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
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
blamefulnes of the persons passion in those poynts wherin the passion is blamefull Lastly such manifest diffrence being betwixt euery one of them where or howsoeuer they be marshalled how can I be iustly appeached of vnaduisement For the third because the worke might in trueth be iudged brainish if nothing but amorous humor were handled therein I haue enter-wouen matters historicall which vnexplaned might defraude the minde of much content as for example in Queene Margarites Epistle to William de la Poole My Daizie flower which once perfumde the aire Margarite in French signifies a Daizie which for the allusion to her name this Queene did giue for her deuise and this as others more haue seemed to me not worthy the explaning Now though no doubt I hadde neede to excuse other things beside yet these most especially the rest I ouerpasse to eschue tedious recitall or to speake as malicious enuy may for that in trueth I ouersee them If they be as harmelesly taken as I meant them it shall suffice to haue only touched the cause of the title of the Dedications and of the Notes whereby emboldned to publish the residue these not being accounted in mens opinions relishlesse I shall not lastly be afraide to beleeue and acknowledge thee a gentle Reader M. D. To M. Michaell Drayton HOw can he write that broken hath his penne Hath rent his paper throwne his incke away Detests the world and company of men Because they growe more hatefull day by day Yet with these broken reliques mated mind And what a iustly-grieued thought can say I giue the world to know I ne're could find A worke more like to liue a longer day Goe Verse an object for the prowdest eye Disdaine those which disdaine to reade thee ouer Tell them they know not how they should descry The secret passions of a wirty louer For they are such as none but those shall know Whom Beauty schooles to hold the blind Boies bow Once I had vowd O who can all vowes keep Henceforth to smother my vnlucky Muse Yet for thy sake she started out of sleepe Yet now she dies Then doe as kinsfolkes vse Close vp the eyes of my new-dying stile As I haue op'ned thy sweeet babes ere-while E. St. Gent. Duris decus omen To M. Michaell Drayton LOng haue I wisht and hopde my weaker Muse In nothing strong but my vnhappy loue Would giue me leaue my fortune to approue And view the world as named Poets vse But still her fruitlesse bosome doth refuse To blesse me with indifferencie of praise Not daring like to many to abuse That title which true worth should onely raise Thus bankerout and despairing of mine owne I set my wish and hope kind friend on thee Whose fruite approu'd and better fortune knowne Tells me thy Muse my loues sole heire must be So barren wombs embrace their neighbors yong So dumbe men speake by them that haue a tong Thomas Hassall Gent. To M. Michaell Drayton NOw I perceiue Pithagoras diuinde When he that mocked Maxim did maintaine That spirits once spoilde reuested were againe Though changde in shape remaining one in mind These loue sicke Princes passionate estates Who feeling reades he cannot but allow That Ouids soule reuines in Drayton now Still learnd in loue still rich in rare conceits This pregnant spirit affecting further skill Oft altring forme from vulgar wits retirde In diuers Ideoms mightily admirde Did prosecute that sacred study still While to a full perfection now attainde He sings so sweetly that himselfe is stainde William Alexander-Scotus ¶ To the excellent Lady Lucie Countesse of Bedford MAdam after all the admired wittes of this excellent age which haue labored in the sad complaints of faire and unfortunate Rosamond and by the excellencie of inuention haue sounded the depth of her sundry passions I present to your Ladiship this Epistle of hers to King Henry whome I may rather call her louer than beloued Heere must your Ladiship behold variablenes in resolution woes constantly grounded laments abruptly broken off much confidence no certainty words begetting teares teares confounding matter large complaintâ— in little papers and many deformed cares in one vniformed Epistle I striue not to effect singularitie yet would faine flie imitation prostrate mine owne wants to other mens perfections Your iudiciall eye must model forth what my pen hath layd together much would shee say to a King much would I say to a Countesse but that the method of my Epistle must conclude the modestie of hers which I wish may recommend my euer vowed seruice