1.That subtill serpent, seruile flatterie,Seldome infects the meaner man, that fearesNo change of state through fortune’s treacherie:She spits her poison at the mightiest peeres,And with her charmes inchants the prince’s eares:In sweetest wood the worme doth soonest breed,The caterpiller on best buds doth feed.2.If slie dissimulation credit winneWith any prince, that sits on highest throne,With honied poyson of soure sugred sinne,It causeth him turne tyrant to his owne,And to his state workes swift confusion,Aboue his cedar’s top it high doth shoot,And canker-like deuoures it to the root.3.Of which that thou a perfect Mirrour haue,The wronged ghost of that deposed king,Carnaruan’sEdward, hath forgone his graue,Who does with him such dolefull tidings bring,That yet thy muse the like did neuer sing:Those sad mishaps which she before did show,Compar’d to mine are counterfeits of woe.4.To strengthen her complaint before she sing,And drowne her grieued thoughts in depth of woe:(Yee murdred ghosts, that vnder night’s black wing,In vncouth paths doe wander to and fro,And oft in sighfull groanes your griefe do show)Haste vnto vs, and hauing heard our wrong,Help with your shrieks to make a mourneful song.5.The quill of some sad turtle’s wing applieThat mourn’d so long, till griefe did strike her dead:Blood be thy incke, which when it waxeth drie,Moisten with teares: and when all thine are shed,From euery eye, that haps these lines to reade,Let euery verse compos’d, such sad sound beare,That for each word it may enforce a teare.6.(Sorrow, distresse, and all that can be foundWhich once did helpe me waile my woefull smart,When fatallBerckly’sbuildings did resoundThe echoing complaints of my poore hart)Grant your accesse, and helpe to beare a part,That our sad muse more ruthfully may sing,The storie of a dead deposed king.7.I tell of honie-soothing parasites,Of stubborne peeres, who louing sterne debate,Did boldly braue me in two bloodie fights,Of a proud prelate’s plots, of people’s hate,Of the sad ruine of a royall state:And of a queene betrai’d to fond desireWho too too cruell did my death conspire.8.To the firstEdward, since the Norman’s nameGrew famous for their crown’d grac’d victorie,The fourth of six of his faire sonnes I am,Mongst whom I was ordain’d by destinie,To sway the scepter of this emperie:Before my kingly father left to liue,The first three borne to death his due did giue.9.I did suruiue, the yongest of the foure,And did succeed my sire in royall chaire:But did not treade the path which he beforeHad with his vertuous foot-steps beaten faire:Birth binds not vertue to succeed in th’heire,Else why did I of such illustrate race,Obscure his vertuous deeds with my disgrace?10.Had I but tract the steps of such a sireTo perfect that great worke, which he begun,Had princely thoughts but mounted my desireT’assay like glorious deeds, which he had done,O what a prize of honor had I wonne!But discord sent from hell did ruine bring,Euen at that time, that I was crown’d a king.11.As th’holy priest with sanctified handThe precious vnguent on my head should powre,And as before the altar I did stand,Discord the furie sent from that blacke shoreBy damnedDiswherePhlegetondoth rore,Shapt like th’appointed priest whose hallowed handShould me annoint, by me vnknowne did stand.12.Approching nigh, the venome she did shedOf sadCocytuspoole, which she did bringIn her blacke viall, on my haplesse head,Whose banefull sauour borne on furie’s wing,Did not alone infect th’anointed king:But round diffus’d, as sent from peere to peere,Did poyson those high bloods that present were.13.The ranke contagion of this foule diseaseWith rauing looke the mightiest in the state,Whose desperate rage with remedie t’appease,Warre rouz’d himselfe at home, who had of lateSlept in the bosome of pernicious hate:And did incite them in pretence of good,With their owne swords to let their bodies blood.14.O most remorselesse of that impious age,That did not only then deny your aideTo your deare countrie, when with barbarous rageThe bordering foes her bosome did inuade,And in her wombe such ghastly wounds had made,But as a nation borne of viper’s brood,O shame to tell, did daily sucke her blood.15.Great queene of sea-siedg’d iles, what canst thou showOf that good hap, whenEdwardthy late kingDid safely bulwarke thee against thy foe?ThyEdwardnow doth with his minions sing,While thou thy hands in wretchednesse dost wring:AndBrewsedoth mangle thee with many a scarre,While thy proud peeres prepare for ciuill warre.16.In our discourse, that we a method haueOf euery action, let vs briefely tellIn his due place, which time and order gaue:And that we may first know those causes well,From whence these sad effects produc’d befell,In the respectiue scope of this our storie,Let vs looke backe toEdward’sdaies of glorie.17.In the fresh blossome of my youthfull spring,Sucking the sugered poison of delight,Euen then when with strict hand the carefull kingKept backe my youth, I on the baites did biteOfGauestonthat soothing parasite:A yong esquire of Gascoyne in faire feature,Shapt like an angell: but of euill nature.18.My royall father, who with iudgement’s eieCould sound the depth of things, perceiuing wellHow follie did by him her charmes applie,T’inchant my youth: such mischiefe to repell,Did him exile, lest by the powerfull spellOf his allurements drawne from all renowne,I should be made vnworthie of a crowne.19.O prudent prince! the depth of that decreeWhich heau’n did purpose by myGaueston,Too secret was for humane sense to see,Who did ordaine, that exil’d minionTo ruineEdwardand thy royall throne:For though an exile he did then depart,Yet with him went thy wantonEdward’sheart.20.Too late it was that obiect to remoue,To whom in fancie’s cup I long beforeHad quaff’d so deepe, that surfetting with loue,Heart-sicke I was till time did him restore,And set him once againe on England’s shore:Forgetfull of my faith toEdwarddead,Not to reuoke, whom he had banished.21.His bones were yet scarce cold, his royall throneScarce warme beneath me was, when in the sameI did embrace my deare, lou’dGaueston,Who as infected with contagious shameOf some corrupted place, from whence he came,Throughout the land in little space did spread,That foule disease which our destruction bread.22.In court the leprous spots of his delightsVnto the palace wals so fast do cleaue,That from my presence all the noblest wightsWithdraw themselues, and in their roomes do leaueThose vp-starts base, who them of grace bereaue:No man is held to be the king’s true friend,But he that doth hisGauestoncommend.23.His lips were made the oracles, from whenceI tooke aduice, he in the counsell sits,Graue states as enemies are banisht thence,The shallow-brain’d yong giddie-headed wits,Our wanton humour with best counsell fits,The sage instructions of the wise man’s mouth,Do sound harsh musike in the eares of youth.24.This was the spring, from whence at first did floeThose streames of strife, which rising like a floodDo ouerwhelme my state in waues of woe,Which threat confusion to the common good,Which first in death do coole my barons blood:And which yet swelling higher, lastly bringA violent downefall to a royall king.25.MyGaueston, in maiestie’s great armesBeing safely hug’d, no change of fortune feares:He wantons with the king, soothes his owne harmes,He playes the buffon’s part, he flouts and ieersThe courtly actions of the honor’d peeres:The great in counsell and the noble borne,Are made the subiect of his hatefull scorne.26.Sterne wrath to let loose rage, steps vp from hell,Conducts my peeres from court vnto the campe,She claps her hands and with a countnance fell,Gnashing her teeth doth fiercely raue and rampe,And with her feet vpon the ground doth stampe:Then whets them to reuenge in their rash mood,Whose furious thirst must be allaid with blood.27.Twice was my minion as an exile sentTo forren shores, their furie to restraine,And twice againe reuokte with their assent,Who now no longer able to refraine,Prouokte with daily wrongs of his disdaine,He being betrai’d, for vengeance all do call,On Gauer’s heath, whereGauestondid fall.28.They wreake their vengeance in his reeking blood,My sighes they laugh to scorne, while I lament,With faire pretence to further common goodThey vnderpop their cause, and to preuentThe mischiefe, that may grow from discontent,To tracke me step by step in euery thing,Whom they do please, they place about their king.29.Feeding on griefe forGauestondeceast,And blushing at such wrong done to my state,Reuenge doth burne in my distempred brest,Anger takes hands with griefe, all ioyne with hate,And to the peeres threaten pernicious fate,Who, lest time weaken rage then too too strong,Do giue it strength by adding daily wrong.30.In this dissension, while on euery hand,We for our owne destruction do prepare,Newes from the north giues vs to vnderstand,How valiantBrewsein his successefull warreAgainst our powers doth prosperously fare,Recouering that from vs againe, with more,Which our dread sire had kept from him before.31.Beyond the bounds of his owne natiue soile,He proudly breakes vpon our bordering coast,None seekes t’oppose, he makes no faint recoile:The spoile and riches of whole countries lostCan hardly bound the furie of his host,Neuer did bordering foe inuade so far,Or wound our kingdome with a greater scar.32.Tempestuous tidings borne on Boreas breathCooles the hot vengeance of a wrathfull king,And for a while delaies prepared deathFor his proud peeres, feare from the north on wingComes flying fast, and 'bout our eares doth ring,Bidding vs haste, and powre our vengeance forthVpon our foes, that brau’d vs in the north.33.Mustering vp troopes of foot-men for the field,To passe in person for this great affaire,My hopes on number I do vainly build:Our thoughts made aduerse by the former iar,Prepare vs mischiefe in the following war:Disioyn’d in heart, yet ioyn’d in ranke we goe,To giue a famous conquest to the foe.34.StoutBrewserenownes his sword withEdward’sflight,Striuiling, whose siege our rescue crau’d, can tellEngland’s misfortune in that haplesse fight:And Banokesborne, who 'boue her bounds did swellWith bodies dead, that in that battell fell,Aboue the bordering brookes hath won a nameFam’d for this field thus fought vpon the same.35.O noble nation, t’whom true fame hath giuenA glorious name for deeds accomplished,Equall with any people’s vnder heau’n,Be not dismai’d, ’twas I, ’twas I, that ledTo such mishap, on whose vnhappie headHeau’n neuer smil’d, but with sterne lookes still frown’dTill wearied with mishaps, I was vncrown’d.36.O had I perisht by the sword ofBrewse,And had not been reseru’d to future daies,To see my peeres with treason take a truce,And with their swords by all uniust assaies,Attempt to hew downe him, whom heau’n did raise:I had been blest, and had not liu’d to rueThe woes yet worse, which after did ensue.37.Th’inueterate wounds of wrong infixt so deepe,Against my barons in my swolne heart,With drops of blood now made afresh to weepe,That I fromBrewseshould thus with shame depart,Did so augment my mind’s impatient smart,That by my peeres mine ire now new stirr’d vp,I with their blood quencht inBellonae’scup.38.What they do plot is by my powre controul’d,What I intend, vnreuerently they crosse:What they do wish, I will not: what I would,They do gain-say, though to a publike losse:Thus vpon mischiefe’s racket do we tosseThe common good, till bandied by vs allInto confusion’s hazard it do fall.39.Both heau’n and earth, as if in mourning clad,They did bewaile, what they could not preuent,When on our selues, our selues no pittie had,Denide those comforts in due season sent,Which to this nation they before had lent:As with their anger they would vs recallFrom running headlong, where we needs must fall.40.Towards th’Articke side of heau’n ore Albion’s rocks,A blazing meteor stood in th’vpper aire,Which with grim looke shaking his dreadfull locks,Bids earth be barren, and the world despaire:Then cals the furies with the snakie haire,To execute that vengeance to succeed,Which fates for wretched England had decreed.41.Famine, forerunner to deuouring death,Haunts euery coast, where food is to be found,The fruits are blasted by her banefull breath,She makes the clouds to drop, till that be drown’d,Which plentie’s hand had hidden in the ground:Then doth she ransacke both the rich and poore,Deuouring all, till she can find no more.42.If euer pitie moue a stonie eie,Let her present our age for map of woe,There see for food, how little infants crie,Whom, parents wanting, what they would bestow,With griefe are either forced to forgo,Or else with weeping woe to sit them by,Till faint for food before their face they die.43.The spouse, that wants to feed her fruitfull wombe,Burying the babe, that neuer came from graue,Cries, in her deare’s deare armes, for death to come,Who mad with sorrow and in hope to haueThat left of death, which loue desires to saue:A horrid thing to tell, to saue his owne,Steales other’s children for to feed vpon.44.When leane-fac’d famine, who with furious thirstCoasting the countrie, through the land had run,Began to breath as hauing done their worst,That other furie pastilence begunTo finish that, which they had left vndone,Who 'boue our heads in the infected aire,Her poysned shafts for battaile did prepare.45.Her angrie arrowes euery way do flie,Thousands on either hand in death do fall:But happie they in blessed peace to die,Not left with vs to liue, when death did call,To see blood-thirstie warre the worst of all:That vniuersall flood of woes powre downeIn seas of blood, this wretched land to drowne.46.In midst of these extreames with griefe cast downe,The measure of our miserie to fill,My stubborne peers take armes, and proudly frowne,Threatning in rage that little left to spill,If basely I submit not to their will:And exile those, whom they themselues did placeIn stead ofGauestont’attend our grace.47.He that in bosome of a prince doth dwell,And by endeuour seekes to gaine his grace,Though for his seruice he deserue it well:Yet as the deere pursu’d from place to place,The enuious dog will haue him still in chase:Danger in chiefest safetie it doth bring,To seeme to be familiar with a king.48.Spenser, the man, on whom at first I frown’d,Whom they preferr’d, myGauestonbeing dead,Was he, whom they pretend to be the groundOf all their griefe, gainst him they now made head,He was of vs too highly fauoured:Him must we banish, so they thinke it fit,If on our throne in safetie we will sit.49.William de Brewsein sellingGower’slandTo yongerSpenserfrom the other peeres,Who would haue brought the same atBrewse’shand,First blew the coles, whence now that flame appeares,Which had been hid in anger many yeares:This is the cause of their conceiued ire,For this in armes gainst me they do conspire.50.DisloyallLancaster, that did conductThe rebels to the field, by letters sentWith termes vnfit his soueraigne will instruct,Assigning daies, within whose termament,I should reforme such things in gouernment,Which he mislikes, thus adding to that fire,Which did at length consume him in our ire.51.This fire yet burning in our royall brest,The queene doth with complaint her wrongs prefer,That in her progresse after long vnrest,Our late false steward lordBadelismere,Confederate with rebelliousLancaster,Vnkindly had deni’d in my despight,Her lodging in Leeds castle for a night.52.To make our furie in reuenge more strong,Letters from Scotland intercepted were,Which touch vs neerer then all former wrong,In number six: the one of which did beareThe armes ofDowglas, sent toLancaster,In which theDowglasto conceale his name,Vnto kingArthurdoth direct the same.53.Prouokt to vengeance for such treacherous spight,From London with our royall powres we past,Whose stomackes fill’d with furie for the fight,I vrged forward with the vtmost hast,To lay the manours and the lordships wastOf our proud barons, promising for prayAll that was theirs, that came within their way.54.Newes of th’vnnaturall deeds which they enactVpon the loyall people of our land,Hasten vs forward with such speed exact,That ere theMortimers, who both did bandThemselues withLancaster, did vnderstandOf our approch our royall armed traine,At Shrewsburie did front them on the plaine.55.Far from confederates amaz’d with wonder,At our approch, both daunted to beholdOur frownes of lightning, and our threats of thunder,Hang downe their heads, scarce daring be so boldAs looke on vs, their fainting hearts wax cold,And on their knees they fall, in hope to stayOur angrie doome, that threatned their decay.56.Yeelding to fate by force of destinie,Whose foreappointing prouidence hath powerIn euery thing t’enforce necessitie,We grant them life, reseruing in the towerThatMortimerat London for that hower,In which by destiny it was set downe,That that false lord should ruine my renowne.57.Marching more northward from the Cambrian coast,While vengefull breath the fire of furie fans,After such good successe to bring our hostTo Pomfret, which gainst vs our barons mans:At last we lite like flockes of snow-white swansFast by the weeping Eye, which runneth downeInto the Trent by little Caldwel’s towne.58.There first did Needwood’s echoing forrest tellThe stubborne barons of our whole intent,There first they seeke our forces to repell,When with their powers our passage to preuent,Intended ore the bosome of the Trent,They interrupt our purpose with proud braues,On Burton bridge ore fishie Trent’s blacke waues.59.The riuer’s watrie wombe did proudly swell,As if it had turn’d rebell with the foes,Or as if louing either armie well,It would preuent poore England of the woesWhich must ensue, if both parts came to bloes:Her waters rose beyond their wonted bounds,And for three daies deferr’d vnnaturall wounds.60.Aquarius with the foot-bands manly foughtGainst those, that on the bridge at Burton stood,While with our troopes vnseene we cast aboutVnder the couert of a leauie wood,Distant three miles from thence, where ore the floodTh’whole host did passe by shallowes lately found,To meete the barons vpon equall ground.61.The deadly drum doth tell the foes from farThe fatall march of their approching king:Who seeing their weaknesse to sustaine the warGainst such a powre, which with vs we do bring,They turne their backes, swift feare their feet doth wing:Yet stubborne men still to prouoke our ire,Before they flie, they set the towne on fire.62.Horrour pursues them euery way they flie,Repentance comes too late to calme our frowne,All former wrongs afresh for vengeance crie,They, that did whilome wish them all renowne,By aduerse fortune being thus cast downe,Lift vp their hands, yet lower to suppresse them,All friends turne foes in pursuite to distresse them.63.At Burrough bridge, in their vnluckie flight,Where for th’encounter death did readie stand,They were enforc’d in most vnequall fight,For loued life to vse defensiue handAgainst the stubborne bands of Cumberland:Led by stoutHerckley, who with bold assayOf his drawne sword began a bloodie day.64.In mutuall slaughter, both the hosts do stand,Earth trembling shakes beneath their trampling feet,The singing shafts thicke loos’d on euery hand,Flie to and fro, then hand to hand they meet,And wound for wound each doth the other greet,While ouer head the heau’n’s remorsefull stoodDropping downe teares to see their sides drop blood.65.ValiantBohume, Herford’s vndanted lord,That stood in fight by foes besieged round,His heart not female made to flie as skar’d,Neuer gaue backe, but brauely kept his ground,Till life gaue backe from that same deadly wound,Giu’n by a stout Welch Britaine, that did standBeneath the bridge with fatall speare in hand.66.This lucklesse chance so terrifi’d the foe,And gaue such strength vnto the northerne bands,That th’aduerse part their backes began to show,Clifford, though wounded with a shaft, yet standsWithLancasterin fight, till on all hands,Opprest with multitude, themselues they yeeld,To conqueringHerckleyvictour of the field.67.Thus hautieLancaster, that did not feareTo tempt his soueraigne’s peace with periur’d hate,Who in the morning was the mightiest peereThat ’gainst his prince did euer moue debate,By night was made the meanest in the state:In right or wrong, who euer lifts his handAgainst his prince, his cause doth seldome stand.68.Not he alone made forfeit of his head,Who in this proud rebellion led the ring,The fatall axe strooke many others dead,Hewing downe all, that had conspir’d to bringTheir powers for fight against their lawfull king:Twice eight great barons and as many knightsIn death paid paines for wrong t’our kingly rites.69.O age infortunate, when subiects prideDid force their soueraigne to such deeds of woe,That when all men had laid remorse aside,The sunne in heau’n his griefe in shame to showSix houres with blood-red cheeks on th’earth below,Did blush to see her soile drinke vp their blood,Who liuing oft in her defence had stood.70.Imprudent prince, since rage did lift thy handTo lop the pillers of thy kingdome downe,On whose supportfull powers thy state should stand:Looke for a ruthlesse ruine of thy crowne,Looke helplesse now in wretchednesse to drowne:The dance vnto destruction they haue led,And the same feeting I the king must tread.71.When th’hand of Ioue the mightie men shall takeFrom any state, for their rebellious pride,By such foresigne this vse we well may make,Some after-storme of vengeance will betideThat haplesse land, who euer it doth guide:The sad effusion of the noble blood,Portends confusion to the common good.72.With dolefull pen I could bewaile their woe,Whose wofull wants did after proue me weake:But far more horrid things we are to show,To those blacke deeds, of which we now must speake:They before spoken did that ice but breake,At which we falling in did helplesse drowne,Once fallen, all do helpe to keepe vs downe.73.NotHerkleye’streason plotted in that truce,Which for aduancement, most ambitious man,He did intend t’our aduersarieBrewce:Nor the new troubles, whichValoysbeganIn our dominions Guien and Aquitaine,Shall be the subiect of our sadder verse:Matter of more importance we rehearse.74.OIsabelmy queene, my vnkind queene,Thy shame must be the subiect of our song,Had not the weaknesse of thy faith been seene,When faithlesse thou wast led to do that wrongTo him that liu’d in loue with thee so long:That royall blood in Berklie castle spilt,Had now not stain’d our storie with thy guilt.75.The scene of lust foreruns the act of blood,Priapus doth his lustfull breath inspireInto the queene, the ocean’s wauie floodCannot extinguish fancie’s burning fire,Nor coole the scalding thirst of her desire:With heate of lust her inward heart doth gloe,T’imprisonedMortimermy