Titulum ne horresce novantis,
Non rapit Imperium vis tua, sed recipit.
Ausonius de Seuero.

THE HISTORIE OF That wise and Fortunate Prince, HENRIE of that Name the Seventh, King of England. With that famed Battaile, fought betweene the sayd King Henry and Richard the third named Crook­backe, upon Redmoore neere Bosworth. In a Poem by Charles Aleyn.

Ʋnus mihi pro populo, & populus pro uno.

London Printed by Tho. Cotes, for William Cooke, and are to be sold at his shop, neere Furni­valls-Inne gate in Holburne. 1638.

Perlegi historicum hoc Poema, dignumque judico quod Typis mandetur.

Tho. Wykes. R. P. Episc. Lond. Chapell. domest.

To his Ingenious friend Mr. Charles Aleyn, on this his lear­ned Poem.

— Sume Superbiam,
Quaesitam meritis—
THinke not that these my weaker lines can raise
Or to thy name or to thy worke a praise.
Yet give me leave to write, and let these be
The Testimonialls of my love to thee.
They're no true Leigemen, whosoe're disclaime
Tribute of Prayse unto thy Henries name.
Who now by thee instated lives, more high
Than in the joyes of former Royalty;
And from thy hand receives a better Crowne
Than was his Kingdomes Transitory one.
[...]y thee he conquers Death and Time, thy words
[...]eld him his honour, more than could his swords,
And gaine a Nobler victory than he
Obtained o're usurping Tyrannie.
Great Henry, whom wise heaven did ordaine,
[...]o blesse this Realme with thy most happy reigne.
[Page]No more, dull Chronicle thy worth shall hold
Or sullen prose thy Noble acts infold.
Behold! the shrine wherein thy reverend story
Shall ever be preserved, and thy glory,
Fresh to all Ages; then 'tis just we give
Praise to his name, 'has made thine truely live.
Ed. Sherburne.

To my deare Friend M r. Charles Aleyn.

WHen Fame had sayd, thy Poem should come out▪
Without a Dedication; some did doubt
If fame in that had told a truth, but J,
Who knew her false, boldly gave fame the lye,
For I was certaine that this booke by thee,
Was Dedicated to Eternity.
Thy true lover, Ed. Prideaux.

THE HISTORIE OF HENRIE THE SEVENTH.

A Cesar, or that Maximilian,
Who was our Henries learned Contem­porary,
And his owne Annalist, and Historian
Could only pen our Henries commentary.
For onely light it selfe, it selfe can show,
And none but Kings can write, what Kings can doe.
Yet if those heights, which with aspiring looke
Doe over-top the rest, are easilier found,
And with more certaine observation tooke
By those who stand upon the lower ground.
Then Henries fame shall not disparrag'd be,
Although his Altitude be tooke by me.
Richard whose gummes his Birth-day armed saw,
(Presage of cruelty) will needes make true
That dreaded signe; for he against the Law,
After confinement Gray, and Rivers slew.
For he the Devils Axiome did know,
If you depresse you must confound your foe.
Rivers and Gray must sacrificed be,
The sad oblation to Hastings power:
But to appease divine Astrea, He
Is offer'd next: a Scaffold at the Tower
His Altar was; curses his Obits were,
And for the Priest an Executioner.
But here's a story scarse hath Parallell;
For at the time those two destruction met,
At the same Day and houre Hastings fell:
As in a Clocke you see a 'larum set,
So was his Ruine set: Heav'ns vengefull power,
Wheel'd Hastings fate, and strooke him at an houre
'Twas Policie Hastings should suffer next,
For he had done his worke, when they were slaine:
Richard this doctrine borrow'd from a Text
In Machiavell, who did this knowledge gaine
From Caesar Borgia, Whom you doe imploy
In mischiefe, when 'tis done, you must destroy.
[...]hen Richard did the Prince, and Yorke oppresse,
For in the method of Confusion,
Th' other were humble premises unlesse
The Prince and Yorke be the conclusion.
It seemes he would by their pure Crimson shed,
Turne Yorkes white Rose to the Lancastrian Red.
Such Teares which from scorcht Phaetons sisters fell,
And in their fall did into Amber turne,
Would with their Ashes be proportion'd well,
Rich ashes, worthy of so rich an urne.
For such sweete Corpses, and such limmes as theirs,
No Tombe is fit but one congeal'd of teares.
Twin-brethren in their death's; What had they done?
O, Richard sees a fault that they were in;
It is not Actuall, but a Mortall one,
They Princes were, 'twas their Originall sinne.
Why should so sweete a Paire of Princes lacke,
Their Innocents Day in th' English Almanack.
Now here stand still, and gaze: their Father did
Richard instruct, Henry the sixt to Kill:
Their Father taught him by the blood he shed,
The Art, how he his childrens blood should spill.
Who valew others blood at a low rate,
Make their owne cheaper to be higgled at.
The sword of vengeance, which a single twine
Held over Richards head must now drop downe
With ruine at the point; the Eye divine
Hath spied a Hand, that must lop off his Crowne.
Henry like Meleager must come o're,
And combat with this Caledonian Bore.
Fourth Edwards Queene, and Henries mother plot
The Ʋnion of her daughter and her sonne;
Both must be set as Flowers in Hymens Knot,
And the two Roses be conjoyn'd in one.
In Henries Royall Crowne there's not a stone,
Gives it such lustre, as this Ʋnion.
Fate did this Vnion to Henry owe;
In whom there was a union more rare:
The Heaven's doe not such a Conjunction show,
When the two highest Planets married are.
Scarse had the world seene such a union yet,
Where Wisdome, Ʋalour, and where Fortune met.
But though the Queene, and Lady had contriv'd
Their Cabinet of councels close as his,
Who vow'd to burne his shirt, if it conceiv'd
But his least plot: Yet all unlocked is
By some false Key Kings have long hands and eares,
And then heare best, when they have greatest feares.
Buckingham flies for this; and monie's bid
For's Head; curs'd Banister the bargaine made,
And made his Lord his Ware; and basely did
Sell him for money, which he ne'r was payd.
Ingratefull servant, thou to him didst owe
All that thou couldst, and all thou couldst not doe.
Puissant Gold! Redearth at first made man,
Now it makes Ʋillaine; this refined clod
Can what nor love, nor time, nor valour can,
Iove could doe more in Gold, than in a God.
Destruction surer comes, and rattles lowder,
Out of a Mine of Gold, than one of powder.
But Banister hath his merit; this offence
And treacherous Act his progenie betray'd
To Heaven's revenge. But why must Innocence
Suffer for him? stay there: the Ancients made
Divine Revenge to be the child of Night
Shut to the Earths, but open to heav'ns sight.
Th' immediate hand of Heav'n did scourge this sinne;
One sonne wa [...] drown'd, one sonne with lamenesse took:
White Leprous scales rough-cast his daughters skin
His Eldest sonne was with a madnesse strooke,
And so unfit to be an heire that he,
Had not his portion o [...] humanitie.
But here I wonder Richard did not pay
Such Traytors: how can Richard justly looke
For more such agents, others to betray?
Fabius this councell of his father tooke.
For if, sayd he their payments be deny'de,
You teach them how to leave, not chuse your side.
Now Henry is aboard; now under sayle,
Both ship'd, and man'd from Brettaigne; but the Sea
Vexed with a scolding sto [...]e, and thwarting gale,
Proroges his executing Heav'ns decree.
'Though toss'd, none were afraid; for all did know▪
They carry'd Henry and his fortune too.
Or Eole with his speare did strike his Cave,
(The Goale of winds) and give them liberty,
The Watry god in his owne court to brave:
Or Henries friends, by some faire Augury,
Foresaw his danger, if he landed then,
And sent their sighes to blow him backe agen.
The Morning shew'd him all the shores beset
With walking steele; Henry his Ship-boate sent,
To know if they in Henries cause were met:
Ambiguously they send him their intent.
They sayd he should to Buckingham be led,
And so he should for Buckingham was dead.
But Henries wise distrust did bid him stay
(They were not Lizzards in the grasse did lye
But Evets:) a beleefe had made the way
To his repentance, not recovery.
Trust makes us our owne Traytors: nor could He
Be sav'd by faith, but infidelity.
Henry thus cros'd by Sea, and yet thus blest
To scape a wracke at Land, and wracke at Sea,
Makes sayle to Brettaigne his assured rest;
Where English meeting, sweare him fealty,
And pawning to him both their selves and state▪
Will take their owne in following Henries fate.
At this on Richards thoughts worse stormes did fall,
Than Henry had at Sea, or ever rose
Charm'd by a Lapland witch, which made him call
A Councell, and declare them Englands foes,
Who were her friends: Thus if the Lyon doe
Say Eares be Hornes, they must be deemed so.
Then offers richly to have Henry slaine,
But Henries lands must be the murderers fee;
A cunning Chapman, he would Henry gaine
At the best rate: what's Henries owne, must be
Henries owne Price; as if you would him pay
The Lyons skinne, that would the Lyon slay.
What will you give me is the common cry
In Treasons Mart: by Rule of Relatives
There will be some to sell, if some to buy:
Landose was chapman and the sale contrives.
In this designe he will the Engin prove,
But silver weights must make the Engin move.
But Mortons piercing eye descried the Plot
Through the thicke night of closenesse, and did bring
Light to the danger Henry dreamed not;
Wise Counsellours shine nearest to the King,
Vpon this lower Orbe, as in the skie
Sol constantly is nearest Mercury.
Sav'd by this light, Henry to France did make,
Hid in his mans apparell chang'd for his:
Fam'd Barclay made his Poliarchus take
A vizzard, in his high-writ Arginis.
Nay, gods they say have done it, to escape
Lesse trusting to their deitie, than shape.
Richard informed that the Earle was fled
From Brettaigne his best hold, nor could expect
Succours from France; will not allow his head
The notion of a foe, but let neglect
Lull him in danger; like a Seale that sleepes,
When an enfranchis'd tempest scares the deepes.
And to be th' Extract of securitie
His Fleet's discharg'd, Welch to the Coasts assign'd;
To shut all Landing from the Enemie;
But Henry is their Country man, and friend.
They will not close to Henry: when he shone,
They were the flowers that opened to this sunne.
This fatall slackenesse Richards party made
Apt for impression, supple to receive
The Characters of a victorious blade,
Which Henry must imprint: the Heavn's doe leave
Some parts for him to act. Who would be great
He must court fame not in perfume, but sweate.
But now this newes arrives; Richard would wed
Elizabeth, by whom Henry must claime:
Feare at this newes 'mongst Henries souldiers spread,
Without his setled soule had spoyld their aime.
But he, wise Marksman bids them quickly on,
Least hands should tremble, or the marke be gone.
To scape the tempest threatned by these clouds,
Henry from Hartflew setteth sayle to sea;
The windes tuned by Heav'n sung in the shrowds
Presaging that he should victorious be.
