Chapter XIII: Part III (10)

At midnight hee dislodgde, from seige hee made departe,
The constable of Fraunce (late earle of _Richemond_) fled,
And toward _Fougiers_ sped, with such as tooke his parte,
For haste, perhaps with feare, lest hee should lose his heade:
They left two hundred pypes of flowre and bisket bread,
Greate gunnes foureteene, three hundred pypes of wine,
Two hundred frailes of figs and raysons fine.

27.

Fiue hundred barels they of hering left beside,
Of pouder for our gunnes full forty barels more,
They fled without theyr tents, the dasterds durst not byde,
For feare they coulde not stay, to take away theyr store:
Haue you oft hearde the like of cowards such before?
Those forty thousand, Bretons, Frenche, and Scots,
Fowre score them foyled, made them flee like sots.

28.

When this, that noble man, the duke of _Bedford_ hearde,
How I did quit my selfe, and seru’d my prince so well,
Hee mee procured of the king, as great rewarde
As my deserts coulde wish, and more the truth to tell,
Chiefe butlership of _Normandy_, vnto me fell
Reuenues eke in _Normandy_ of lands,
A thousand crownes came yearely to my hands.

29.

I after this was sent to make inroade
Upon the coaste of _Bretaine_, for to bate theyr pride,
A band of horsemen tooke without aboade,
The duke of _Somerset_ made me theyr guide,
To many townes about theyr bounds wee ride:
Set them on fire, or made them ransom pay,
Tooke store of prisners, wrought them much decay.

30.

Retourned victours safe to _Normandy_,
With good successe, for why the cause was good,
And of our prince were guerdonde gratefully
With lande and gifts, as for our seruice stoode:
This makes the captaynes venture life and bloode,
And souldiers serue with heart in what they may,
Which are assurde of honour, prayse, and pay.

31.

Yee worthy wights aliue, which loue your countrey’s weale,
And for your prince’s porte such warres doe vndertake,
Learne so for countrey your’s with forayne foes to deale,
See that of manhood good, so great accompts yee make:
It nothing vayles in peace, to sweare, stur, face, or crake:
In werres hee winnes the fame of noble wight
Who warlike deales, for prince and publique right.

32.

Yf you so poynted bee, to serue your prince in war,
As erste was I, and muste before the muster take,
Retayne such souldiers as well made, strong, seemely ar
Brought vp to labour harde, of such accompt doe make:
These able are at neede to stand and keepe the stake,
When facing foysters fit for _Tiburne_ frayes
Are foodesicke faynt, or hartsicke run theyr wayes.

33.

At home a man may finde a nomber euery day,
Which weare theyr weapons still, as all the worlde were war,
And keepe a coyle to beare the best of blades away,
With buclers braue at backs, to shew what men they are:
In peace at home they sweare, stare, foyste, royst, fight, and iar:
But when abroade they feare of warres the smarte,
Some better souldiers yede[1875] from driueing cart.

34.

In warres to serue, as wee, and weapons haue
When warlike stormes do rage, beseemes a warlike man:
In pleasaunt peace who sets him selfe to bandeing braue,
And faceing fares at home, abroade doe nothing can,
Though nere so much hee boaste, fie on him cowerd than:
For not in gauntlet, sworde, targ, oathes, hayre, staring eyes,
But in the breast, good courage, vertue lyes.

35.

But here, perhaps you say, I fall a noate too lowe,
Beneath the persons of these worthy peeres and mee:
Tis true indeede, and yet such fruite hereof may growe,
As eke the meane hereby, his iarring out may see:
Without good meane, the song can neuer sweetly gree:
Leaue out the meane, or let him keepe no tune,
And you shall sing when Easter falles in June.

36.

Euen so, if meaner sorts doe iangle here and iar
To languish vnder _Mars_, but fill good peace with fight,
As discorde foule in musike, fit they for the war,
They neuer can atchiue the victory aright:
Leade such as square or feare, then farewell all, good night:
A sheepe is euen as good to starteing, stand, and beae:
As hee that iangles, wrangles, rangles, runnes aweae.

37.

Then who so deales for warre, must wisely make his marte,
And choose such souldiers stout will stiffe in warfare stande:
Yf hee not recke what ruffian roysters take his parte,
Hee weeldes vnwisely then the mace of _Mars_ in hande:
He must be able eke, to deeme for sea and lande
What men may serue, to best aduauntage make,
And them enstruct fine warlike poynts to take.

38.

With scilfull knowledge fraight hee muste be voyde of feare,
Of wisedom so discreete, so sober, graue and sage,
To deeme, perceiue, abyde, aduentures both to beare
As may in all exployts of fight with fortune wage:
Hee must haue art in vre, and vse not rule by rage:
Wise dealing sets the souldiers sure in ray,
Wilde ouer rashnesse casteth all away.

39.

The cause, grounde, place and time, the order of theyr fights,
The valure of his foes, and what is theyr intent,
The weather fayre or foule, occasion of the nights,
What witty wyles and pollicies may them preuent,
And how the time or store of th’enmies hath beene spent:
All these, I say, must well be weyde before,
By him that sets in warres of credit store.

40.

In all which poynts that noble duke his grace did passe,
I meane the regent good, for chuseing, vseing men,
By nature framde thereto, hee wonders[1876] scilfull was,
And frendly vsed all, instructing now and then
Not only captaynes stout, that were his countrey men,
But also sondry souldiers as occasion came,
And taught them how to warres themselues to frame.

41.

His princely grace and gesture yet mee thinks I see,
And how hee bare himselfe, to deale for warre or peace:
In warre full _Mars_-like, hardy, sterne, and bolde was hee:
And meeke and prudent, mercifull, when stormes of warres did cease:
Whom pity mou’d as much inflicted paynes to releace,
As euer wight in whom the broyles of war,
Or force of fights, had entred in so far.

42.

Which if agayne to rue the losse of such a frend,
In sight with playnts, of teares the fountaynes out might flow:
So all lamenting muses would mee waylings lend,
The dolours of my heart in sight agayne to show:
I would deplore his death, and England’s cause of woe,
With such sad mourning tunes, and such sobs, sighes, and teares,
As were not seene for one, this ten times twenty yeares.

43.