mortall foe.76.Heere let not any take offensiue spleene,Or taxe these rimes, for that to light they bringTh’incontinence of our disloyall queene:Nor thy muse grieue this argument to sing,Which is confirmed by the wronged king:Foule is the fault, though nere so quaint the skill,That conceales truth to lessen any ill.77.Wigmore’sfalseMortimer, (whose fatall nameVniuocall to him of all his line:Whether from feare of death we fetch the same,Or of the dead seas sinke we it define,The deeds of death t’ensue doth well diuine)Reserued was by fate within the tower,With time to turne the glasse of my last houre.78.On him the queene by loose affection ledDid cast her fancie, burning in the flameOf priuie lust, which strong desier fed:And wanting her delight in wanton game,To coole her lust-burnt blood with dregs of shame,Did cast about how she might him release,That he might giue her loue-sicke passions ease.79.It is not bands, nor walles, nor thousands spiesThat can the woman’s wicked will preuent:Let loue intreate, set shame before her eies,Let plighted faith, first virgin vow’d consent,And the wombe’s fruit that giues loue most content,Perswade with her: yet can they neuer stayHer wanton will, if she will go astray.80.By sleepie potion of effectuall powerTo charme the sense, whether by her conuey’d,Or by himselfe deuised in the tower,Segrauethe constable was captiue made,With many more to senselesse sleepe betray’d:WhileMortimer, vnthought vpon, escapesAnd vnto France his prosperous iourney shapes.81.Thus far did fortune with my queene conspire,And after this good hap to giue full easeVnto the longing thirst of her desire,Tels her how France inuades beyond the seas,Which vp in armes she needs must go t’appease:When resolution hath prepar’d the will,It wants no helpes to further any ill.82.Through our neglect of homage to be made,Constrain’d thereto by our home-bred debate,Valoysher brother did our lands inuade,And through late wounds made in our mangled state,In armes vnable to withstand his hate:To treate with him of peace our queene we sent,In her vow’d faith being too too confident.83.O powre diuine, what mortall wight hath wingsTo soare the height of thy vnknowne decree?Reason, that hath such power in search of things,Proues then most blind, when most it seemes to see,In vainly arguing of what must bee:When reason bids no danger to suspect,Time hastens swift confusion in effect.84.The queene effecting that, for which she went,With these conditions reunites the peace,That to such couenants I should consent,Aniou and Aquitaine I should releaseVnto my sonne, my title should surcease:And he to France as in times past 't had bin,Should do his homage for his right therein.85.Pleas’d in this peace, my selfe, or my yong sonneInioyn’d in person to confirme these things,TheSpencersboth being into hatred run,Not daring be from vnder my safe wings,So absolute we thinke the power of kings,Perswade me heere to stay and send my sonne,In hope thereby, what they did feare, to shun.86.Thus all hands helping,IsabelagaineTo forward that which she on foot had set,I hauing past my title t’AquitaineVnto the prince my sonne, she sees no let,But that more easly she the rest may get:So large a share cut from vs by her skill,She hopes to haue the whole or want her will.87.Hauing obtain’d in France what we require,She call’d vpon to make returne with speed,Protracts the time, and feasting her desireSo long withMortimer, that she doth needExcuse to warrant her presumptuous deed:Giues flat deniall to her lord’s command,Not to returne except with force of hand.88.Many, that wau’ring wish’d a change in state,And more, that on reuenge so long had fedFor losse of friends, that fell in that debateBetwixt vs and our barons, daily fledVnto the queene, whose heart being stricken dead,As wanting strength to manage her affaire,They do reuiue with powre by their repaire.89.While in the French court, yet vnfrown’d vponByCharlesher brother king, she did abide,Our Exceter’s true bishopStapleton,Ioyn’d in commission with her to decideThe iar ’twixt vs and France, now seeing her prideBurst out in plaine reuolt, returning ouerThe seas from her, did all her drifts discouer.90.Thus their close treason bare and naked made,As blushing at their open shame descride,To cloake the cause of their intent t’inuade,They vow no more to brooke theSpencerspride,Nor shall the queene vniustly be denideThe presence of the king, they all will die,Or order things that stand in state awrie.91.KingCharlesher brother, while they thus deuise,Whether with our rich gifts or promise won,Or with respect to his owne royalties,Or that he would not be a looker on,While vnto maiestie such wrong was done:First wooes our queene for peace, whom wilfull bent,He exiles France to frustrate her intent.92.Who now would thinke that she should euer findA hopefull helpe her weaknesse to repaire?Bewitching beautie, O how dost thou blindThe eyes of man! thy soule is deemed faire,Thy euill good, thy vice a vertue rare:In thy distresse although thy cause be wrong,Thou mou’st remorse and mak’st thy partie strong.93.Those yonger bloods,ArthoisandBeaumont,Without respect vnto her cause’s right,Those certaine helpes to her do oft recountIn Heinault to be found, if she exciteThe earle thereof to pitie her sad plight:Which by a match pretended might be done,Betwixt his daughter and the prince our sonne.94.As they gaue counsell, so it came to passe,She t’Heinault goes withBeaumontfor her guide,And with kind welcome entertained was:Where whileHeinaultand she with ioy prouideTo make his daughter our yongEdward’sbride,To England lets turne backe, and see at homeHow we prepare against the storme to come.95.To stand vpon our guard against such harme,And backe our cause against inuading ill,All castles and strong holds with men we arme,The coasts are kept, beacons on euery hillAre set for spies: O had the ioynt good willOf subiects loue with me their soueraigne bin,Th’inuading foes had found hard entrance in.96.In vaine, O wretched king, thy hopes haue trustOn broken faithes of subiects daily fleeting:Thy lot is cast, from throne thou shalt be thrust,Thy foes shall of thy subiects at their meeting,In stead of blowes, be welcom’d with kind greeting:Thou only seek’st to keepe out th’vnkind queene,While heere at home worse dangers are vnseene.97.Whilst now my state begins for to decline,In whom, alas, should I my trust repose?My brotherKentthen resident in GuineFor some displeasure done to him by those'Bout vs at home, reuolts vnto our foes:O faithlesseKent, thou art the first shalt rue,That euer thou toEdwardwast vntrue.98.Treason transports, what traytors looke for heere,The queen’s stout championIohnofBeaumontcomesWith his proud troopes, three thousand men well neere,Promis’d rich pay in ransacke of our summes,Who now aboord with trumpets and with drummes,Vrg’d by the hastie queene to launch the deepeWith winde-wing’d sailes the seas soft bosome sweepe.99.O let the windes their forward course restraine,Wing not such mischiefe to our natiue shore,Let the proud billowes beate them backe againe:Or if they needs must come, let the seas rore,Hurle them on rockes that they may neuer moreBe seene in England in pretence of good,To bathe their hands inEdward’sroyall blood.100.Orwell thy hauen first did let them in,Harwich with bels did welcome in their fleet:No sooner did ourIsabelbeginTo presse the sandie shore with wanton feet,But our earle marshall with his powres did greetHer safe arriue, whose part, false peere, had binTo haue oppos’d her at her entrance in.101.The brother to that lord that lost his head,Leister’sgreat earle did now lift vp his hand,As in reuenge ofLancasterlate dead,T’whom many a peere linckt in rebellious bandOf grudges past, in the queene’s cause doth stand:And lest they grieue in conscience to betrayTheir lawfull king, the church leads them the way.102.Herford’s proud prelate,Torleton, who beforeConuicted was for treason gainst his king,When armes gainst vs our stubborne barons bore,Shrowded till now beneath the churche’s wing,Fled to the foes, and in his heart did bringThat horrid treason hatcht before in hell,Cause of all after mischiefe that befell.103.The newes of this new innouation made,And of the aliens lately set on land,With terrour doth my fainting heart inuade:All holds about vs readie open stand,To yeeld possession ere the foes demand:Whose first smal troope now made a mightie force,Into the land they take their forward course.104.London denies to lend her sou’raigne aid,To whom inforc’d at length to bid adew,As doubting there to foes to be betrai’d,With both theSpencersvnto Wales I flew,There by some powre my hopes yet to renue,Hoping amongst the Welch more faith to find,T’whom from my youth I had been euer kind.105.But thus forsaken, whither shal I run?Where shall I shadow me with safetie’s wing?Since that a wife, a brother, and a sonne,Pursues a husband, father and a king:Pitie, adew, my wrong shall neuer wringRemorse from others: Wales conspires my woe,And with false England turnes vnto my foe.106.Pursu’d on euery hand, and forc’d to flieMy natiue soile to shun death’s dangerous dart,My fortunes on the surging seas to trieIn a poore barke, from England we departTo th’ile of Lunday with an heauie heart,Whom from the maine land Seuerne doth diuide,In which we hope in safetie to abide.107.But eu’n that little good doth seas denie,With angrie looke the heau’ns behold the maine,Gust after gust the winged winds do flieVpon the waues, who puft with proud disdaine,Will vs deuoure or driue vs backe againe:As if too much they thought that little landFor him that late had kingdomes at command.108.Remorselesse waues haue we a kingdome lost,And yet our barke do ye denie to bringTo this small plot of ground two miles at most:O woe to tell that once so great a kingShould stoope his minde vnto so small a thing,Content to share the meanest part of many,And yet deni’d to be possest of any.109.Long did we wrestle with the waues and winde,But all in vaine we striue, for neuer moreShall friendlesseEdwardany comfort find:Our barke distrest, her tackle rent and tore,At length arriues vpon Glamorgan shore,WhereSpencer,Baldocke,Reding, markt for death,Go all with me t’a castle called Neath.110.With vaine suppose of safetie in that hold,While there in secret we our selues reposeTo the lordsZouchandLeisterwe are sold,Who by rich gifts often corrupting thoseThat our vnknowne abode could best disclose,With violent hands do sease their wished pray,And beare vs thence each one a seuerall way.111.Leister, thy king is now thy captiue made,Reuenge is in thy hand, where is thy spleene?Though vnto thee thy soueraigne was betrai’d:This be thy praise, thou wouldst not with our queeneInEdward’swrongs be any deeper seene:While in thy Killingworth thy king remaines,Nought doth he want that to a king pertaines.112.With a strong guard from starting there kept sure,Our friends meane time being seas’d on by the foe,BothSpencers,Reading,Daniel,Milcheldeure,In death do happily shut vp their woe,As pointing out the way that we must go:Baldockein prison by a milder fate,Struck dead with grief preuents their deadly hate.113.They, that vnto the king induc’d by reasonDid loyall proue, were traytors to the state:O impious age, when truth was counted treason,Heere nobleArundellI waile thy fate,Whose blood drunke vp byMortimer’ssterne hate,Did manifest the spleene, on which he fedAgainst his king, for whom thy blood was shed.114.Since they by death t’offence haue paid their due,Who late alone in your displeasure stood,Whom should your deadly hatred now pursue?If they were only foes to common good,That made you satisfaction with their blood:Why is your liege lord as a common foeReseru’d a captiue prince for worser woe?115.Bloodie reuenge your hatred cannot bound,So wilfully to greater mischiefe bent,The poore imprison’d king must be vncrown’d,At London by the states in parlament,It is decreed by mutuall consent:Edwardmust be depos’d from royall throne,Where he had sate now twice ten yeares and one.116.O righteous heau’ns, if ye haue powre t’opposeFraile man’s vnrighteous thoughts in euery thing:Then suffer not, ah suffer not my foesThus to go on, that are about to bringSuch wofull tidings to a wretched king:In thrall though I abide, this grace yet giue,That I at least a captiue king may liue.117.Strengthned by will, though not by force of lawes,To Killingworth th’appointed states are come,Where, as in censure of some weightie cause,Twentie and foure agreed vpon their doome,In order sit within a goodly roome,And thither do their king to iudgement call,Who should haue sate chiefe iudge aboue them all.118.From secret closet, though, alas, full loath,Forth am I brought in mourning weeds, that showHis griefe of mind, whose bodie they do cloath:And when I would conceale my inward woe,With head declining downe as I do go,The griefe I would not see, I see in teares,Which fallen from mine eies the pauement beares.119.In presence being come and silence made,Torleton, whose lookes did wound me with despaire,A man in tongue most powerfull to perswade,Stands vp, and as design’d for this affaire,Doth in few words effectually declareThe common people’s will, the peeres consentThat I thenceforth resigne my gouernment.120.O heere, what tongue can vnto vtterance bringThe inward griefe, which my poore heart did wound?So far it past all sense in sorrowing,Passion so powrefully doth sense confound,That in a swoune I falling on the ground,Faine would haue di’d, butLeisterstanding bySteps in, and doth that happinesse deny.121.Recall’d from death by those that stood about,When breath through grieued brest found passage free,In these sad words my woes I breathed out:“O powrefull God, since ’tis thy will that weeDo leaue our crowne, I grudge not thy decree:Thou art most iust in all, thou gau’st a crowne,But ah, mine owne misdeeds haue cast me downe.122.To you I yeeld what wrong doth wrest from me,Since with one voice ye say it must be so,And beg this mercie in my miserie:That since your hate hath brought me to this woe,It heere may end, no further let it goe:He whom once king your hate could not forgiue,Will be no king so he haue leaue to liue.”123.Heere teares did choake the end of my sad words,And while my state in silence I deplore,Trussellin name of all the English lordsRenouncing th’homage due to me before,Depriues me of the same for euermore:Leauing his liege that was of most command,The most deiected subiect of this land.124.Blunt, steward of our house in th’open hall,Protracts no time by any long delay,But breaking of his rod before them all,Resignes his office, all depart away,Many that would in loue, yet dare not stay:This was my fate, thus did false fortune frowne,Ah God, that euer king was so cast downe!125.Yet fortune hath not spent her vtmost hate,With patience we must arme our selues more strong,Scarce will fraile eares belieue what we relate,When now thy muse shall tune her mournefull song,To sadder times that she may waile that wrong,To which with griefe for guide we now proceed,Whose woes wil make the hardiest heart to bleed.126.Our iealous queen, whom conscience doth torment,Fearing lestLeicesterso neare alli’d,In pitie of our state should now relent,TelsTorletonof her doubts what might betide,If in his keeping we do still abide,Who fearing vengeance for his owne offence,Giues her his counsell to remoue me thence.127.Leisterconstrained by expresse command,To the lordBerkleydoth his charge restore,Whence he conueies me with an armed bandVnto his castle seated neare the shore,Gainst which great Seuerne’s raging waues do rore:ButBerkley, thou withLeisterart too kind,Edwardwith thee doth too much fauour find.128.Oh gentleBerkly, whither wilt thou go?Why dost not stand by thy sad sou’raigne’s side?For pitie leaue him not vnto such woe,WhichGourneyandMatreuersdo prouide,Such woe did neuer any king betide:But with command they come, thou must depart,And leaue thy king, although with heauie heart.129.ToGourneyandMatreuersby decreeIn his owne castle he resignes his right:Who lest that any friend should priuie beeTo my abode, do beare me thence by nightVnto Corfe castle, whence with more despightThrough darknesse and blind waies in poore array,To Bristow castle they do me conuey.130.By night conuey’d thus rudely to and fro,Lest by my friends from them I rescu’d bee,At last since none, whom they do feare, do knowWhere I am now become, they do agreeTo Berkley backe againe to go with mee,Staying a time, till night with dewie dampeShould choake daie’s light and put out Phœbus lampe.131.Then do they set me on a beast foreworneIn stead of stately steed, whereon to ride,And for no crowne I had my head t’adorne,Bare I do sit, except the heau’n to hideMy woefull head all couering they denide,While sharp winds in my face the weather blowes,And with their nipping cold augments my woes.132.When out of east the day began to peepe,Who, as if she my ruefull case did mone,Vpon my head her dewie droppes did weepe,The right hand way they left, and iourn’ing on,Where Seuerne’s siluer waues doth play vponThe marish greene, they forced me to light,There to haue slaine my heart with sad despight133.In stead of royall chaire, they set me downeOn a mole-hill (was neuer king so vsde)AndGourney, wretched man, in stead of crowneWith wreath of grasse my royall browes abusde,Patience perforce it might not be refusde:Then while in wretched case my hands I wring,In scorne the villaines bid auaunt sir king.134.While thus I sit all carefull comfortlesse,With pitious lookes cast vp in wofull wise,Calling the heau’ns to witnesse my distresse,In stead of teares, the starres like weeping eiesDrop downe their exhalations from the skies:And Tithon’s bride new rising from her bed,Beholds their leaudnesse with a blushing red.135.Yet to my plaints no pitie they do yeeld:But bent to adde more griefe to my disgrace,In rustie murren with foule water fill’d,A villaine comes with hands vncleane and base,To shaue the heare both from my head and face:Who, when warme water I desire to haue,Replies, that cold will serue his turne to shaue.136.With eyes full burthned with a showre of teares,“Do ye,” quoth I, “now helpe me with your mightTo waile the sorrowes, which my sad soule beares,Open your floud-gates wide, and in their sightLet vs haue water warme in their despight:”This said, the teares did downe my cheekes distill,As if they stroue t’effect my wofull will.137.Hence in this plight to Berkley am I brought,Where bidding comfort euermore farewell:And feeding long on care and pensiue thought,At length I am shut vp in darksome cell,There to the senselesse walles my griefe to tell,Deni’d the comfort of heau’n’s common light,Bound while I liue to liue in endlesse night.138.My sterne tormentors moued with remorse,Wish death to end my miserable care:Yet nature will not violently forceWay to a lingring death, they do prepareBy cold, long watching, fast and euill fare:But, I euen made insensible in woes,Suffer with patience all they can impose.139.In hollow vault, through which the channell pastFrom forth the towne beneath my chamber flore,Dead carcasses and loathed things they cast,Whose grieuous stinch did grieue my senses moreThen all the griefe that I endur’d before:And forc’d me search the walles for open place,To some without to waile my woefull case.140.Vpon a time I through a crannie spi’dMen hewing timber on the greene fast by,To whom with drearie deadly voice I cri’d,“O who will helpe me wretch, that heere do lieIn torment worse then death, yet cannot die?If any there do mourne man’s wretched case,Helpe me, ah help me from this loathed place.”141.The poore men’s hearts are pierc’d with point of woe,And trembling horror doth their hearts appallFor ruth of wronged king cast downe so low,Vnable t’helpe me, vnto God they call,That he may yeeld reliefe to wofull thrall:Who giuing eare to mine and their request,At length in death doth giue my sorrowes rest.142.Mischiefe from those that guiltie of offenceDid wish my death in letters sent doth bringA darke enigma bearing double sense,Which is vnpointed left a doubtfull thing,Either to kill or not to kill the king,As in such tearmes “kingEdward’sblood to spillRefuse ye not to feare I count it ill.”143.The bloodie villaines construing the sameVnto that sense, for which it then was sent,Watch for the night, whose cloudie cloake of shameWith darknesse should conceale their damn’d intent,Day did abhor the thing 'bout which they went,And fled away, grim night on th’earth did frowne,And I in carefull bed had laid me downe.144.Where for musitian that with sweetest breath,Had wont to lull my watchfull sense asleepe:The ghastly owle, the fatall bird of death,That on my chamber walles her inne did keepeIn my poore trembling heart impressed deepeThe feare of death with her too deadly note,Which oft she shriked through her balefull throte.145.The murmuring noise of the rude waters roreWhich not far thence into the seas do fall,Where Seuerne’s billowes do beat vpon the shore,And bellowing winds which iustling gainst the wallLike death’s shrill whistlers at the cranies call,Through darknesse and deepe silence of the night,Our troubled heart with horror doth affright.146.On fearefull things long musing I do lie,At last with sleepe opprest, in slumber cast,Vpflew the doores and in the murderers flie,At which awakt, and suddenly agast,As from my naked bed I thought t’haue past,They with rude hands do hold me downe by force,While with vaine words I seeke to moue remorse.147.“Ye deadly instruments of other’s ill,Grant one request, which dying I do craue:Since ye be bent this royall blood to spill,Send me not hence with torture to the graue:’Tis life ye seeke, the only thing I haue:Which yet shall vade on wings of willing breath,Since better tis to die then liue in death.”148.By this they with maine strength do me compell,Strengthlesse for breath to yeeld to their intent:And then, O horrid, shamefull thing to tell,By force they thrust an hollow instrumentMuch like a trumpe into my fundament,By which they do preuent the mone I makeBy sudden death, as thus to them I spake.149.“Ah why, why thus torment ye me with smart?Leaue off to grieue:” not one word more I said,They had by this time thrust me to the hartWith steele red hot: to sleepe me downe I laid,And with the pray’rs which godly folke had made,When from the castle they did heare my cries,My soule on mercie’s wings did clime the skies.150.Thus hauing heard my lamentable fallProcur’d by stubborne peeres disloyaltie,And people’s wilfull hate, the spring of allFirst flowing from deceitfull flatterie,That deadly bane t’all princely royaltie:Amongst the rest in place with painfull penInsert it for a Mirrour vnto men.