You would have thought, he came so fairely in,
He had the winds charm'd in a Dolphins skin.
Blest Milford Hav'n whose semicircling Bayes
With amorous embraces hug'd his Fleet:
From thence was giv'n the signall that did raise
Our hopes deprest under a Tyrans feete.
And happie Milford shall triumph in this,
Henry was Englands Haven, Milford was his.
Sir Rice ap Thomas with his Brittish power
First mix'd his influence with Henries starres;
Which Act enstil'd him, Wales her Governour;
This Honour crown'd his merit in these warres:
Thus Hercules in Heav'n is fixed downe
Next to the starres call'd Ariadnes Crowne.
Then Talbot joyning with two thousand strong,
The volume is enlarg'd: their forces grow
With new additions, as they march along.
As bellowing Ʋolga issuing from Franow,
Whilst in his streame he new supplies doth take,
Payes seventy Inlets to the Caspian Lake.
Richard is mad Henry meets no controule;
Cholericke heate shakes his distemper'd nerves,
Blood lies his Veines, and fury oades his soule.
Choler, they say, as armes for valour serves:
But weapons seldome have beene fashion'd thus,
We rule our other weapons, this rules us.
[...] thickned blood about his Heart did seeth,
[...] Heart which in revenging heate did send
[...] spirits out, his spirits which did breath
Fire in his eyes, his eyes which did portend
Ruine like Comets, or like Beacons flame,
To tell that Henry, and their danger came.
But Henry in a dump marching behind
(Having more thoughts in's Company than men)
Was lost i'th' night, nor could his Armie finde,
But in the morning came to it agen
To bring it Day; for without Henries light,
Although the Sunne had shind, it had beene Night.
Yet when the sunne was set, it was not Night
In Richards Conscience: that light ne're goes out:
Or Divels limn'd by his fancie did affright,
And seem'd to teare, and hale Richard about.
Or else they reall were, and came to see,
What diffrence 'twixt his Tent, and Hell might be.
Morpheus, that doth Phantasticke Idols feigne,
Never with dreames th' Atlantick People frights;
Because they feede not upon what is slaine,
Such diet had made Richard calmer nights.
But Richard had beene flesh'd, and blooded deepe,
And spight of Poppie blood will breake a sleepe.
The markes of feare were in his lookes imprest,
Which though in wisedome he would have defac'd;
Yet in those lookes the Index of his Brest
Some figures of distraction were so plac'd,
That a deciphrer might without a Key,
Read the distracted Characters in's Eye.
Now he's by Bosworth pitch'd, whence he sent o're
A charge to Stanly to advance his power,
And joyne with him, or by Christs Passion swore
His sonne, his Hostage should be slaine that houre.
He answer'd, he had more: 'Twas highly done,
To prove his faith by offering of his Sonne.
Strange he should Stanly a Commader make;
His match with Henries Mother did him binde
To Henry: hence weake Policie might take
The Crisis of his fall: to be so blinde,
Was deaths unerring Symptome: when we dye
Death with her lead doth first arrest our eye.
Then Richard like a man, that first would taste,
And then Carowse in Blood, puts Stanlies sonne
I'th' Headsmans hand; his Councell stayd the haste
Of th' Execution till the field was won.
Where Richard falling, Stanly freedome got,
And Richards bane, was Stanlies Antidote.
[...]hus Iulian vow'd to offer Christians blood
[...]f he his Persicke victory did gaine,
[...]ut Heav'n his vow, and victory withstood,
[...]or Iulian's selfe was in the Battaile slaine.
The Christians scaped then, young Stanly now,
Iulian, and Richard had like fate like vow.
Now in the Glasse of Time, that Sand by course
[...]egan to runne, which should begin the Time
Of Richards fall, who sat upon a horse
All white, whiter than he that sat on him.
It seem'd an Emblem offerd to the sense
Of guilt, triumphing over Innocence.
Then drawing out his men, he did commend
The forward to Old Norfolke to be led,
Which in a shapelesse length he did extend,
That seeming greater it might strike more dread.
But strongest bodies wier-drawne in length,
What they doe get in terrour, lose in strength.
[...]n his Battalia stood his tryed forces,
Who being us'd to danger did not use
[...]o feare her lookes: on either side his Horses
Stood out for wings; this strength himselfe did chuse.
Which upon Henry had victorious beene;
But naked vertue can beate armed sinne:
Then like those Generalls, whose Examples are
Precepts for leaders, for the times to come:
In an Oration of more pow'r in warre
Than the wild Rhetoricke of Fife and Drum,
He to his men his cause and mind did breake,
And thus did speake, or thus was made to speake.
Chiefetaines and friends; they were your hands tha [...] mad [...]
This Garland for me, & your Swords that set it
Vpon this head; then let it ne'r be sayd,
That others hands and swords should ever get it.
Be jealous of this right; that onely you,
Who first did crowne it, can uncrowne this Brow.
This Throne, since I sat in't, hath beene the Throne
As well of Iustice, as of Royaltie;
My rule hath beene Tyrannicall to none,
Directed by the line of Equitie.
My Morning red 'gainst all Astronomie,
Turn'd to a day full of serenity.
'Tis true that through a Sea of Blood I did
Arrive at this wish'd Port; much blood was spilt
To waft me hither; yet the Teares I shed,
I trust did expiate my purple gilt.
Then guard me, and if teares did me attone,
What neede my Veines doe what my eyes have done▪
[...]ut up your hearts to feare, but keepe your eyes
[...] to danger. This before you set
[...] alike hard to Keepe, as win a Prize,
[...]d no lesse vertue to maintaine, than get.
See in this diadem this truth enrold,
That which my sweat did get, my blood must hold.
[...]t if your squeamish appetites have beene
[...]ted with my mild government, and long
[...]r Richmonds second service, bring him in
[...]d tast his certaine sharpenesse: for among
All that from Exile did a Kingdome gaine,
Not one that did not like a Tyranne reigne.
[...]are not his ragged Regiments, which are
[...] fumes, and exhalations drawne out
[...] his false heate; and He himselfe's the Starre,
[...] leads these stragling Meteors about;
Which like those hayrie blazings in the skie,
Shine alwayes 'gainst the Sunne of Majestie.
[...] forfeiteth his reason that expects
[...]om such a rascall herd of men as they
[...] any thing but ruinous effects;
[...]ur lives, as well as livings are their prey.
Like robberies men on foote, and women doe,
Their safety is to Rob, and Murder too.
Their mercy must not be your Hope, but Scorne:
It is their fate to take, and yours to give:
You cannot be legitimately borne,
If it shall be their favour, that you live.
Th' Engagement is more Glorious to owe
Your lives unto your selves than to your foe.
The wounds they give are Generall, each blow
Strikes through your children, and your wives, but yet
It hits but you: they doe not onely throw
At you, nor you alone at hazzard set.
Here's greater game, England is stak'd at this,
And as your vertue such her fortune is.
There Richard stay'd, there would some souldiers stay,
And to the Action the same Period set,
That he did to his speech: for what can they
Hope from so poore an Enemie to get.
And he's unwise that to a Mercat goes,
Where there is nothing to be sold but blowes.
Booty doth more the common souldier move,
Than a discourse of prowesse, or high thought
Of Magnanimity, or th' inbred love
Of naturall vertue: and the English fought
On lesse advantage for the Spanish plate,
Than e're they did for the poore Irish State.
Richards imbattail'd, what shall Richmond doe,
Who ne'r saw armie, never armour wore
A novice, and mued up in Brettaigne too.
'Twas a rare spectacle unseene before
To play his Masterprize upon the stage
At the first day of his apprentisage.
One therefore did to the Lord Stanly goe,
To begge his ayde in ordering the fight.
Stanly sayd Richmonds selfe that worke should doe,
Which seized Richmonds minde with such affright,
And crosse distraction, that he needed then,
One to arrange his thoughts, more than his men.
But he did both, and to himselfe did owe
The ordering of them both. Extremity
Is a shrew'd Mistresse: the most Arts we know
Derive their being from necessitie.
She tutour'd Henry, and her Pow'r divine,
Out-did Experience, and old discipline.
The fore-ward (which his numbers did allow
To be but single) in the fore-front hath
Men that were well experienc'd in the Bow,
Trusted to Oxfords fortune, and his Faith.
The arrowes look'd like Rayes diffus'd about,
And Oxford was the Sunne, that glanc'd them out.
Salvage and generous Talbot did appeare
Out at the wings; whose pinions were all hard,
Conferred with themselves: and yet they were
Flagges, and sicke-feathers, if with them compar'd.
These were the Principals, that did them carry,
And set them, where a Kingdome was the quarry.
Then the maine Battaile Richmond did beginne
To fashion out; for he, like Nature, meant
To make his best Productions last; and in
The Body of the Armie Richmond went,
A Head thus in a body set, did show
Like a strange Prodigie, portending woe.
Then Richmond spok (for though some think no more
Speeches can soldiers make, than a Tune Heard
Can a Musitian) Caesar would deplore
When th' Enemies approach his speech debar'd.
Needs must that want be great that could constraine
A man so great as Caesar to complaine.
And thus he spoke. If punishment, and sinne
Are borne at once, then cannot Richard dreame,
But that in Heav'n his hath for vengeance beene:
For murders have low'd voyces, and the Steame,
Which fumes from blood, doth teare the clouds in sun­der
Such exhalations can breed nought but thunder.
Thinke that you heare his slaughterd Brother cry,
And beg your almes of vengeance on his brother:
Thinke that you see his Nephewes smothered lye
In Bed, exchanging one sleepe for another.
And now heele wed his Neece, as if he wou'd
Be more alli'de by sinne, than by his Blood.
On Crooke-backe as a Malefactour looke,
Abstracted from the Title of a King:
But view your selves as Instruments, are tooke
By Heav'ns corrective hand vengeance to bring.
Be Bold: there can be no resistance made,
When Iustice striketh with a Souldiers blade.
This is the Point of time: you must strike home;
Iudgement holds execution by the hilt:
His sinnes are ripe, and to their growth are come;
His blood is now prepar'd to wash his gilt.
Vengeance doth surely, 'though but slowly tread,
And strikes with Iron, 'though it walkes with lead.
Dare, what they thinke you dare not: for that thought
Makes the act easie, 'cause they think not so:
The ends at which we levell, will be brought
Vnder command, if we but dare to doe
The hardnesse of an act as often springs
From our Imagination, as the things.
If you feare death, you shall decline that feare
By change of Object: pitch your thoughts upon
Those Garlands, which victorious you shall weare:
Graspe conquest in your apprehension.
No other qualities can be exprest,
When th' Instruments of sense are prepossest.
You mannage death by facing it; blowes shun
Those that present themselves to meete a wound:
Death's a Coy Mistresse, court her she's not wonne,
Of those which sought her, she was rarely found.
Who shewes his backe to danger soonest dies,
The shadow of death from her pursuer flies.