For why this noble prince, when wee had needed moste
To set the states of Fraunce and England in a stay,
That feared was of foes in euery forayne coaste,
To soone, alas, this duke was taken hence away:
In Fraunce hee dyde: helasse, lament his losse wee may,
That regent regall, rule of publique right:
Loe, howe my hurtes afreshe beweepe this wanted wight.”

44.

With that his woundes (mee thought) gan freshly bleede,
And hee waxte faynt and fell, and my salte teares
Ran downe my rufull cheekes, with trickling speede,
(For who coulde chuse that such cause sees and heares.)
“O worthy knight,” (qd.[1877] I) “whose loyall faith appeares:
Cease wayles, rise vp, instruct my quiuering pen,
To tell the rest of fortune’s dublings then.”

45.

“I haue,” quoth he, “not fortune’s flatterie to accuse,
Nor fate, nor destenie, nor any fancie fainde:
I haue no cause t’affirme that these coulde ought misuse
This noble prince, whose life and acts such fame and honour gaynde,
But our deserts, our sinnes, and our offences staynde
This noble ile, and vs, our sinnes, I say,
Offending God, hee tooke this prince away.

46.

Helasse, how loath can I retourne, and leaue this pearle
in _Roane_,
My lorde _Ihon_ duke of _Bedford_, there his corps yet lyes,
Enclosde with costly tombe, wrought curiously of stone,
By north the altar high (delighting many martiall eyes)
Within our ladie church, where fame him lifts to skies,
By dayly vew his name renoumbde exalted is,
And soule, I trust, full sweetly sweames in blisse.

47.

Needes must I enterline my talke a while with this:
And then I will retourne to tell you how I sped:”
When once the French men sawe this noble duke to misse,
Which English armyes all gaynste foes with fortunes led,
They liude at large, rebeld against their soueraygne head,
Forsooke their oathes, alleageaunce all denyde,
And English men with all their force defyde.

48.

While hee did liue, they durst not so to deale,
They durst not dare, with th’English oft to fraye,
They found it was not for theire owne or publique weale,
To rise againste theire lorde the regent, in araye:
Soone after hee was deade, departed hence away,
Both French and Normanes close to win did cloaze,
And wee deuided were, our rightes abroade to loaze.

49.

The feende (I thinke) deuisde a way to make the breache,
By enuye bred in breastes of two right noble peeres,
Which mischiefe hatcht in England, then may teache
All noble men that liue, hence many hundreth yeares,
Beware of enuye blacke, how far shee deares:
Euen their examples tell, how true our Christe doth say:
Each realme, towne, house, in ciuile strife, shall desolate
decay.

50.

Perdie the duke of _Yorke_ was regent made of Fraunce,
At which the duke of _Somerset_ did much repine,
Hee thought they rather ought him so t’aduaunce
King _Henrie’s_ kin, for honour of his princely lyne:
But marke the grape which grew on this vngracious vine,
I will not say it after stroyde their lynes and houses nye,
But this I say, wee dayely sawe dishonour came thereby.

51.

For though the hauty duke were worthy it to haue,
As well for courage good, as vertues honour due:
Yet sith to th’duke of _Yorke_ th’election first it gaue,
And hee the sadle mist, what neded hee to rue?
When tumultes great and sturres in Fraunce yet daylye grew,
Hee nilde the regent hence dispatche[1878] in many dayes:
That losse might win him hurte, or long disprayse.

52.

Wylde wengand on such ire, wherby the realme doth lose,
What gayne haue they, which heaue at honour soe?
At home disdayne and greefe, abroade they frend their foes:
I must bee playne in that which wrought my webs of woe,
My webs (qd.[1879] I:) would God they had wrought no moe:
It was the cause of many a bleeding English breaste,
And to the French, their end of woefull warres addresse.

53.

I dare aduouche yf they had firme in frendship boade,
And soothly, as beseemde, ioynde frendly hand with hands,
They had not felt defame in any foraine roade,
Nor had not so beene sent, with losse from _Gallia_ strands:
They might possession kept, still of their conquerde lands,
And able beene to tryde them selues so true,
As myght haue made their enmyes still to rue.

54.

For while the duke of _Somerset_ made here so greate delayes,
That into Fraunce the succours smale and slackly came,
Not only Paris than was loste, within few dayes,
That famous flowre of Fraunce, of far renowmed fame,
The Frenche, I say, not only gate and kept the same,
But by this meanes, in Fraunce we dayly felt such smarte,
As might with pitie perst[1880] an adamantine harte.

55.

O great mishap, the noble duke of _Bedford_ once being dead,
Our welth went backe, by discords foule dispite wee loste
Not only townes in Fraunce, and captaines armyes led,
But many soldiers eke with labour, spence, and cost:
And though full oft wee made the Frenche men smell of the rost,
Yet in the end wee gayne of fyght the fame,
And they by crafte and treason gate the game.

56.

What resteth more, it were, perdie, to long to tell,
Of batayles great and broiles which happened dayly still,
The stories eke declare aduentures which befell:
Although, God wot, the writers wanted poyntes of scill,
Of whom to speake a while, degresse agayne I will,
And partely shewe what one hee oughte to bee,
Which takes on him to write an historie.

57.

A chronicler should well in diuers tongues bee seene,
And eke in all the artes hee oughte to haue a sighte,
Whereby hee myght the truth of diuers actions deeme,
And both supply the wantes, correct that is not righte:
Hee should haue eloquence, and full and fitly write,
Not mangle stories, snatching here and there:
Nor gloaze to make a volume greate appeare.

58.

Hee should bee of such countenaunce and wit,
As should giue witnes to the histories hee writes,
Hee should bee able well his reasons so to knit,
As should continue well the matter hee resytes:
Hee should not prayse, disprayse, for fauour or dispytes,
But should so place each thing in order due,
As myght approue the stories to bee true.

59.

But this may haps the time may seeke at length redresse,
And then such stories nowe and noble acts as dye,
May come agayne to lighte (at least defaced lesse)
Yf from the _Britaynes_ first antiquities they try:
In greate defects yf they the trueth supply:
Then shall the readers fuller stories finde,
And haue wherby to recreate the minde.

60.

But now retourne I must, and breifly heare declare
Before my death, what sundry happes wee had:
In warres right variousely the states of captaynes fare,
Now weale, now woe, now ioyfull, now right sad:
But who well ends, though all his haps were bad,
Let him earst sinke or swim, lose, wyn, bee slayne, die, fall,
Yf hee dye well, h’is thrise and fower tymes blest of all.