1.That subtill serpent, seruile flatterie,Seldome infects the meaner man, that fearesNo change of state through fortune’s treacherie:She spits her poison at the mightiest peeres,And with her charmes inchants the prince’s eares:In sweetest wood the worme doth soonest breed,The caterpiller on best buds doth feed.2.If slie dissimulation credit winneWith any prince, that sits on highest throne,With honied poyson of soure sugred sinne,It causeth him turne tyrant to his owne,And to his state workes swift confusion,Aboue his cedar’s top it high doth shoot,And canker-like deuoures it to the root.3.Of which that thou a perfect Mirrour haue,The wronged ghost of that deposed king,Carnaruan’sEdward, hath forgone his graue,Who does with him such dolefull tidings bring,That yet thy muse the like did neuer sing:Those sad mishaps which she before did show,Compar’d to mine are counterfeits of woe.4.To strengthen her complaint before she sing,And drowne her grieued thoughts in depth of woe:(Yee murdred ghosts, that vnder night’s black wing,In vncouth paths doe wander to and fro,And oft in sighfull groanes your griefe do show)Haste vnto vs, and hauing heard our wrong,Help with your shrieks to make a mourneful song.5.The quill of some sad turtle’s wing applieThat mourn’d so long, till griefe did strike her dead:Blood be thy incke, which when it waxeth drie,Moisten with teares: and when all thine are shed,From euery eye, that haps these lines to reade,Let euery verse compos’d, such sad sound beare,That for each word it may enforce a teare.6.(Sorrow, distresse, and all that can be foundWhich once did helpe me waile my woefull smart,When fatallBerckly’sbuildings did resoundThe echoing complaints of my poore hart)Grant your accesse, and helpe to beare a part,That our sad muse more ruthfully may sing,The storie of a dead deposed king.7.I tell of honie-soothing parasites,Of stubborne peeres, who louing sterne debate,Did boldly braue me in two bloodie fights,Of a proud prelate’s plots, of people’s hate,Of the sad ruine of a royall state:And of a queene betrai’d to fond desireWho too too cruell did my death conspire.8.To the firstEdward, since the Norman’s nameGrew famous for their crown’d grac’d victorie,The fourth of six of his faire sonnes I am,Mongst whom I was ordain’d by destinie,To sway the scepter of this emperie:Before my kingly father left to liue,The first three borne to death his due did giue.9.I did suruiue, the yongest of the foure,And did succeed my sire in royall chaire:But did not treade the path which he beforeHad with his vertuous foot-steps beaten faire:Birth binds not vertue to succeed in th’heire,Else why did I of such illustrate race,Obscure his vertuous deeds with my disgrace?10.Had I but tract the steps of such a sireTo perfect that great worke, which he begun,Had princely thoughts but mounted my desireT’assay like glorious deeds, which he had done,O what a prize of honor had I wonne!But discord sent from hell did ruine bring,Euen at that time, that I was crown’d a king.11.As th’holy priest with sanctified handThe precious vnguent on my head should powre,And as before the altar I did stand,Discord the furie sent from that blacke shoreBy damnedDiswherePhlegetondoth rore,Shapt like th’appointed priest whose hallowed handShould me annoint, by me vnknowne did stand.12.Approching nigh, the venome she did shedOf sadCocytuspoole, which she did bringIn her blacke viall, on my haplesse head,Whose banefull sauour borne on furie’s wing,Did not alone infect th’anointed king:But round diffus’d, as sent from peere to peere,Did poyson those high bloods that present were.13.The ranke contagion of this foule diseaseWith rauing looke the mightiest in the state,Whose desperate rage with remedie t’appease,Warre rouz’d himselfe at home, who had of lateSlept in the bosome of pernicious hate:And did incite them in pretence of good,With their owne swords to let their bodies blood.14.O most remorselesse of that impious age,That did not only then deny your aideTo your deare countrie, when with barbarous rageThe bordering foes her bosome did inuade,And in her wombe such ghastly wounds had made,But as a nation borne of viper’s brood,O shame to tell, did daily sucke her blood.15.Great queene of sea-siedg’d iles, what canst thou showOf that good hap, whenEdwardthy late kingDid safely bulwarke thee against thy foe?ThyEdwardnow doth with his minions sing,While thou thy hands in wretchednesse dost wring:AndBrewsedoth mangle thee with many a scarre,While thy proud peeres prepare for ciuill warre.16.In our discourse, that we a method haueOf euery action, let vs briefely tellIn his due place, which time and order gaue:And that we may first know those causes well,From whence these sad effects produc’d befell,In the respectiue scope of this our storie,Let vs looke backe toEdward’sdaies of glorie.17.In the fresh blossome of my youthfull spring,Sucking the sugered poison of delight,Euen then when with strict hand the carefull kingKept backe my youth, I on the baites did biteOfGauestonthat soothing parasite:A yong esquire of Gascoyne in faire feature,Shapt like an angell: but of euill nature.18.My royall father, who with iudgement’s eieCould sound the depth of things, perceiuing wellHow follie did by him her charmes applie,T’inchant my youth: such mischiefe to repell,Did him exile, lest by the powerfull spellOf his allurements drawne from all renowne,I should be made vnworthie of a crowne.19.O prudent prince! the depth of that decreeWhich heau’n did purpose by myGaueston,Too secret was for humane sense to see,Who did ordaine, that exil’d minionTo ruineEdwardand thy royall throne:For though an exile he did then depart,Yet with him went thy wantonEdward’sheart.20.Too late it was that obiect to remoue,To whom in fancie’s cup I long beforeHad quaff’d so deepe, that surfetting with loue,Heart-sicke I was till time did him restore,And set him once againe on England’s shore:Forgetfull of my faith toEdwarddead,Not to reuoke, whom he had banished.21.His bones were yet scarce cold, his royall throneScarce warme beneath me was, when in the sameI did embrace my deare, lou’dGaueston,Who as infected with contagious shameOf some corrupted place, from whence he came,Throughout the land in little space did spread,That foule disease which our destruction bread.22.In court the leprous spots of his delightsVnto the palace wals so fast do cleaue,That from my presence all the noblest wightsWithdraw themselues, and in their roomes do leaueThose vp-starts base, who them of grace bereaue:No man is held to be the king’s true friend,But he that doth hisGauestoncommend.23.His lips were made the oracles, from whenceI tooke aduice, he in the counsell sits,Graue states as enemies are banisht thence,The shallow-brain’d yong giddie-headed wits,Our wanton humour with best counsell fits,The sage instructions of the wise man’s mouth,Do sound harsh musike in the eares of youth.24.This was the spring, from whence at first did floeThose streames of strife, which rising like a floodDo ouerwhelme my state in waues of woe,Which threat confusion to the common good,Which first in death do coole my barons blood:And which yet swelling higher, lastly bringA violent downefall to a royall king.25.MyGaueston, in maiestie’s great armesBeing safely hug’d, no change of fortune feares:He wantons with the king, soothes his owne harmes,He playes the buffon’s part, he flouts and ieersThe courtly actions of the honor’d peeres:The great in counsell and the noble borne,Are made the subiect of his hatefull scorne.26.Sterne wrath to let loose rage, steps vp from hell,Conducts my peeres from court vnto the campe,She claps her hands and with a countnance fell,Gnashing her teeth doth fiercely raue and rampe,And with her feet vpon the ground doth stampe:Then whets them to reuenge in their rash mood,Whose furious thirst must be allaid with blood.27.Twice was my minion as an exile sentTo forren shores, their furie to restraine,And twice againe reuokte with their assent,Who now no longer able to refraine,Prouokte with daily wrongs of his disdaine,He being betrai’d, for vengeance all do call,On Gauer’s heath, whereGauestondid fall.28.They wreake their vengeance in his reeking blood,My sighes they laugh to scorne, while I lament,With faire pretence to further common goodThey vnderpop their cause, and to preuentThe mischiefe, that may grow from discontent,To tracke me step by step in euery thing,Whom they do please, they place about their king.29.Feeding on griefe forGauestondeceast,And blushing at such wrong done to my state,Reuenge doth burne in my distempred brest,Anger takes hands with griefe, all ioyne with hate,And to the peeres threaten pernicious fate,Who, lest time weaken rage then too too strong,Do giue it strength by adding daily wrong.30.In this dissension, while on euery hand,We for our owne destruction do prepare,Newes from the north giues vs to vnderstand,How valiantBrewsein his successefull warreAgainst our powers doth prosperously fare,Recouering that from vs againe, with more,Which our dread sire had kept from him before.31.Beyond the bounds of his owne natiue soile,He proudly breakes vpon our bordering coast,None seekes t’oppose, he makes no faint recoile:The spoile and riches of whole countries lostCan hardly bound the furie of his host,Neuer did bordering foe inuade so far,Or wound our kingdome with a greater scar.32.Tempestuous tidings borne on Boreas breathCooles the hot vengeance of a wrathfull king,And for a while delaies prepared deathFor his proud peeres, feare from the north on wingComes flying fast, and 'bout our eares doth ring,Bidding vs haste, and powre our vengeance forthVpon our foes, that brau’d vs in the north.33.Mustering vp troopes of foot-men for the field,To passe in person for this great affaire,My hopes on number I do vainly build:Our thoughts made aduerse by the former iar,Prepare vs mischiefe in the following war:Disioyn’d in heart, yet ioyn’d in ranke we goe,To giue a famous conquest to the foe.34.StoutBrewserenownes his sword withEdward’sflight,Striuiling, whose siege our rescue crau’d, can tellEngland’s misfortune in that haplesse fight:And Banokesborne, who 'boue her bounds did swellWith bodies dead, that in that battell fell,Aboue the bordering brookes hath won a nameFam’d for this field thus fought vpon the same.35.O noble nation, t’whom true fame hath giuenA glorious name for deeds accomplished,Equall with any people’s vnder heau’n,Be not dismai’d, ’twas I, ’twas I, that ledTo such mishap, on whose vnhappie headHeau’n neuer smil’d, but with sterne lookes still frown’dTill wearied with mishaps, I was vncrown’d.36.O had I perisht by the sword ofBrewse,And had not been reseru’d to future daies,To see my peeres with treason take a truce,And with their swords by all uniust assaies,Attempt to hew downe him, whom heau’n did raise:I had been blest, and had not liu’d to rueThe woes yet worse, which after did ensue.37.Th’inueterate wounds of wrong infixt so deepe,Against my barons in my swolne heart,With drops of blood now made afresh to weepe,That I fromBrewseshould thus with shame depart,Did so augment my mind’s impatient smart,That by my peeres mine ire now new stirr’d vp,I with their blood quencht inBellonae’scup.38.What they do plot is by my powre controul’d,What I intend, vnreuerently they crosse:What they do wish, I will not: what I would,They do gain-say, though to a publike losse:Thus vpon mischiefe’s racket do we tosseThe common good, till bandied by vs allInto confusion’s hazard it do fall.39.Both heau’n and earth, as if in mourning clad,They did bewaile, what they could not preuent,When on our selues, our selues no pittie had,Denide those comforts in due season sent,Which to this nation they before had lent:As with their anger they would vs recallFrom running headlong, where we needs must fall.40.Towards th’Articke side of heau’n ore Albion’s rocks,A blazing meteor stood in th’vpper aire,Which with grim looke shaking his dreadfull locks,Bids earth be barren, and the world despaire:Then cals the furies with the snakie haire,To execute that vengeance to succeed,Which fates for wretched England had decreed.41.Famine, forerunner to deuouring death,Haunts euery coast, where food is to be found,The fruits are blasted by her banefull breath,She makes the clouds to drop, till that be drown’d,Which plentie’s hand had hidden in the ground:Then doth she ransacke both the rich and poore,Deuouring all, till she can find no more.42.If euer pitie moue a stonie eie,Let her present our age for map of woe,There see for food, how little infants crie,Whom, parents wanting, what they would bestow,With griefe are either forced to forgo,Or else with weeping woe to sit them by,Till faint for food before their face they die.43.The spouse, that wants to feed her fruitfull wombe,Burying the babe, that neuer came from graue,Cries, in her deare’s deare armes, for death to come,Who mad with sorrow and in hope to haueThat left of death, which loue desires to saue:A horrid thing to tell, to saue his owne,Steales other’s children for to feed vpon.44.When leane-fac’d famine, who with furious thirstCoasting the countrie, through the land had run,Began to breath as hauing done their worst,That other furie pastilence begunTo finish that, which they had left vndone,Who 'boue our heads in the infected aire,Her poysned shafts for battaile did prepare.45.Her angrie arrowes euery way do flie,Thousands on either hand in death do fall:But happie they in blessed peace to die,Not left with vs to liue, when death did call,To see blood-thirstie warre the worst of all:That vniuersall flood of woes powre downeIn seas of blood, this wretched land to drowne.46.In midst of these extreames with griefe cast downe,The measure of our miserie to fill,My stubborne peers take armes, and proudly frowne,Threatning in rage that little left to spill,If basely I submit not to their will:And exile those, whom they themselues did placeIn stead ofGauestont’attend our grace.47.He that in bosome of a prince doth dwell,And by endeuour seekes to gaine his grace,Though for his seruice he deserue it well:Yet as the deere pursu’d from place to place,The enuious dog will haue him still in chase:Danger in chiefest safetie it doth bring,To seeme to be familiar with a king.48.Spenser, the man, on whom at first I frown’d,Whom they preferr’d, myGauestonbeing dead,Was he, whom they pretend to be the groundOf all their griefe, gainst him they now made head,He was of vs too highly fauoured:Him must we banish, so they thinke it fit,If on our throne in safetie we will sit.49.William de Brewsein sellingGower’slandTo yongerSpenserfrom the other peeres,Who would haue brought the same atBrewse’shand,First blew the coles, whence now that flame appeares,Which had been hid in anger many yeares:This is the cause of their conceiued ire,For this in armes gainst me they do conspire.50.DisloyallLancaster, that did conductThe rebels to the field, by letters sentWith termes vnfit his soueraigne will instruct,Assigning daies, within whose termament,I should reforme such things in gouernment,Which he mislikes, thus adding to that fire,Which did at length consume him in our ire.51.This fire yet burning in our royall brest,The queene doth with complaint her wrongs prefer,That in her progresse after long vnrest,Our late false steward lordBadelismere,Confederate with rebelliousLancaster,Vnkindly had deni’d in my despight,Her lodging in Leeds castle for a night.52.To make our furie in reuenge more strong,Letters from Scotland intercepted were,Which touch vs neerer then all former wrong,In number six: the one of which did beareThe armes ofDowglas, sent toLancaster,In which theDowglasto conceale his name,Vnto kingArthurdoth direct the same.53.Prouokt to vengeance for such treacherous spight,From London with our royall powres we past,Whose stomackes fill’d with furie for the fight,I vrged forward with the vtmost hast,To lay the manours and the lordships wastOf our proud barons, promising for prayAll that was theirs, that came within their way.54.Newes of th’vnnaturall deeds which they enactVpon the loyall people of our land,Hasten vs forward with such speed exact,That ere theMortimers, who both did bandThemselues withLancaster, did vnderstandOf our approch our royall armed traine,At Shrewsburie did front them on the plaine.55.Far from confederates amaz’d with wonder,At our approch, both daunted to beholdOur frownes of lightning, and our threats of thunder,Hang downe their heads, scarce daring be so boldAs looke on vs, their fainting hearts wax cold,And on their knees they fall, in hope to stayOur angrie doome, that threatned their decay.56.Yeelding to fate by force of destinie,Whose foreappointing prouidence hath powerIn euery thing t’enforce necessitie,We grant them life, reseruing in the towerThatMortimerat London for that hower,In which by destiny it was set downe,That that false lord should ruine my renowne.57.Marching more northward from the Cambrian coast,While vengefull breath the fire of furie fans,After such good successe to bring our hostTo Pomfret, which gainst vs our barons mans:At last we lite like flockes of snow-white swansFast by the weeping Eye, which runneth downeInto the Trent by little Caldwel’s towne.58.There first did Needwood’s echoing forrest tellThe stubborne barons of our whole intent,There first they seeke our forces to repell,When with their powers our passage to preuent,Intended ore the bosome of the Trent,They interrupt our purpose with proud braues,On Burton bridge ore fishie Trent’s blacke waues.59.The riuer’s watrie wombe did proudly swell,As if it had turn’d rebell with the foes,Or as if louing either armie well,It would preuent poore England of the woesWhich must ensue, if both parts came to bloes:Her waters rose beyond their wonted bounds,And for three daies deferr’d vnnaturall wounds.60.Aquarius with the foot-bands manly foughtGainst those, that on the bridge at Burton stood,While with our troopes vnseene we cast aboutVnder the couert of a leauie wood,Distant three miles from thence, where ore the floodTh’whole host did passe by shallowes lately found,To meete the barons vpon equall ground.61.The deadly drum doth tell the foes from farThe fatall march of their approching king:Who seeing their weaknesse to sustaine the warGainst such a powre, which with vs we do bring,They turne their backes, swift feare their feet doth wing:Yet stubborne men still to prouoke our ire,Before they flie, they set the towne on fire.62.Horrour pursues them euery way they flie,Repentance comes too late to calme our frowne,All former wrongs afresh for vengeance crie,They, that did whilome wish them all renowne,By aduerse fortune being thus cast downe,Lift vp their hands, yet lower to suppresse them,All friends turne foes in pursuite to distresse them.63.At Burrough bridge, in their vnluckie flight,Where for th’encounter death did readie stand,They were enforc’d in most vnequall fight,For loued life to vse defensiue handAgainst the stubborne bands of Cumberland:Led by stoutHerckley, who with bold assayOf his drawne sword began a bloodie day.64.In mutuall slaughter, both the hosts do stand,Earth trembling shakes beneath their trampling feet,The singing shafts thicke loos’d on euery hand,Flie to and fro, then hand to hand they meet,And wound for wound each doth the other greet,While ouer head the heau’n’s remorsefull stoodDropping downe teares to see their sides drop blood.65.ValiantBohume, Herford’s vndanted lord,That stood in fight by foes besieged round,His heart not female made to flie as skar’d,Neuer gaue backe, but brauely kept his ground,Till life gaue backe from that same deadly wound,Giu’n by a stout Welch Britaine, that did standBeneath the bridge with fatall speare in hand.66.This lucklesse chance so terrifi’d the foe,And gaue such strength vnto the northerne bands,That th’aduerse part their backes began to show,Clifford, though wounded with a shaft, yet standsWithLancasterin fight, till on all hands,Opprest with multitude, themselues they yeeld,To conqueringHerckleyvictour of the field.67.Thus hautieLancaster, that did not feareTo tempt his soueraigne’s peace with periur’d hate,Who in the morning was the mightiest peereThat ’gainst his prince did euer moue debate,By night was made the meanest in the state:In right or wrong, who euer lifts his handAgainst his prince, his cause doth seldome stand.68.Not he alone made forfeit of his head,Who in this proud rebellion led the ring,The fatall axe strooke many others dead,Hewing downe all, that had conspir’d to bringTheir powers for fight against their lawfull king:Twice eight great barons and as many knightsIn death paid paines for wrong t’our kingly rites.69.O age infortunate, when subiects prideDid force their soueraigne to such deeds of woe,That when all men had laid remorse aside,The sunne in heau’n his griefe in shame to showSix houres with blood-red cheeks on th’earth below,Did blush to see her soile drinke vp their blood,Who liuing oft in her defence had stood.70.Imprudent prince, since rage did lift thy handTo lop the pillers of thy kingdome downe,On whose supportfull powers thy state should stand:Looke for a ruthlesse ruine of thy crowne,Looke helplesse now in wretchednesse to drowne:The dance vnto destruction they haue led,And the same feeting I the king must tread.71.When th’hand of Ioue the mightie men shall takeFrom any state, for their rebellious pride,By such foresigne this vse we well may make,Some after-storme of vengeance will betideThat haplesse land, who euer it doth guide:The sad effusion of the noble blood,Portends confusion to the common good.72.With dolefull pen I could bewaile their woe,Whose wofull wants did after proue me weake:But far more horrid things we are to show,To those blacke deeds, of which we now must speake:They before spoken did that ice but breake,At which we falling in did helplesse drowne,Once fallen, all do helpe to keepe vs downe.73.NotHerkleye’streason plotted in that truce,Which for aduancement, most ambitious man,He did intend t’our aduersarieBrewce:Nor the new troubles, whichValoysbeganIn our dominions Guien and Aquitaine,Shall be the subiect of our sadder verse:Matter of more importance we rehearse.74.OIsabelmy queene, my vnkind queene,Thy shame must be the subiect of our song,Had not the weaknesse of thy faith been seene,When faithlesse thou wast led to do that wrongTo him that liu’d in loue with thee so long:That royall blood in Berklie castle spilt,Had now not stain’d our storie with thy guilt.75.The scene of lust foreruns the act of blood,Priapus doth his lustfull breath inspireInto the queene, the ocean’s wauie floodCannot extinguish fancie’s burning fire,Nor coole the scalding thirst of her desire:With heate of lust her inward heart doth gloe,T’imprisonedMortimermy mortall foe.76.Heere let not any take offensiue spleene,Or taxe these rimes, for that to light they bringTh’incontinence of our disloyall queene:Nor thy muse grieue this argument to sing,Which is confirmed by the wronged king:Foule is the fault, though nere so quaint the skill,That conceales truth to lessen any ill.77.Wigmore’sfalseMortimer, (whose fatall nameVniuocall to him of all his line:Whether from feare of death we fetch the same,Or of the dead seas sinke we it define,The deeds of death t’ensue doth well diuine)Reserued was by fate within the tower,With time to turne the glasse