Though his assaults be feirce, the charges hot
Partaking of that wild-fire, which doth glow
In Richards bosome; yet conceit them not
Certaine presages of an overthrow.
Sharpe maladies, and hardest to endure,
Have not in Physicke their predictions sure.
Feare not his numbers: Victories consist
In mindes, not multitudes: most of their part
Favour our cause, and coldly will resist:
Fea [...]e not the hand, assured of the heart.
Be wisely bold, and like a Center stand,
And fly with Brutus, not with foote, but hand,
Flight may be their security, and though
They vanquish not, they know there is a meane
Betweene a Trophee, and a Grave: but you
Are in a certeine desperatenesse betweene
Conquest and death: you must not doubt to dye
Though Fortune doubts to give the Victory.
That word pronounced last, impression made:
(So the last sounds result most forcibly.)
Lost in the mazes of their eares it play'd,
Till they were ravish'd into valiancie.
For valour was infus'd at this Oration,
As at a Fiat, or some new Creation.
Then, or to give an omen of th' event,
Or make their courage to their Generall knowne;
Shouts breathing forwardnesse to Heav'n were sent.
If winged Victory through th' Aire had flowne,
They had so rent the Aire with that vast found,
That before Battaile she had drop'd to ground.
Assurance now having arm'd all their hearts
With proofe 'gainst feare, not danger; they prepare
To arme themselves compleately at all parts,
Offensive, and defensive: one might sweare
They did such motions to their Armour give,
That Iron breathed, and that steele did live.
Albert, whose speaking statue with a stroke
Of Aquin fell: A worke of Art (cryed out)
Of thirty yeares is broke: but here were broke
Workes, which ev'n Nature was as long about
Blows to their Principles resolve agen,
Naturall statues, artificiall men.
The Archers strip their sleeves, who must define
The Controversie here debated on:
The sun of Richmonds hopes was in the signe
Of Sagittarius, and there chiefely shon.
The feathers of their shafts sung as they went
Being newly set to th' one-string'd Instrument.
Next these, men of exalted valour come,
Whom their Commanders fiers did sublime;
Who scorning the incouragement of Drum,
Their Pulses beate a March: but discipline
Bad them expect the Trumpet, whose shrill breath,
Some spirits rais'd to Glory, some to death.
Betweene both Armies a great Marish lay,
(A loving bar to hatefull Vnion)
Which Richmond on his right side kept to stay
And breake their charges: from his backe the Sun
Faced the foe, so that you might surmise,
That Heav'n, and Earth brought Richmond their sup­plies.
But Richard seeing how his plot did lye,
Breakes through the Marsh: the Archers then begin
To let their shafts, like winged Serpents flye,
With their heads forward, and their stings therein;
Nor stung they like the selfe-disarming drone,
They had more stings, whē their first stings were gone
As when the thorny Porcupine's pursued
(Whose selfe is her owne quiver, and her bow;
And shafts, and strings) the dammage is renued
Of her lost quils, which by succession grow.
And such their quivers were, as if th' had beene,
Made of the Hide of an arm'd Porcupine.
Here Caesars was good councell. Strike the face,
For in this field brothers with brothers fought,
Sires with their sonnes; and so when wounds erase
The lookes, and teare the markes of kindred out:
They having lost the knowledge of each other,
Nor duty stays the sonne, nor love the brother ▪
While th' Archers from their liberall quivers doe
Distribute Death, the men at armes rush thither;
Nor staying 'till they're ask'd, match with the foe,
Whom hatred doth more firmely wed together
Than others love: divorc'd not till they dye,
This Knot is to be cut, not to unty.
There Active Oxford did like lightning fly
Deliverd from the Prison of a cloude:
Men with his sword, as Planet-stroke did dye,
His spritfull beare did blast them; and he show'd
Valour so much to spare above one Glory
Might fetch a coward out of Purgatory.
There one such wondrous executions did,
That with those Arguments you might have prov'd
That Miracles were yet continued:
Some of them thought that Mars himselfe had mov'd
Down from his sphere: thus wondring who't shold be
At last one cry'd a Talbot, and 'twas He.
By Talbots side, Salvage a name of warre,
(Whose valour impd one of the wings) flyes out.
The Actions of his Arme derived are
From strength in th' Abstract: doe not call them stout,
Mighty, Magnanimous, fatall; for as yet
Rhetorick hath not found a fit Epithet.
There Pembroke holding out a Head espie,
Perseus holds out Medusas in this fashion:
Had he then beene translated to the skie,
He had blaz'd out in such a Constellation:
That our Astronomors had h [...]rdly seene,
Which had bin Perseus, which had Pembroke beene.
And Richards men as well as these can fight,
But most of them for feare fought valiantly.
You would have thought this Paradox were right;
That feare breeds courage ▪ for his flaming eye
Did fright them into valour, and none dar'd
Act there a cowards part, he was so scar'd.
Norfolke (a glorious starre) that rul'd that Day,
Like something, more than man did men pursue:
Without the ayde of fire he de make away
Through th' Alpes: nay prove Philosophy untrue
Which thinkes there cannot a third nature lye
Betweene an Angell, and Humanity.
With Shield and sword, Ferrars did next appeare,
(The Emblem both of safety and of death;)
Marcellus, and stayd Fabius who were
The sword, and shield of Rome, in him did breath▪
Mars would have thought, had Mars his actions seene
Himselfe the trans-sumpt, this the patterne beene.
There lay an Archer whom that arrow slew
Which he shot last: for fall'n another tooke
That arrow, and apply'd it to his Yew,
Which with a resalute the owner strooke
And did so sodainely returne againe,
That he was onely by reflection slaine.
Here see a Brest cut open with a wound
Wider than death, He, who mans shape did blame,
Cause in his Brest there was no window put
To have his heart discerned through that frame;
Would have confess'd, had he beene in those parts,
Such windowes needelesse to discover hearts.
There see an Arme sunder men by the sides:
One instrument by a Compendious way
Makes two divorces, and at once divides
Their Bodies from themselves, and soules: you may
But that incorporeity controules
Feare there had beene dissection of soules.
There (as if Birth-rights had beene question'd) stood
The wombe at war with't selfe, and brethren fought:
There Kinsmen fought, and streaming forth their blood
Into one chanell found their Kindred out,
And prov'd without the ayde of Heraldry,
How neere they were by consanguinity.
Sword upon sword, a shield upon a shield
A source of blood below, and one appeare
Above: yet was there not in all that field
A solecisme, in Armory, nor there
Did it abate, but make the Honour fuller
Metall upon metall, colour upon colour.
[...]hilosophers who have so anxious beene
[...]nquiring where the soule doth chiefe reside
Within the heart or Braine: if they had seene
[...]ow weapons were by all the souldiers ply'd.
The question then had beene no longer scand;
They had defin'd the seate had beene the hand.
But see how Richard fumes, as if he could
Turne men to incense with his fiery eyes
The Evill spirit of his fury would
Be expiated by such Sacrifice.
Like to those gods the heathen did adore,
With hecatombes of men, and humane gore.
If when the soules from bodies are divorc'd
They transmigrate, and others doe endue
By an assumption: Richards would be forc'd
To wander, and be desperate of a new;
Pythagoras had beene pos'd and ne'r could finde
A Body, sutable to such a minde.
Into the fanges of danger he did goe,
(Arm'd with the Doctrine of fatalitie
As strongly as all Turkie:) every foe
Did feele him, for he prov'd ubiquitie,
And bodies unconfin'd: he like a soule
Was both in every part, and in the whole.
As if he had drunkē Opium that day
With madded fits he furied on the foe;
In a magnanimous scorne, that fame should say,
That Richard would outlive his overthrow.
Or that he did the rule Authenticke hold:
That Generalls should not dye, till they were old.
This Eagle catch'd no flies: stoop'd at men like
Brandon, and mighty Cheney; nor would bate
At a slight quarrie, much more scorn'd to strike,
It seem'd his actions did prognosticate
The sweating sickenesse, which ensued e're long,
Which scorning weake ones, onely seiz'd the strong▪
But Chenies foyle Cheney could not appall;
He rose with Deaths inscription in his face,
Most terrible of terribles; his fall
Enfir'd his spirits, chafed with the disgrace.
Thus from the Earth Antheus did recoyle,
With powers reenforc'd from every foile.
But Brandon fell till Doomes-day, and there lyes
His colours might his winding-sheete become;
A Phenix from the Phenix did arise;
Brandon, that demigod, that Charles, in whom
Th' Essense of fortitude so plainely shind,
Had you sayd Brandon, it had beene defind.
This Breviarie of consuming ire
And Commonplace, of what is called stout,
Grew by their opposition, and his fire
Got heate by those, which strove to put it out.
Force not oppos'd would languish; so would he,
Mountaines that burne doe border on the Sea.
He like a Bore (his bearing was the Bore)
(A cognisance which with his minde agrees)
Broke up the rankes to Richmonds selfe, and tore
Men up like trees; men that are like to trees
Inverst; but Richmond he extirped not.
Non tibi spiro was this Roses Mott.
There an untutour'd fortitude did try
Experimentall valour, personall strength;
That is, soft Richmond Richard did defie,
And warded the Bores tuskes at his swords length.
You could not have a cleaner valour seene,
Though Magnanimity had incarnate beene.
And his impression in his souldiers hearts
Made them his medals: he like Chymicke fire
Put soules of Gold into their Earthy parts;
And by his mountures taught them to aspire.
Actions of Kings are precepts; what they doe
Seeme to be precedents, and warrants too.
Exempli gratias teach not but compell;
There's no such Canon, as Authoritie;
They doe their doctrine tacitly refell,
Who with their Acts doe not exemplifie.
Men practise what they see by Leaders done,
Not Caesars, Ito but his Veni won.
Now Conquest with her wings fand every side
With equall hope, and strooke with equall feare:
Like scales with constant motion they slide,
Now that is upward, and now this is there.
And Henries faith with feares, yet hopes was mix'd,
Like to those starres which tremble, yet are fix'd.
The Ancients gave a spheare to victory,
On which her feete stand giddie, and uneven;
But hence just causes draw alacrity,
Her hands are holden by the hand of Heaven.
Here's Henries feare, she on a spheare doth stand,
Here's Henries hope; Iove holds her by the hand.
As thus the question doubtfully did stand,
And unconcluded: Stanly did come on
With sword, and a decision in his hand:
Thus under the Equator, when the Sunne
With hottest flames tosteth the peoples skinne,
The constant Breeze brings a coole rescue in.
[...]he case at worst Stanly determines it,
[...]he souldiers cries this martiall court adjourne;
[...]nd temper danger in her highest fit.
Were Daphne woman still, she'de sooner turne
A Laurell to crowne him, than to escape
The lustfull charges of Apollos rape.
Yet Richard with such rage himselfe commits
With the whole hoast, that he may make the story
Question'd though writ by Truth: but these strong fits,
Were lightnings before death; for this worlds glory
Is figur'd in the Moone, they both waxe dull,
And suffer their Eclipses in their full.
