friends throw the mighty downe Be thou admir'd through all this famous Ile Thy name enrol'd with neuer-dated stile 59 Great troupes of Ladies shall attend my Gerle Thou on thy braue tryumphing Chariot borne Thy drinke shall be dissolued orient Pearle Thy princely Cup of rarest Vnicorne Then liue at ease and laugh the world to scorne And if our musick cannot like thine eares Thy Ioue shall fetch thee musick from the Spheres 60 Thy name as my Empreza will I beare My well tun'd rymes shall glory in thy praise Vpon my Crowne thy fauors will I weare Figuring thy loue a thousand sundry wayes My power shall be thy shield at all assayes And thou my Saint Kings offering to thy shrine Wondring thy beautie as a thing diuine 61 What if my Queene Detractor of our blisse Thee by her hundreth-eyed Heardsman keepe Ile bring to passe she shall her purpose misse My Mercurie shall lull him till he sleepe Loue euer laughs when I clousie dooth weepe My prouidence shall keepe her stomack vnder She may raise storms but Ioue doth rule y e thunder 62 Thus hauing broke the Ice frō whence might spring Sweet streames of loue in calme and fairer time And afterward might ioyfull tydings bring The staire begun by which he thought to clyme Hoping due howres now he had sed the chyme Leaues me not knowing now w c way to turne me Warm'd with y e fire w c vnawars might burne me 57 Behold the brim-full Cesterns of these eyes VVith surging Tydes of brackist teares frequented VVhere foodlesse Hope still hunger-staruen lies In burning Pooles eternally tormented VVhich to betray my hart at first consented VVhere as the spirit of woe hath euer being Blinded in teares yet in teares only seeing 58 Shyne thou like Cynthia vnder mine estate Thy tresses deckt with Ariadnes Crowne In pompe redubling costly Iunos rate And cloud the world in sable with a frowne Aduance thy friends throw the mighty downe Be thou admir'd through all this famous Ile Thy name enrol'd with neuer-dated stile 59 Great troupes of Ladies shall attend my Gerle Thou on thy braue tryumphing Chariot borne Thy drinke shall be dissolued orient Pearle Thy princely Cup of rarest Vnicorne Then liue at ease and laugh the world to scorne And if our musick cannot like thine eares Thy Ioue shall fetch thee musick from the Spheres 60 Thy name as my Empreza will I beare My well tun'd rymes shall glory in thy praise Vpon my Crowne thy fauors will I weare Figuring thy loue a thousand sundry wayes My power shall be thy shield at all assayes And thou my Saint Kings offering to thy shrine Wondring thy beautie as a thing diuine 61 What if my Queene Detractor of our blisse Thee by her hundreth-eyed Heardsman keepe Ile bring to passe she shall her purpose misse My Mercurie shall lull him till he sleepe Loue euer laughs when Ielousie dooth weepe My prouidence shall keepe her stomack vnder She may raise storms but Ioue doth rule y e thunder 62 Thus hauing broke the Ice frō whence might spring Sweet streames of loue in calme and fairer time And afterward might ioyfull tydings bring The staire begun by which he thought to clyme Hoping due howres now he had sed the chyme Leaues me not knowing now w c way to turne me Warm'd with y e fire w c vnawars might burne me 63 Forth-with began strange factions in my thought And in my soule a sudden mutinie Feare and Desire a doubtfull combat fought The tytle stands vpon extremitie My force was great and strong mine enemie Till Resolution seeing all begun Sent Succors in by whom the field was won 64 As thus mine honour in the Ballance hung Betwixt the worlds preferment and my fame This in mine eares like Syrens sweetly sung That wisely still fore-warned me of shame
restraine Affections subiect to his mind should be Then absolute is it absolute he His mind commaunding kingly by abstaining As his commaund is absolute in raigning 132 His thoughts be pure as Christall without spot He is wisdom honour valure chastitie VVhat excellence is there that he is not Or what may be by him which cannot be He's Vertues true superlatiue degree From his affections neuer can proceed One little thought of this so vile a deed 133 Kings be the Gods Vizgerents here on earth The Gods haue power Kings frō that power haue might Kings should excell in vertue as in birth Gods punish wrongs kings shold maintain right They be the