of my last houre.78.On him the queene by loose affection ledDid cast her fancie, burning in the flameOf priuie lust, which strong desier fed:And wanting her delight in wanton game,To coole her lust-burnt blood with dregs of shame,Did cast about how she might him release,That he might giue her loue-sicke passions ease.79.It is not bands, nor walles, nor thousands spiesThat can the woman’s wicked will preuent:Let loue intreate, set shame before her eies,Let plighted faith, first virgin vow’d consent,And the wombe’s fruit that giues loue most content,Perswade with her: yet can they neuer stayHer wanton will, if she will go astray.80.By sleepie potion of effectuall powerTo charme the sense, whether by her conuey’d,Or by himselfe deuised in the tower,Segrauethe constable was captiue made,With many more to senselesse sleepe betray’d:WhileMortimer, vnthought vpon, escapesAnd vnto France his prosperous iourney shapes.81.Thus far did fortune with my queene conspire,And after this good hap to giue full easeVnto the longing thirst of her desire,Tels her how France inuades beyond the seas,Which vp in armes she needs must go t’appease:When resolution hath prepar’d the will,It wants no helpes to further any ill.82.Through our neglect of homage to be made,Constrain’d thereto by our home-bred debate,Valoysher brother did our lands inuade,And through late wounds made in our mangled state,In armes vnable to withstand his hate:To treate with him of peace our queene we sent,In her vow’d faith being too too confident.83.O powre diuine, what mortall wight hath wingsTo soare the height of thy vnknowne decree?Reason, that hath such power in search of things,Proues then most blind, when most it seemes to see,In vainly arguing of what must bee:When reason bids no danger to suspect,Time hastens swift confusion in effect.84.The queene effecting that, for which she went,With these conditions reunites the peace,That to such couenants I should consent,Aniou and Aquitaine I should releaseVnto my sonne, my title should surcease:And he to France as in times past 't had bin,Should do his homage for his right therein.85.Pleas’d in this peace, my selfe, or my yong sonneInioyn’d in person to confirme these things,TheSpencersboth being into hatred run,Not daring be from vnder my safe wings,So absolute we thinke the power of kings,Perswade me heere to stay and send my sonne,In hope thereby, what they did feare, to shun.86.Thus all hands helping,IsabelagaineTo forward that which she on foot had set,I hauing past my title t’AquitaineVnto the prince my sonne, she sees no let,But that more easly she the rest may get:So large a share cut from vs by her skill,She hopes to haue the whole or want her will.87.Hauing obtain’d in France what we require,She call’d vpon to make returne with speed,Protracts the time, and feasting her desireSo long withMortimer, that she doth needExcuse to warrant her presumptuous deed:Giues flat deniall to her lord’s command,Not to returne except with force of hand.88.Many, that wau’ring wish’d a change in state,And more, that on reuenge so long had fedFor losse of friends, that fell in that debateBetwixt vs and our barons, daily fledVnto the queene, whose heart being stricken dead,As wanting strength to manage her affaire,They do reuiue with powre by their repaire.89.While in the French court, yet vnfrown’d vponByCharlesher brother king, she did abide,Our Exceter’s true bishopStapleton,Ioyn’d in commission with her to decideThe iar ’twixt vs and France, now seeing her prideBurst out in plaine reuolt, returning ouerThe seas from her, did all her drifts discouer.90.Thus their close treason bare and naked made,As blushing at their open shame descride,To cloake the cause of their intent t’inuade,They vow no more to brooke theSpencerspride,Nor shall the queene vniustly be denideThe presence of the king, they all will die,Or order things that stand in state awrie.91.KingCharlesher brother, while they thus deuise,Whether with our rich gifts or promise won,Or with respect to his owne royalties,Or that he would not be a looker on,While vnto maiestie such wrong was done:First wooes our queene for peace, whom wilfull bent,He exiles France to frustrate her intent.92.Who now would thinke that she should euer findA hopefull helpe her weaknesse to repaire?Bewitching beautie, O how dost thou blindThe eyes of man! thy soule is deemed faire,Thy euill good, thy vice a vertue rare:In thy distresse although thy cause be wrong,Thou mou’st remorse and mak’st thy partie strong.93.Those yonger bloods,ArthoisandBeaumont,Without respect vnto her cause’s right,Those certaine helpes to her do oft recountIn Heinault to be found, if she exciteThe earle thereof to pitie her sad plight:Which by a match pretended might be done,Betwixt his daughter and the prince our sonne.94.As they gaue counsell, so it came to passe,She t’Heinault goes withBeaumontfor her guide,And with kind welcome entertained was:Where whileHeinaultand she with ioy prouideTo make his daughter our yongEdward’sbride,To England lets turne backe, and see at homeHow we prepare against the storme to come.95.To stand vpon our guard against such harme,And backe our cause against inuading ill,All castles and strong holds with men we arme,The coasts are kept, beacons on euery hillAre set for spies: O had the ioynt good willOf subiects loue with me their soueraigne bin,Th’inuading foes had found hard entrance in.96.In vaine, O wretched king, thy hopes haue trustOn broken faithes of subiects daily fleeting:Thy lot is cast, from throne thou shalt be thrust,Thy foes shall of thy subiects at their meeting,In stead of blowes, be welcom’d with kind greeting:Thou only seek’st to keepe out th’vnkind queene,While heere at home worse dangers are vnseene.97.Whilst now my state begins for to decline,In whom, alas, should I my trust repose?My brotherKentthen resident in GuineFor some displeasure done to him by those'Bout vs at home, reuolts vnto our foes:O faithlesseKent, thou art the first shalt rue,That euer thou toEdwardwast vntrue.98.Treason transports, what traytors looke for heere,The queen’s stout championIohnofBeaumontcomesWith his proud troopes, three thousand men well neere,Promis’d rich pay in ransacke of our summes,Who now aboord with trumpets and with drummes,Vrg’d by the hastie queene to launch the deepeWith winde-wing’d sailes the seas soft bosome sweepe.99.O let the windes their forward course restraine,Wing not such mischiefe to our natiue shore,Let the proud billowes beate them backe againe:Or if they needs must come, let the seas rore,Hurle them on rockes that they may neuer moreBe seene in England in pretence of good,To bathe their hands inEdward’sroyall blood.100.Orwell thy hauen first did let them in,Harwich with bels did welcome in their fleet:No sooner did ourIsabelbeginTo presse the sandie shore with wanton feet,But our earle marshall with his powres did greetHer safe arriue, whose part, false peere, had binTo haue oppos’d her at her entrance in.101.The brother to that lord that lost his head,Leister’sgreat earle did now lift vp his hand,As in reuenge ofLancasterlate dead,T’whom many a peere linckt in rebellious bandOf grudges past, in the queene’s cause doth stand:And lest they grieue in conscience to betrayTheir lawfull king, the church leads them the way.102.Herford’s proud prelate,Torleton, who beforeConuicted was for treason gainst his king,When armes gainst vs our stubborne barons bore,Shrowded till now beneath the churche’s wing,Fled to the foes, and in his heart did bringThat horrid treason hatcht before in hell,Cause of all after mischiefe that befell.103.The newes of this new innouation made,And of the aliens lately set on land,With terrour doth my fainting heart inuade:All holds about vs readie open stand,To yeeld possession ere the foes demand:Whose first smal troope now made a mightie force,Into the land they take their forward course.104.London denies to lend her sou’raigne aid,To whom inforc’d at length to bid adew,As doubting there to foes to be betrai’d,With both theSpencersvnto Wales I flew,There by some powre my hopes yet to renue,Hoping amongst the Welch more faith to find,T’whom from my youth I had been euer kind.105.But thus forsaken, whither shal I run?Where shall I shadow me with safetie’s wing?Since that a wife, a brother, and a sonne,Pursues a husband, father and a king:Pitie, adew, my wrong shall neuer wringRemorse from others: Wales conspires my woe,And with false England turnes vnto my foe.106.Pursu’d on euery hand, and forc’d to flieMy natiue soile to shun death’s dangerous dart,My fortunes on the surging seas to trieIn a poore barke, from England we departTo th’ile of Lunday with an heauie heart,Whom from the maine land Seuerne doth diuide,In which we hope in safetie to abide.107.But eu’n that little good doth seas denie,With angrie looke the heau’ns behold the maine,Gust after gust the winged winds do flieVpon the waues, who puft with proud disdaine,Will vs deuoure or driue vs backe againe:As if too much they thought that little landFor him that late had kingdomes at command.108.Remorselesse waues haue we a kingdome lost,And yet our barke do ye denie to bringTo this small plot of ground two miles at most:O woe to tell that once so great a kingShould stoope his minde vnto so small a thing,Content to share the meanest part of many,And yet deni’d to be possest of any.109.Long did we wrestle with the waues and winde,But all in vaine we striue, for neuer moreShall friendlesseEdwardany comfort find:Our barke distrest, her tackle rent and tore,At length arriues vpon Glamorgan shore,WhereSpencer,Baldocke,Reding, markt for death,Go all with me t’a castle called Neath.110.With vaine suppose of safetie in that hold,While there in secret we our selues reposeTo the lordsZouchandLeisterwe are sold,Who by rich gifts often corrupting thoseThat our vnknowne abode could best disclose,With violent hands do sease their wished pray,And beare vs thence each one a seuerall way.111.Leister, thy king is now thy captiue made,Reuenge is in thy hand, where is thy spleene?Though vnto thee thy soueraigne was betrai’d:This be thy praise, thou wouldst not with our queeneInEdward’swrongs be any deeper seene:While in thy Killingworth thy king remaines,Nought doth he want that to a king pertaines.112.With a strong guard from starting there kept sure,Our friends meane time being seas’d on by the foe,BothSpencers,Reading,Daniel,Milcheldeure,In death do happily shut vp their woe,As pointing out the way that we must go:Baldockein prison by a milder fate,Struck dead with grief preuents their deadly hate.113.They, that vnto the king induc’d by reasonDid loyall proue, were traytors to the state:O impious age, when truth was counted treason,Heere nobleArundellI waile thy fate,Whose blood drunke vp byMortimer’ssterne hate,Did manifest the spleene, on which he fedAgainst his king, for whom thy blood was shed.114.Since they by death t’offence haue paid their due,Who late alone in your displeasure stood,Whom should your deadly hatred now pursue?If they were only foes to common good,That made you satisfaction with their blood:Why is your liege lord as a common foeReseru’d a captiue prince for worser woe?115.Bloodie reuenge your hatred cannot bound,So wilfully to greater mischiefe bent,The poore imprison’d king must be vncrown’d,At London by the states in parlament,It is decreed by mutuall consent:Edwardmust be depos’d from royall throne,Where he had sate now twice ten yeares and one.116.O righteous heau’ns, if ye haue powre t’opposeFraile man’s vnrighteous thoughts in euery thing:Then suffer not, ah suffer not my foesThus to go on, that are about to bringSuch wofull tidings to a wretched king:In thrall though I abide, this grace yet giue,That I at least a captiue king may liue.117.Strengthned by will, though not by force of lawes,To Killingworth th’appointed states are come,Where, as in censure of some weightie cause,Twentie and foure agreed vpon their doome,In order sit within a goodly roome,And thither do their king to iudgement call,Who should haue sate chiefe iudge aboue them all.118.From secret closet, though, alas, full loath,Forth am I brought in mourning weeds, that showHis griefe of mind, whose bodie they do cloath:And when I would conceale my inward woe,With head declining downe as I do go,The griefe I would not see, I see in teares,Which fallen from mine eies the pauement beares.119.In presence being come and silence made,Torleton, whose lookes did wound me with despaire,A man in tongue most powerfull to perswade,Stands vp, and as design’d for this affaire,Doth in few words effectually declareThe common people’s will, the peeres consentThat I thenceforth resigne my gouernment.120.O heere, what tongue can vnto vtterance bringThe inward griefe, which my poore heart did wound?So far it past all sense in sorrowing,Passion so powrefully doth sense confound,That in a swoune I falling on the ground,Faine would haue di’d, butLeisterstanding bySteps in, and doth that happinesse deny.121.Recall’d from death by those that stood about,When breath through grieued brest found passage free,In these sad words my woes I breathed out:“O powrefull God, since ’tis thy will that weeDo leaue our crowne, I grudge not thy decree:Thou art most iust in all, thou gau’st a crowne,But ah, mine owne misdeeds haue cast me downe.122.To you I yeeld what wrong doth wrest from me,Since with one voice ye say it must be so,And beg this mercie in my miserie:That since your hate hath brought me to this woe,It heere may end, no further let it goe:He whom once king your hate could not forgiue,Will be no king so he haue leaue to liue.”123.Heere teares did choake the end of my sad words,And while my state in silence I deplore,Trussellin name of all the English lordsRenouncing th’homage due to me before,Depriues me of the same for euermore:Leauing his liege that was of most command,The most deiected subiect of this land.124.Blunt, steward of our house in th’open hall,Protracts no time by any long delay,But breaking of his rod before them all,Resignes his office, all depart away,Many that would in loue, yet dare not stay:This was my fate, thus did false fortune frowne,Ah God, that euer king was so cast downe!125.Yet fortune hath not spent her vtmost hate,With patience we must arme our selues more strong,Scarce will fraile eares belieue what we relate,When now thy muse shall tune her mournefull song,To sadder times that she may waile that wrong,To which with griefe for guide we now proceed,Whose woes wil make the hardiest heart to bleed.126.Our iealous queen, whom conscience doth torment,Fearing lestLeicesterso neare alli’d,In pitie of our state should now relent,TelsTorletonof her doubts what might betide,If in his keeping we do still abide,Who fearing vengeance for his owne offence,Giues her his counsell to remoue me thence.127.Leisterconstrained by expresse command,To the lordBerkleydoth his charge restore,Whence he conueies me with an armed bandVnto his castle seated neare the shore,Gainst which great Seuerne’s raging waues do rore:ButBerkley, thou withLeisterart too kind,Edwardwith thee doth too much fauour find.128.Oh gentleBerkly, whither wilt thou go?Why dost not stand by thy sad sou’raigne’s side?For pitie leaue him not vnto such woe,WhichGourneyandMatreuersdo prouide,Such woe did neuer any king betide:But with command they come, thou must depart,And leaue thy king, although with heauie heart.129.ToGourneyandMatreuersby decreeIn his owne castle he resignes his right:Who lest that any friend should priuie beeTo my abode, do beare me thence by nightVnto Corfe castle, whence with more despightThrough darknesse and blind waies in poore array,To Bristow castle they do me conuey.130.By night conuey’d thus rudely to and fro,Lest by my friends from them I rescu’d bee,At last since none, whom they do feare, do knowWhere I am now become, they do agreeTo Berkley backe againe to go with mee,Staying a time, till night with dewie dampeShould choake daie’s light and put out Phœbus lampe.131.Then do they set me on a beast foreworneIn stead of stately steed, whereon to ride,And for no crowne I had my head t’adorne,Bare I do sit, except the heau’n to hideMy woefull head all couering they denide,While sharp winds in my face the weather blowes,And with their nipping cold augments my woes.132.When out of east the day began to peepe,Who, as if she my ruefull case did mone,Vpon my head her dewie droppes did weepe,The right hand way they left, and iourn’ing on,Where Seuerne’s siluer waues doth play vponThe marish greene, they forced me to light,There to haue slaine my heart with sad despight133.In stead of royall chaire, they set me downeOn a mole-hill (was neuer king so vsde)AndGourney, wretched man, in stead of crowneWith wreath of grasse my royall browes abusde,Patience perforce it might not be refusde:Then while in wretched case my hands I wring,In scorne the villaines bid auaunt sir king.134.While thus I sit all carefull comfortlesse,With pitious lookes cast vp in wofull wise,Calling the heau’ns to witnesse my distresse,In stead of teares, the starres like weeping eiesDrop downe their exhalations from the skies:And Tithon’s bride new rising from her bed,Beholds their leaudnesse with a blushing red.135.Yet to my plaints no pitie they do yeeld:But bent to adde more griefe to my disgrace,In rustie murren with foule water fill’d,A villaine comes with hands vncleane and base,To shaue the heare both from my head and face:Who, when warme water I desire to haue,Replies, that cold will serue his turne to shaue.136.With eyes full burthned with a showre of teares,“Do ye,” quoth I, “now helpe me with your mightTo waile the sorrowes, which my sad soule beares,Open your floud-gates wide, and in their sightLet vs haue water warme in their despight:”This said, the teares did downe my cheekes distill,As if they stroue t’effect my wofull will.137.Hence in this plight to Berkley am I brought,Where bidding comfort euermore farewell:And feeding long on care and pensiue thought,At length I am shut vp in darksome cell,There to the senselesse walles my griefe to tell,Deni’d the comfort of heau’n’s common light,Bound while I liue to liue in endlesse night.138.My sterne tormentors moued with remorse,Wish death to end my miserable care:Yet nature will not violently forceWay to a lingring death, they do prepareBy cold, long watching, fast and euill fare:But, I euen made insensible in woes,Suffer with patience all they can impose.139.In hollow vault, through which the channell pastFrom forth the towne beneath my chamber flore,Dead carcasses and loathed things they cast,Whose grieuous stinch did grieue my senses moreThen all the griefe that I endur’d before:And forc’d me search the walles for open place,To some without to waile my woefull case.140.Vpon a time I through a crannie spi’dMen hewing timber on the greene fast by,To whom with drearie deadly voice I cri’d,“O who will helpe me wretch, that heere do lieIn torment worse then death, yet cannot die?If any there do mourne man’s wretched case,Helpe me, ah help me from this loathed place.”141.The poore men’s hearts are pierc’d with point of woe,And trembling horror doth their hearts appallFor ruth of wronged king cast downe so low,Vnable t’helpe me, vnto God they call,That he may yeeld reliefe to wofull thrall:Who giuing eare to mine and their request,At length in death doth giue my sorrowes rest.142.Mischiefe from those that guiltie of offenceDid wish my death in letters sent doth bringA darke enigma bearing double sense,Which is vnpointed left a doubtfull thing,Either to kill or not to kill the king,As in such tearmes “kingEdward’sblood to spillRefuse ye not to feare I count it ill.”143.The bloodie villaines construing the sameVnto that sense, for which it then was sent,Watch for the night, whose cloudie cloake of shameWith darknesse should conceale their damn’d intent,Day did abhor the thing 'bout which they went,And fled away, grim night on th’earth did frowne,And I in carefull bed had laid me downe.144.Where for musitian that with sweetest breath,Had wont to lull my watchfull sense asleepe:The ghastly owle, the fatall bird of death,That on my chamber walles her inne did keepeIn my poore trembling heart impressed deepeThe feare of death with her too deadly note,Which oft she shriked through her balefull throte.145.The murmuring noise of the rude waters roreWhich not far thence into the seas do fall,Where Seuerne’s billowes do beat vpon the shore,And bellowing winds which iustling gainst the wallLike death’s shrill whistlers at the cranies call,Through darknesse and deepe silence of the night,Our troubled heart with horror doth affright.146.On fearefull things long musing I do lie,At last with sleepe opprest, in slumber cast,Vpflew the doores and in the murderers flie,At which awakt, and suddenly agast,As from my naked bed I thought t’haue past,They with rude hands do hold me downe by force,While with vaine words I seeke to moue remorse.147.“Ye deadly instruments of other’s ill,Grant one request, which dying I do craue:Since ye be bent this royall blood to spill,Send me not hence with torture to the graue:’Tis life ye seeke, the only thing I haue:Which yet shall vade on wings of willing breath,Since better tis to die then liue in death.”148.By this they with maine strength do me compell,Strengthlesse for breath to yeeld to their intent:And then, O horrid, shamefull thing to tell,By force they thrust an hollow instrumentMuch like a trumpe into my fundament,By which they do preuent the mone I makeBy sudden death, as thus to them I spake.149.“Ah why, why thus torment ye me with smart?Leaue off to grieue:” not one word more I said,They had by this time thrust me to the hartWith steele red hot: to sleepe me downe I laid,And with the pray’rs which godly folke had made,When from the castle they did heare my cries,My soule on mercie’s wings did clime the skies.150.Thus hauing heard my lamentable fallProcur’d by stubborne peeres disloyaltie,And people’s wilfull hate, the spring of allFirst flowing from deceitfull flatterie,That deadly bane t’all princely royaltie:Amongst the rest in place with painfull penInsert it for a Mirrour vnto men.
1.
That subtill serpent, seruile flatterie,Seldome infects the meaner man, that fearesNo change of state through fortune’s treacherie:She spits her poison at the mightiest peeres,And with her charmes inchants the prince’s eares:In sweetest wood the worme doth soonest breed,The caterpiller on best buds doth feed.
That subtill serpent, seruile flatterie,
Seldome infects the meaner man, that feares
No change of state through fortune’s treacherie:
She spits her poison at the mightiest peeres,
And with her charmes inchants the prince’s eares:
In sweetest wood the worme doth soonest breed,
The caterpiller on best buds doth feed.
2.
If slie dissimulation credit winneWith any prince, that sits on highest throne,With honied poyson of soure sugred sinne,It causeth him turne tyrant to his owne,And to his state workes swift confusion,Aboue his cedar’s top it high doth shoot,And canker-like deuoures it to the root.
If slie dissimulation credit winne
With any prince, that sits on highest throne,
With honied poyson of soure sugred sinne,
It causeth him turne tyrant to his owne,
And to his state workes swift confusion,
Aboue his cedar’s top it high doth shoot,
And canker-like deuoures it to the root.