And now I see him sinke: his eyes did make
A shot like falling starres: flash out and done:
Groaning he did a stately farewell take,
And in his night of death set like the sunne.
For Richard in his west seem'd greater, than
When Richard shin'd in his Meridian.
[...]hree yeares he acted ill, these two houres well,
And with unmated resolution strove:
He fought as bravely, as he justly fell.
As did the Capitoll to Manlius prove,
So Bosworth did to him, the monument
Both of his Glory, and his punishment.
Here leave his dust incorporate with mould;
He was a King, that challengeth respect;
Passe by his Tombe in silence, as of old
They did their Heroes Temples, and erect
An Altar to Oblivion, while I
Another build to Henries Memory.
This fortune sweld not Henry to a brave,
Mercy step'd in, and brought a Prohibition;
Those are best temper'd fortitudes, which have
Some graines of Pittie in their composition.
Valour's the Iron vertue; yet abates
Nought of her selfe with silke upon her plates.
The wreath of Conquest in a Generous minde
Is an inducement to a moderation;
In all exalted spirits you shall finde
Something of humblenesse for mitigation
And Old Rome, built as Marius thought best
The Fane of Honour lower than the rest.
He conquer'd, yet lay prostrate in the field;
(His sacred Campe did like a Temple looke;)
Where Henry first di [...] stand, now Henry kneeld,
And chang'd his sword into a Prayer Booke.
And solemnely did a Te Deum say,
Heaven's a kinde Creditour, whom thankes can pay.
Care and his Crowne, met at his Head together;
He is no sooner King, but he must be
An Oedipus, and solve this riddle; whether
He'le claime by Wife, or Birth, or Ʋictory.
But for this Triple Knot, Henry had stor'd
A Tripple wedge, and broke this threefold Cord.
If by his Wife, he in effect had sayd
The line of Yorke was better than his owne;
Or why should man, who is the womans Head,
To a womans hand doe Homage for a Crowne?
And Henry thought it an unkingly thing,
To have his Crowne indebted to his Ring.
Nor would he claime by Conquest, or give part
Vnto the sword: for that would but affright
The Realme to forc'd obedience, and start
Men into giddy subjects; for it might
Make their faith stagger, and obedience reele,
If Henries Scepter had beene made of Steele.
At last his love to himselfe made the case plaine
That Titles Royall in his blood did flow;
And every Ʋeine was a Basilick veine;
This made him absolute: Henry did know
That Princes were most independent, when
Their Crownes doe hold of Nature, not of men.
Having thus defin'd, which sodainely was done
(For's consultation, and his choyse did goe
Together) in a Progresse he set on
For London, in a Coach unseene, and so
Appearing not, some God appear'd to be,
Whom men adore, and yet no shape doe see.
Then Orisons, and Hymnes at Pauls were sung,
And (as before) Te Deum sung agen,
His Banners in the Church for offrings hung.
When Henry pray'd in th' Armie, the Campe then
Appear'd a Church: when he his Banners rear'd,
Within the Church, the Church a Camp appear'd.
Suspicion now whisper'd these aires about
That Henry was not reall: every head
That could nor cleare, yet could create this doubt,
That Henry never would with England wed,
And joyne with Yorke. How can a s [...]eete enfold,
Two houses, which a Kingdome could not hold.
This doubt had ground; for he had given some Hope
To match with Brettaigne: But his case requir'd
Some reservation, and an other scope,
Than he pretended, or than they desir'd.
In Common Tracts great actions must not goe
Here that's the Kings high way, which fewest know.
To hush this talke he promis'd faithfully
To match at home: and make this noise appeare
A Fable, gotten in adultery,
Betweene a scandalous Tongue, and itching Eare.
Bad them trust Henry, not the Buzze of Fame,
Which like some Hound, opens where is no game.
His Coronation then he hastened,
Which, (that the title might be all his owne)
[...]efore the marriage was accomplished,
[...]east she might seeme a sharer in the Crowne.
For though in other loves 'tis strange yet he
Knew that his love might here his Riv all be.
[...]nd for his Glory, and his safety too,
[...]e did erect the Guard; Henry conjorn'd
[...]hings different in themselves; what none could doe,
[...]he two discordant Roses he combin'd.
And which have rarely beene allie'd by fate,
He did unite security, and state.
[...]hen cal'd a Parliament, so to proclaime
[...]hat Iustice was the Rule he'de governe by;
[...]nd that a Crowne alone was not his ayme.
[...]hus Hercules constelled in the skie
Though with one hand he at the Crowne doth reach.
He doth the other to the Balance stretch.
There with a Generall Pardon he allaies
The feares of th' Adverse Party: he did finde
That feare lodg'd in a subjects brest can raise
A dangerous Passion: as we see combind
Th' Order of Causes in the Chaine of Fate
So 'tis in Passions; if we feare, we hate.
Statutes 'gainst Riots were enacted then
By penalties to crush sedition
I'th' shell: for a confused Masse of men
Is as the Chaos whence Rebellion
Is first created; and all Riots are
The seedes, and Elements of Civill warre.
The Parliament dissolved, he begunne
To make his summer Progresse; with his shine
To cleare the Northerne ayre, and like the sunne
To Cancer did approach, the Tropicke signe.
And warming there the Yorke-addicted Hearts
He made the Summer Solstice in those parts.
Stafford, and Lovell now, who had not dar'd
To leave their Sanctuaries, had he beene neare:
Rise in the South, like some new starres, nor feard
(The King thus distant) boldly to appeare.
Like Ʋenus shine at noone, if she doth runne
Her greatest Elongation from the sunne.
Lord Lovell with his powrs advancing forth
March'd towards Yorke; the King to let them know,
He was in's Zodiack still, though so farre North,
Did suddenly against the Rebels goe.
In civill discords a delay may be
More dangerous than a temeritie.
But by his Heralds first he pardons sent,
(So Tamberlane sent his white flagge before.)
Henry by lenitives, not corsives meant
Those ulcerated members to restore.
No soldier but a Herald; nor a blow
But (strange) a Pardon overthrew the foe.
The best of Trophees: chiefely when the warre
Is betweene King, and subject; those are best
Complexion'd conquests, which least sanguine are,
And those most modest which doe blush the least.
Camillus once was by Romes Senate thought
Worthy to Triumph, though he had not fought.
And greatest Trophee too: they layd their hearts
At Henries feete to be triumphed o're
And yeelded their mindes captive, which imparts
The bravest glory to the Conquerour,
For 'tis more hard to reconcile than kill;
For you may force ones pow'r but not his will.
After this Northerne blast was overblowne,
The King is made the Father of a Sonne:
Arturus cal'd; after whose birth did frowne
State-tempests in the land; new stormes begun
To shake his throne; thus tempests beate the skies
Soone as that starre, which beares his name doth rise.
A new King is in making, who pretended
Fourth Edwards blood, and that his line was not
Broke off, nor yet his lawfull issue ended;
And when a King a Prince of Wales had got
A Priest steps in▪ and undertakes to get
A Duke of Yorke, or a Plantagenet.
A Bakers sonne the Preist intends to mold
Into a Prince: a matter that would sute,
Well wrought with any feature; how they could
Transchange the Bakers bread; Ile not dispute.
This act is almost of as high a state,
The Bakers sonne he'le Transubstantiate.
First he resolv'd his scenicke Prince should play
The Duke of Yorke: but when he heard the King
Purpos'd to make Plantagenet away,
He chang'd his Theame, and his Mercuriall thing
Must act young Warwicke: when this Prince is slaine
Enter his Ghost, new conjur'd up againe.
The Boy was capable all formes t'admit,
Like the Materia prima, and might be
By some Philosopher mistooke for it,
In him, as in some Pictures, you might see
A different face: on this side he was tooke
For Yorke, on that he did like Warwick looke.
Yet if you marke the Consequents, you may
Conceive, that the Queene Dowager was she,
That did this Picture draw, the Project lay,
For Henry mu'd her up at Bermondsey,
Iust at that time; who else had nothing done
Worth turning of a Queene into a Nun.
Beside, the Priest did ne're the Coppie see,
He was to write by, nor the [...]a [...]e survay
He was to pourtraict: like young Painters, he
Did on this Peece but the dead colours lay:
Her Pencell 'twas, so did it to the life,
That th' extract with the patterne was at strife.
Yet though the Peece was lim'd most curiously,
He knew his object must not stand too neere
Th' examination of a judging eye
His Picture farthest, fairest would appeare.
This show must be farre off, or in the night
His Puppit-play was best by Candle-light.
The Priest to Ireland for this reason goes.
(Their humours there did with the place agree.)
Who did inhabit by the Alpin snowes,
Their valour like their snow dissolv'd would be,
As Florus hath of old observ'd, and here
The Bogges, and men equally ticklish were.
Some of the great ones first came fairely on
T' adore this Idoll, but the People doe
Runne headlong in a wild devotion.
As in a Iacke the greater Wheeles doe goe
With soft and sober turnings; but the lesse
Are hurried with a whirling giddinesse.
At Dublin Castle he was entertain'd
With honour due unto a King; brought thence
He's in the Church proclaimed, where he feignd
The Genuine bravery of a naturall Prince.
That of Sebastian sorteth with this Else
He was the true one, or the Divell himselfe.
When in the fable Mercury is sayd
To baffle Sofia, that he knew not whether
He was himselfe, or not: he never playd
More neately, for if these two met together,
It might be feared, that this Mimicke Youth,
Would have Out-York'd him that was York in truth.
The Country where they layd the Scene, did more
Trouble our Henry, than the part they playd:
For if the King in Person should sayle o're
England would rise, though Ireland should be lay'd;
Like the Barbarians Emblem of the hide,
Tread upon one, you raise the other side.
Lost in this doubt, the King resolves to try
His usuall Art of warre, and to stand sure
At the old guard, he conquer'd Rebels by.
He threw a Pardon out: 'twas Henries lure
That Rebels stoop'd at; and his fairest way
To win: for Henries Olive was his Bay.
[...]hen that th' Imposture might be plainely seene,
[...] Publicke true Plantagenet was showne:
[...] the disparity, that was betweene
The Truth and Counterfeit was eas [...]y knowne.
They judg'd without a Perspective, and glasse
That this a starre, that but a Meteor was.
Lincolne knew well this fallacie, yet he
Pretending Ignorance, to Ireland sayld.
This Earle by Richard was design'd to be
The next successour, if right Heires had fail'd.
And he resolv'd when e're the field was won,
This King should Play no more, his part was done.
This flash was but a Starre imaginary,
But the reflex of a Plantagenet:
That of it selfe would vanish and miscarry;
And this by Henry or eclips'd, or set.
And Lincolne thought, when they should disappeare
To be translated to the English spheare.
Burgundias Dutchesse next (whose envious eye
Star'd upon Henry to effascinate
His greatnesse) did with so much malice rise,
That Nature seem'd this Lady to create,
To try a new experiment, and see
How much might goe to th'making of a Shee.