Suunes from which we borrow light And they as Kings should still in iustice striue With Gods from whō their beings they deriue 134 Empire euen like the Sunne doth draw all eyes And his Eclipse the soonest doth appeare Small vapours seeme great lights drawn to the skies Things ouer-head though far shew euer neare Small staines be great in things shold be most cleare Nothing so soone discernd by humaine sight As is the cloud which hides the cheerfull light 135 Inrag'd with this in greefes extremitie Minion quoth he tis now no time to prate Dispatch or els Ile drench you presently Of this nor that I stand not to debate Expects thou loue where thou reward'st with hate I passe not I how ere thou like the motion Haue done at once and quickly take the Potion 136 THis sudden terror makes me pause for breath Till sighing out at length this sad reply If it be so welcom to me my death This is the vtmost of extremitie And yet when all is done I can but die His will be done sith he will haue it so And welcome Death the end of all my woe 137 My loue is his whilst loue to him is due Allegiance binds that loue that loue tyes truth Vntrue to him if to my selfe vntrue Suspect is still a Page that waites on Youth Ensuing that which of it selfe ensu'th Plasters cure wounds nothing a wounded name Kings pardon death but cannot pardon shame 138 And thou my Deaths-man slaue vnto his lust Th' executioner of his lawlesse will In whom the Tyrant doth repose such trust Detract no time his murthering mind fulfill Doe what thou dar'st the worst thou canst but kill And tell the Tyrant this when I am dead I loath'd his beastly and adulterous bed 139 Nor let the King thy Maister euer thinke A vertuous Maid so cowardly and base As to be frighted with a poysoned drinke And liue an abiect in the worlds disgrace All eyes with shame to gaze me in the face That ages which heer-after shall succeede Shall hold me hatefull for so vile a deede 140 Strange be effects strange things in loue to proue He would take from me what he cannot take He loues my hate and doth but hate my loue And would vnmake what he doth striue to make And thus must loue be punisht for loues sake And would compell by force so to be held VVhich is nor was nor can be if compeld 141 To make that his which then cannot be his VVhich if once had is perisht being had Nor is not then the same that now it is Striuing to get what he to loose is glad VVhen pleasure with extreame excesse is mad Poore in the riches which haue spoiled me I rich in that in which I poore should be 142 Is this the greatest gyft he could bestowe Is this the Iewell wher-with he doth present me I am his friend what gives he to his foe If this in token of his loue be sent me Remedilesse I am it must content me Yet afterward a prouerb this shall proue The gyft King Iohn bestow'd vpon his Loue. 143 Then of this conquest let thy Soueraigne boast And make report with shame what he hath done A thing more easie then subdue an Hoast Or conquer Kingdoms as his Father wonne O haplesse Sire of this vnhappy Sonne And he more shame shall carrie to his graue Then Fortune honors to his Father gaue 144 Thus spoke my mind as women vse to doe Hoping thereby som-what to ease my hart But words I found did but increase my woe Augment his rage not mittigate my smart And now comes in the reckoning ere we part And now my valure must be try'd or neuer Or famous now or infamous for euer 145 Taking the poyson from his deadly hand Vnto the King caroust my latest draught Goe wretch quoth I now let him vnderstand He hath obtayn'd what he so long hath sought Though with my blood my fame I deerly bought And though my youth he basely haue betrayd Yet witnes Heauen I liu'd and dyed a Mayd 146 This cup the pen this poyson is the inke And in this vntoucht table of my brest To him I'le freely write what I doe thinke Where he shall find it feelingly exprest And what I doe omit tell thou the rest Yet rather then in any thing we'le varie VVe iointly will become one Secretarie 147 Then why repine I sith he thinks it meete He is my Soueraigne and my life is his Death is not bitter spyc'd with such a sweet Which leads the way to euerlasting blis He's all my ioy he all my glory is He is the tuch by whom my gold is tryed Onely by him my death is glorified 148 For could my life haue giuen