3.
Of which that thou a perfect Mirrour haue,The wronged ghost of that deposed king,Carnaruan’sEdward, hath forgone his graue,Who does with him such dolefull tidings bring,That yet thy muse the like did neuer sing:Those sad mishaps which she before did show,Compar’d to mine are counterfeits of woe.
Of which that thou a perfect Mirrour haue,
The wronged ghost of that deposed king,
Carnaruan’sEdward, hath forgone his graue,
Who does with him such dolefull tidings bring,
That yet thy muse the like did neuer sing:
Those sad mishaps which she before did show,
Compar’d to mine are counterfeits of woe.
4.
To strengthen her complaint before she sing,And drowne her grieued thoughts in depth of woe:(Yee murdred ghosts, that vnder night’s black wing,In vncouth paths doe wander to and fro,And oft in sighfull groanes your griefe do show)Haste vnto vs, and hauing heard our wrong,Help with your shrieks to make a mourneful song.
To strengthen her complaint before she sing,
And drowne her grieued thoughts in depth of woe:
(Yee murdred ghosts, that vnder night’s black wing,
In vncouth paths doe wander to and fro,
And oft in sighfull groanes your griefe do show)
Haste vnto vs, and hauing heard our wrong,
Help with your shrieks to make a mourneful song.
5.
The quill of some sad turtle’s wing applieThat mourn’d so long, till griefe did strike her dead:Blood be thy incke, which when it waxeth drie,Moisten with teares: and when all thine are shed,From euery eye, that haps these lines to reade,Let euery verse compos’d, such sad sound beare,That for each word it may enforce a teare.
The quill of some sad turtle’s wing applie
That mourn’d so long, till griefe did strike her dead:
Blood be thy incke, which when it waxeth drie,
Moisten with teares: and when all thine are shed,
From euery eye, that haps these lines to reade,
Let euery verse compos’d, such sad sound beare,
That for each word it may enforce a teare.
6.
(Sorrow, distresse, and all that can be foundWhich once did helpe me waile my woefull smart,When fatallBerckly’sbuildings did resoundThe echoing complaints of my poore hart)Grant your accesse, and helpe to beare a part,That our sad muse more ruthfully may sing,The storie of a dead deposed king.
(Sorrow, distresse, and all that can be found
Which once did helpe me waile my woefull smart,
When fatallBerckly’sbuildings did resound
The echoing complaints of my poore hart)
Grant your accesse, and helpe to beare a part,
That our sad muse more ruthfully may sing,
The storie of a dead deposed king.
7.
I tell of honie-soothing parasites,Of stubborne peeres, who louing sterne debate,Did boldly braue me in two bloodie fights,Of a proud prelate’s plots, of people’s hate,Of the sad ruine of a royall state:And of a queene betrai’d to fond desireWho too too cruell did my death conspire.
I tell of honie-soothing parasites,
Of stubborne peeres, who louing sterne debate,
Did boldly braue me in two bloodie fights,
Of a proud prelate’s plots, of people’s hate,
Of the sad ruine of a royall state:
And of a queene betrai’d to fond desire
Who too too cruell did my death conspire.
8.
To the firstEdward, since the Norman’s nameGrew famous for their crown’d grac’d victorie,The fourth of six of his faire sonnes I am,Mongst whom I was ordain’d by destinie,To sway the scepter of this emperie:Before my kingly father left to liue,The first three borne to death his due did giue.
To the firstEdward, since the Norman’s name
Grew famous for their crown’d grac’d victorie,
The fourth of six of his faire sonnes I am,
Mongst whom I was ordain’d by destinie,
To sway the scepter of this emperie:
Before my kingly father left to liue,
The first three borne to death his due did giue.
9.
I did suruiue, the yongest of the foure,And did succeed my sire in royall chaire:But did not treade the path which he beforeHad with his vertuous foot-steps beaten faire:Birth binds not vertue to succeed in th’heire,Else why did I of such illustrate race,Obscure his vertuous deeds with my disgrace?
I did suruiue, the yongest of the foure,
And did succeed my sire in royall chaire:
But did not treade the path which he before
Had with his vertuous foot-steps beaten faire:
Birth binds not vertue to succeed in th’heire,
Else why did I of such illustrate race,
Obscure his vertuous deeds with my disgrace?
10.
Had I but tract the steps of such a sireTo perfect that great worke, which he begun,Had princely thoughts but mounted my desireT’assay like glorious deeds, which he had done,O what a prize of honor had I wonne!But discord sent from hell did ruine bring,Euen at that time, that I was crown’d a king.
Had I but tract the steps of such a sire
To perfect that great worke, which he begun,
Had princely thoughts but mounted my desire
T’assay like glorious deeds, which he had done,
O what a prize of honor had I wonne!
But discord sent from hell did ruine bring,
Euen at that time, that I was crown’d a king.
11.
As th’holy priest with sanctified handThe precious vnguent on my head should powre,And as before the altar I did stand,Discord the furie sent from that blacke shoreBy damnedDiswherePhlegetondoth rore,Shapt like th’appointed priest whose hallowed handShould me annoint, by me vnknowne did stand.
As th’holy priest with sanctified hand
The precious vnguent on my head should powre,
And as before the altar I did stand,
Discord the furie sent from that blacke shore
By damnedDiswherePhlegetondoth rore,
Shapt like th’appointed priest whose hallowed hand
Should me annoint, by me vnknowne did stand.
12.
Approching nigh, the venome she did shedOf sadCocytuspoole, which she did bringIn her blacke viall, on my haplesse head,Whose banefull sauour borne on furie’s wing,Did not alone infect th’anointed king:But round diffus’d, as sent from peere to peere,Did poyson those high bloods that present were.
Approching nigh, the venome she did shed
Of sadCocytuspoole, which she did bring
In her blacke viall, on my haplesse head,
Whose banefull sauour borne on furie’s wing,
Did not alone infect th’anointed king:
But round diffus’d, as sent from peere to peere,
Did poyson those high bloods that present were.
13.
The ranke contagion of this foule diseaseWith rauing looke the mightiest in the state,Whose desperate rage with remedie t’appease,Warre rouz’d himselfe at home, who had of lateSlept in the bosome of pernicious hate:And did incite them in pretence of good,With their owne swords to let their bodies blood.
The ranke contagion of this foule disease
With rauing looke the mightiest in the state,
Whose desperate rage with remedie t’appease,
Warre rouz’d himselfe at home, who had of late
Slept in the bosome of pernicious hate:
And did incite them in pretence of good,
With their owne swords to let their bodies blood.
14.
O most remorselesse of that impious age,That did not only then deny your aideTo your deare countrie, when with barbarous rageThe bordering foes her bosome did inuade,And in her wombe such ghastly wounds had made,But as a nation borne of viper’s brood,O shame to tell, did daily sucke her blood.
O most remorselesse of that impious age,
That did not only then deny your aide
To your deare countrie, when with barbarous rage
The bordering foes her bosome did inuade,
And in her wombe such ghastly wounds had made,
But as a nation borne of viper’s brood,
O shame to tell, did daily sucke her blood.
15.
Great queene of sea-siedg’d iles, what canst thou showOf that good hap, whenEdwardthy late kingDid safely bulwarke thee against thy foe?ThyEdwardnow doth with his minions sing,While thou thy hands in wretchednesse dost wring:AndBrewsedoth mangle thee with many a scarre,While thy proud peeres prepare for ciuill warre.
Great queene of sea-siedg’d iles, what canst thou show
Of that good hap, whenEdwardthy late king
Did safely bulwarke thee against thy foe?
ThyEdwardnow doth with his minions sing,
While thou thy hands in wretchednesse dost wring:
AndBrewsedoth mangle thee with many a scarre,
While thy proud peeres prepare for ciuill warre.
16.
In our discourse, that we a method haueOf euery action, let vs briefely tellIn his due place, which time and order gaue:And that we may first know those causes well,From whence these sad effects produc’d befell,In the respectiue scope of this our storie,Let vs looke backe toEdward’sdaies of glorie.
In our discourse, that we a method haue
Of euery action, let vs briefely tell
In his due place, which time and order gaue:
And that we may first know those causes well,
From whence these sad effects produc’d befell,
In the respectiue scope of this our storie,
Let vs looke backe toEdward’sdaies of glorie.
17.
In the fresh blossome of my youthfull spring,Sucking the sugered poison of delight,Euen then when with strict hand the carefull kingKept backe my youth, I on the baites did biteOfGauestonthat soothing parasite:A yong esquire of Gascoyne in faire feature,Shapt like an angell: but of euill nature.
In the fresh blossome of my youthfull spring,
Sucking the sugered poison of delight,
Euen then when with strict hand the carefull king
Kept backe my youth, I on the baites did bite
OfGauestonthat soothing parasite:
A yong esquire of Gascoyne in faire feature,
Shapt like an angell: but of euill nature.
18.
My royall father, who with iudgement’s eieCould sound the depth of things, perceiuing wellHow follie did by him her charmes applie,T’inchant my youth: such mischiefe to repell,Did him exile, lest by the powerfull spellOf his allurements drawne from all renowne,I should be made vnworthie of a crowne.
My royall father, who with iudgement’s eie
Could sound the depth of things, perceiuing well
How follie did by him her charmes applie,
T’inchant my youth: such mischiefe to repell,
Did him exile, lest by the powerfull spell
Of his allurements drawne from all renowne,
I should be made vnworthie of a crowne.
19.
O prudent prince! the depth of that decreeWhich heau’n did purpose by myGaueston,Too secret was for humane sense to see,Who did ordaine, that exil’d minionTo ruineEdwardand thy royall throne:For though an exile he did then depart,Yet with him went thy wantonEdward’sheart.
O prudent prince! the depth of that decree
Which heau’n did purpose by myGaueston,
Too secret was for humane sense to see,
Who did ordaine, that exil’d minion
To ruineEdwardand thy royall throne:
For though an exile he did then depart,
Yet with him went thy wantonEdward’sheart.
20.
Too late it was that obiect to remoue,To whom in fancie’s cup I long beforeHad quaff’d so deepe, that surfetting with loue,Heart-sicke I was till time did him restore,And set him once againe on England’s shore:Forgetfull of my faith toEdwarddead,Not to reuoke, whom he had banished.
Too late it was that obiect to remoue,
To whom in fancie’s cup I long before
Had quaff’d so deepe, that surfetting with loue,
Heart-sicke I was till time did him restore,
And set him once againe on England’s shore:
Forgetfull of my faith toEdwarddead,
Not to reuoke, whom he had banished.
21.
His bones were yet scarce cold, his royall throneScarce warme beneath me was, when in the sameI did embrace my deare, lou’dGaueston,Who as infected with contagious shameOf some corrupted place, from whence he came,Throughout the land in little space did spread,That foule disease which our destruction bread.
His bones were yet scarce cold, his royall throne
Scarce warme beneath me was, when in the same
I did embrace my deare, lou’dGaueston,
Who as infected with contagious shame
Of some corrupted place, from whence he came,
Throughout the land in little space did spread,
That foule disease which our destruction bread.
22.
In court the leprous spots of his delightsVnto the palace wals so fast do cleaue,That from my presence all the noblest wightsWithdraw themselues, and in their roomes do leaueThose vp-starts base, who them of grace bereaue:No man is held to be the king’s true friend,But he that doth hisGauestoncommend.
In court the leprous spots of his delights
Vnto the palace wals so fast do cleaue,
That from my presence all the noblest wights
Withdraw themselues, and in their roomes do leaue
Those vp-starts base, who them of grace bereaue:
No man is held to be the king’s true friend,
But he that doth hisGauestoncommend.
23.
His lips were made the oracles, from whenceI tooke aduice, he in the counsell sits,Graue states as enemies are banisht thence,The shallow-brain’d yong giddie-headed wits,Our wanton humour with best counsell fits,The sage instructions of the wise man’s mouth,Do sound harsh musike in the eares of youth.
His lips were made the oracles, from whence
I tooke aduice, he in the counsell sits,
Graue states as enemies are banisht thence,
The shallow-brain’d yong giddie-headed wits,
Our wanton humour with best counsell fits,
The sage instructions of the wise man’s mouth,
Do sound harsh musike in the eares of youth.
24.
This was the spring, from whence at first did floeThose streames of strife, which rising like a floodDo ouerwhelme my state in waues of woe,Which threat confusion to the common good,Which first in death do coole my barons blood:And which yet swelling higher, lastly bringA violent downefall to a royall king.
This was the spring, from whence at first did floe
Those streames of strife, which rising like a flood
Do ouerwhelme my state in waues of woe,
Which threat confusion to the common good,
Which first in death do coole my barons blood:
And which yet swelling higher, lastly bring
A violent downefall to a royall king.
25.
MyGaueston, in maiestie’s great armesBeing safely hug’d, no change of fortune feares:He wantons with the king, soothes his owne harmes,He playes the buffon’s part, he flouts and ieersThe courtly actions of the honor’d peeres:The great in counsell and the noble borne,Are made the subiect of his hatefull scorne.
MyGaueston, in maiestie’s great armes
Being safely hug’d, no change of fortune feares:
He wantons with the king, soothes his owne harmes,
He playes the buffon’s part, he flouts and ieers
The courtly actions of the honor’d peeres:
The great in counsell and the noble borne,
Are made the subiect of his hatefull scorne.
26.
Sterne wrath to let loose rage, steps vp from hell,Conducts my peeres from court vnto the campe,She claps her hands and with a countnance fell,Gnashing her teeth doth fiercely raue and rampe,And with her feet vpon the ground doth stampe:Then whets them to reuenge in their rash mood,Whose furious thirst must be allaid with blood.
Sterne wrath to let loose rage, steps vp from hell,
Conducts my peeres from court vnto the campe,
She claps her hands and with a countnance fell,
Gnashing her teeth doth fiercely raue and rampe,
And with her feet vpon the ground doth stampe:
Then whets them to reuenge in their rash mood,
Whose furious thirst must be allaid with blood.
27.
Twice was my minion as an exile sentTo forren shores, their furie to restraine,And twice againe reuokte with their assent,Who now no longer able to refraine,Prouokte with daily wrongs of his disdaine,He being betrai’d, for vengeance all do call,On Gauer’s heath, whereGauestondid fall.
Twice was my minion as an exile sent
To forren shores, their furie to restraine,
And twice againe reuokte with their assent,
Who now no longer able to refraine,
Prouokte with daily wrongs of his disdaine,
He being betrai’d, for vengeance all do call,
On Gauer’s heath, whereGauestondid fall.
28.
They wreake their vengeance in his reeking blood,My sighes they laugh to scorne, while I lament,With faire pretence to further common goodThey vnderpop their cause, and to preuentThe mischiefe, that may grow from discontent,To tracke me step by step in euery thing,Whom they do please, they place about their king.
They wreake their vengeance in his reeking blood,
My sighes they laugh to scorne, while I lament,
With faire pretence to further common good
They vnderpop their cause, and to preuent
The mischiefe, that may grow from discontent,
To tracke me step by step in euery thing,
Whom they do please, they place about their king.
29.
Feeding on griefe forGauestondeceast,And blushing at such wrong done to my state,Reuenge doth burne in my distempred brest,Anger takes hands with griefe, all ioyne with hate,And to the peeres threaten pernicious fate,Who, lest time weaken rage then too too strong,Do giue it strength by adding daily wrong.
Feeding on griefe forGauestondeceast,
And blushing at such wrong done to my state,
Reuenge doth burne in my distempred brest,
Anger takes hands with griefe, all ioyne with hate,
And to the peeres threaten pernicious fate,
Who, lest time weaken rage then too too strong,
Do giue it strength by adding daily wrong.
30.
In this dissension, while on euery hand,We for our owne destruction do prepare,Newes from the north giues vs to vnderstand,How valiantBrewsein his successefull warreAgainst our powers doth prosperously fare,Recouering that from vs againe, with more,Which our dread sire had kept from him before.
In this dissension, while on euery hand,
We for our owne destruction do prepare,
Newes from the north giues vs to vnderstand,
How valiantBrewsein his successefull warre
Against our powers doth prosperously fare,
Recouering that from vs againe, with more,
Which our dread sire had kept from him before.
31.
Beyond the bounds of his owne natiue soile,He proudly breakes vpon our bordering coast,None seekes t’oppose, he makes no faint recoile:The spoile and riches of whole countries lostCan hardly bound the furie of his host,Neuer did bordering foe inuade so far,Or wound our kingdome with a greater scar.
Beyond the bounds of his owne natiue soile,
He proudly breakes vpon our bordering coast,
None seekes t’oppose, he makes no faint recoile:
The spoile and riches of whole countries lost
Can hardly bound the furie of his host,
Neuer did bordering foe inuade so far,
Or wound our kingdome with a greater scar.
32.
Tempestuous tidings borne on Boreas breathCooles the hot vengeance of a wrathfull king,And for a while delaies prepared deathFor his proud peeres, feare from the north on wingComes flying fast, and 'bout our eares doth ring,Bidding vs haste, and powre our vengeance forthVpon our foes, that brau’d vs in the north.
Tempestuous tidings borne on Boreas breath
Cooles the hot vengeance of a wrathfull king,
And for a while delaies prepared death
For his proud peeres, feare from the north on wing
Comes flying fast, and 'bout our eares doth ring,
Bidding vs haste, and powre our vengeance forth
Vpon our foes, that brau’d vs in the north.
33.
Mustering vp troopes of foot-men for the field,To passe in person for this great affaire,My hopes on number I do vainly build:Our thoughts made aduerse by the former iar,Prepare vs mischiefe in the following war:Disioyn’d in heart, yet ioyn’d in ranke we goe,To giue a famous conquest to the foe.
Mustering vp troopes of foot-men for the field,
To passe in person for this great affaire,
My hopes on number I do vainly build:
Our thoughts made aduerse by the former iar,
Prepare vs mischiefe in the following war:
Disioyn’d in heart, yet ioyn’d in ranke we goe,
To giue a famous conquest to the foe.
34.
StoutBrewserenownes his sword withEdward’sflight,Striuiling, whose siege our rescue crau’d, can tellEngland’s misfortune in that haplesse fight:And Banokesborne, who 'boue her bounds did swellWith bodies dead, that in that battell fell,Aboue the bordering brookes hath won a nameFam’d for this field thus fought vpon the same.
StoutBrewserenownes his sword withEdward’sflight,
Striuiling, whose siege our rescue crau’d, can tell
England’s misfortune in that haplesse fight:
And Banokesborne, who 'boue her bounds did swell
With bodies dead, that in that battell fell,
Aboue the bordering brookes hath won a name
Fam’d for this field thus fought vpon the same.
35.
O noble nation, t’whom true fame hath giuenA glorious name for deeds accomplished,Equall with any people’s vnder heau’n,Be not dismai’d, ’twas I, ’twas I, that ledTo such mishap, on whose vnhappie headHeau’n neuer smil’d, but with sterne lookes still frown’dTill wearied with mishaps, I was vncrown’d.
O noble nation, t’whom true fame hath giuen
A glorious name for deeds accomplished,
Equall with any people’s vnder heau’n,
Be not dismai’d, ’twas I, ’twas I, that led
To such mishap, on whose vnhappie head
Heau’n neuer smil’d, but with sterne lookes still frown’d
Till wearied with mishaps, I was vncrown’d.
36.
O had I perisht by the sword ofBrewse,And had not been reseru’d to future daies,To see my peeres with treason take a truce,And with their swords by all uniust assaies,Attempt to hew downe him, whom heau’n did raise:I had been blest, and had not liu’d to rueThe woes yet worse, which after did ensue.
O had I perisht by the sword ofBrewse,
And had not been reseru’d to future daies,
To see my peeres with treason take a truce,
And with their swords by all uniust assaies,
Attempt to hew downe him, whom heau’n did raise:
I had been blest, and had not liu’d to rue
The woes yet worse, which after did ensue.
37.
Th’inueterate wounds of wrong infixt so deepe,Against my barons in my swolne heart,With drops of blood now made afresh to weepe,That I fromBrewseshould thus with shame depart,Did so augment my mind’s impatient smart,That by my peeres mine ire now new stirr’d vp,I with their blood quencht inBellonae’scup.
Th’inueterate wounds of wrong infixt so deepe,
Against my barons in my swolne heart,
With drops of blood now made afresh to weepe,
That I fromBrewseshould thus with shame depart,
Did so augment my mind’s impatient smart,
That by my peeres mine ire now new stirr’d vp,
I with their blood quencht inBellonae’scup.
38.
What they do plot is by my powre controul’d,What I intend, vnreuerently they crosse:What they do wish, I will not: what I would,They do gain-say, though to a publike losse:Thus vpon mischiefe’s racket do we tosseThe common good, till bandied by vs allInto confusion’s hazard it do fall.
What they do plot is by my powre controul’d,
What I intend, vnreuerently they crosse:
What they do wish, I will not: what I would,
They do gain-say, though to a publike losse:
Thus vpon mischiefe’s racket do we tosse
The common good, till bandied by vs all
Into confusion’s hazard it do fall.
39.
Both heau’n and earth, as if in mourning clad,They did bewaile, what they could not preuent,When on our selues, our selues no pittie had,Denide those comforts in due season sent,Which to this nation they before had lent:As with their anger they would vs recallFrom running headlong, where we needs must fall.