They call'd this Dutchesse, Henries Iuno who,
(As if her fingers spun the threds of fate
For the two Rivall families) did doe
Or undoe any thing; and meditate
To raise the Yorkists Henry to destroy:
Yorke was her Greece, and Lancaster her Troy.
The reputation of the Dutchesse lent
Face to the Action, and her forces Heart;
Two thousand Almaines to their ayde were sent
Vnder the charge of old experienc'd Swart.
Such are best leaders, for old chiefes are such,
Whom death ev'n makes a conscience to touch.
Thus bravely back'd, they cal'd a Councell, whether
The warre, and action should be seated there:
For that of force would draw our Henry thether,
And stirre up dangerous alteration here;
Be not the Lyon, or the Eagle by
And every beast will rore, every bird fly.
But nor that Country bred, nor could be bought
Enough, to keepe so great an armie there;
Ev'n hunger would have made their bellies thought
Their throates were cut, before a sword came neare.
And make them such thin starvelings, that they might
Be fitter for a visit, than a fight.
This made the Peoples generall votes encline
For England: they in civill discords strike
The businesse home; nor dare the chiefes decline
Their wishes, for they lead their leaders: like
The Dragon in the fable: where the head
Was in the rereward, and the taile did lead.
It was good Policie to make the warre
Invasive; for invaders seeme to come
With bravest Hearts; and th' Irish thought they were
So freinded here, that they might beat's at home.
And Scipio spake an Oracle, when he
Sayd Africk must in Africk conquer'd be.
Soone did the Rebels under the command
Of Lincolne, Swart, of Lovell, and Kildare
In Lancashire, without impeachment land,
No Fleet to intercept them being there.
Strange, since attempts by Sea are best withstood,
In cittadels of Oke, and walls of wood.
The Art of warre hath rarely thought it fit
To let our enemie land: (determind so
In fatall eighty eight;) or to admit
Vpon our shore th impression of a foe.
Tis ominous, and hath beene often knowne,
They stampe the ground they tread on for their own.
But Henry gave them landing: so he did
To Perkin after, else the King had showne
Perhaps injustice, should he them forbid
To enter peaceably upon their owne.
Poore things, he let them come into his traine,
Then Piniond them from flying backe againe.
Landed, their march points towards Yorke; a place
Once fit for their designes; for 'twas the Bed
Where the White Roses grew, and whence the race
Of all the true Plantagenets was spred.
That Corner for his shrine this Image chose,
And there a Bramble would supplant a Rose.
But (had not shame made silence) Lovell might
Have told, the nature of the place was changd,
Twas there where he himselfe refus'd to fight,
And ran away when all his men were rang'd.
And Henry had beene there, whose Physicke had
Cheerd up the wholsome blood, and purg'd the bad.
The King makes on, to let them see there lay
A better King i'th' Packe. Of foes at home
Let me but see them, he was wont to say,
As if with him to see, and overcome
Were termes convertible; but see, and dye,
Like Basiliskes, kings having a Killing eye.
And sure the Princes presence hath beene thought
Most efficatious, that the action might
Sort to an issue; and some nations brought
Their Infant Kings in Cradles to the fight.
My Prince shall make me as much reverence feele
Shaking his Rattle, as his rod of steele.
I know 'twas Henries principle, for he
Both out of valour and distrust would goe
Himselfe in Person'gainst the Enemie.
The Turkish bounds were first extended so
As some observe: for their first Sultans tooke,
Some charge in every battaile that was strooke.
Besides, their presence brings more clearely in
Claime to the Glory of the victory,
Of which some Princes have so jealous bin,
That Constantine this Act did ratifie:
To us the Honour of the Conquest yeeld,
A hundred miles though distant from the field.
Lincolne makes to the King; although no ayde
(As he had promis'd to himselfe) appeard;
And though he saw his confidence betray'd
He wisely did dissemble what he fear'd.
And lightning hopes were in his browes exprest,
Though loud despaire did thunder in his brest.
Twas done like a Commander: he must call
Assurance to his most deplor'd occasion:
A Captaines passion's Epidemicall,
And souldiers put it on by imitation.
A souldier will his Captaines colours weare,
Be they the Red of Ioy, or Pale of Feare.
Lincolne encamp'd upon a hill: (so high
His hopes were once) but Henry in the plaine
(So was his Case) Lincolne resolv'd to try
His fortune presently, march'd downe againe,
And from the hill descending to the vale,
Himselfe was his owne Emblem of his fall.
[...]hen twas advis'd, whether they should protract
[...]r suddenly upon the Rebels fall:
[...]ut Henry willing that great chiefe to act
[...]ho by deferring nothing conquer'd all.
Calls for the fight: and Politickes have cast
In all defections Generals must make hast.
[...]ut how they fought is told so nakedly,
[...]s if the writers of those times had layd
[...] blanke in that part of the History,
[...]o let the moderns guesse what should be sayd
For Chronicles doe it so lamely tell,
As if twere sayd, they came, they fought, they fell.
They say the Vangard, where the King did lead
Did onely to the fight assistance bring:
[...]s if the King in charity would spread
[...]ome Princely lustre on this pretty thing,
Who would have beene a king; though he were none
Here was his Glory, he had fought with one.
And Lovell feeling that the fight grew hot,
Thought of a cooler, and would swimme the Trent;
But long before the other side he got
Was swallow'd by the angry Element.
It seemes the streame out of a loyall sense
Would nor support a Traytor to his Prince.
But valiant Swarts for terme of life did take
Possession of the ground where he did stand.
And Lincolne too, whom though his Hopes did make
The sole Commander once of the whole land.
Measure him now, and he'le no more contest,
Give him sixe foote, let who will take the rest.
There was the mock-king, younker Simnell tooke,
Whose word was Regno, when he did appeare
On th' highest cog of Fortunes wheele: but strooke
To sine Regno now, the lowest there.
Thus Honours Pyramid it selfe extends
Into a Point, then in a nothing ends.
But Henries scorne, or pitty would not goe
So farre as to his life: rather thought fit
To keepe him in his Kitchin for a show.
Where he should turne a Scepter to a spit.
And there the king whose right they did so boast
Must be content to fit, and rule the roast.
Nor would Augustus have that Puppit slaine
That Alexander who was brag'd to be,
King Herods sonne, but in a brave disdaine
Enslav'd him in his Gallies: so that he
Who gloried at the Helme of State before,
Sate then degraded tugging at an Oare.
After the field was won, Henry did fall
To weede the rootes, whence following wars might spronght
As 'twere to cancell the Originall
Whence future discords might be copied out.
Had he left off, when th' Enemie did flye,
He had but woo'd, not wedded Victory.
He cut off all th' adherents, that did stand
For the late Rebells, and each sparke bereave
Of hope to reenflame; it was a brand
Stamp'd upon Caesars actions, not to leave
A warre halfe done. From an unvanquish'd foe,
And yet provok'd, the greatest dangers grow.
Now Henry look'd abroad, and having here
Dispell'd the sullen mists, began to throw
His lustre, and his Influence elsewhere.
Like to a naturall Agent, which doth show
Its vertue in the Center first, and thence
Dilate it selfe to the circumference.
And it was time; for now King Charles of France,
Aiming at Brittaigne in's ambitious minde,
Quarrels the Duke for succouring Orleans
Who had fled to him. 'Tis not hard to finde
Pretenses, when inferiours should be vext,
Give me but Pow'r, I'le finde out a pretext.
The French Embassadours to Henry sue,
Or to stand Neuter, or their Master aide
Against Brittaines Duke; but Henry knew
Should he doe either, Brittaine were betray'd.
And in this Dutchie were the French invested
We should by sea at pleasure be infested.
But this Dilemma was well neare above
All Henries Logick: Henry was so ty'd
Both to this King, and Duke, that he must prove
Ingrate to one, ayding of either side
He hath a Wolfe by th' Eares, and doth not know,
Whether 'ts best to hold, or let him goe.
He would not stand a Neuter (like the Bat
When Beasts, and fowles in the feign'd Battaile fought,
And therefore curs'd to flye in darkenesse;) that
Had Henries vertue into question brought,
For not asserting Justice, which must be
Faire on one side upon necessitie.
At last concludes for Brittaine; for he should
At once be Charles his friend, and his owne foe,
Should he ayde France; and no injunctions hold,
Man to such offices as man undoe.
The strictest Moralist will set me free,
Where my owne gratitude would ruine me.
Henry indeede by a Particular tye
Had beene much bound to France; but he was more
Bound to preserve his subjects liberty,
Which had beene hazzarded were Brittaine lost.
The greater Bond thus making voyde the lesse,
Who can implead him of ingratefulnesse?
Then was the Action mov'd in Parliament
To feele the People; who of their innate
Envie to France did promise to resent
The case of Brittaine their confederate.
Were Brittaine swallow'd first, they stood perplext,
'Twere a preparative to take England next.
And that the succours might be more compleat
By joyning Gold to Steele; they give the King
A subsidie. Henry did seldome treate
Of any warre, but did some treasure bring.
The coursest Ore he wisely could refine,
And digge his Gold out of warres Iron Mine.
That time without commission from the King,
The hot Lord Woodvile in the Brittons ayde
Levied foure hundred men: a desperate thing
And Introduction to have a state betray'd.
To Private men this Priviledge afford,
You arme the Subject 'gainst his nat'rall Lord.
But as if fortune had resolv'd to tell
The world, his act was rash; he lost his blood,
And though his Cause was just, yet justly fell
In th' Action: for to make a quarrell good
'Tis requisite the Combatant should show
Both a just Cause and Deputation too.
Soone as the newes of this defeate did land,
So soone the English succours set to sea
But that soone was too late; when towres doe stand,
With bending browes, men will immediately
Set buttresses; he that would save a state
In its decline, must not procrastinate.
This stay made Henry censur'd, and the blot
Was mark'd of all, set in so high a fane
As Henries worth. Small Starres obscur'd would not
Be mark'd by Kepler, or the Noble Dane;
But be the Sunne Eclips'd, th' Eclipse will be
Tooke to a Digit by some Alestr [...]e.
That which deceived him was, he set his rest
That Charles meant faire; but he drew closely on
His warre i'th' Treatie, and that Rule profest
That th' Eleventh Lewis lectur'd to his sonne
To learne but so much Latine, as might tell,
And tutour him how to dissemble well.
Besides his trust in Maximilians strength,
Who was to marry with Brittanias heire,
Impos'd upon him: for that King at length
Shew'd himselfe nothing, when he lost so faire
A Hope as She: for he cold Suitour did
Dutchesse, and Dutchy too by Proxie wed.
This Confidence her followers betrayes,
Mounts us to foile us; like the Eagle just,
When she will breake, she will the Tortoise raise.
Henry had sav'd this Dutchy by distrust,
That argument of weakenesse; seldome heard,
The weakest thing should be the strongest guard.