life to me My youths faire flower yet blooming had not died Then how should this but meritorious be When by my death my life is sanctified Could euer thing more fitly be applied In this is loue in this his care I find My Lord is iust my Lord is only kind 149 Then let these teares th'Elixars of my loue Be to his soule a pure preseruatiue And let my prayers be of such force to moue That by my death my Soueraigne may suruiue And from his raigne let Fame herselfe deriue His glory like the Sunnes translucent rayes And as the heauen eternall be his dayes 150 And thou my carefull kind Phisition For phisick now thy patients patient be Appeale to heauen with true contrition And in thy conscience glasse thy foule sinne see To thee I'le be as thou hast beene to mee This potion take to rid thee from dispaire Euen as thy potion shall rid me of care 151 Faith finds free passage to Gods mercy seat Repentance carries heauens eternall kayes The greater sinnes bewept mercy more great A harty will makes straight th' offenders wayes Heauen rings for ioy when once a sinner prayes Of these sweet simples is my drink compounded VVhich shall cure both our soules both deeplie wounded 152 This mortall poyson now begins to rage And spreads his vigor thorough all my vaines There is no phisick can my greefe aswage Such is the torment which my hart destraines Boyling my intrales in most hellish paines And Nature weakned of her wonted force Must yeeld to death which now hath no remorce 153 And those pure thoughts which
THE Tragicall Legend of Robert Duke of Normandy surnamed Short-thigh eldest sonne to William Conqueror VVith the Legend of Matilda the chast daughter to the Lord Robert Fitzwater poysoned by King Iohn And the Legend of Piers Gaueston the great Earle of Cornwall and mighty fauorite of king Edward the second By Michaell Drayton The latter two by him newly corrected and augmented AT LONDON Printed by Ia. Roberts for N. L. and are to be solde at his shop at the West doore of Paules 1596. To the noble and excellent Lady Lucie Countesse of Bedford MOst noble Ladie I leaue my Poems as a monument of the Zeale I beare to your vertues though the greatest part of my labour be but the least part of my loue And if any thought of worth liue in mee that onely hath been nourished by your mild fauours and former graces to my vnworthy selfe and the admiration of your more then excellent parts shyning to the world What nature industry began your honour and bountie hath thus farre continued The light I haue is borrowed frō your beams which Enuie shall not eclipse so long as you shall fanourablie shine Vnder the stampe of your glorious Name my Poems shall passe for currant beeing not altogether vnworthy of so great a superscription I liue onely dedicated to your seruice and rest your Honors humblie deuoted Michaell Drayton To the vertuous Lady the Lady Anne Harrington wise to the Honorable Gentleman Sir Iohn Harrington Knight MAdam my words cannot expresse my mind My Zealers dutie to make knowne to you When your deserts all seuerally I find In this attempt of mee doe claime their due Your gratious kindnes Madam claimes my hart Your bountie bids my hand to make it knowne Of me your vertues each doe claime a part And leaue me thus the least part of mine owne What should commend your modestie your wit Is by your wit and modestie commended And standeth dumbe in most admiring it And where it should begin it there is ended And thus returne to your praise onely due And to your selfe say you are onely you Michaell Drayton To the Reader GEntlemen since my first publishing of these tragicall cōplaints of Piers Gaswton and Matilda it is not vnknowne to any which traffique with Poetry how by the sinister dealing of some vnskilfull Printer Prers Gawston hath been lately put sorth contrary to my will with as manie faults as there be lynes in the same beeing in deede at the suit no perfect Coppy but left vnformed and vndigested like a Beare vvhelpe before it is licke by the Dam. But now of late vnderstanding by the Stationers that they meant the thyrd time to bring it to the Presse for which purpose as it seemed they kept Matilda from printing onely because they meant to ioyne thē together in one little volume I haue taken some paine in them both to augment and polish them sith I see they