Both heau’n and earth, as if in mourning clad,
They did bewaile, what they could not preuent,
When on our selues, our selues no pittie had,
Denide those comforts in due season sent,
Which to this nation they before had lent:
As with their anger they would vs recall
From running headlong, where we needs must fall.
40.
Towards th’Articke side of heau’n ore Albion’s rocks,A blazing meteor stood in th’vpper aire,Which with grim looke shaking his dreadfull locks,Bids earth be barren, and the world despaire:Then cals the furies with the snakie haire,To execute that vengeance to succeed,Which fates for wretched England had decreed.
Towards th’Articke side of heau’n ore Albion’s rocks,
A blazing meteor stood in th’vpper aire,
Which with grim looke shaking his dreadfull locks,
Bids earth be barren, and the world despaire:
Then cals the furies with the snakie haire,
To execute that vengeance to succeed,
Which fates for wretched England had decreed.
41.
Famine, forerunner to deuouring death,Haunts euery coast, where food is to be found,The fruits are blasted by her banefull breath,She makes the clouds to drop, till that be drown’d,Which plentie’s hand had hidden in the ground:Then doth she ransacke both the rich and poore,Deuouring all, till she can find no more.
Famine, forerunner to deuouring death,
Haunts euery coast, where food is to be found,
The fruits are blasted by her banefull breath,
She makes the clouds to drop, till that be drown’d,
Which plentie’s hand had hidden in the ground:
Then doth she ransacke both the rich and poore,
Deuouring all, till she can find no more.
42.
If euer pitie moue a stonie eie,Let her present our age for map of woe,There see for food, how little infants crie,Whom, parents wanting, what they would bestow,With griefe are either forced to forgo,Or else with weeping woe to sit them by,Till faint for food before their face they die.
If euer pitie moue a stonie eie,
Let her present our age for map of woe,
There see for food, how little infants crie,
Whom, parents wanting, what they would bestow,
With griefe are either forced to forgo,
Or else with weeping woe to sit them by,
Till faint for food before their face they die.
43.
The spouse, that wants to feed her fruitfull wombe,Burying the babe, that neuer came from graue,Cries, in her deare’s deare armes, for death to come,Who mad with sorrow and in hope to haueThat left of death, which loue desires to saue:A horrid thing to tell, to saue his owne,Steales other’s children for to feed vpon.
The spouse, that wants to feed her fruitfull wombe,
Burying the babe, that neuer came from graue,
Cries, in her deare’s deare armes, for death to come,
Who mad with sorrow and in hope to haue
That left of death, which loue desires to saue:
A horrid thing to tell, to saue his owne,
Steales other’s children for to feed vpon.
44.
When leane-fac’d famine, who with furious thirstCoasting the countrie, through the land had run,Began to breath as hauing done their worst,That other furie pastilence begunTo finish that, which they had left vndone,Who 'boue our heads in the infected aire,Her poysned shafts for battaile did prepare.
When leane-fac’d famine, who with furious thirst
Coasting the countrie, through the land had run,
Began to breath as hauing done their worst,
That other furie pastilence begun
To finish that, which they had left vndone,
Who 'boue our heads in the infected aire,
Her poysned shafts for battaile did prepare.
45.
Her angrie arrowes euery way do flie,Thousands on either hand in death do fall:But happie they in blessed peace to die,Not left with vs to liue, when death did call,To see blood-thirstie warre the worst of all:That vniuersall flood of woes powre downeIn seas of blood, this wretched land to drowne.
Her angrie arrowes euery way do flie,
Thousands on either hand in death do fall:
But happie they in blessed peace to die,
Not left with vs to liue, when death did call,
To see blood-thirstie warre the worst of all:
That vniuersall flood of woes powre downe
In seas of blood, this wretched land to drowne.
46.
In midst of these extreames with griefe cast downe,The measure of our miserie to fill,My stubborne peers take armes, and proudly frowne,Threatning in rage that little left to spill,If basely I submit not to their will:And exile those, whom they themselues did placeIn stead ofGauestont’attend our grace.
In midst of these extreames with griefe cast downe,
The measure of our miserie to fill,
My stubborne peers take armes, and proudly frowne,
Threatning in rage that little left to spill,
If basely I submit not to their will:
And exile those, whom they themselues did place
In stead ofGauestont’attend our grace.
47.
He that in bosome of a prince doth dwell,And by endeuour seekes to gaine his grace,Though for his seruice he deserue it well:Yet as the deere pursu’d from place to place,The enuious dog will haue him still in chase:Danger in chiefest safetie it doth bring,To seeme to be familiar with a king.
He that in bosome of a prince doth dwell,
And by endeuour seekes to gaine his grace,
Though for his seruice he deserue it well:
Yet as the deere pursu’d from place to place,
The enuious dog will haue him still in chase:
Danger in chiefest safetie it doth bring,
To seeme to be familiar with a king.
48.
Spenser, the man, on whom at first I frown’d,Whom they preferr’d, myGauestonbeing dead,Was he, whom they pretend to be the groundOf all their griefe, gainst him they now made head,He was of vs too highly fauoured:Him must we banish, so they thinke it fit,If on our throne in safetie we will sit.
Spenser, the man, on whom at first I frown’d,
Whom they preferr’d, myGauestonbeing dead,
Was he, whom they pretend to be the ground
Of all their griefe, gainst him they now made head,
He was of vs too highly fauoured:
Him must we banish, so they thinke it fit,
If on our throne in safetie we will sit.
49.
William de Brewsein sellingGower’slandTo yongerSpenserfrom the other peeres,Who would haue brought the same atBrewse’shand,First blew the coles, whence now that flame appeares,Which had been hid in anger many yeares:This is the cause of their conceiued ire,For this in armes gainst me they do conspire.
William de Brewsein sellingGower’sland
To yongerSpenserfrom the other peeres,
Who would haue brought the same atBrewse’shand,
First blew the coles, whence now that flame appeares,
Which had been hid in anger many yeares:
This is the cause of their conceiued ire,
For this in armes gainst me they do conspire.
50.
DisloyallLancaster, that did conductThe rebels to the field, by letters sentWith termes vnfit his soueraigne will instruct,Assigning daies, within whose termament,I should reforme such things in gouernment,Which he mislikes, thus adding to that fire,Which did at length consume him in our ire.
DisloyallLancaster, that did conduct
The rebels to the field, by letters sent
With termes vnfit his soueraigne will instruct,
Assigning daies, within whose termament,
I should reforme such things in gouernment,
Which he mislikes, thus adding to that fire,
Which did at length consume him in our ire.
51.
This fire yet burning in our royall brest,The queene doth with complaint her wrongs prefer,That in her progresse after long vnrest,Our late false steward lordBadelismere,Confederate with rebelliousLancaster,Vnkindly had deni’d in my despight,Her lodging in Leeds castle for a night.
This fire yet burning in our royall brest,
The queene doth with complaint her wrongs prefer,
That in her progresse after long vnrest,
Our late false steward lordBadelismere,
Confederate with rebelliousLancaster,
Vnkindly had deni’d in my despight,
Her lodging in Leeds castle for a night.
52.
To make our furie in reuenge more strong,Letters from Scotland intercepted were,Which touch vs neerer then all former wrong,In number six: the one of which did beareThe armes ofDowglas, sent toLancaster,In which theDowglasto conceale his name,Vnto kingArthurdoth direct the same.
To make our furie in reuenge more strong,
Letters from Scotland intercepted were,
Which touch vs neerer then all former wrong,
In number six: the one of which did beare
The armes ofDowglas, sent toLancaster,
In which theDowglasto conceale his name,
Vnto kingArthurdoth direct the same.
53.
Prouokt to vengeance for such treacherous spight,From London with our royall powres we past,Whose stomackes fill’d with furie for the fight,I vrged forward with the vtmost hast,To lay the manours and the lordships wastOf our proud barons, promising for prayAll that was theirs, that came within their way.
Prouokt to vengeance for such treacherous spight,
From London with our royall powres we past,
Whose stomackes fill’d with furie for the fight,
I vrged forward with the vtmost hast,
To lay the manours and the lordships wast
Of our proud barons, promising for pray
All that was theirs, that came within their way.
54.
Newes of th’vnnaturall deeds which they enactVpon the loyall people of our land,Hasten vs forward with such speed exact,That ere theMortimers, who both did bandThemselues withLancaster, did vnderstandOf our approch our royall armed traine,At Shrewsburie did front them on the plaine.
Newes of th’vnnaturall deeds which they enact
Vpon the loyall people of our land,
Hasten vs forward with such speed exact,
That ere theMortimers, who both did band
Themselues withLancaster, did vnderstand
Of our approch our royall armed traine,
At Shrewsburie did front them on the plaine.
55.
Far from confederates amaz’d with wonder,At our approch, both daunted to beholdOur frownes of lightning, and our threats of thunder,Hang downe their heads, scarce daring be so boldAs looke on vs, their fainting hearts wax cold,And on their knees they fall, in hope to stayOur angrie doome, that threatned their decay.
Far from confederates amaz’d with wonder,
At our approch, both daunted to behold
Our frownes of lightning, and our threats of thunder,
Hang downe their heads, scarce daring be so bold
As looke on vs, their fainting hearts wax cold,
And on their knees they fall, in hope to stay
Our angrie doome, that threatned their decay.
56.
Yeelding to fate by force of destinie,Whose foreappointing prouidence hath powerIn euery thing t’enforce necessitie,We grant them life, reseruing in the towerThatMortimerat London for that hower,In which by destiny it was set downe,That that false lord should ruine my renowne.
Yeelding to fate by force of destinie,
Whose foreappointing prouidence hath power
In euery thing t’enforce necessitie,
We grant them life, reseruing in the tower
ThatMortimerat London for that hower,
In which by destiny it was set downe,
That that false lord should ruine my renowne.
57.
Marching more northward from the Cambrian coast,While vengefull breath the fire of furie fans,After such good successe to bring our hostTo Pomfret, which gainst vs our barons mans:At last we lite like flockes of snow-white swansFast by the weeping Eye, which runneth downeInto the Trent by little Caldwel’s towne.
Marching more northward from the Cambrian coast,
While vengefull breath the fire of furie fans,
After such good successe to bring our host
To Pomfret, which gainst vs our barons mans:
At last we lite like flockes of snow-white swans
Fast by the weeping Eye, which runneth downe
Into the Trent by little Caldwel’s towne.
58.
There first did Needwood’s echoing forrest tellThe stubborne barons of our whole intent,There first they seeke our forces to repell,When with their powers our passage to preuent,Intended ore the bosome of the Trent,They interrupt our purpose with proud braues,On Burton bridge ore fishie Trent’s blacke waues.
There first did Needwood’s echoing forrest tell
The stubborne barons of our whole intent,
There first they seeke our forces to repell,
When with their powers our passage to preuent,
Intended ore the bosome of the Trent,
They interrupt our purpose with proud braues,
On Burton bridge ore fishie Trent’s blacke waues.
59.
The riuer’s watrie wombe did proudly swell,As if it had turn’d rebell with the foes,Or as if louing either armie well,It would preuent poore England of the woesWhich must ensue, if both parts came to bloes:Her waters rose beyond their wonted bounds,And for three daies deferr’d vnnaturall wounds.
The riuer’s watrie wombe did proudly swell,
As if it had turn’d rebell with the foes,
Or as if louing either armie well,
It would preuent poore England of the woes
Which must ensue, if both parts came to bloes:
Her waters rose beyond their wonted bounds,
And for three daies deferr’d vnnaturall wounds.
60.
Aquarius with the foot-bands manly foughtGainst those, that on the bridge at Burton stood,While with our troopes vnseene we cast aboutVnder the couert of a leauie wood,Distant three miles from thence, where ore the floodTh’whole host did passe by shallowes lately found,To meete the barons vpon equall ground.
Aquarius with the foot-bands manly fought
Gainst those, that on the bridge at Burton stood,
While with our troopes vnseene we cast about
Vnder the couert of a leauie wood,
Distant three miles from thence, where ore the flood
Th’whole host did passe by shallowes lately found,
To meete the barons vpon equall ground.
61.
The deadly drum doth tell the foes from farThe fatall march of their approching king:Who seeing their weaknesse to sustaine the warGainst such a powre, which with vs we do bring,They turne their backes, swift feare their feet doth wing:Yet stubborne men still to prouoke our ire,Before they flie, they set the towne on fire.
The deadly drum doth tell the foes from far
The fatall march of their approching king:
Who seeing their weaknesse to sustaine the war
Gainst such a powre, which with vs we do bring,
They turne their backes, swift feare their feet doth wing:
Yet stubborne men still to prouoke our ire,
Before they flie, they set the towne on fire.
62.
Horrour pursues them euery way they flie,Repentance comes too late to calme our frowne,All former wrongs afresh for vengeance crie,They, that did whilome wish them all renowne,By aduerse fortune being thus cast downe,Lift vp their hands, yet lower to suppresse them,All friends turne foes in pursuite to distresse them.
Horrour pursues them euery way they flie,
Repentance comes too late to calme our frowne,
All former wrongs afresh for vengeance crie,
They, that did whilome wish them all renowne,
By aduerse fortune being thus cast downe,
Lift vp their hands, yet lower to suppresse them,
All friends turne foes in pursuite to distresse them.
63.
At Burrough bridge, in their vnluckie flight,Where for th’encounter death did readie stand,They were enforc’d in most vnequall fight,For loued life to vse defensiue handAgainst the stubborne bands of Cumberland:Led by stoutHerckley, who with bold assayOf his drawne sword began a bloodie day.
At Burrough bridge, in their vnluckie flight,
Where for th’encounter death did readie stand,
They were enforc’d in most vnequall fight,
For loued life to vse defensiue hand
Against the stubborne bands of Cumberland:
Led by stoutHerckley, who with bold assay
Of his drawne sword began a bloodie day.
64.
In mutuall slaughter, both the hosts do stand,Earth trembling shakes beneath their trampling feet,The singing shafts thicke loos’d on euery hand,Flie to and fro, then hand to hand they meet,And wound for wound each doth the other greet,While ouer head the heau’n’s remorsefull stoodDropping downe teares to see their sides drop blood.
In mutuall slaughter, both the hosts do stand,
Earth trembling shakes beneath their trampling feet,
The singing shafts thicke loos’d on euery hand,
Flie to and fro, then hand to hand they meet,
And wound for wound each doth the other greet,
While ouer head the heau’n’s remorsefull stood
Dropping downe teares to see their sides drop blood.
65.
ValiantBohume, Herford’s vndanted lord,That stood in fight by foes besieged round,His heart not female made to flie as skar’d,Neuer gaue backe, but brauely kept his ground,Till life gaue backe from that same deadly wound,Giu’n by a stout Welch Britaine, that did standBeneath the bridge with fatall speare in hand.
ValiantBohume, Herford’s vndanted lord,
That stood in fight by foes besieged round,
His heart not female made to flie as skar’d,
Neuer gaue backe, but brauely kept his ground,
Till life gaue backe from that same deadly wound,
Giu’n by a stout Welch Britaine, that did stand
Beneath the bridge with fatall speare in hand.
66.
This lucklesse chance so terrifi’d the foe,And gaue such strength vnto the northerne bands,That th’aduerse part their backes began to show,Clifford, though wounded with a shaft, yet standsWithLancasterin fight, till on all hands,Opprest with multitude, themselues they yeeld,To conqueringHerckleyvictour of the field.
This lucklesse chance so terrifi’d the foe,
And gaue such strength vnto the northerne bands,
That th’aduerse part their backes began to show,
Clifford, though wounded with a shaft, yet stands
WithLancasterin fight, till on all hands,
Opprest with multitude, themselues they yeeld,
To conqueringHerckleyvictour of the field.
67.
Thus hautieLancaster, that did not feareTo tempt his soueraigne’s peace with periur’d hate,Who in the morning was the mightiest peereThat ’gainst his prince did euer moue debate,By night was made the meanest in the state:In right or wrong, who euer lifts his handAgainst his prince, his cause doth seldome stand.
Thus hautieLancaster, that did not feare
To tempt his soueraigne’s peace with periur’d hate,
Who in the morning was the mightiest peere
That ’gainst his prince did euer moue debate,
By night was made the meanest in the state:
In right or wrong, who euer lifts his hand
Against his prince, his cause doth seldome stand.
68.
Not he alone made forfeit of his head,Who in this proud rebellion led the ring,The fatall axe strooke many others dead,Hewing downe all, that had conspir’d to bringTheir powers for fight against their lawfull king:Twice eight great barons and as many knightsIn death paid paines for wrong t’our kingly rites.
Not he alone made forfeit of his head,
Who in this proud rebellion led the ring,
The fatall axe strooke many others dead,
Hewing downe all, that had conspir’d to bring
Their powers for fight against their lawfull king:
Twice eight great barons and as many knights
In death paid paines for wrong t’our kingly rites.
69.
O age infortunate, when subiects prideDid force their soueraigne to such deeds of woe,That when all men had laid remorse aside,The sunne in heau’n his griefe in shame to showSix houres with blood-red cheeks on th’earth below,Did blush to see her soile drinke vp their blood,Who liuing oft in her defence had stood.
O age infortunate, when subiects pride
Did force their soueraigne to such deeds of woe,
That when all men had laid remorse aside,
The sunne in heau’n his griefe in shame to show
Six houres with blood-red cheeks on th’earth below,
Did blush to see her soile drinke vp their blood,
Who liuing oft in her defence had stood.
70.
Imprudent prince, since rage did lift thy handTo lop the pillers of thy kingdome downe,On whose supportfull powers thy state should stand:Looke for a ruthlesse ruine of thy crowne,Looke helplesse now in wretchednesse to drowne:The dance vnto destruction they haue led,And the same feeting I the king must tread.
Imprudent prince, since rage did lift thy hand
To lop the pillers of thy kingdome downe,
On whose supportfull powers thy state should stand:
Looke for a ruthlesse ruine of thy crowne,
Looke helplesse now in wretchednesse to drowne:
The dance vnto destruction they haue led,
And the same feeting I the king must tread.
71.
When th’hand of Ioue the mightie men shall takeFrom any state, for their rebellious pride,By such foresigne this vse we well may make,Some after-storme of vengeance will betideThat haplesse land, who euer it doth guide:The sad effusion of the noble blood,Portends confusion to the common good.
When th’hand of Ioue the mightie men shall take
From any state, for their rebellious pride,
By such foresigne this vse we well may make,
Some after-storme of vengeance will betide
That haplesse land, who euer it doth guide:
The sad effusion of the noble blood,
Portends confusion to the common good.
72.
With dolefull pen I could bewaile their woe,Whose wofull wants did after proue me weake:But far more horrid things we are to show,To those blacke deeds, of which we now must speake:They before spoken did that ice but breake,At which we falling in did helplesse drowne,Once fallen, all do helpe to keepe vs downe.
With dolefull pen I could bewaile their woe,
Whose wofull wants did after proue me weake:
But far more horrid things we are to show,
To those blacke deeds, of which we now must speake:
They before spoken did that ice but breake,
At which we falling in did helplesse drowne,
Once fallen, all do helpe to keepe vs downe.
73.
NotHerkleye’streason plotted in that truce,Which for aduancement, most ambitious man,He did intend t’our aduersarieBrewce:Nor the new troubles, whichValoysbeganIn our dominions Guien and Aquitaine,Shall be the subiect of our sadder verse:Matter of more importance we rehearse.
NotHerkleye’streason plotted in that truce,
Which for aduancement, most ambitious man,
He did intend t’our aduersarieBrewce:
Nor the new troubles, whichValoysbegan
In our dominions Guien and Aquitaine,
Shall be the subiect of our sadder verse:
Matter of more importance we rehearse.
74.
OIsabelmy queene, my vnkind queene,Thy shame must be the subiect of our song,Had not the weaknesse of thy faith been seene,When faithlesse thou wast led to do that wrongTo him that liu’d in loue with thee so long:That royall blood in Berklie castle spilt,Had now not stain’d our storie with thy guilt.
OIsabelmy queene, my vnkind queene,
Thy shame must be the subiect of our song,
Had not the weaknesse of thy faith been seene,
When faithlesse thou wast led to do that wrong
To him that liu’d in loue with thee so long:
That royall blood in Berklie castle spilt,
Had now not stain’d our storie with thy guilt.
75.
The scene of lust foreruns the act of blood,Priapus doth his lustfull breath inspireInto the queene, the ocean’s wauie floodCannot extinguish fancie’s burning fire,Nor coole the scalding thirst of her desire:With heate of lust her inward heart doth gloe,T’imprisonedMortimermy mortall foe.
The scene of lust foreruns the act of blood,
Priapus doth his lustfull breath inspire
Into the queene, the ocean’s wauie flood
Cannot extinguish fancie’s burning fire,
Nor coole the scalding thirst of her desire:
With heate of lust her inward heart doth gloe,
T’imprisonedMortimermy mortall foe.
76.
Heere let not any take offensiue spleene,Or taxe these rimes, for that to light they bringTh’incontinence of our disloyall queene:Nor thy muse grieue this argument to sing,Which is confirmed by the wronged king:Foule is the fault, though nere so quaint the skill,That conceales truth to lessen any ill.