to your Honour Michaell Drayton The Epistle of Rosamond to King Henry the second The Argument Henry the second of that name King of England the son of Geffrey Plantaginet Earle of Anlow and Mawd the Empresse hauing by long sute and Princely gifts won to his vnlawfull desire faire Rosamond the daughter of the Lord Walter Clyfford and to auoyde the danger of Ellinor his iealous Queene had caused a Labyrinth to be made within his Pallace at Woodstocke in the centre wherof he had lodged his beauteous paramour Whilest the king is absent in his warres in Normandie this poore distressed Lady inclosed in this solitary place toucht with remorce of conscience writes to the king of her distresse and miserable estate vrging him by all meanes and perswasions to cleere himselfe of this infamie and her of the griefe of minde by taking away her wretched life IF yet thine eies great Henry may endure These tainted lines drawne with a hand impure Which fain would blush but feare keeps blushes back And therefore suted in dispairing black This in loues name O that these lips might craue But that sweete name vile I prophaned haue Punish my fault or pittie mine estate Reade 〈◊〉 for loue if not for loue for hate If with my shame thine eies thou faine wouldst feed Heere let them suâ—feit on my shame to reede This scribled paper which 〈◊〉 send to thee If noted rightly doth resemble mee As this pure ground whereon thâ—se letters stand So pure was I erâ—stained by thy hand Ere I was blotted with this foule offence So cleere and spotlesse was mine innocence Now like these marks which taint this hatefull scroule Such the blacke sinnes which spot my lâ—prous soule O Henry why by losse thus shouldst thou win To get by conquest to enrich with sinne Why on my name this slaunder doost thou bring To make my fault renowmed by a King Fame neuer stoopes to things but meane and poore The more our greatnes makes our fault the more Lights on the ground themselues doe lessâ—n farre But in the ayre each small sparke seemes a starre Why on a womans frailtie wouldst thou lay This subtile plot mine honour to betray Or thy vnlawfull pleasure shouldst thou buy With vile expence of kingly maiesâ—ie T' was not my minde consented to this ill Then had I beene transported by my will For what my body was inforcde to doe Heauen knowes my soule did not consent
thou wert heere banished with me Humfrey adue farewell true noble Lord My wish is all thy Elnor can afford ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie I sought that dreadfull Sorceresse of Eye ELinor Cobham was accused by some that sought to withstand and mistiked her marriage with Duke Humsrey that she practised to giue him Philters and such poisoning potions to make him loue her as she was slandered by Cardinall Beuford to haue liued as the Dukes Lemman against the which Cardinall she exclaimeth in this Epistle in the verse before Though enuious Beuford slandered me before Noting the extreame hate he euer bore her Nor Elnor brought thee forraine Armies in To fetch her backe as did thy Iacomin This was the chiefe and onely thing that euer tutched the reputation of this good Duke that dotingly he married Iacomin or as some call her Iaquet daughter and heire to William Bauier Duke of Holland married before and lawfull wife to Iohn Duke of Brabant then liuing which after as it is shewed in this verse following Brabant nor Burgoyne claimed me by force Nâ—rsu'd to Rome to hasten my deuorce Caused great warres by reason that the Duke of Burgoyne tooke part with Brabant against the Duke of Glocester which being arbitrated by the Pope the Lady was adiudged to be deliuered backe to her former husband Nor Bedfords spouse your noble sister Anne That Princely issued braue Burgonian Iohn Duke of Bedfort that scourge of France and the glory of the Englishmen married Anne sister to the Duke of Burgundie a vertuous and beautifull Lady by which marriage as also by his victories attained in France he brought great strength to the English Nation Where 's Greenewich now thy Elnors Court of latâ— That faire and goodly pallace of Greenewich was first builded by that famous Duke whose rich and pleasant situation might remaine an assured monument of his wisedome if there were no other memory of the same They say the Druidesonce liued in this I le It would seeme that there were two Ilands both of them called Mona though now distinguished the one by the name of Man the other by the name of Anglesey both which were full of many infernall ceremonies as may appeare by Agricolaes voyage made