must goe to the publique view of the world and with the old conceite of Apelles hearing the opinion of all that passed by amended so much as the latchet To these complaints written by mee two yeeres since I haue added this third of Robert Duke of Normandie A subiect in my poore opinion as worthy as any how soeuer I haue hanled it in the writing Thus submitting my labours to your discreet censure I end M. D. The Argument of Robert Duke of Normandie AFter the conquest of England by William Duke of Normandy his eldest son Robert surnamed Short-thigh much more then eyther of his bretheren William Rufus or Henry Bauclarke beloued of the Commons yet brought in disgrace with his Father by meanes of Lanfranck Byshop of Canterburie who greatlie affected the said William Rufus as a man rightlie of his owne disposition Robert beeing a man of a mightie spirit finding himselfe disgrac'd grown hatefull to his Father and the Crowne of England assured to his Brother whilst his Father maketh warrs in Fraunce hee with a troupe of resolute Germains inuadeth Normandie In the height of all these troubles William Conqueror dyeth leauing the kingdome of England to Rufus Whilst Robert prepareth to make warre vpon his brother by the pollicies of Lanfrancke and his accomplices they are friends Robert peaceably enioyeth Normandie and if he ouer-hued his brother William to succeed him in the kingdom of England Nowe the brute of the holy warrs called Robert to Palestine with Peter the Hermit and Godfrey of Bulloyne for which to pay his souldiours hee engageth Normandie to his youngest brother Henry for summes of money In his absence William dyeth Henrie vsurpeth the Crowne and Duke Robert returning from the warrs with great honor yet in his warrs at home most vnfortunate hee is taken by Henry in a battell in Normandy brought a captiue into England and imprisoned in Cardisse Castell in VVales where Henry as a Tyrant still searing his escape put out his eyes The Tragicall Legend of Robert Duke of Normandie 1 WHat time Sleeps Nurse the silent night begun To steale by minuts on the long-liu'd daies The furious Dog-star chasing of the Sun VVhose scorching breath ads flame vnto his raies At whose approch the angry Lyon braies The earth now warm'd in thys celestiall fire To coole her heate puts off her rich attire 2 The deawy-tressed Morning newly wake VVith goldē tinsell scarce had crown'd her browes Ryding in tryumph on the Ocean lake Embellishing the honny-fringed bowes Deepe mellancholly from my braine to rouze To Isis banck my Genius guides the way Amongst whose Reeds soft murmuring winds do play 3 Zephyre which courts faire Thames his gentle loue On whose smooth brest the swelling billows flow Which on a long the wanton tyde doth shoue And to keepe back he easilie doth blow Still meets her comming followes if shee goe Shee forcing waues to coole his hote embrace Hee fanning breath vpon her christall face 4 Still dallying in her osten-turning source She streaks a long the shores with her proud straine And here and there she wantons in her course And in her gate oft turneth back againe Smiling to looke vpon her siluer traine VVith pretty Anticks shee the faire soile greets Till Medoas streame from famous Kent shee meets 5 Thus careles wandring with this gliding streame VVhose fleeting told me of tymes flying howers Delighted thus as in a pleasing dreame Cropping small branches of the sweetest flowers And looking back on Londons stately towers So Troy thought I her stately head did beare Whose crazed ribs y e furrowing plough doth eyre 6 VVeary at length a VVillow tree I found VVhich on the brim of this great current stood VVhose roote was matted with the arrasd ground Deaw'd with the small drops of this surging flood Ordain'd it seem'd to sport her Nymphish brood Whose curled top enuy'd the heauens great eye Should view the stock shee was maintained by 7 The towring Larke which carrols to the Sun VVith trebling descant quauers in the ayre And on the riuers marmuring base