Heere let not any take offensiue spleene,
Or taxe these rimes, for that to light they bring
Th’incontinence of our disloyall queene:
Nor thy muse grieue this argument to sing,
Which is confirmed by the wronged king:
Foule is the fault, though nere so quaint the skill,
That conceales truth to lessen any ill.
77.
Wigmore’sfalseMortimer, (whose fatall nameVniuocall to him of all his line:Whether from feare of death we fetch the same,Or of the dead seas sinke we it define,The deeds of death t’ensue doth well diuine)Reserued was by fate within the tower,With time to turne the glasse of my last houre.
Wigmore’sfalseMortimer, (whose fatall name
Vniuocall to him of all his line:
Whether from feare of death we fetch the same,
Or of the dead seas sinke we it define,
The deeds of death t’ensue doth well diuine)
Reserued was by fate within the tower,
With time to turne the glasse of my last houre.
78.
On him the queene by loose affection ledDid cast her fancie, burning in the flameOf priuie lust, which strong desier fed:And wanting her delight in wanton game,To coole her lust-burnt blood with dregs of shame,Did cast about how she might him release,That he might giue her loue-sicke passions ease.
On him the queene by loose affection led
Did cast her fancie, burning in the flame
Of priuie lust, which strong desier fed:
And wanting her delight in wanton game,
To coole her lust-burnt blood with dregs of shame,
Did cast about how she might him release,
That he might giue her loue-sicke passions ease.
79.
It is not bands, nor walles, nor thousands spiesThat can the woman’s wicked will preuent:Let loue intreate, set shame before her eies,Let plighted faith, first virgin vow’d consent,And the wombe’s fruit that giues loue most content,Perswade with her: yet can they neuer stayHer wanton will, if she will go astray.
It is not bands, nor walles, nor thousands spies
That can the woman’s wicked will preuent:
Let loue intreate, set shame before her eies,
Let plighted faith, first virgin vow’d consent,
And the wombe’s fruit that giues loue most content,
Perswade with her: yet can they neuer stay
Her wanton will, if she will go astray.
80.
By sleepie potion of effectuall powerTo charme the sense, whether by her conuey’d,Or by himselfe deuised in the tower,Segrauethe constable was captiue made,With many more to senselesse sleepe betray’d:WhileMortimer, vnthought vpon, escapesAnd vnto France his prosperous iourney shapes.
By sleepie potion of effectuall power
To charme the sense, whether by her conuey’d,
Or by himselfe deuised in the tower,
Segrauethe constable was captiue made,
With many more to senselesse sleepe betray’d:
WhileMortimer, vnthought vpon, escapes
And vnto France his prosperous iourney shapes.
81.
Thus far did fortune with my queene conspire,And after this good hap to giue full easeVnto the longing thirst of her desire,Tels her how France inuades beyond the seas,Which vp in armes she needs must go t’appease:When resolution hath prepar’d the will,It wants no helpes to further any ill.
Thus far did fortune with my queene conspire,
And after this good hap to giue full ease
Vnto the longing thirst of her desire,
Tels her how France inuades beyond the seas,
Which vp in armes she needs must go t’appease:
When resolution hath prepar’d the will,
It wants no helpes to further any ill.
82.
Through our neglect of homage to be made,Constrain’d thereto by our home-bred debate,Valoysher brother did our lands inuade,And through late wounds made in our mangled state,In armes vnable to withstand his hate:To treate with him of peace our queene we sent,In her vow’d faith being too too confident.
Through our neglect of homage to be made,
Constrain’d thereto by our home-bred debate,
Valoysher brother did our lands inuade,
And through late wounds made in our mangled state,
In armes vnable to withstand his hate:
To treate with him of peace our queene we sent,
In her vow’d faith being too too confident.
83.
O powre diuine, what mortall wight hath wingsTo soare the height of thy vnknowne decree?Reason, that hath such power in search of things,Proues then most blind, when most it seemes to see,In vainly arguing of what must bee:When reason bids no danger to suspect,Time hastens swift confusion in effect.
O powre diuine, what mortall wight hath wings
To soare the height of thy vnknowne decree?
Reason, that hath such power in search of things,
Proues then most blind, when most it seemes to see,
In vainly arguing of what must bee:
When reason bids no danger to suspect,
Time hastens swift confusion in effect.
84.
The queene effecting that, for which she went,With these conditions reunites the peace,That to such couenants I should consent,Aniou and Aquitaine I should releaseVnto my sonne, my title should surcease:And he to France as in times past 't had bin,Should do his homage for his right therein.
The queene effecting that, for which she went,
With these conditions reunites the peace,
That to such couenants I should consent,
Aniou and Aquitaine I should release
Vnto my sonne, my title should surcease:
And he to France as in times past 't had bin,
Should do his homage for his right therein.
85.
Pleas’d in this peace, my selfe, or my yong sonneInioyn’d in person to confirme these things,TheSpencersboth being into hatred run,Not daring be from vnder my safe wings,So absolute we thinke the power of kings,Perswade me heere to stay and send my sonne,In hope thereby, what they did feare, to shun.
Pleas’d in this peace, my selfe, or my yong sonne
Inioyn’d in person to confirme these things,
TheSpencersboth being into hatred run,
Not daring be from vnder my safe wings,
So absolute we thinke the power of kings,
Perswade me heere to stay and send my sonne,
In hope thereby, what they did feare, to shun.
86.
Thus all hands helping,IsabelagaineTo forward that which she on foot had set,I hauing past my title t’AquitaineVnto the prince my sonne, she sees no let,But that more easly she the rest may get:So large a share cut from vs by her skill,She hopes to haue the whole or want her will.
Thus all hands helping,Isabelagaine
To forward that which she on foot had set,
I hauing past my title t’Aquitaine
Vnto the prince my sonne, she sees no let,
But that more easly she the rest may get:
So large a share cut from vs by her skill,
She hopes to haue the whole or want her will.
87.
Hauing obtain’d in France what we require,She call’d vpon to make returne with speed,Protracts the time, and feasting her desireSo long withMortimer, that she doth needExcuse to warrant her presumptuous deed:Giues flat deniall to her lord’s command,Not to returne except with force of hand.
Hauing obtain’d in France what we require,
She call’d vpon to make returne with speed,
Protracts the time, and feasting her desire
So long withMortimer, that she doth need
Excuse to warrant her presumptuous deed:
Giues flat deniall to her lord’s command,
Not to returne except with force of hand.
88.
Many, that wau’ring wish’d a change in state,And more, that on reuenge so long had fedFor losse of friends, that fell in that debateBetwixt vs and our barons, daily fledVnto the queene, whose heart being stricken dead,As wanting strength to manage her affaire,They do reuiue with powre by their repaire.
Many, that wau’ring wish’d a change in state,
And more, that on reuenge so long had fed
For losse of friends, that fell in that debate
Betwixt vs and our barons, daily fled
Vnto the queene, whose heart being stricken dead,
As wanting strength to manage her affaire,
They do reuiue with powre by their repaire.
89.
While in the French court, yet vnfrown’d vponByCharlesher brother king, she did abide,Our Exceter’s true bishopStapleton,Ioyn’d in commission with her to decideThe iar ’twixt vs and France, now seeing her prideBurst out in plaine reuolt, returning ouerThe seas from her, did all her drifts discouer.
While in the French court, yet vnfrown’d vpon
ByCharlesher brother king, she did abide,
Our Exceter’s true bishopStapleton,
Ioyn’d in commission with her to decide
The iar ’twixt vs and France, now seeing her pride
Burst out in plaine reuolt, returning ouer
The seas from her, did all her drifts discouer.
90.
Thus their close treason bare and naked made,As blushing at their open shame descride,To cloake the cause of their intent t’inuade,They vow no more to brooke theSpencerspride,Nor shall the queene vniustly be denideThe presence of the king, they all will die,Or order things that stand in state awrie.
Thus their close treason bare and naked made,
As blushing at their open shame descride,
To cloake the cause of their intent t’inuade,
They vow no more to brooke theSpencerspride,
Nor shall the queene vniustly be denide
The presence of the king, they all will die,
Or order things that stand in state awrie.
91.
KingCharlesher brother, while they thus deuise,Whether with our rich gifts or promise won,Or with respect to his owne royalties,Or that he would not be a looker on,While vnto maiestie such wrong was done:First wooes our queene for peace, whom wilfull bent,He exiles France to frustrate her intent.
KingCharlesher brother, while they thus deuise,
Whether with our rich gifts or promise won,
Or with respect to his owne royalties,
Or that he would not be a looker on,
While vnto maiestie such wrong was done:
First wooes our queene for peace, whom wilfull bent,
He exiles France to frustrate her intent.
92.
Who now would thinke that she should euer findA hopefull helpe her weaknesse to repaire?Bewitching beautie, O how dost thou blindThe eyes of man! thy soule is deemed faire,Thy euill good, thy vice a vertue rare:In thy distresse although thy cause be wrong,Thou mou’st remorse and mak’st thy partie strong.
Who now would thinke that she should euer find
A hopefull helpe her weaknesse to repaire?
Bewitching beautie, O how dost thou blind
The eyes of man! thy soule is deemed faire,
Thy euill good, thy vice a vertue rare:
In thy distresse although thy cause be wrong,
Thou mou’st remorse and mak’st thy partie strong.
93.
Those yonger bloods,ArthoisandBeaumont,Without respect vnto her cause’s right,Those certaine helpes to her do oft recountIn Heinault to be found, if she exciteThe earle thereof to pitie her sad plight:Which by a match pretended might be done,Betwixt his daughter and the prince our sonne.
Those yonger bloods,ArthoisandBeaumont,
Without respect vnto her cause’s right,
Those certaine helpes to her do oft recount
In Heinault to be found, if she excite
The earle thereof to pitie her sad plight:
Which by a match pretended might be done,
Betwixt his daughter and the prince our sonne.
94.
As they gaue counsell, so it came to passe,She t’Heinault goes withBeaumontfor her guide,And with kind welcome entertained was:Where whileHeinaultand she with ioy prouideTo make his daughter our yongEdward’sbride,To England lets turne backe, and see at homeHow we prepare against the storme to come.
As they gaue counsell, so it came to passe,
She t’Heinault goes withBeaumontfor her guide,
And with kind welcome entertained was:
Where whileHeinaultand she with ioy prouide
To make his daughter our yongEdward’sbride,
To England lets turne backe, and see at home
How we prepare against the storme to come.
95.
To stand vpon our guard against such harme,And backe our cause against inuading ill,All castles and strong holds with men we arme,The coasts are kept, beacons on euery hillAre set for spies: O had the ioynt good willOf subiects loue with me their soueraigne bin,Th’inuading foes had found hard entrance in.
To stand vpon our guard against such harme,
And backe our cause against inuading ill,
All castles and strong holds with men we arme,
The coasts are kept, beacons on euery hill
Are set for spies: O had the ioynt good will
Of subiects loue with me their soueraigne bin,
Th’inuading foes had found hard entrance in.
96.
In vaine, O wretched king, thy hopes haue trustOn broken faithes of subiects daily fleeting:Thy lot is cast, from throne thou shalt be thrust,Thy foes shall of thy subiects at their meeting,In stead of blowes, be welcom’d with kind greeting:Thou only seek’st to keepe out th’vnkind queene,While heere at home worse dangers are vnseene.
In vaine, O wretched king, thy hopes haue trust
On broken faithes of subiects daily fleeting:
Thy lot is cast, from throne thou shalt be thrust,
Thy foes shall of thy subiects at their meeting,
In stead of blowes, be welcom’d with kind greeting:
Thou only seek’st to keepe out th’vnkind queene,
While heere at home worse dangers are vnseene.
97.
Whilst now my state begins for to decline,In whom, alas, should I my trust repose?My brotherKentthen resident in GuineFor some displeasure done to him by those'Bout vs at home, reuolts vnto our foes:O faithlesseKent, thou art the first shalt rue,That euer thou toEdwardwast vntrue.
Whilst now my state begins for to decline,
In whom, alas, should I my trust repose?
My brotherKentthen resident in Guine
For some displeasure done to him by those
'Bout vs at home, reuolts vnto our foes:
O faithlesseKent, thou art the first shalt rue,
That euer thou toEdwardwast vntrue.
98.
Treason transports, what traytors looke for heere,The queen’s stout championIohnofBeaumontcomesWith his proud troopes, three thousand men well neere,Promis’d rich pay in ransacke of our summes,Who now aboord with trumpets and with drummes,Vrg’d by the hastie queene to launch the deepeWith winde-wing’d sailes the seas soft bosome sweepe.
Treason transports, what traytors looke for heere,
The queen’s stout championIohnofBeaumontcomes
With his proud troopes, three thousand men well neere,
Promis’d rich pay in ransacke of our summes,
Who now aboord with trumpets and with drummes,
Vrg’d by the hastie queene to launch the deepe
With winde-wing’d sailes the seas soft bosome sweepe.
99.
O let the windes their forward course restraine,Wing not such mischiefe to our natiue shore,Let the proud billowes beate them backe againe:Or if they needs must come, let the seas rore,Hurle them on rockes that they may neuer moreBe seene in England in pretence of good,To bathe their hands inEdward’sroyall blood.
O let the windes their forward course restraine,
Wing not such mischiefe to our natiue shore,
Let the proud billowes beate them backe againe:
Or if they needs must come, let the seas rore,
Hurle them on rockes that they may neuer more
Be seene in England in pretence of good,
To bathe their hands inEdward’sroyall blood.
100.
Orwell thy hauen first did let them in,Harwich with bels did welcome in their fleet:No sooner did ourIsabelbeginTo presse the sandie shore with wanton feet,But our earle marshall with his powres did greetHer safe arriue, whose part, false peere, had binTo haue oppos’d her at her entrance in.
Orwell thy hauen first did let them in,
Harwich with bels did welcome in their fleet:
No sooner did ourIsabelbegin
To presse the sandie shore with wanton feet,
But our earle marshall with his powres did greet
Her safe arriue, whose part, false peere, had bin
To haue oppos’d her at her entrance in.
101.
The brother to that lord that lost his head,Leister’sgreat earle did now lift vp his hand,As in reuenge ofLancasterlate dead,T’whom many a peere linckt in rebellious bandOf grudges past, in the queene’s cause doth stand:And lest they grieue in conscience to betrayTheir lawfull king, the church leads them the way.
The brother to that lord that lost his head,
Leister’sgreat earle did now lift vp his hand,
As in reuenge ofLancasterlate dead,
T’whom many a peere linckt in rebellious band
Of grudges past, in the queene’s cause doth stand:
And lest they grieue in conscience to betray
Their lawfull king, the church leads them the way.
102.
Herford’s proud prelate,Torleton, who beforeConuicted was for treason gainst his king,When armes gainst vs our stubborne barons bore,Shrowded till now beneath the churche’s wing,Fled to the foes, and in his heart did bringThat horrid treason hatcht before in hell,Cause of all after mischiefe that befell.
Herford’s proud prelate,Torleton, who before
Conuicted was for treason gainst his king,
When armes gainst vs our stubborne barons bore,
Shrowded till now beneath the churche’s wing,
Fled to the foes, and in his heart did bring
That horrid treason hatcht before in hell,
Cause of all after mischiefe that befell.
103.
The newes of this new innouation made,And of the aliens lately set on land,With terrour doth my fainting heart inuade:All holds about vs readie open stand,To yeeld possession ere the foes demand:Whose first smal troope now made a mightie force,Into the land they take their forward course.
The newes of this new innouation made,
And of the aliens lately set on land,
With terrour doth my fainting heart inuade:
All holds about vs readie open stand,
To yeeld possession ere the foes demand:
Whose first smal troope now made a mightie force,
Into the land they take their forward course.
104.
London denies to lend her sou’raigne aid,To whom inforc’d at length to bid adew,As doubting there to foes to be betrai’d,With both theSpencersvnto Wales I flew,There by some powre my hopes yet to renue,Hoping amongst the Welch more faith to find,T’whom from my youth I had been euer kind.
London denies to lend her sou’raigne aid,
To whom inforc’d at length to bid adew,
As doubting there to foes to be betrai’d,
With both theSpencersvnto Wales I flew,
There by some powre my hopes yet to renue,
Hoping amongst the Welch more faith to find,
T’whom from my youth I had been euer kind.
105.
But thus forsaken, whither shal I run?Where shall I shadow me with safetie’s wing?Since that a wife, a brother, and a sonne,Pursues a husband, father and a king:Pitie, adew, my wrong shall neuer wringRemorse from others: Wales conspires my woe,And with false England turnes vnto my foe.
But thus forsaken, whither shal I run?
Where shall I shadow me with safetie’s wing?
Since that a wife, a brother, and a sonne,
Pursues a husband, father and a king:
Pitie, adew, my wrong shall neuer wring
Remorse from others: Wales conspires my woe,
And with false England turnes vnto my foe.
106.
Pursu’d on euery hand, and forc’d to flieMy natiue soile to shun death’s dangerous dart,My fortunes on the surging seas to trieIn a poore barke, from England we departTo th’ile of Lunday with an heauie heart,Whom from the maine land Seuerne doth diuide,In which we hope in safetie to abide.
Pursu’d on euery hand, and forc’d to flie
My natiue soile to shun death’s dangerous dart,
My fortunes on the surging seas to trie
In a poore barke, from England we depart
To th’ile of Lunday with an heauie heart,
Whom from the maine land Seuerne doth diuide,
In which we hope in safetie to abide.
107.
But eu’n that little good doth seas denie,With angrie looke the heau’ns behold the maine,Gust after gust the winged winds do flieVpon the waues, who puft with proud disdaine,Will vs deuoure or driue vs backe againe:As if too much they thought that little landFor him that late had kingdomes at command.
But eu’n that little good doth seas denie,
With angrie looke the heau’ns behold the maine,
Gust after gust the winged winds do flie
Vpon the waues, who puft with proud disdaine,
Will vs deuoure or driue vs backe againe:
As if too much they thought that little land
For him that late had kingdomes at command.
108.
Remorselesse waues haue we a kingdome lost,And yet our barke do ye denie to bringTo this small plot of ground two miles at most:O woe to tell that once so great a kingShould stoope his minde vnto so small a thing,Content to share the meanest part of many,And yet deni’d to be possest of any.
Remorselesse waues haue we a kingdome lost,
And yet our barke do ye denie to bring
To this small plot of ground two miles at most:
O woe to tell that once so great a king
Should stoope his minde vnto so small a thing,
Content to share the meanest part of many,
And yet deni’d to be possest of any.
109.
Long did we wrestle with the waues and winde,But all in vaine we striue, for neuer moreShall friendlesseEdwardany comfort find:Our barke distrest, her tackle rent and tore,At length arriues vpon Glamorgan shore,WhereSpencer,Baldocke,Reding, markt for death,Go all with me t’a castle called Neath.
Long did we wrestle with the waues and winde,
But all in vaine we striue, for neuer more
Shall friendlesseEdwardany comfort find:
Our barke distrest, her tackle rent and tore,
At length arriues vpon Glamorgan shore,
WhereSpencer,Baldocke,Reding, markt for death,
Go all with me t’a castle called Neath.
110.
With vaine suppose of safetie in that hold,While there in secret we our selues reposeTo the lordsZouchandLeisterwe are sold,Who by rich gifts often corrupting thoseThat our vnknowne abode could best disclose,With violent hands do sease their wished pray,And beare vs thence each one a seuerall way.
With vaine suppose of safetie in that hold,
While there in secret we our selues repose
To the lordsZouchandLeisterwe are sold,
Who by rich gifts often corrupting those
That our vnknowne abode could best disclose,
With violent hands do sease their wished pray,
And beare vs thence each one a seuerall way.
111.
Leister, thy king is now thy captiue made,Reuenge is in thy hand, where is thy spleene?Though vnto thee thy soueraigne was betrai’d:This be thy praise, thou wouldst not with our queeneInEdward’swrongs be any deeper seene:While in thy Killingworth thy king remaines,Nought doth he want that to a king pertaines.
Leister, thy king is now thy captiue made,
Reuenge is in thy hand, where is thy spleene?
Though vnto thee thy soueraigne was betrai’d:
This be thy praise, thou wouldst not with our queene
InEdward’swrongs be any deeper seene:
While in thy Killingworth thy king remaines,
Nought doth he want that to a king pertaines.
112.
With a strong guard from starting there kept sure,Our friends meane time being seas’d on by the foe,BothSpencers,Reading,Daniel,Milcheldeure,In death do happily shut vp their woe,As pointing out the way that we must go:Baldockein prison by a milder fate,Struck dead with grief preuents their deadly hate.
With a strong guard from starting there kept sure,
Our friends meane time being seas’d on by the foe,
BothSpencers,Reading,Daniel,Milcheldeure,
In death do happily shut vp their woe,
As pointing out the way that we must go:
Baldockein prison by a milder fate,
Struck dead with grief preuents their deadly hate.
113.
They, that vnto the king induc’d by reasonDid loyall proue, were traytors to the state:O impious age, when truth was counted treason,Heere nobleArundellI waile thy fate,Whose blood drunke vp byMortimer’ssterne hate,Did manifest the spleene, on which he fedAgainst his king, for whom thy blood was shed.
They, that vnto the king induc’d by reason
Did loyall proue, were traytors to the state:
O impious age, when truth was counted treason,
Heere nobleArundellI waile thy fate,
Whose blood drunke vp byMortimer’ssterne hate,
Did manifest the spleene, on which he fed
Against his king, for whom thy blood was shed.