61.

In Fraunce eyght leagues from _Paris_, _Pontoise_ stands,
(Tweene that and _Roane_) which wee had wonne before:
And so wee held it English safely in our handes:
For to our prince the men allegeaunce swore,
And they remaynd obedient euermore,
Tyll from their necks to reaue the English yoke,
They might finde meanes by whom to stricke the stroke.

62.

When these sawe _Paris_ loste, and cities moe beside,
And what in Fraunce and _Normandie_ reuoltes had done,
They thought no longer subiect to abyde,
But sought occasion how they might by Frenche be won?
As of our losse reports did dayly to them run,
So with king _Charles_ th’agreede when to betray the towne,
And force the English flee, or yeelde, or beate them downe.

63.

For why, the powre of Fraunce coulde not with mighty hoste
Performe, to wyn by force from vs th’assaulted towne,
Them scaleing often from the walles wee toste,
On euery syde full fast wee flang the French men downe:
Our noble actes before had gotten such renowne,
And fortune erste had past with vs so farre,
They had small hope to wyn our fortes by warre.

64.

Wherefore king _Charles_ assayde the secrete saute,
Not by his force of French, but by his golden fee,
Corrupting diuers burgeses to make the faute,
Whereby an entry shoulde to his oppugning bee:
And they, as erste is sayde, were willing to agree,
Like periurde theeues conspirde, by secrete fyne deuice
Gaue _Pontoise_ vp, and tooke the promiste price.

65.

But in Nouember next, when it was sharpe and colde,
And dayly froste had dryde and parched hard the grounde,
Wee were in hope agayne to get of _Pontoise_ holde,
Which erste the townesmen sold for gayne of many a pound:
The snow fell fast, lay thick, and couered well the ground,
And ditches were so harde about the towne before,
That on the ise by euery syde wee safely might get ore.

66.

The lorde Ihon _Clifforde_ was cheife captayne then,
Which with vs captaynes did this pollicie deuise,
That wee in clothing white and soldiers euery man,
Should in our armoure finelye vs disguyse:
The nexte nyght so wee should to the assaute aryse,
And passe the frozen ditche vnto the wall,
With laders scale, and kill the watchmen all.

67.

Wee so preparde our selues as time occasion gaue,
And drest in white coates trim, it ioyde our hartes to see
How fine wee paste the ditch, what good successe we haue:
How on the walles we fynde the watch nigh frozen bee:
As noble Greekes on _Troie_, on _Pontoise_ seasonde wee,
Wee slewe the watch, wee beate the soldiers downe,
Some prisners tooke, and tooke with all the towne.

68.

Of stately captaynes, French, was _Iohn de Villers_ one
Within the taken towne, and _Narrabon_, a knight
_Burgunion_: yet they fled, away they gate them gone:
They durst not bide againste the blanched boyes to fight:
Wee paide the periurde knaues the burgesses that night,
And gate as much of honour and renowne
As they gate shame and losse, which bought and solde the towne.

69.

Marke well the Frenchmen’s foyles in all our worthy war,
In these two regall _Henrye’s_ times, and you shall see
How wee surpast the French in valure farre:
And bend for prince and realme so valiaunt for to bee:
Which if yee shall, and deale in seruice as did wee,
I nothing doubt renowne and fame shall say,
That noble England beares for warres the palme away.

70.

But when king _Charles_ had heard how _Pontoise_ men had sped,
His army strayght assembled hee therefore agayne,
Wherewith to win this towne afresh th’assaute hee led,
Hee pyners set to trenche and vnder mine amayne,
Made bastiles for defence, yet all this toyle was vayne,
For battery of our walles hee spent his pouder still,
Made freshly Frenche assaults, but did no ill.

71.

The noble duke of _Yorke_ discharged late before,
When now the earle of _Warwicke_ chaunst at _Roane_ to dye,
Being regent chosen once agayne of Fraunce, as yore,
(Th’earle of _Warwicke_ regent was two yeares, perdy)
Arryude in Fraunce, to rowse the Frenche king he did hye,
Which lay beseiging _Pontoise_, as I sayde,
With him to fight, and eke to bring vs ayde.

72.

The Frenche king fled, for haste he left his store behinde:
When hee was once assurde the duke of _Yorke_ drue nere,
Hee durst not stay to bide the time or place assinde
To fight our regent with, but fled away for feare:
By these assayes you see what men in Fraunce they were,
Discouragde oft, slayne, put to flight, and fall:
By sight, force, fight, and names, of nombers small.

73.

There when the duke had fortefyde our _Pontoise_ towne,
Then he pursude the Frenche king erst that fled,
To _Poyssy_, where hee laye with lords of Frenche renowne:
Before which towne, the duke his noble army led:
The Frenche king durste not out of _Poyssy_ put his head:
And yet there came to skirmish out Frenche gentilmen,
Of which some slayne, fowre tane, the reste retyrde agen.

74.

The duke to bid him batayle did pretend,
Yf hee coulde there encounter with him thoe:
But forth agayne hee durste not come nor send,
For feare hee should receiue the foyle and ouerthroe:
On which the duke dislodgde, departeing _Poyssy_ froe,
To _Maunte_, and _Roane_, from thence his grace did hye,
T’appease the broyles of strife in _Normandy_.

75.

But then the Frenche king, calling vnto mynde his losse,
His charges in the seige, his bastiles trenches made,
How erste wee did them thence, sans bag and bagage tosse,
Eke how from seige hee durste not staye the store to lade,
And how their fortunes ofte, in fighte went retrograde,
How neighboures ill to _Paris_, wee of _Pontoise_ were:
Hee cast asyde his Frenche and faynteing feare.

76.

The rather yet, for why, _Parisiens_ ay did rayle,
They sayde hee wanted courage good, hee durst not fight,
Hee lackte no soldiers good, his feeble heart did fayle:
“_Le Roy_ (quoth they) _du France, les Anglois point ne nuit:_
_Le Roy ne ose pas pour Pontoise faire poursuit:_
_Le Roy est Lourd, sans cueur: car peu de gens,_
_Fait nostre Roy & pais faire grande dispens_.”

77.

On this king _Charles_ retournde with mighty hoste,
To vindicate this great reproche and shame:
And vnto _Pontoise_ gaue assaulte in poste,
Full hotly, when wee feared leaste the same:
Whereon, to fight agaynst him all our force wee frame,
But number great at th’entry gote such hand,
Wee could not forth agayne their force aband.