into the hithermost Man described by his sonne in law Cornelius Tacitus And as superstition the daughter of barbarisme and ignorance so amongst those Northerly nations like as in America Magicke was most esteemed Druidae were the publicke ministers of their religion as throghly taught in all rites thereof their doctrine concerned the immortalitie of the soule the contempt of death and all other points which may conduce to resolution fortitude and magnanimitie their aboad was in groues and woods whereupon they haue their name their power extended it selfe to maister the soules of men deceased and to conferre with ghosts and other spirits about the successe of things Plutarch in his profound and learned discourse of the defect of Oracles reporteth that the outmost Brittish Iles were the prison of I wot not what Demi-gods but it shall not neede to speake any farther of the Drueda then that which Lucas doth Et 〈◊〉 barbaricus ritus moremque sinestrum Sacrorum Druidae positis repetistis ab armis Did not the heauens her comming in withstand Noting the prodigious and fearefull signes that were seene in England a little before her comming in which Elinor expresseth in this Epistle as fore-shewing the dangers which should ense vpon this vnlucky marriage The hallowing of the magique instruments The instruments which Bullenbrooke vsed in his coniurations according to the diuellish ceremonies and customes of these vnlawfull Artes were dedicated at a Masse in the Lodge in Harâ—sey Parke by Southwell Priest of Westminster Hauing procurde by hopes of golden gaine This was one of the Articles that Duke Humfrey vrgde against the Cardinall Beuford that conspired the death of Henry the fift by conuaying a villaine into his chamber which in the night should haue murthered him but what ground of trueth hee had for the same I leaue to dispute ¶ Duke Humfrey to Elinor Cobham ME thinks thou shuldst not doubt I could forget Her whom so many do remember yet No no our ioyes away like shadowes slide But sorrowes firme in memory abide Nay I durst answere thou doost nothing lesse But moou'd with passion vrgde by thy distresse No Elnor no thy woes thy griefe thy wrong Haue in my breast beene resident too long Oh when report in euery place had spred My Elnor was to sanctuarie fled With cursed Ouley and the witch of Eye As guiltie of their vile conspiracie The dreadfull spirits when they did inuocate For the succession and the realmes estate When Henries Image they in waxe had wrought By which he should vnto his death be brought That as his picture did consume away His person so by sicknes should decay Griefe that before could ne're my thoughts controule That instant tooke possession of my soule Ah would to God I could forget thine ill As for mine owne let that instruct me still But that before hath taken too sure hold Forget it said I would to God I could Of any woe if thou hast but one part I haue the whole remaining in my hart I haue no neede of others cares to borrow For all I haue is nothing else but sorrow No my sweete Nell thou tookst not all away Though thou wentst hence here stil thy woes do stay Though from thy husband thou wert forcde to go Those still remaine they will not leaue me so No eie bewailes my ill moanes my distresse Our griefe is more but yet our debt is lesse we owe no teares no mourning dayes are kept For those that yet for vs haue neuer wept we hold no obijts no sad exequies Vpon the death-daies of vnweeping eies Alas good Nell what should thy patience moue T' vpbraid thy kind Lord with a forraine loue Thou mightst haue bid all former ills adue Forgot the olde we haue such store of new Did I omit thy loue to entertaine with mutuall griefe to answere griefe againe Or thinkst thou I vnkindly did forbeare To bandie woe for woe and teare for teare Did I omit or carelesly neglect Those shewes of loue that Ladies so respect In mournefull blacke was I not seene to goe By outward shewes to tell my inward woe Nor drâ—rie words were wasted in lament Nor cloudy brow bewraid my discontent Is this the cause if this be it know then One griefe concealde more grieuous is than ten If in my breast those sorrowes sometimes were And neuer vtterd still they must be there And if thou knowst they many were before By time increasing they must needes be more England to me can challenge nothing lent Let her cast vp what is receiu'd what spent If I her owne can she from blame be free If she but proue a stepdame vnto mee That if I should with that prowd bastard striue To pleade my birth-right and prerogatiue If birth