114.
Since they by death t’offence haue paid their due,Who late alone in your displeasure stood,Whom should your deadly hatred now pursue?If they were only foes to common good,That made you satisfaction with their blood:Why is your liege lord as a common foeReseru’d a captiue prince for worser woe?
Since they by death t’offence haue paid their due,
Who late alone in your displeasure stood,
Whom should your deadly hatred now pursue?
If they were only foes to common good,
That made you satisfaction with their blood:
Why is your liege lord as a common foe
Reseru’d a captiue prince for worser woe?
115.
Bloodie reuenge your hatred cannot bound,So wilfully to greater mischiefe bent,The poore imprison’d king must be vncrown’d,At London by the states in parlament,It is decreed by mutuall consent:Edwardmust be depos’d from royall throne,Where he had sate now twice ten yeares and one.
Bloodie reuenge your hatred cannot bound,
So wilfully to greater mischiefe bent,
The poore imprison’d king must be vncrown’d,
At London by the states in parlament,
It is decreed by mutuall consent:
Edwardmust be depos’d from royall throne,
Where he had sate now twice ten yeares and one.
116.
O righteous heau’ns, if ye haue powre t’opposeFraile man’s vnrighteous thoughts in euery thing:Then suffer not, ah suffer not my foesThus to go on, that are about to bringSuch wofull tidings to a wretched king:In thrall though I abide, this grace yet giue,That I at least a captiue king may liue.
O righteous heau’ns, if ye haue powre t’oppose
Fraile man’s vnrighteous thoughts in euery thing:
Then suffer not, ah suffer not my foes
Thus to go on, that are about to bring
Such wofull tidings to a wretched king:
In thrall though I abide, this grace yet giue,
That I at least a captiue king may liue.
117.
Strengthned by will, though not by force of lawes,To Killingworth th’appointed states are come,Where, as in censure of some weightie cause,Twentie and foure agreed vpon their doome,In order sit within a goodly roome,And thither do their king to iudgement call,Who should haue sate chiefe iudge aboue them all.
Strengthned by will, though not by force of lawes,
To Killingworth th’appointed states are come,
Where, as in censure of some weightie cause,
Twentie and foure agreed vpon their doome,
In order sit within a goodly roome,
And thither do their king to iudgement call,
Who should haue sate chiefe iudge aboue them all.
118.
From secret closet, though, alas, full loath,Forth am I brought in mourning weeds, that showHis griefe of mind, whose bodie they do cloath:And when I would conceale my inward woe,With head declining downe as I do go,The griefe I would not see, I see in teares,Which fallen from mine eies the pauement beares.
From secret closet, though, alas, full loath,
Forth am I brought in mourning weeds, that show
His griefe of mind, whose bodie they do cloath:
And when I would conceale my inward woe,
With head declining downe as I do go,
The griefe I would not see, I see in teares,
Which fallen from mine eies the pauement beares.
119.
In presence being come and silence made,Torleton, whose lookes did wound me with despaire,A man in tongue most powerfull to perswade,Stands vp, and as design’d for this affaire,Doth in few words effectually declareThe common people’s will, the peeres consentThat I thenceforth resigne my gouernment.
In presence being come and silence made,
Torleton, whose lookes did wound me with despaire,
A man in tongue most powerfull to perswade,
Stands vp, and as design’d for this affaire,
Doth in few words effectually declare
The common people’s will, the peeres consent
That I thenceforth resigne my gouernment.
120.
O heere, what tongue can vnto vtterance bringThe inward griefe, which my poore heart did wound?So far it past all sense in sorrowing,Passion so powrefully doth sense confound,That in a swoune I falling on the ground,Faine would haue di’d, butLeisterstanding bySteps in, and doth that happinesse deny.
O heere, what tongue can vnto vtterance bring
The inward griefe, which my poore heart did wound?
So far it past all sense in sorrowing,
Passion so powrefully doth sense confound,
That in a swoune I falling on the ground,
Faine would haue di’d, butLeisterstanding by
Steps in, and doth that happinesse deny.
121.
Recall’d from death by those that stood about,When breath through grieued brest found passage free,In these sad words my woes I breathed out:“O powrefull God, since ’tis thy will that weeDo leaue our crowne, I grudge not thy decree:Thou art most iust in all, thou gau’st a crowne,But ah, mine owne misdeeds haue cast me downe.
Recall’d from death by those that stood about,
When breath through grieued brest found passage free,
In these sad words my woes I breathed out:
“O powrefull God, since ’tis thy will that wee
Do leaue our crowne, I grudge not thy decree:
Thou art most iust in all, thou gau’st a crowne,
But ah, mine owne misdeeds haue cast me downe.
122.
To you I yeeld what wrong doth wrest from me,Since with one voice ye say it must be so,And beg this mercie in my miserie:That since your hate hath brought me to this woe,It heere may end, no further let it goe:He whom once king your hate could not forgiue,Will be no king so he haue leaue to liue.”
To you I yeeld what wrong doth wrest from me,
Since with one voice ye say it must be so,
And beg this mercie in my miserie:
That since your hate hath brought me to this woe,
It heere may end, no further let it goe:
He whom once king your hate could not forgiue,
Will be no king so he haue leaue to liue.”
123.
Heere teares did choake the end of my sad words,And while my state in silence I deplore,Trussellin name of all the English lordsRenouncing th’homage due to me before,Depriues me of the same for euermore:Leauing his liege that was of most command,The most deiected subiect of this land.
Heere teares did choake the end of my sad words,
And while my state in silence I deplore,
Trussellin name of all the English lords
Renouncing th’homage due to me before,
Depriues me of the same for euermore:
Leauing his liege that was of most command,
The most deiected subiect of this land.
124.
Blunt, steward of our house in th’open hall,Protracts no time by any long delay,But breaking of his rod before them all,Resignes his office, all depart away,Many that would in loue, yet dare not stay:This was my fate, thus did false fortune frowne,Ah God, that euer king was so cast downe!
Blunt, steward of our house in th’open hall,
Protracts no time by any long delay,
But breaking of his rod before them all,
Resignes his office, all depart away,
Many that would in loue, yet dare not stay:
This was my fate, thus did false fortune frowne,
Ah God, that euer king was so cast downe!
125.
Yet fortune hath not spent her vtmost hate,With patience we must arme our selues more strong,Scarce will fraile eares belieue what we relate,When now thy muse shall tune her mournefull song,To sadder times that she may waile that wrong,To which with griefe for guide we now proceed,Whose woes wil make the hardiest heart to bleed.
Yet fortune hath not spent her vtmost hate,
With patience we must arme our selues more strong,
Scarce will fraile eares belieue what we relate,
When now thy muse shall tune her mournefull song,
To sadder times that she may waile that wrong,
To which with griefe for guide we now proceed,
Whose woes wil make the hardiest heart to bleed.
126.
Our iealous queen, whom conscience doth torment,Fearing lestLeicesterso neare alli’d,In pitie of our state should now relent,TelsTorletonof her doubts what might betide,If in his keeping we do still abide,Who fearing vengeance for his owne offence,Giues her his counsell to remoue me thence.
Our iealous queen, whom conscience doth torment,
Fearing lestLeicesterso neare alli’d,
In pitie of our state should now relent,
TelsTorletonof her doubts what might betide,
If in his keeping we do still abide,
Who fearing vengeance for his owne offence,
Giues her his counsell to remoue me thence.
127.
Leisterconstrained by expresse command,To the lordBerkleydoth his charge restore,Whence he conueies me with an armed bandVnto his castle seated neare the shore,Gainst which great Seuerne’s raging waues do rore:ButBerkley, thou withLeisterart too kind,Edwardwith thee doth too much fauour find.
Leisterconstrained by expresse command,
To the lordBerkleydoth his charge restore,
Whence he conueies me with an armed band
Vnto his castle seated neare the shore,
Gainst which great Seuerne’s raging waues do rore:
ButBerkley, thou withLeisterart too kind,
Edwardwith thee doth too much fauour find.
128.
Oh gentleBerkly, whither wilt thou go?Why dost not stand by thy sad sou’raigne’s side?For pitie leaue him not vnto such woe,WhichGourneyandMatreuersdo prouide,Such woe did neuer any king betide:But with command they come, thou must depart,And leaue thy king, although with heauie heart.
Oh gentleBerkly, whither wilt thou go?
Why dost not stand by thy sad sou’raigne’s side?
For pitie leaue him not vnto such woe,
WhichGourneyandMatreuersdo prouide,
Such woe did neuer any king betide:
But with command they come, thou must depart,
And leaue thy king, although with heauie heart.
129.
ToGourneyandMatreuersby decreeIn his owne castle he resignes his right:Who lest that any friend should priuie beeTo my abode, do beare me thence by nightVnto Corfe castle, whence with more despightThrough darknesse and blind waies in poore array,To Bristow castle they do me conuey.
ToGourneyandMatreuersby decree
In his owne castle he resignes his right:
Who lest that any friend should priuie bee
To my abode, do beare me thence by night
Vnto Corfe castle, whence with more despight
Through darknesse and blind waies in poore array,
To Bristow castle they do me conuey.
130.
By night conuey’d thus rudely to and fro,Lest by my friends from them I rescu’d bee,At last since none, whom they do feare, do knowWhere I am now become, they do agreeTo Berkley backe againe to go with mee,Staying a time, till night with dewie dampeShould choake daie’s light and put out Phœbus lampe.
By night conuey’d thus rudely to and fro,
Lest by my friends from them I rescu’d bee,
At last since none, whom they do feare, do know
Where I am now become, they do agree
To Berkley backe againe to go with mee,
Staying a time, till night with dewie dampe
Should choake daie’s light and put out Phœbus lampe.
131.
Then do they set me on a beast foreworneIn stead of stately steed, whereon to ride,And for no crowne I had my head t’adorne,Bare I do sit, except the heau’n to hideMy woefull head all couering they denide,While sharp winds in my face the weather blowes,And with their nipping cold augments my woes.
Then do they set me on a beast foreworne
In stead of stately steed, whereon to ride,
And for no crowne I had my head t’adorne,
Bare I do sit, except the heau’n to hide
My woefull head all couering they denide,
While sharp winds in my face the weather blowes,
And with their nipping cold augments my woes.
132.
When out of east the day began to peepe,Who, as if she my ruefull case did mone,Vpon my head her dewie droppes did weepe,The right hand way they left, and iourn’ing on,Where Seuerne’s siluer waues doth play vponThe marish greene, they forced me to light,There to haue slaine my heart with sad despight
When out of east the day began to peepe,
Who, as if she my ruefull case did mone,
Vpon my head her dewie droppes did weepe,
The right hand way they left, and iourn’ing on,
Where Seuerne’s siluer waues doth play vpon
The marish greene, they forced me to light,
There to haue slaine my heart with sad despight
133.
In stead of royall chaire, they set me downeOn a mole-hill (was neuer king so vsde)AndGourney, wretched man, in stead of crowneWith wreath of grasse my royall browes abusde,Patience perforce it might not be refusde:Then while in wretched case my hands I wring,In scorne the villaines bid auaunt sir king.
In stead of royall chaire, they set me downe
On a mole-hill (was neuer king so vsde)
AndGourney, wretched man, in stead of crowne
With wreath of grasse my royall browes abusde,
Patience perforce it might not be refusde:
Then while in wretched case my hands I wring,
In scorne the villaines bid auaunt sir king.
134.
While thus I sit all carefull comfortlesse,With pitious lookes cast vp in wofull wise,Calling the heau’ns to witnesse my distresse,In stead of teares, the starres like weeping eiesDrop downe their exhalations from the skies:And Tithon’s bride new rising from her bed,Beholds their leaudnesse with a blushing red.
While thus I sit all carefull comfortlesse,
With pitious lookes cast vp in wofull wise,
Calling the heau’ns to witnesse my distresse,
In stead of teares, the starres like weeping eies
Drop downe their exhalations from the skies:
And Tithon’s bride new rising from her bed,
Beholds their leaudnesse with a blushing red.
135.
Yet to my plaints no pitie they do yeeld:But bent to adde more griefe to my disgrace,In rustie murren with foule water fill’d,A villaine comes with hands vncleane and base,To shaue the heare both from my head and face:Who, when warme water I desire to haue,Replies, that cold will serue his turne to shaue.
Yet to my plaints no pitie they do yeeld:
But bent to adde more griefe to my disgrace,
In rustie murren with foule water fill’d,
A villaine comes with hands vncleane and base,
To shaue the heare both from my head and face:
Who, when warme water I desire to haue,
Replies, that cold will serue his turne to shaue.
136.
With eyes full burthned with a showre of teares,“Do ye,” quoth I, “now helpe me with your mightTo waile the sorrowes, which my sad soule beares,Open your floud-gates wide, and in their sightLet vs haue water warme in their despight:”This said, the teares did downe my cheekes distill,As if they stroue t’effect my wofull will.
With eyes full burthned with a showre of teares,
“Do ye,” quoth I, “now helpe me with your might
To waile the sorrowes, which my sad soule beares,
Open your floud-gates wide, and in their sight
Let vs haue water warme in their despight:”
This said, the teares did downe my cheekes distill,
As if they stroue t’effect my wofull will.
137.
Hence in this plight to Berkley am I brought,Where bidding comfort euermore farewell:And feeding long on care and pensiue thought,At length I am shut vp in darksome cell,There to the senselesse walles my griefe to tell,Deni’d the comfort of heau’n’s common light,Bound while I liue to liue in endlesse night.
Hence in this plight to Berkley am I brought,
Where bidding comfort euermore farewell:
And feeding long on care and pensiue thought,
At length I am shut vp in darksome cell,
There to the senselesse walles my griefe to tell,
Deni’d the comfort of heau’n’s common light,
Bound while I liue to liue in endlesse night.
138.
My sterne tormentors moued with remorse,Wish death to end my miserable care:Yet nature will not violently forceWay to a lingring death, they do prepareBy cold, long watching, fast and euill fare:But, I euen made insensible in woes,Suffer with patience all they can impose.
My sterne tormentors moued with remorse,
Wish death to end my miserable care:
Yet nature will not violently force
Way to a lingring death, they do prepare
By cold, long watching, fast and euill fare:
But, I euen made insensible in woes,
Suffer with patience all they can impose.
139.
In hollow vault, through which the channell pastFrom forth the towne beneath my chamber flore,Dead carcasses and loathed things they cast,Whose grieuous stinch did grieue my senses moreThen all the griefe that I endur’d before:And forc’d me search the walles for open place,To some without to waile my woefull case.
In hollow vault, through which the channell past
From forth the towne beneath my chamber flore,
Dead carcasses and loathed things they cast,
Whose grieuous stinch did grieue my senses more
Then all the griefe that I endur’d before:
And forc’d me search the walles for open place,
To some without to waile my woefull case.
140.
Vpon a time I through a crannie spi’dMen hewing timber on the greene fast by,To whom with drearie deadly voice I cri’d,“O who will helpe me wretch, that heere do lieIn torment worse then death, yet cannot die?If any there do mourne man’s wretched case,Helpe me, ah help me from this loathed place.”
Vpon a time I through a crannie spi’d
Men hewing timber on the greene fast by,
To whom with drearie deadly voice I cri’d,
“O who will helpe me wretch, that heere do lie
In torment worse then death, yet cannot die?
If any there do mourne man’s wretched case,
Helpe me, ah help me from this loathed place.”
141.
The poore men’s hearts are pierc’d with point of woe,And trembling horror doth their hearts appallFor ruth of wronged king cast downe so low,Vnable t’helpe me, vnto God they call,That he may yeeld reliefe to wofull thrall:Who giuing eare to mine and their request,At length in death doth giue my sorrowes rest.
The poore men’s hearts are pierc’d with point of woe,
And trembling horror doth their hearts appall
For ruth of wronged king cast downe so low,
Vnable t’helpe me, vnto God they call,
That he may yeeld reliefe to wofull thrall:
Who giuing eare to mine and their request,
At length in death doth giue my sorrowes rest.
142.
Mischiefe from those that guiltie of offenceDid wish my death in letters sent doth bringA darke enigma bearing double sense,Which is vnpointed left a doubtfull thing,Either to kill or not to kill the king,As in such tearmes “kingEdward’sblood to spillRefuse ye not to feare I count it ill.”
Mischiefe from those that guiltie of offence
Did wish my death in letters sent doth bring
A darke enigma bearing double sense,
Which is vnpointed left a doubtfull thing,
Either to kill or not to kill the king,
As in such tearmes “kingEdward’sblood to spill
Refuse ye not to feare I count it ill.”
143.
The bloodie villaines construing the sameVnto that sense, for which it then was sent,Watch for the night, whose cloudie cloake of shameWith darknesse should conceale their damn’d intent,Day did abhor the thing 'bout which they went,And fled away, grim night on th’earth did frowne,And I in carefull bed had laid me downe.
The bloodie villaines construing the same
Vnto that sense, for which it then was sent,
Watch for the night, whose cloudie cloake of shame
With darknesse should conceale their damn’d intent,
Day did abhor the thing 'bout which they went,
And fled away, grim night on th’earth did frowne,
And I in carefull bed had laid me downe.
144.
Where for musitian that with sweetest breath,Had wont to lull my watchfull sense asleepe:The ghastly owle, the fatall bird of death,That on my chamber walles her inne did keepeIn my poore trembling heart impressed deepeThe feare of death with her too deadly note,Which oft she shriked through her balefull throte.
Where for musitian that with sweetest breath,
Had wont to lull my watchfull sense asleepe:
The ghastly owle, the fatall bird of death,
That on my chamber walles her inne did keepe
In my poore trembling heart impressed deepe
The feare of death with her too deadly note,
Which oft she shriked through her balefull throte.
145.
The murmuring noise of the rude waters roreWhich not far thence into the seas do fall,Where Seuerne’s billowes do beat vpon the shore,And bellowing winds which iustling gainst the wallLike death’s shrill whistlers at the cranies call,Through darknesse and deepe silence of the night,Our troubled heart with horror doth affright.
The murmuring noise of the rude waters rore
Which not far thence into the seas do fall,
Where Seuerne’s billowes do beat vpon the shore,
And bellowing winds which iustling gainst the wall
Like death’s shrill whistlers at the cranies call,
Through darknesse and deepe silence of the night,
Our troubled heart with horror doth affright.
146.
On fearefull things long musing I do lie,At last with sleepe opprest, in slumber cast,Vpflew the doores and in the murderers flie,At which awakt, and suddenly agast,As from my naked bed I thought t’haue past,They with rude hands do hold me downe by force,While with vaine words I seeke to moue remorse.
On fearefull things long musing I do lie,
At last with sleepe opprest, in slumber cast,
Vpflew the doores and in the murderers flie,
At which awakt, and suddenly agast,
As from my naked bed I thought t’haue past,
They with rude hands do hold me downe by force,
While with vaine words I seeke to moue remorse.
147.
“Ye deadly instruments of other’s ill,Grant one request, which dying I do craue:Since ye be bent this royall blood to spill,Send me not hence with torture to the graue:’Tis life ye seeke, the only thing I haue:Which yet shall vade on wings of willing breath,Since better tis to die then liue in death.”
“Ye deadly instruments of other’s ill,
Grant one request, which dying I do craue:
Since ye be bent this royall blood to spill,
Send me not hence with torture to the graue:
’Tis life ye seeke, the only thing I haue:
Which yet shall vade on wings of willing breath,
Since better tis to die then liue in death.”
148.
By this they with maine strength do me compell,Strengthlesse for breath to yeeld to their intent:And then, O horrid, shamefull thing to tell,By force they thrust an hollow instrumentMuch like a trumpe into my fundament,By which they do preuent the mone I makeBy sudden death, as thus to them I spake.
By this they with maine strength do me compell,
Strengthlesse for breath to yeeld to their intent:
And then, O horrid, shamefull thing to tell,
By force they thrust an hollow instrument
Much like a trumpe into my fundament,
By which they do preuent the mone I make
By sudden death, as thus to them I spake.
149.
“Ah why, why thus torment ye me with smart?Leaue off to grieue:” not one word more I said,They had by this time thrust me to the hartWith steele red hot: to sleepe me downe I laid,And with the pray’rs which godly folke had made,When from the castle they did heare my cries,My soule on mercie’s wings did clime the skies.
“Ah why, why thus torment ye me with smart?
Leaue off to grieue:” not one word more I said,
They had by this time thrust me to the hart
With steele red hot: to sleepe me downe I laid,
And with the pray’rs which godly folke had made,
When from the castle they did heare my cries,
My soule on mercie’s wings did clime the skies.
150.
Thus hauing heard my lamentable fallProcur’d by stubborne peeres disloyaltie,And people’s wilfull hate, the spring of allFirst flowing from deceitfull flatterie,That deadly bane t’all princely royaltie:Amongst the rest in place with painfull penInsert it for a Mirrour vnto men.
Thus hauing heard my lamentable fall
Procur’d by stubborne peeres disloyaltie,
And people’s wilfull hate, the spring of all
First flowing from deceitfull flatterie,
That deadly bane t’all princely royaltie:
Amongst the rest in place with painfull pen
Insert it for a Mirrour vnto men.