78.

With trompets sounding, tan tan-tar’aloude
The larum bell wee rong, our selues to try dispose,
To make them pay the price of our distresse wee vowde,
Before wee would possession got, of _Pontoise_ loze:
In euery streete wee met the strength of all our foes,
And made them passe by deadly dint away,
Which ventured first our English mates to slay.

79.

‘Why now my frends, for England fighte,’ I cryde:
‘Yf euer English hearts your noble breasts posseste,
I promise you to make them flinche, yf I may byde:
Mates follow me.’ Amongst my foes I rusht before the rest:
‘O here come on,’ quoth I, ‘now fighte wee for the beste.’
And therewithall I vsde such courage, force, and myghte:
As made my foes to fall, and soldiers fitly fighte.

80.

‘Yf we doe leese,’ quoth I, ‘the Frenche men shall not gayne:
So if wee wyn, ’tis worth the while to keepe arraye:
Yf yee stand stiflye toet, wele make them peaze the paine,
And leade with losse of lyuely lymmes the laude awaye.
Although they fearcely fighte, in hope vs all to slaye:
Lo, sixe to one they fall, and deade they lye:
Wee English men, in triomphe fight and honour dye.’

81.

With bloody broiles of war, the haplesse towne did smoke,
The children sawe theire fathers deare, to bleede their last:
The wyues bewayled muche the fatall stroke,
Which forste their husbands bleede, fall, dye so fast:
“Helas,” the weemen cryde, the woefull streets that past:
(When soe they sawe the channels bloody streame)
“What plague is this, that pesters so our reame?

82.

“Is no remorce of lyfe, but kill, kill, kill? helasse:
Kill, kill, the English cry, and valiantly they fighte:
What hap had wee to see these mischiues com to passe?”
“_Helas, le sang de nous amis, la mort, helas_:”
The maydens cry: the widowes wayle, and aged mourne,
With wringing hands vplift, and wish them selues vnborne.

83.

Of vs one thousand Englishmen within the towne,
Sustaynde the force, the powre, and puissaunce of their king:
And of the French that faught, wee beate three thousand downe,
Wee slew no lesse, for all the nomber hee did bring:
Yf this vntrue shall seeme, discredite myne to ring,
A French historian writeing for them selues shall say:
Three thousand Frenchmen there, were slayne that day.

84.

Four hundreth Englishmen that tyme were slayne in fighte,
My selfe was one, with losse they wan the towne, perdie:
But if I might haue liude t’aue tride our righte,
With one for euery seuen, by ods as wee did dye:
I doubte not (so the rest, would done their partes as I:)
But that king _Charles_, his lords, nor all his men,
Should scarce haue tane the towne of _Pontoise_ then.

85.

What neade I more debate of these thinges here:
In England was the faulte, though we did feele the smarte:
While they at home, at bate and strife for honours were,
They lost abroade of _Normandy_ the greater parte:
To thinke on this torments agayne my wounded harte,
That lords at home, should striue about the name,
And loose abroade their countrie’s weale and fame.

86.

Let English peeres abandon such contentious strife,
It hurtes the publique weale, decayes the state:
It reaues the yeares too soone of longer lyfe:
It freates the breste with ruste of baend debate:
It giues the checke to him that giues the mate:
Then thus I ende, that wight of all is bleste
Which liues in loue with God, his prince, and country best.

87.

So _Higins_, yf thou write, how this my fall befell:
Place it in _Baldwine’s_ Miroir with the reste:
From crazed scull sith here my mynde I tell,
Sith bleedeing hart these ruefull rymes expreste,
This mangled tale beseemes my person beste:
“Do so?” quoth hee “and let it passe euen thus:“
“_Viuit_” quoth I, “_post funera virtus_.”

Iohn Higins.[1881]

[“This knight, my maisters,” quoth one, “came somwhat to late in
order.” “That is maruaile,” quoth maister _Ferrers_, “it seemes
that hee was forwarde enoughe in seruice.” “Yea,” quoth another,
“hee came the later home for that, and therefore wee must accept
his cause.” “How ere hee came,” quoth M. H.[1882] “hee sayes
well, and like a noble gentleman, as no doubt hee was.” “Hee
should haue beene placed,” quoth one, “after king _Iames_ the
first, king of _Scots_, of whome wee spake in the yeare 1437.”
“Now,” quoth I, “that you talke of king _Iames_, I haue king
_Iames_ the fourth here, which was slayne at the batayle of
_Brampton_, or _Floddon fielde_, but hee is very rude”[1883]
“I like him,” quoth one, “the better: for if hee should bee
otherwise, it would not well beseeme his person, nor the place
whence he comes.” “Reade it,” quoth they, “as it is.” “Thinke
then,” quoth I, “that you see him standing all wounded, with a
shafte in his body, and, emongst other woundes, one geuen by a
byll, both deadly, to say in his rude and faithlesse maner as
followeth.”]

[The lamentation of King _James_ the fourth, King of
Scots, slayne at Brampton, in the fiuthe
yeare of King _Henry_ the eight,
Anno Christi, 1513.

1.

As I lay musing, my selfe alone,
In minde not stable, but wauering here and there,
_Morpheus_ my frend espyed mee anone,
And as hee was wont, whistered in mine eare:
Shortly conuyede I was, I wist not where:
Mine eyes were closed fast, I could not see:
I hearde a man crying[1884] sore, trembling for feare:
“_Miserere mei Deus et salua mee._

2.

_Miserere mei Deus_:” oft hee did reporte,
With sorowfull sighes as euer man herde:
For sorowe and pity, I gan[1885] nere to resorte:
His sore exclamations made mee afferde:[1886]
Mine eyes opened, I sawe his grim bearde:[1887]
I knewe not verely, who it should bee:
Hee cryde, as hee had beene stickt with a swerde:
“_Miserere mei Deus & salua mee._

3.

Of _Scotland_ (hee sayde) late I was king,
With crowne on my[1888] head, and scepter in hand:
In wealth and honour, I wanted[1889] nothing:
In peaceable maner I ruled my land:
Full frendly and faythfull my subiects I fand:[1890]
Now am I exiled from life,[1891] land, and liberty:
King without realme, loe, now where I stand:
_Miserere mei Deus & salua mee._

4.