for her own sinne Euen by that towne this zealous Lord did weepe To see her now defil'd with others sinne He wept he weepes for sinne and he for sinne He first shed teares he lastly sheddeth teares Those sacred drops the others drops endeares 167 What prince was found within the Christian hoast That carried marke of honor in his shield That with braue Roberts Lyons once durst boast Raging with furie in the bloody field VVhose mighty pawes a piller seem'd to weild Which froÌ„ their nostrhils breath'd a seeming flame VVhen he in pride amongst the Pagans came 168 His life with blood how dearely did he prize And neuer did he brandish his bright sword But many Pagan soules did sacrifize And all the ground with liuelesse truncks he stor'd Such was his loue vnto his dearest Lord That were true loue more purer then is loue Here in this loue his purenes he might proue 169 Who from his furie latelie fled away VVhen in the field far off they him espied Pursu'd in his faire presence make a stay As of his hand they willing would haue died His beautie so his feircenes mollified As taking death by valiant Roberts name Should to their liues giue euerlasting fame 170 The cruell Panyms thirsting after blood VVith his sweet beauty doe their hates a slake Yet when by him in danger they haue stood And that his valour did their rage awake And with their swords reuenge wold deeply take The edges turne as seeming to relent To pitty him to whom the blowes were sent 171 At feirce assaults where thousand deaths might fall His cheerfull smiles made death he could not kill Imperiously his sword commaunds the wall As stones should be obedient to his will The yeelding blood his blood did neuer spill His fury quencht with teares as with a flood And yet like fire consuming all that stood 172 When in the morne his Courser he bestrid The trumpets sound vnto his thoughts gaue fire But from the field he euer dropping rid As he were vanquisht onely in retire The neerer rest farther from his desire In bootie still his Souldiers share the crowns They rich in gold he onely rich in wounds 173 At this returne now in this sad retreate From heathens slaughter from the Christians fled This is not he which in that raging heate On mighty heapes laid Pagan bodies dead Whose plumed helme empaled in his head Mild as some Nimphlike â—â—â—gin now he seem'd VVhich some in fight a fearefull spirit deem'd 174 No tryumphs doe his victories adorne But in his death who on the Crosse had died No lawrell nor victorious wreath is worne But that red Crosse to tell him crucified This death his life this pouertie his pride His feast is fast his pleasure pennaunce is His wishes prayers his hope is all his blisse 175 Great Caluary whose hollow vaulted womb In his deere Sauiours death afunder riuen That rock-rent Caue that man-god burying tomb VVhich was vnto his blessed body giuen VVhose yeelding Ghost did shake the power of heauen Here as a Hermit could he euer liue Such wondrous thoughts vnto his soule they giue 176 Thus a poore Pilgrim he returnes againe His sumptuous roabes be turn'd to Palmers gray Leauing his Lords to lead his warlick traine Whilst he alone comes sadly on the way Dealing abroad his deare bloods purchas'd pray A hermits staffe his caresull hand doth hold VVhose charged Launce the beathen foe controld 177 Most louing zeale borne of more zealous loue Cares holy care faiths might ioyes food hopes kay The groundwork worlds bewitching cannot moue Of true desires the neuer failing stay The cheerfull light of heauens ne're-ending day Vertue which in thy selfe most vertuous art The fairest gyft of the most fairest part 178 But now to end this long continued strife Henceforth thy malice takes no further place Thy hate began and ended with his life His spirit by thee can suffer no disgrace Now in mine armes his vertues I imbrace His body thine his crosses witnes be His mind is mine and from thy power is free 179 Thou gau'st vp rule when he gaue vp his breath And at his end then did I first begin Thy hate was buried in his timelesse death Thou going out first did I enter in Thou loosing him thy losse then did I win And when the Fates did vp their right resigne Thy right his wrong thy hate his hap was mine 180 To the vnworthie world then get thee back Stuft with deceits and fawning flatteries There by thy power bring all things vnto wrack And fill the times with fearefull Tragedies And since thy ioy consists in miseries Heare his complaint who wanting eyes to see May giue thee sight which art as blind as hee 181 AT her great words whilst they in silence stand Poore haplesse Robert now