The subsidie was now to be collected;
But he must be beholden to his sword
For's mony: which the Northerne men protected
As Gryphons doe the Ingots which they hoord:
Or like the Mines which as Olaus writes,
Have for their Guardians Subterranean sprites.
For the Commissioners, no sooner came
To York-shire, but they rais'd a mutinie
In stead of mony: for King Richards name
Being there still in recent memory
Rose like a spirit at some conjuration,
And the great word i'th' Circle, was Taxation.
For they, as once the Androsians did pretend
Want; whom when Athens did enjoyne to pay▪
A Tax, and for the levying it did send
The Goddesse Violence: We have sayd they
A Goddesse too, as powerfull as she
A Goddesse, which we call Necessity.
This roused Henry in just rage to see
Th' authoritie of Parliament cast downe.
To countermand what there th' Estates decree,
Doth make a blow directly at the Crowne.
And should he suffer that, he should commit
Implicit treason' gainst himselfe, and it.
And should he winke at th' Antecedent there,
He would be forc'd this Consequent to see;
The rest by dangerous Logick: would inferre,
If Yorke-shire will not pay it, why should we.
And by strange Grammar never taught in Schoole,
From on Example make a Generall rule.
Then to Northumberland his Mandates goe,
With strict injunctions nothing to remit:
But he the businesse doth carry so,
That by the People thought the cause of it,
He's slaine in th' Act: sure Henry was at cost,
Before a Pennie got a Noble lost.
Being thus in Blood, the malcontents agree
To goe against King Henry; and conclude
Chamber and Egremond their chiefes should be.
And thus the many-headed Multitude,
Although it boasted Heads enough before,
To be more Monster will have two Heads more.
Fame with one of her Pinions soone had writ
This newes to Court: Surrie as soone was sent
To hush this Tumult, and annihill it;
Who like a Tempest scouring as he went,
Some of those Clouds, scar'd at his presence flew,
But like the wind call'd Cecias, others drew.
For the Principalls were tooke, and led
To Yorke, where they did by just vengeance fall;
Chamber in gallant manner suffered,
For he was hang'd in State above them all.
Thus Chamber even in ruine did aspire,
For they erected him one story higher.
But Egremond seeing the cause miscarry,
And all his followers like a mist dispeld,
Fled into Burgundy, that Sanctuary
Of Traytours: who like vapours hence expeld
To Her, as to the middle Region flew,
The Place whence Henries greatest Tempests grew.
Then Henry call'd a Parliament againe,
(For subsidies he did remunerate
With Lawes;) and such were framed in his Reigne,
As with th' old Heroes shall him celebrate
Lycurgus would be prow'd, if hither sent,
To be but Clerke of Henries Parliament.
For 'twas a Principle amongst the Prime
Of their Law givers t' have the law aspire
To the Condition of the present time
And seldome had their mounture planted higher.
But in all Henries statutes, Henries eye,
Look'd through the present at futurity.
In England then as in Polonia now
Were but two sort of People: the whole land,
Or in too base servility did bow,
Or in too high a statelinesse command
To have no meane a vacuum doth imply
Abhor'd in states, as in Philosophy.
The reason was inclosures; farmes were then
Turn'd to demesnes; therefore the land as yet
No Yeomen had, but clownes or Gentlemen:
Th' abuse reform'd did that third sort beget.
So proving, what our Logicke doth deny,
The best division is Trichotomie.
By this mysterious way our Soldiery
Had its foundation layd; in any states
To live too poorely, or too gallantly,
Vnapts the spirits, and emasculates.
For through a softnesse, and habituall feare,
One cannot suffer, th' other cannot dare.
Which makes a morall Monster in the state,
A fortitude defective in one part:
For action joyn'd with passion integrate
The All of valour; and a Souldiers heart
Must have them so, that yet they hardly know,
Which is the chiefe, to suffer or to doe.
But then this sort of men, as a third creature,
Bred up in fulnesse, and some taking paines:
Amphibion ▪ like partaking of each nature,
Made able foote: so having equall graines
Of pow'r to doe, and suffer, valour went
By this new mixture to a temperament.
This time were Maximilians subjects growne
To Rebells; and the newes to Henry flies;
Who like a King did make the case his owne,
For he stood Ʋmpire in all injuries.
As if Astrea, when she did abhorre
The Earth had made him her Executour.
And to such perfect Rebels, that they tooke
Their Soveraigne Prisoner, after faith was made,
And loyalty was vow'd: when he did looke
For all things rather than to be betray'd.
Dangers most dangerous, when we doe not minde it
Not to looke for it, is the way to finde it.
And in this Act a Smith stir'd most about,
(Basenesse first tramples on a humbled Crest.)
The Emblem proves that the ignoble rout
Scoffes most at greatnesse clouded, and deprest.
The Pygmies mocked Alcides, when he slept,
And none but Hares by the dead Lyon leapt.
A Smith was busiest with the Emperour;
The Cornish Rebels did a Smith obey:
A Bardeaux Smith first strooke the governour,
Who came a civill discord to allay.
And the Ephesian Silver-smiths did make
An uprore for their great Dianas sake.
Tumults seeme incident to Smiths by fat [...]
Whose very Trade doth as an Emblem show
Both the Incendiaries of a State,
And bellowes too, which the sedition blow,
The Hammers with their harsh tumultuous jarre,
Make in their braines a kind of Civill warre.
How did that Time crosse its first course, when fate
Would Kings subject to their owne subjects doome?
Th' English rebell: These their King Captivate,
The Scots Kill theirs; as if the dayes were come
The Cynick spoke of, that when he was dead,
Nature inverst should stand upon her head.
Then into France the King some forces sent,
In show to keepe the English Pale unwonne;
But in his secret, and his chiefe intent
To succour Maximilian: thus the Sunne
In his apparent course posts to the West,
But by his hidden tract creepes to the East.
Now before Dixmue were the French set downe,
And raised thus by th' English: a French spie
Promis'd in lieu of Pardon from the Towne
To bring them safe upon the Enemie.
So whilst the Towne, by th' English then releev'd,
Reprev'd a Rogue, a Rogue the Towne reprev'd.
This Emissary brought them all unseene
Close to the Campe: which carelesse never thought
That th' English Forces could so neere have beene,
Who for a hundred lives the Conquest bought:
This Engin first against the Towne did lye,
But a Rope turn'd it on the Enemie.
Lord Cordes madded to be thus disgrac'd
Beleagred Newport, and so farre prevail'd;
That the French Banner on a Fort was plac'd,
But soone remov'd, so powerfully assail'd.
Such stormes came whistling from the English bow
Their Lilies planted there, not long could grow.
For some few Archers newly had put in
At Newport Hav'n; who by successe did show
So much of strength that Cordes thought they had bin
More than indeed they were: for looking through
Th' Event, as through a Multiplying Glasse
He judgd their number greater than it was.
Conceite the weakest things can fortifie;
And in a turne, the strong debilitate.
This few, thought more, did thousands terrifie;
For our Imagination may create
Reall effects: though here no cause to yeeld
His owne Opinion beate him from the field.
This Lord wish'd madly, that he might be fir'd
Seven yeares in hell, so he might Callis take:
But when his seven yeares lease had beene expir'd,
I doubt this wish he would his second make,
To lye there seven yeares longer to have beene
Secur'd by faith ne'r to come there agen.
Having for Maximilian thus prevail'd
He pres'd him to the Marriage with the Heire
Of Brittaine; for although his armes had fail'd,
He thought the losse of Brittaine to repaire
This way: and judg'd, that though his Armes did misse
A Ladies Armes more Powerfull than his.
And Maximilian did so farre proceed,
He married her by Proxie ▪ who did lye
[...]'th' spowsall sheetes with one legge; but indeed
That Court devise had no validity.
'Twas a lame match; what could the Proxie doe
With his one leg, where's master should have two?
King Charles resolved that this tricke was vaine,
(Nor caring though his friends turn'd Enemies)
Mockd at the Ceremony; and to gaine
The Lady planted golden Batteries.
Not so to win a woman is hard hap,
When Iove rain'd Gold, Danae held her lap.
And that which winneth in a Ladies eye:
King Charles was lusty, Maximilian old,
Content to lye with her by Deputy:
Who would not choose this heate before that cold?
The Lady yeeldes: nor will I thinke it strange
That two such things should make a woman change.
Nor could she well deny, if Charles entreat,
For if she should in Opposition lye,
Then out of France warres did her Country threat,
Therefore to yeeld was her best Policie.
Turne Mars to Ʋenus, and not fight but wed,
And so conclude the quarrell in a bed.
But here's the Knot: King Charles himselfe is bound
To Maximilians daughter by contract,
And she to Maximilian; but he found
A tricke to solve both riddles with one Act.
And by the dextrous cunning which he try'd,
One knot he loosed, and another ty'd.
Want of consent did both contracts bereave
Of validnesse; the Dutchesse was his Ward,
And could not match her selfe without his leave▪
Th' other by her minority was bard.
Charles having thus broke this, made a new band,
And set his owne for Maximilians hand.
But that his drift may lye obscur'd, he sends
Embassadors to enterteine our King
In vaine beleefe, and to atcheive his ends,
Whilst Henry mock'd imagin'd no such thing.
Charles by dissembling first this Dutchie gat,
Therefore to keepe it, there's no Art but that.
In bodies naturall the same things doe
Keepe them, which made them; and Philosophy
Saith Elements are Aliments. Tis so
In Bodies Civill, for in Policie
'Tis a rul'd Case, That as a State is gain'd,
By the same Arts that state must be mainteind.
They (to divert his thoughts) doe pray our King
Would let their Master his owne Ward dispose,
Thus they the match would to conclusion bring,
And the first note scarce heard, be in the close.
And by strange Method make our Henry see;
A Bridegroome, e're he should a Suitour be.
They tell him that their Master did intend
A warre against the Turke, and to advance
His Flower de Lis against their Moone, and send
Against the Turkish bow the Gallicke Lance.
True, he was Plannet-strooke, but that was done,
By Brittaignes Venus, not the Turkish Moone.
But now his misted Counsels did appeare:
The marriage did breake out for all to see't;
Which plainely sundred the two Kings who were
Like to lines Parallell which will not meete,
'Though drawne to an infinity: for they
Who differ in their Ends part in their way.
This double Injury; to lose his owne
And daughters match, made Maximilian breake
To boundlesse rage, with which sweld up, and blowne
The lesse he could performe, the more did speake.
'Tis hollownesse, and emptinesse of ground,
Which makes an Eccho multiply the sound.
His passion something cold, Reason step'd in
To shew his weakenesse, and advise him looke
For aydes abroad, nor his revenge begin
Vnsided: Henry with his wrongs is strooke,
Like needles of the same magneticke touch,
If you moove one, the other moves as much.