Thus for my folly, I feele I doe smart,
Both law and nature doth me accuse
Of great vnkindnes: that I should take part
Against my brother, and his liege refuse:
I purposed war, yet I fayned truce:
Thus did I, Frenche king, for the loue of thee,
Inordinate affection so did mee abuse:
_Miserere mei Deus & salua mee._

5.

All this, king _Lewis_, I suffred for thy sake,
Wo be to the time that euer I thee knewe:
For thee am I put in a[1892] sorowfull brake,
Thy wilfull appetite, doth me sore rewe:
This worlde is not stable, it chaungeth a newe:[1893]
Now am I bond, some time I was free:
Exiled from liberty, I am kept in a mewe:
_Miserere mei Deus & salua mee._

6.

Moreouer for thee, and thy realme of Fraunce,
(Contrary to mine[1894] othe solemnly made)
Unto king _Henry_ I made defiaunce,
To follow thine appetite was all the grace I hade:[1895]
In most cruell wise, I did his realme inuade:
I troubled his subiects, by land and by sea:
My rewarde is no more, but the showle and spade:[1896]
_Miserere mei Deus & salua mee._

7.

For my wilfull periury, thus am I brought
From high degree, to the lowest of all:
Whom should I blame? I found that I sought,
By mine owne foly,[1897] I had a great fall:
Wherefore I feare mee, that now I shall
Haue payne long lasting, for mine iniquity:[1898]
Lord full of mercy yet to thee I call,
_Miserere mei Deus & salua mee._

8.

Vanquished in fielde I was to the rebuke
Of mee and all my realme: to our immortall shame:[1899]
There faught agaynst mee neyther king, nor duke,
Prince, ne marquise, ne many lords of name:
One valiaunt earle, our power ouercame:
Yet were wee in nomber, to his one, three:
Lord whom thou fauourest, winneth[1900] the game:
_Miserere mei Deus & salua mee._

9.

I was th’only[1901] author, of myne owne woe;
But yet I began it by[1902] wicked counsell,
Of my lords spirituall and temporall also:
Which for their merits in fielde with mee fell:
I was curst (in deede) the truth for to tell,
And could not (by falshoode) eyther thriue or thie:
To assist my brother’s foe I did not well,[1903]
_Miserere mei Deus et salua mee_.

10.

Christe’s commaundements,[1904] I did all refuse:
The breatch of myne oathe,[1905] I did not regarde:
Therfore I am domed[1906] as faythlesse as the Jewes:
Sore is the sentence, and cruell is the swerde:[1907]
Excepte thy mercy helpe, O Lord, I am marde:
Saue mee; for whom thou suffredst on a tree,
To thy mercye I appeale for my sauegarde:
_Miserere mei Deus & salua mee_.

11.

Herafter (by mee) my successours may beware,
An ensample[1908] take by my wretched ruyne:
Lest in lykewyse they bee taken with[1909] the snare,
As I am nowe: and pay the[1910] lyke fyne:
Vanquished wee were, by[1911] power devyne:
For by manne’s power it seemed not to bee:
Here now I ly, in an homely shrine,
_Miserere mei Deus & salua mee_.

12.

I am a spectacle also in lyke case,
To the Frenche king, yf hee list to take heede,
I feare that hee cannot for lacke of grace,
The king[1912] and hee, bee not yet agreede:
Therefore let him looke, for a lyke speede,
As wee had that were of his leage and vnity,
I trow hee doth neither God[1913] loue, nor dreede,
_Miserere mei Deus & salua mee_.

13.

Who euer knew christian king in such a case,[1914]
As[1915] I wretched creature that cannot haue
In churche or in[1916] churchyard any maner place,
Emong christen people to lye in a graue:
The earth mee abhorreth,[1917] all men mee depraue,
My frends forsake mee, and haue[1918] no pity,
The worlde taketh from mee all that hee mee gaue:
_Miserere mei Deus & salua mee_.

14.

There is no more now, I must take my leaue,
In this wretched worlde I may no longer dwell:
But one thing there is doth mee sore greaue,
I not where to rest, in heauen or in hell,
None else thereof but only God can tell:
Adieu, this worlde is full of vanity,
I may no longer be with thee, farewell:
_Miserere mei Deus & salua mee_.

15.

Farewell my queene, sweete lady _Margaret_:
Farewell my prince, with whom I vsde to play:
I wot not where wee shall together meete:
Farewell my lords and commons eke for aye:
Adieu, ye shall no ransom for mee pay:
Yet I beseeche you of your charity,
To the high Lorde mercifull that yee pray:[1919]
_Miserere mei Deus & salua mee_.”]

[“King _Iames_,” quoth one, “wil bee misliked for his
_Miserere_.” “No,” quod another, “hee cryes _Peccaui_.” “It is
to late,” quoth he, “there is no man that will like or beleeue
him.” “Than,” quod M. H. “he is still one and the same man: for
in life he was neither well liked, beleeued, nor trusted.” “Why
than,” quoth one, “if hee speake as hee was, let him passe as hee
is, and if not, let him bee mended.” “Mended,” quoth hee, “nay,
hee is paste mending, hee is to olde: for it seemes by the copy,
that it was pende aboue fifty yeares agone, or euen shortly after
the death of the sayd king: for I found therewith, in an olde
hand, the copyes of the sayd king _Iames_’ letters sent unto king
_Henry_ at _Turwin_, and the king’s aunsweres and letters sent to
him againe, with this lamentation ensuing them: and lastly the
sayd batayle of _Floddon fielde_, in such verse described, with
the order of the same, and the names of the noble men, knights,
and gentlemen, which serued at the same fielde.” “That would I
faine heare,” quoth one, “it were pity that such particulers
should bee lost.” “They would,” quoth another, “pleasure not only
such as write our historyes, but also encourage our countreymen
well, to the like loyall seruice of their prince, and especially
those who should finde therein of their parents or auncestours to
haue bene praysed for valure.” “I pray you,” quoth hee, “let us
haue them.” “There they are,” quoth I, “but I haue altered the
verse, which wee call _Intercalaris_, because the rest else would
not haue beene well liked; but of the history I haue not chaunged
one word.”]

[The Bataile of Brampton, or Floddon fielde, faught
in the yeare of our Redeemer 1513, and in
the fiuth yeare of the raygne of that
victorious prince, King _Henry_
the eyght.

1.