remembring him Holding one bloody eye in his pale hand VVith countenance all dead and gastly grim As in a feauer shaking euery lim Euen with a pitteous lamentable grone Vailing his head thus breakes into his mone 182 Poore teare dim'd taper which hast lost thy brother And thus art lest to twinkle here alone Ah might'st thou not haue perrisht with the other And both together to your set haue gone You both were one one wanting thou not one Poore twins which like true friends one watch did keepe Why seuer'd thus y t so you shold not sleepe 183 And thou pore eye oh why sholdst thou haue light The others black eclipse thus soone to see And yet thy fellow be depriu'd of sight For thy sad teares the while to pitty thee Equall your griefes your haps vnequall be Take thou his darknes and thy sorrow hide Or he thy light his griefe so well espied 184 Let that small drop out of thy iuicie ball Canded like gum vpon the moist'ned thrid There still be fixed that it neuer fall But as a signe hang on thine eyes staind lid A witnes there what inward griefe is hid Like burning glasses sired by the Sonne Light all mens eyes to see what there is done 185 Now like to conduits draw my body drie By which is made the entrance to my blood Streame-gushing sluces plac'd in eyther eye VVhich shalbe fed by this continuall flood Whirlpooles of tears where pleasures citty stood Deuouring gulfes within a vastie land Or like the dead Sea euer hatefull stand 186 Where stood the watch-towers of my cheerful face Like Vestall Lamps lighted with holy flame Is now a dungeon and a lothed place The dark some prison of my hatefull shame That they themselues doe most abhor the same Through whose foule grates griefe full of miserie Still begging vengeance ceaseth not to crie 187 VVith dire-full seales death hath shut vp the dores VVhere he hath taken vp his dreadfull Inne In bloody letters shewing those fell sores That now doe raigne wherioy mirth haue beene This mortal plague the iust scourge of their sinne From whose contagion comfort quite is fled And they themselues in their selues buried 188 Poore
blind or wink and will not see Or doe you sport at my calamitie 87 O happy climat what so ere thou be Cheerd with those sunnes the fair'st that euer shon Which hast those Starrs which guide my destenie The brightest Lamps in all the Horizon O happy eyes that see what most I lack The pride and beautie of the Zodiack 88 O blessed Fountaine source of all delight O sacred spark that kindlest Vertues fier The perfect obiect of the purest sight The superficies of true loues desire The very tuchstone of all sweet conceite On whom all graces euer-more awaite 89 Thus whilst his youth in all these storms was tost And whilst his ioyes lay speechlesse in a trance His sweet content with such vnkindnes crost And lowring Fortune seem'd to looke a skance Too weake to swim against the streamfull time Fore-told their fall w c now sought most to clime 90 Camelion-like the world thus turnes her hue And like to Proteus puts on sundry shapes One hastes to clime another doth ensue One falls another for promotion gapes Flockmell they swarme like flies about the brim Some drown whilst others w t great danger swim 91 And some on whom the Sunne shone passing faire Yet of their Sommer nothing seeme to vaunt They sawe their fall presaged by the ayre If once this Planet were predominant Thus in their gate they flew with wings of feare And still with care doe purchase honor deare 92 Thus restlesse Time that neuer turnes againe VVhose winged secte are slyding with the Sunne Brings Fortune in to act another Scene By whom the Plot already is begunne The argument of this black tragedie Is vertues fall to raise vp infamie 93 The brute is blowne the King doth now pretend A long-look'd voyage to the Holy-land For which his Subiects mighty sums doe lend And whilst the thing is hotly thus in hand Blind Fortune turnes about her fickle wheele And breaks y e prop which maks y e building reele 94 I feare to speake yet speake I must perforce My words be turn'd to teares euen as I write Mine eyes doe yet behold his dying course And on his Hearse me thinks I still indite My paper is hard sable Ebon wood My pen of Iron and my Inke is blood 95 Loe here the time drew on of Edwards death Loe here the dolefull period of his yeares O now