But knowing that Conjunction of Heads
Is a good part of speech, Henry unites
His Councels with his owne: though a Prince leads
Th' Action in chiefe, he in the Plurall writes
Mandamus, volumus, to let men know,
He doth in Businesse with his Councell goe.
Then warre was noys'd in Parliament, which nam'd,
(As if some exorcisme had beene conceiv'd
To call up spirits) they were all inflam'd
To wipe of the disgrace which they receiv'd
For Brittaignes losse, and to repaire their shame,
He slighteth vertue, that will slight his fame.
Their memories present them with the sight
Of the French Trophies by their Gransires wonne▪
Here the fift Henry; there the Edwards fight
I'th' field of their Imagination.
Before the Sonnes when such faire Coppies stand,
They must write bravely, or a bastard hand.
That Parliament (which much conduc'd to warre)
He did a Stature against Mort-paies make,
Least Captaines should defraud their men, who are
Cold Gamesters; when no money is at stake.
They'l beare no Armes, but when the Field is fuller,
And bravelier charg'd with Metall, than with Colour.
And so 'twas here: they such a Taxe did grant,
That not a Souldier justly could repine;
'Tis fearefull, when they doe their wages want,
Or food: for hunger keepes no discipline.
Who would the Body of an Armie make,
Must the beginning at the Belly make.
Then men were rais'd, and ammunition brought,
Monie's indeed the sinew of all warre;
But sinewes of the Armes and Armes are thought
By Machiavell to be preferred farre,
Thus Solon deem'd, when he that Monarch told,
The better Iron would have all the Gold.
For leaders of these men he did assigne
Bedford and Oxford; so they us'd to be.
His choyse had in it something of Divine,
Fix'd with a kinde of fatall Constancie:
None from his Grace but Stanly fell away,
He was the onely State Apostata.
He would not their Election decline,
Their fortunes did for their election call.
Felicity is an egregious signe,
And proper Marke to choose a Generall.
Let judgement, valour, in the Ʋan appeare,
Tis nought, if Fortune bring not up the Reare.
But Henries Agents now to Henry sent
That Maximilian could no succour be:
Henry so cover'd this advertisment,
That none perceiv'd he saw what he did see.
Like to the Opticke vertue in the eyes,
Vnseene it selfe, yet all things else discries.
His weakenesse did Originally rise,
From's Flemmings, who indocile to obey
Did contumeliously their Prince despise,
Which made him once in jesting earnest say,
That other Kings were Kings of men, but He
Was King of Kings, who would no subjects be.
So true was that which Machiavell once spake▪
On Maximilian who so e'r despends,
Shall from his freindship no more succour take
Than the Campanians brought unto their friends,
Who being small in strength, and great in Fame,
Vnto their aydes brought nothing but a name.
Then Henry ship'd his men, meaning to be
Alone in th' Action, and the Honour too.
He had so soone pass'd the obedient sea,
As if it had profess'd, what our Lawes doe,
'Twas under his dominion, and his owne
As of the Ligeance of the English crowne.
Then march'd to Bulloine, and already took't
In their capacious thoughts; with threatning eye
They look'd upon it, as Gonsalvo look'd
On Naples, when he vow'd rather to dye
With one foote forward in a noble heate,
Than live an age with halfe a footes retreate.
But sudainely coole Aires of Peace did breath;
Lord Cordes did negotiate that Peace:
Whose Spirit once breath'd onely warre, and death,
Treates now, that all hostility may cease.
The Fabled Clowne would wonder to behold
One, like his Satyre, blowing hot, and cold.
And here was Henries wisedome, not to heare
Peaces soft tunes, before the Drummes had strooke
A low'd defiance; when his forces there
Might force his owne Condition to be tooke.
That's the brave Peace, whose Articles are made
Vnder a shield, and written with a blade.
This Peace pleas'd Henry, which the Frenchmen bought
With more, than th' English gave unto the warre.
But yet the People, seeing he did nought
With all the Money, were enrag'd so farre,
That to a dangerous Proverbe they presum'd,
Himselfe he feather'd, and his people plumd.
But our young gallants had most neede of blackes,
Who to be bravely furnish'd, paund their lands
In hope of these French warres; and on their backes,
Brought so much English ground to Callis sands,
That they left none. A strange Armoriall shield,
That they should beare their Armes without a field.
He therefore meant to make the peace be thought
His Councels act; and suffer'd them to take
Rich presents, as with which the Peace was bought,
Vnder their shapes Henry this Peace did make.
Examine Iove, and looke upon his scapes,
The Poets make them done in other shapes.
The course he us'd might prejudiciall prove,
By winning of his Councels hearts to France;
For Mutianus thus pretending love
To Antonine, did all his friends advance:
But Mutian by this Practise did so please,
Antonine lost all his dependances.
Yet Henry had faire Glosses for this Peace,
Which did his Honour with his subjects save.
T' exhaust no blood, and to imburse th' increase
Of yearely Tributs, satisfaction gave.
None bled but the French treasure, and the King,
Open'd that veine for Physicke every spring.
The End of this French warre was to rewinne
Brittaigne, which was past all Eviction gone;
And Maximilians aides which should have beene
Meanes to acquire this End, came never on.
No Agent doth his purpose more extend,
Which is defective both in meanes and end.
But this was his best Argument; he heard
That Burgundy was making of a King
Out of a Duke of Yorke, and justly fear'd
The stormes which follow'd. For this twice-born thing
Like to the twice-borne Bacchus at his Birth,
Amaz'd with Thunder the affrighted Earth.
The linkes of causes set in Homers chaine
Not closer joyn'd, nor more continued are,
Than the affaires of Kings; no Interreigne
Is in their State, nor Ʋacuum in their Care.
The sweating sickenesse in his Dayes so great,
Was a Presage, that he should Reigne in sweate.
He (having not respir'd, since he last did
Strive with a King in Substance) falls at Oddes
With a Phantasme; an Idoll King will bid
Henry defiance. Kings are Earthly Gods,
And this prov'd Henry one, that he should see,
So many Idols tempt his Deitie.
Burgundies Dutchesse knew imposture could
(As the best Ingen) torture Henry most:
Therefore sh' had Spials for such Boyes as should
Make Dukes of Yorke: at last on one they crost,
So apt to take a forme, that if there were
A Rellicke of the Chaos, it was there.
And this that Perkin was, that Errant Knight,
Henries Landloper, Ape of Majestie;
Sonne of a Jew, who was a Convertite,
Oweing to England his nativitie.
And out of zeale the Dutchesse now will doe
Her best, to make the Sonne a convert too.
But this was pretty: our fourth Edward did
Christen the Boy, and hence suspition feignes
Some of that wanton Princes blood was hid
(To make him something Yorke) in Perkins veines.
And this might well the Boyes ambition touch,
God-father had a sillable too much.
This is that metall must trans-changed be
By leaving its first nature: others doubt
If Gold can be produc'd by Alchymie:
But I'le presume this metall had come out.
(If Henries starres did not the worke restreine)
As faire a peece as any Soveraigne.
Let Paracelsus glory that he can
Make Artificiall men; she will doe more;
And by a resurrection bring a man
To' a Naturall life, which he had lost before.
Who in so neere a likenesse did survive,
As that he pos'd the clearest Perspective.
Soone as her Art this Bullion had refind,
She stamp'd him with the face of majestie;
And soone as she had this Rose Noble coyn'd
She sent him from her, least the mystery
Might be discover'd, and suspition should
Thinke he were cast in a Burgundian mold.
Hot from her shop to Portugall he goes
To waite a fit Conjuncture, which must be
When France, and England are declared foes;
Soone as they had this opportunitie,
This Peece was vented on the Irish shore,
Where one as false was currant once before.
From thence King Charles sent for him into France,
Where he a guard, and Princely service had;
So great an invitation might enhance
His price: For greatnesse, and great men doe adde
Opinion, and the most adulterate stone,
Will be thought true, if worne by such an one.
But when this little Cockatrice did heare
That France with England an accord did strike:
This Ghost of Yorke durst walke no longer there,
But fled it as a Circle. Peace was like
An Incantation, and the very smell
Of a Peace-offring did this spright expell.
Then like a Body which returnes into
Its Principles, he to the Dutchesse went;
And constant to himselfe did nothing doe,
Wherein he did not bravely represent
A Prince, and though by Nature he w [...]re none,
Custome that second Nature made him one.
The Dutchesse made it strange in company,
Where she would sift hm, and with questions prove;
At length receiv'd him like some Prodigie:
She seem'd to imitate the Birds of Iove,
Which at the Sunne their doubtfull aiery view,
Nor till they thinke it false, will thinke it true.
This newes our Commons swallow'd greedily,
Whose custome 'tis to loath the present state,
Affecting change; which is the quality
That from their mother they doe propagate.
And as the Spaniards say, there cannot goe
A needles point betweene their J, and No.
He lively set the Peoples Humors forth
Who drew a silly Asse, and drew him clad
In furniture of an unvalued worth,
Who, though these rich habilliments he had
Lothing his Golden saddle, cast his eye
Vpon an other base one, that lay by.
Ill Humours then secretly gather'd head
Whence to breake forth. Thus doth the Earth dispense
Her hidden waters, till they finde a bed
Where their collected streames may lodge, and thence
With struggling murmurs they a Passage teare,
And make a bubbling insurrection there.
The Lord Fitzwater, Thwaites, and Mountfort were
The chiefe: and Stanly, who at Bosworth fought
As Henries Guardian Angell, will be here
His Malus genius now; as if he thought
To tell the world, that as he could create
A King, so he could one annihilate.
Henrie to make the world this juggling see,
Prov'd that the tender Princes had beene slaine,
And did evince infallibly, that he
Could not be Yorke, unlesse they would mainteine
His resurrection, and beleeve his Tombe
Had giv'n him up before the Day of Doome.
When Perkins lineage, and himselfe were made
Naked as truth: Henry this course did hold
To trip him up; he with his traines essayd
His followers, and dependants. They that would
Blow up a Castle, will beginne the Mine
Some distance from the place, which they designe.
If he can make but Perkins friends retreate,
He will by consequence Perkin oppresse;
To' anticipate the wayes which make one great
Is the compendious way to make one lesse.
When Causes stop, effects doe make a Pause,
And perish in the ruine of their cause.
First Clifford from this Ignis fatuus flies,
Which shew'd but light to shew men how to erre;
And as the meteor is observ'd to rise
From places, where we doe our dead interre;
So the dead Duke gave matter to this flame,
And from his grave this Ignis fatuus came.
Their Towring Edifice began to shake,
So soone as Clifford, their great prop was gone;
So Arches threaten ruine, if you take
Out of the Fabricke but a single stone;
And Henry now did all their secrets spye,
For Clifford was both Cabinet, and Key.
Now having thus made their materialls like
Sand without lime; Henry the Archduke prayes
[...]o chase him out of Flanders, so to strike
[...]he very ground where he his frame did raise▪
Some ground to stand on, was the onely thing,
The Ingener ask'd the Sicilian King.