_O Rex regum_ in thy realme celestiall,
Glorified with ioyes of _Gabriell’s_ company,
King _Iames_ is dead, haue mercy on vs all:[1920]
For thou haste him prostrate so sodaynly,
(Which was our noble prince his enemy)
That vs to withstand hee had no might:
So thy helpe O Lord, preserude king _Henrye’s_ right.

2.

Into England this prince prowdly did come,
With fourscore thousand in goodly aray:
And the castle of _Norham_ first hee had won,
Prospering victoriously from day to day:
But agaynst him is gone the earle of _Surrey_,
With him manfully for to fight,
By the helpe of God and in his prince’s right.

3.

This noble earle full wisely hath wrought,
And with thirty thousand forwarde is gone:
After wisedom and pollicy wondrously[1921] hee sought,
How by the _Scottish_ ordinaunce bee might well come:
Thereto helped well _Basterd Heron_,
On the Scots hee did harme both day and night,
So thy helpe O Lord, preserude our prince’s right.

4.

Our herald of armes to king _Iemy_ did say:
“My lord of _Surrey_ greetes[1922] you well by mee,
Maruayling greatly of this your array,
And what you make here in this countrey:
Peace you haue broken, and olde amity:
Wherefore if yee abide hee will with you fight,
By the helpe of God and in his prince’s right.”

5.

“Abyde:” hee sayde, “els were it great dishonour hye,
That a king crowned an earle durst not abide:
Yf _Surrey_ bee so bolde to[1923] gieue battayle to mee,
I shall him tarry on _Floddon_ hill side:
Open warre then soone was there cryde,”[1924]
And our doughty men were[1925] redily dight,
By the helpe of God, and in theyr prince’s right.

6.

_S. Cutberd’s_ banner with the byshop’s men bolde,
In the vaunt garde[1926] forward fast did hye,
That royall relike more precious than golde,
And sir _William Bowmer_ nere stoode it by:
“_Adiuua pater_,” then fast did they cry,
“Pray wee that God will graunt vs his might,
That wee may haue the powre to saue our prince’s right.”

7.

The lord _Clifford_ and the lord _Latimer_ also,
With the lord _Couiers_[1927] of the north countrey,
And the lord _Scrope_ of _Vpsalle_ forwarde did goe,
With the lorde _Howarde_ admirall of the see,
Of noble hearte and courage good was hee,
As any went that time agaynst the Scots to fight,
By the helpe of God, and in theyr prince’s right.[1928]

8.

Sir _William Percy_ and lorde _Ogle_ both same,
And sir _William Gascoyne_, theyr cosin nere was hee:
The shryue of _Yorkeshyre_ sir _Ihon Eueringame_,
And the nobles of _Chesshyre_ in theyr degree:
The lord _Dacres_, and _Basterd Heyron_ with heart free,
Which did harme the Scots by day and by night,
By the helpe of God, and in theyr prince’s right.

9.

Sir _Edmond Haward_ of lusty franke courage
Boldly aduaunced himselfe eke in that stounde,
To the Scots our enemies he did great hurte and domage,
Which were right greedy him and his bloud to confound:
But theyr mischieuous intent on themselues did rebound,
And many a deadly stroke on them there did light,
So the helpe of God preserude our prince’s right.

10.

The baron of _Killerton_, and both _Astones_ were there,
With sir _Iohn Bouthe_, and many knightes moe:
Sir _Iohn Gower_ and sir _Walter Griffin_ drewe nere,
With sir _Thomas Butler_ and maister _Warcoppe_ also,
Sir _Christopher Warde_, and sir _William Midylton_ both two,
And sir _William Maliuer_, all did manly fight,
By the helpe of God, and in theyr prince’s right.

11.

In the mydle warde was the earle of _Surrey_,
That noble man, stoute, bolde, and hardy,[1929]
The father of wit wee call him may,[1930]
The deputy of England most trusty was hee:
With him lorde _Scrope_ of _Bolton_, and sir _George Darcye_,
And sir _Richard Maliuer_ with bucks heades bright,
By the helpe of God, and in their prince’s right.

12.

Sir _Phillip Tilney_ was there ready and prest,
In the same warde, with all his mighty powre,
And sir _Iohn Willowghby_ as ready as[1931] the best,
With sir _Nicholas Aplyard_ his[1932] helpe, ayde, and succour:
O what ioy was it to see that[1933] same howre,
How valiauntly our noble men with the Scots did fight,
By the helpe of God, and in theyr prince’s right.

13.

Yong sir _William Gascoyne_ was there indeede,
With sir _Richard Aldburgh_, and sir _Christofer Danebe_,
Sir _William Scarkell_, and M. _Frost’s_ help at neede,
With sir _Raphe Ellarkar_ and M. _Thomas Lee_,
M. _Raphe Beeston_, and M. _Hopton_ men might see
Full well, perdy,[1934] they quite themselues in that fight,
By the helpe of God, and in theyr prince’s right.

14.

Sir _Edward Stanley_ in the rear warde was hee,
A noble knight both wise and hardy,
With many a noble man of the west countrey,
And the whole powre of the earle of _Darby_,
With a right[1935] retinue of the bishop _Elye_,
And of _Lankeshyre_ men manly[1936] did fight,
By the helpe of God, and in theyr prince’s right.

15.

Soone then the gunnes began[1937] a new play,
And the vaunt garde together are gone:
But our gunnes disseuered them out of aray,
And our bolde bilmen of them slewe many one:[1938]
So that of them scarce retourned[1939] none:
Thus were they punished by helpe of God almight:
So thy helpe O Lord, preseru’d our prince his right.

16.

Then they sought embushments, but with[1940] small chere,
And in fowle[1941] maner brake theyr aray:
Yet some of our men by policy fled were,[1942]
That sawe[1943] king _Iemy_ on the hill where he lay:
“They flee,” he sayes, “follow fast I you pray:”
But by that fit of flying[1944] wee wan the fight:
So the helpe of God preserude our prince’s right.

17.

To the earle of _Surrey_ king _Iemy_ is gone,
With as comly company as euer man did see:[1945]
Full boldly theyr big men agaynst vs did come
Downe the hill, with great myrth and melody:
And our men marked them to the Trinity,[1946]
Beseeching him there to shew[1947] his might,
In theyr whole defence, and in theyr prince his right.

18.