he yeeldeth vp that sacred breath For whom the Heauens do shower down floods of teares For whom the Sun euen mourning hides his face For whom the earth was all too vile and base 96 May I report his dolefull obsequie VVhen as my Ghost doth tremble at his name Faine would I vvrite but as I vvrite I die My ioynts apald vvith feare my hand is lame I leaue it to some sacred Muse to tell Vpon whose life a Poets pen might dwell 97 No sooner was his body vvrapt in lead And that his mournfull Funerals vvere done But that the Crowne vvas set on Edwards head Sing I-o now my Ghost the storme is gone The wind blows right loe yonder breaks my day Caroll my Muse and now sing care away 98 Carnaruan now calls home vvithin a vvhile Whom vvorthy Long-shanks hated to the death Whom Edward swore should dye in his exile He vvas as deere to Edward as his breath This Edward lou'd that Edward loued not Kings wils perform'd dead mens words forgot 99 Now waft me wind vnto the blessed Ile Rock me my ioyes loue sing me with delight Now sleepe my thoughts cease sorrow for a while Now end my care come day farwell my night Sweet sences now act euery one his part Loe here the balme that hath recur'd my hart 100 Loe now my Ioue in his ascendant is In the Aestiuall solstice of his glorie Now all the Stars prognosticate my blis And in the Heauen all eyes may read my storie My Comet now worlds wonder thus appeares Foretelling troubles of ensuing yeares 101 Now am I mounted with Fames golden wings And in the tropick of my fortunes height My flood maintayned with a thousand springs Now on my back supporting Atlas weight All tongues and pens attending on my prayse Surnamed now the wonder of our dayes 102 VVho euer sawe the kindest Romaine dame VVith extreame ioy yeeld vp her latest breath VVhen from the wars her Sonne triumphing came And stately Rome had mourned for his death Her passion here might haue exprest a right VVhen once I came into the Princes sight 103 VVho euer had his Lady in his arms Which hath of loue but felt the miserie Touching the fire that all his sences warms Now clips with ioy her blushing Iuorie Feeling his soule in such delights to melt Ther's none but he can tell the ioyes we felt 104 Like as when Phoebus darting forth his rayes Glydeth along the swelling Ocean streams And whilst one billow with another playes Reflecteth back his bright translucent beams Such was the conflict then betwixt our eyes Sending forth looks as tears doe fall and rise 105 It seem'd the ayre deuisd to please my sight The whistling wind makes musick to my tale All things on earth doe feast me with delight The world to me sets all her wealth to sale VVho now rules all in Court but I alone VVho highly grac'd but onely Gaueston 106 Now like to Mydas all I touch is gold The clowds doe showre downe gold into my lap If I but winck the mightiest are controld Plac'd on the turret of my highest hap My Cofers now euen like to Oceans are To whom all floods by course doe still repare 107 With bountie now he franckly seales his loue And to my hands yeelds vp the Ile of Man By such a gift his kingly mind to proue Thys was the earnest where-with he began Then Wallingford Queene Elnors stately bower With many a towne and many a goodly tower 108 And all those summs his Father had prepard By way of taxes for the Holy-land He gaue me franckly as my due reward In bountie thus it seem'd he pleasd his hand Which made the world to wonder euery howre To see me drowned in this golden showre 109 Determin'd now to hoyse my saile amaine The Earle of Cornwall he created me Of England then the Lord high Chamberlaine Cheese Secretarie to his Maiestie VVhat I deuisd his treasure euer wrought His bountie still so answered to my thought 110 Yet more to spice my ioyes with sweet delight bound by his loue apprentice to my pleasure VVhose eyes still leueld how to please my sight VVhose kindnes euer so exceeded measure Deuisd to quench my thirst with such a drink As from my quill drops Nectar to my inck 111 O sacred Bountie mother of Content Prop of renowne the nourisher of Arts The Crowne of hope the roote of good euent The trump of Fame the ioy of noble harts Grace of the heauens diuinitie in nature Whose excellence doth so adorne the creature 112 Hee giues his Neece is marriage vnto me Of royall blood for beautie