The red lyon with his owne father’s bloud inclynate,
Came towards the white lyon both meeke and mylde,
And there by the hand of God he was prostrate,
By the helpe of th’eagle with her swadled chylde:
The buckesheads also the Scots has beguilde,
And with theyr grey goose wings doulfully them dight,
By the helpe of God, and in our prince his right.

19.

The moone that day did shine full bright,
And the luce head that day was full bent:
The red cressent did blinde the Scots sight,
And the ship with her ancre many Scots spent:[1948]
But, alas, the good white griffin was felde on _Floddon_ hil,
Yet escape hee did, not vanquisht in the fight:[1949]
So thy helpe, O Lord, preserude our prince his right.

20.

The treyfell was true, and that did well appeare,
And boldly the great griffin vp the hill is gone:
The antlet did lace them with arrowes so nere,
That buffits the Scots bare, they lacked none:
The cinquefoile also was stedfast as the stone,
And slewe of the Scots like a worthy wight:[1950]
So thy helpe, O Lord, preserude our prince his right.

21.

The yong white lyon was angry in that stounde,
And with his merry mariners the myrth him made,
His bells rang lay[1951] couched in the grounde,
Whereof the Scots were[1952] right sore affrayde:
And round about rydeing euermore he sayde
Go to my fellowes all shalbe all or night,[1953]
By the helpe of God, wee saue our prince his right.

22.

The _Cornish_ choughe did picke them in the face,
And the crab them blinded that they might not see:
They flewe and fell,[1954] they had none other grace,
With theyr new conquerour: but where now is hee,
Caryed in a cart, to his rebuke and his posterity,
And his bullies so bonnye are put all to[1955] flight:
So thy helpe, O Lord, preserude our prince his right.

23.

Of Scots lay[1956] slayne full xii thousande,
And xi earles, the sooth for to say,
Xiii lords, and three byshops as I vnderstande,
With two abbots, which haue learnde a new play,
They should haue bene at home for peace to pray:
Wherefore they were thus wise punished by right:
So thy helpe, O Lord, preserude our prince his right.

24.

Theyr ordinaunce is lost, and theyr royalty,
Wee haue theyr riches, God haue the prayseing:[1957]
What ech man[1958] would take, hee had his[1959] liberty:
Wherefore laude and honour to[1960] such a king,
From dolefull daunger vs so defending:[1961]
Hee has graunted vnto vs now his might,
And by his only ayde preserude our prince’s right.

25.

O _rex regum_, ruler[1962] of vs all,
As thou for vs sufferedst[1963] thy passion,
Gieue the Scots grace, by king _Iemye’s_ fall,
For to eschue for euer like transgression,[1964]
Preserue the red rose, and be his protection:
Laude, honour, prayse be vnto God almight,
Who thus suppreste our foes, preserud our prince’s right.[1965]

26.

O yee noble lordes and knights victorius,
I you beseech to haue mee excused,
Your noble acts no better that I discusse,
And that my simple saying be not refused:
Where in any thing I haue mee misused,
I mee submit to your charitable correction:
And in this maner shall be my conclusion.

qd. Frauncis Dingley.[1966]]

[The[1967] open bruite of princes falles and such as bare sway
in this realme, made mee poore haplesse woman (though once in
great place,) presume to shew my selfe emong that infortunate
flock. And making more haste then good speede, I appeared fyrst
to one _Baldwine_ a minister and a preacher: whose function and
calling disdaynes to looke so lowe, as to searche the secrets
of wanton women, (though commonly a preacher with sufferaunce
may rebuke vice.) Wherefore I haue better bethought mee, and so
doe sodaynly appeale and appeare to some martiall man, who hath
more experience both in defending of women’s honour, and knowes
somwhat more of theyr conditions and qualityes: and the rather
because my tragedy was in question among some that would not
spare due commendation to the autor therof. I now appeare to him
that fyrst set mee forth, a writer of good continuaunce, and one
that dayly is exercised to set out both matter tragicall, and
other prophane histories and verses, whose name is _Churchyard_:
hee shall not only haue the fame of his owne worke (which no man
can deny)[1968] but shall likewise haue all the glory I can
gieue him, if hee lend mee the hearing of my woefull tale, a
matter scarce fit for woman’s shamefastnes to bewray. But since
without blushing I haue so long beene a talkatiue wench (whose
words a world hath delighted in) I will now goe on boldly with
my audacious manner: and so step I on the stage in my shrowdeing
sheete as I was buried.]

How _Shore’s_ wife, King _Edward_ the Fourth’s
Concubine, was by King _Richard_ despoyled
of all her goods, and forced to
doe open penaunce.

1.

Among the rest, by fortune ouerthrowne,
I am not least, that most may wayle her fate:
My fame and bruite abroade the world is blowne,
Who can forget, a thing thus done so late?
My great mischaunce, my fall, and heauy state,
Is such a marke, whereat each tongue doth shoote,
That my good name is pluckt vp by the roote.

2.

This wandring world bewitched mee with wyles,
And won my wits, with wanton sugred ioyes:
In fortune’s frekes, who trustes her when shee smiles,
Shall finde her false, and full of fickle toyes,
Her triumphs all, but fill our eares with noyse,
Her flattring giftes, are pleasures mixt with payne,
Yea, all her wordes are thunders threatning rayne.

3.

The fond desire that wee in glory set,
Doth thirle our hearts to hope in slipper hap,
A blast of pompe is all the fruite wee get,
And vnder that lies hid a sodayne clap:
In seeking rest vnwares wee fall in trap,
In groping flowres with nettels stong wee are,
In labring long wee reape the crop of care.

4.

Oh darke disceite, with painted face for sho,
Oh poysned bayte, that makes vs eger still,
Oh fayned frend, deceiuing people so,
Oh world, of thee, we cannot speake too ill:
Yet fooles wee are that bend so to thy skill:
The plague and scourge that thousands dayly feele,
Should warne the wise to shun thy whirling wheele.

5.

But who can stop the streame that runnes full swift?
Or quench the fyre that is crept in[1970] the strawe?
The thirsty drinkes, there is no other shift,
Perforce is such that neede obayes no lawe:
Thus bounde wee are in worldly yokes to drawe,
And cannot stay, nor turne agayne in tyme,
Nor learne of those that sought too high to clyme.

6.

My selfe for proofe, loe, here I now appeare,
In woman’s weede, with weeping watred eyes,
That bought her youth and her delights full deare,
Whose Iowde reproch doth sound vnto the skies:
And bids my corse out of the graue to ryse,
As one that may no longer hyde her face,
But needes must come and shew her piteous case.

7.

The sheete of shame, wherein I shrowded was,
Did moue mee oft to playne before this daye,
And in myne eares did ring the trompe of brasse,
Which is defame, that doth each thing[1971] bewraye:
Yea, though full deade and lowe in earth I laye,
I heard the voyse, of mee what people sayde,
But then to speake, alas, I was affrayde.

8.

And nowe a tyme for mee I see preparde,
I heare the lyues and falles of many wights:
My tale therfore the better may bee harde,
For at the torch the litle candell lights:
Where pageants bee, smale things fill out the sights:
Wherefore geue eare, good _Churcheyard_,[1972] do thy best
My tragedy to place among the rest.

9.

Because the[1973] truth shall witnes well with thee,
I will rehearse in order, as it fell,
My lyfe, my death, my dolefull desteny,
My wealth, my woe, my doing euery deale,
My bitter blisse, wherein I long did dwell:
A whole discourse by[1974] mee, _Shore’s_ wife by name,
Now shalt thou heare as thou hadst seene the same.

10.

Of noble bloud I cannot boast my byrth,
For I was made out of the meanest molde,
Mine heritage but seuen foote of th’earth,[1975]
Fortune ne gaue to mee the gifts of golde:
But I could brag of nature, if I wolde,
Who fild my face with fauour fresh and fayre,
Whose beauty shon like Phœbus in the ayre.

11.*

By beautie blas’d like torch of twinckling starre,
A lively lamp that lends darke world some light,
Faire Phœbus beames scarse reacheth halfe so farre
As did the rayes of my rare beautie bright:
As summer’s day exceedes blacke winter’s night,
So _Shore’s_ wive’s face made foule _Brownetta_ blush,
As pearle staynes pitch, or gold surmounts a rush.

12.*

The damaske rose or _Rosamond_ the faire,
That _Henry_ held as deere as jewells be,
Who was kept close in cage from open ayre,
For beautie’s boast could scarse compare with me:
The kindly buds, and blosomes of brave tree,
With white and red and deckt my cheekes so fine,
There stoode two balles, like drops of claret wine.

13.*

The beaten snow, nor lily in the field,
No whiter sure then naked necke and hand:
My lookes had force to make a lyon yeld,
And at my forme in gase a world would stand:
My body small, fram’d finely to be span’d,
As though dame _Kind_ had sworne, in solemne sort,
To shrowd herselfe in my faire forme and port.

14.*

No part amisse, when nature tooke such care
To set me out, as nought should be awry,
To fornish forth, in due proportion rare,
A peece of worke should please a prince’s eye:
O would to God, that boast might prove a lie!
For pride youth tooke in beautie’s borrowde trash,
Gave age a whippe, and left me in the lash.

15.

My shape, some sayde, was seemely to ech sight,
My countenaunce did shew a sober grace,
Mine eyes in lookes were neuer proued light,
My tongue in words was[1976] chast in euery case:
Mine eares were deafe and would no louers place,
Saue that, alas, a prince did blot my browe,
Loe, there the strong did make the weake to bowe.

16.

The maiesty that kings to people beare,
The stately port, the awefull cheere they showe,
Doth make the meane to shrinke and couch for feare,
Like as the hounde that doth his maister knowe:
What then? since I was made vnto the bowe,
There is no cloake can serue to hide my fault:
For I agreede the fort hee should assault.

17.

The eagle’s force subdues ech bird that flies,
What metall may resist the flaming fire?
Doth not the sun dasill the clearest eyes,
And melt the yse, and make the frost retyre?
Who can withstand a puissaunt king’s disire?
The stiffest stones are perced through with tooles,
The wisest are with princes made but fooles.

18.

Yf kynde had wrought my forme in common frames,
And set mee forth in coulours blacke and browne,
Or beauty had beene percht in Phœbus’ flames,
Or shamefast wayes had pluckt my fethers downe,
Then had I kept my fame and good renowne:
For nature’s gifts were[1977] cause of all my greefe:
A plesaunt pray entiseth many a thiefe.

19.

Thus woe to thee that wrought my peacock’s pryde,
By clothing mee with nature’s tapestry:
Woe worth the hewe wherein my face was dyde,
Which made mee thinke I pleased euery eye:
Like as the sterres make men beholde the skye,
So beautye’s showe doth make the wise full fond,
And brings free harts full oft to endlesse bond.

20.

But cleare from blame my frends can not be founde,
Before my time my youth they did abuse:
In mariage a prentise was I bounde,
When[1978] that meere loue I knew not how to vse:
But, welaway, that can not mee excuse,
The harme is mine though they deuisde my care,
And I must smart and sit in slaundrous snare.

21.

Yet gieue mee leaue to pleade my cause at large:
Yf that the horse do run beyond his race,
Or any thing that keepers haue in charge,
Doe breake theyr course where rulers may take place:
Or meate bee set before the hungrye’s face,
Who is in fault, th’offender,[1979] yea, or no,
Or they that are the cause of all this woe?

22.

Note well what strife this forced mariage makes,
What lothed liues do come where loue doth lacke,
What scratching breers do growe vpon such brakes,
What common weales by it are brought to wracke,
What heauy loade is put on pacient’s backe,
What straunge delights this braunch of vice doth breede,
And marke what grayne springs out of such a seede.

23.

Compell the hauke to sit that is vnmande,
Or make the hound vntaught to drawe the dere,
Or bring the free against his will in band,
Or moue the sad a pleasaunt tale to here:
Your time is lost and you no whit the[1980] nere:
So loue ne learnes of force the knot to knit,
She serues but those that feele sweete fancie’s fit.

24.

The lesse defame redounds to my disprayse,
I was entiste by traynes, and trapt by trust:
Though in my powre remayned yeas, and nayes,
Unto my frends yet needs consent I must,
In euery thing, yea, lawfull or vniust:
They brake the bowes and shakte the tree by sleight,
And bent the wand that mought haue growne full streight.

25.

What helpe in this, the pale thus broken downe,
The dere must needs in daunger run astray:
At mee therefore why should the worlde so frowne?
My weakenes made my youth a prince’s pray:
Though wisdome should the course of nature stay,
Yet try my case, who list, and they shall proue
The ripest wits are soonest thralles to loue.

26.