The Embassadors which from our Henry went,
The foulenesse of the crime before him set;
That with more Zeale he might the fact resent;
A King but in his coine to counterfeit
Is treason, but to counterfet a King
In's Person, is a more nefarious thing.
They tell his Birth (like that the Tartars say
Now of their Cinchis, whom a widdow bore
Without the ayde of man, some hidden way)
Such was his Birth: but when all else give o're
Children, this Dutchesse then such striplings brings,
As at their Birth give Battaile unto Kings.
Therefore they doe request him, that he would
Abandon Perkin, and discard the Knave
Out of the Packe: since no Impostours should
Or can in right any Protection have.
Vnder what Title can he be supply'd,
Who is not Yorke, and Perkin hath deny'd?
The Answere they receiv'd was cold, and short;
That th' Arch-Duke would not the Pretender ayde:
Which did not Answere Henries hopes, nor sort
With his desires: for by the Rule, which sayd,
(If not against him with him) Henry spy'd,
That he was secretly of Perkins side.
Therefore in point of Honour, he commands
No entertrafficke be with Flanders made:
Henry knew well, that they would quit their hands
Of one that should so damnifie their trade.
And did presume Flanders would bid adieu
To this false coyne, 'fore she would lose the true.
Advertis'd then, that the disease did lye
Both in the Realme, and from the Realme did come.
The Plaster to the sore he did apply,
By cutting of Conspiratours at home.
These sharpe proceedings will annull their plots;
For swords are fittest for such Gordian Knots.
Take them away, you reunite the State.
As when a Sweating Hinde with weighty stroke,
And blustring Hem, (which doth the sprits dilate,
And force with more contention) cleaves an Oke,
And teares the Knotty trunke with labour'd blowes;
Remove the wedge, the gaping rent will close.
Mountfort, and Ratliffe, first with Purple flood
The scaffold dy'd. The Gentiles to appease
Their Idols offer'd up their Childrens blood
An expiating sacrifice: but these
Were to a more devout observance growne,
Who to this Idoll offer'd up their owne.
Next Stanly comes his last accounts to yeeld,
Which cannot be made up without his head,
His purer blood stream'd forth at Bosworth field,
But the corrupt was on a scaffold shed.
Blood-letting never such a wonder had,
That the good blood should come before the bad.
How oft doe men advanc'd prove treacherous?
How soone the Graces of their Prince forget?
Thus Seian, Plautian, and Perennius.
So true is that the Florentine hath writ;
Great benefits, as well as injuries
Have beene the motives to conspiracies.
Knowing that nothing but a crowne can adde
The last perfection to their power and state,
They reach at that: and here more meanes are had,
Whereby they may their plot facilitate.
Their Princes love, and freedome of accesse
Make their strength more, and their suspition lesse.
Henry was clos'd at Bosworth, and the foe
Had hem'd him in his toiles: Stanly forbad
Deaths, and the foes surprise, and sav'd him so;
This Stanly did, yet this hard fortune had.
Was there no way to gratifie but this,
To take his life from him, who gave him his?
Nay, thinking this his service too to low
For his so high intentions, he did bring
The Crowne, and set it upon Henries brow,
And at once sav'd a man, and made a King.
Was it not stange, he that did set a crowne
Vpon his Masters head, should loose his owne?
Some Authours make his Case abstruse to know,
As if by Henry riddled up in doubt:
And though Kings Hearts cannot be search'd into,
They doe pretend to picke his secrets out;
And by a wondrous kind of theft to get
The Iewels, and not ope the Cabinet.
I dare nor say, he could ungratefull be;
As in Divinity 'tis better farre
To thinke there is no God, than thinke that he
Can be unjust, so I had rather sware,
That he in nature never was at all,
Than thinke he could be so unnaturall.
And though by some Lewis the Eleventh be thought
Our Henries patterne: I will not divine,
That Henrie alwayes like his Sampler wrought,
Or that he rul'd this Action by that line,
Which Lewis once drew out: when he profest,
Whom he was bound to, he affected least.
Nor will I thinke the sense of Stanlies pow'r
So wak'd his feares, that he his death decreed,
Onely because he fear'd, if to that houre
His Power into Act did not proceed.
He gave that pow'r: and must not Stanly live,
For having that, which Henries selfe did give?
Or why should Henry have the smallest touch
Of that? Great benefits which cannot be
Repayd displease; For Stanlies were not such.
Or why should any man conceive, that he
Was one of their disciples, who dare write?
We hate him, whom we thinke, we not requite.
For Henry equall'd him, nor thought it hard
To poyze his merit, and requitall make;
For Bosworths spoyles were Stanlies: a reward
Worthy a King to give, and him to take.
Stanly had all the Riches that were there,
And Henry nothing but a Crowne, and Care.
Then made him Chamberlaine, and did commit
His life into his hands. Who can repine
At an advancement, so sublime, as it?
For is it not an Attribute Divine?
The lives of Kings are in his hands; then what
Could Stanly challenge more, since he had that?
For Stanlies over-merit which some finde,
I see't not. Man is bound to save a man
By Natures lawes; and lawes of Nations bind
Our Countryman to rescue: then who can
Thinke he doth over-merit, who shall doe
But that which two great Lawes to binde him to?
Rather than over-merit, Stanlie had
Over-ambition▪ (That peculiar sinne,
And solemne vice of greatnesse:) If you adde
The highest honour, which they sweat to winne
They stand upon it, and aspire to more,
And that's a step, which was the top before.
He lookd on Henries savour through a Glasse,
Which made the object lesse: but on his owne
Through such a Perspective, as made it passe
In magnitude; by which himselfe was blowne
So great, that out of haughtinesse of spirit,
He lookd not on his dutie, but his merit.
Then he a quarrell pickd; for he did make
A suite for Wales; which suit he knew would end
In a distaste: whence Stanlie meant to take
Occasion to forsake his King, and friend,
Those Dutch who purpos'd to revoult, did crave
Of Flaccus, what they knew they should not have▪
'Tis true he rescued Henry: but to raise
The greatnesse of the rescue by the sense
And greatnesse of the danger; Stanlie staies
'Till safety it selfe could hardly bring him thence.
We should (for Princes are such tender things)
Not onely save, but not, endanger Kings.
As when Severus with our Brittaines fought,
Was beaten from his Horse, and did begin
To make a flight his safety, Let us brought
A tardy, but a certaine rescue in.
He sav'd his Lord, yet suffer'd for that act,
And grave Herodian hath approv'd the fact.
But the concurrence of these causes were
Without the influx of a stronger cause,
Too weake to take the life of such a peere;
Not yet or deedes, or words had broke the lawes.
Say Henry thought his thoughts had, must he dye,
Onely for's owne, and Henries phantasie?
But now I heare him speake (and words they say
Are femalls of sedition) If I thought
That this young man were Yorke, and not a play
Or a disguise, I never would be brought
T' encounter him. He might as well have sayd
That Yorke in his affection overswayd.
Twas this rows'd Henries feare; for the least winde,
That should from Stanlies lippes most calmely blow,
Could raise a Tempest in the Peoples mind;
If he preach thus, they will Apostates grow,
And take his doctrine up without a proofe,
For Stanlies, Ipse Dixit, was enough.
But other arguments prov'd his intent;
His words were strongly seconded with deedes;
He promis'd ayds, and in the Interim sent
Treasure to Perkin to support his needs.
What wealth on Stanly, Henry did bestow
Stanly will spend in Henries overthrow.
'Twas prou'd, and Stanly did the proofes allow;
But vainely trusting in his merits, thought
Confession would availe; but he was now
Fall'n from his faith, and workes could merit nought.
Henry in his Divinity denyed
That Stanly should by workes be justified.
Yet hasted not his death, as those who doe
Alter the formes of Iustice, and advise
That punishment should before judgement goe,
Like lightning which before the Thunder flies;
And in such Cases this proceeding like,
Strike him at once, whom once ye meane to strike.
In such diseases they begin the Cure
With Execution; as he did averre,
That we should rather make the Traytour sure,
Than of the manner of the death conferre:
For should you trust a Lyon in a Toyle,
He might both breake it, and his Hunter spoyle.
But this suspicion could not Henry move
To change the course of Law: yet when his eye
Was fixd upon his danger, and the love
Due to himselfe; Stanlie is judg'd to dye.
Their safeties had no counterpoise at all:
Like scales this cannot rise, unlesse that fall.
Thus he was brought to Act his fatall houre
Vpon a scaffold: to let greatnesse know
The twofold danger of too great a Pow'r,
To him that hath it, and the giver too.
Let greatnesse held by Nimium feare her fate,
For 'tis a Tenure of the shortest date.
Greatnesse triumphing on the towring height
Of Honour; if it once be turnd at all,
Finds motion in it selfe: the very weight
Great Bodies have accelerates their fall.
There is no Medium in their declination
Betweene the height, and the precipitation.
Pow'r's a strange thing, which even additions make
Weake, and disposd to fall: few can digest
The swelling cheere of fortune: if you take
But one dish more, you prejudice the rest:
Some fortunes, that have flow'd gently before,
Run over, if you adde one Honour more.
Nilus, which issues from the Zembrian Lakes,
His chanell without inundation fills:
But when th' accession of those snowes he takes.
Which are dissolv'd upon the Cynthian hills;
Then with licentious rage he breakes the reines,
And turnes the Plains to Bankes, his bankes to plaines.
Lord Stanlies fall a generall silence brought
Vpon the Subject: not a man durst speake,
But closely did imprison every thought
Even to a suffocation which might breake
Out with more horror: for by giving vent,
The Peccant humours are exhaust, and spent.
But since they dare not speake, the Pillars now,
And Pasquills will by a more dangerous way
Traduce his name, and defamations throw,
Which wound him worse: which made Severus say,
That he lesse feard a hundred Lances, then
Th' impetuous charges of a single Pen.
But from within such Humours being tooke
By a bloodletting, (which is held a part
Of the worlds Physick:) he began to looke
Outward to Ireland, and his thoughts convert
Thether, for Henry by experience found,
That venemous things might breed in Irish ground.
T' Egest such venim, as did festring lye,
Poynings went over with an armed pow'r;
With him the active Prior of Lanthony,
(Who was so oft imploy'd) went Chancellour.
To try if Irelands health might be restord,
Or by Bellonas, or Astreas sword.
But there was neither of these swords so long,
Could reach the Irish in their flying course:
So runnes the Tygresse, which hath lost her young
Borne from her denne on some Numidian horse.
And they eluded Poynings, not by fight,
But as the Parthians did old Rome, by flight.
Swift foote, (which Homer did so oft impose
Vpon his Knight) the Irish much concernes;
And yet Revenge would reach them, though she goes
On wooll, if Nature did not guard the Kernes.
Their bogges are inaccessible, and would
Give a repulse to Iove, though turn'd to Gold.
Sometime (sayd he in Xenophon,) we try
To Master things; the greatest fight of all:
Tis hard to combate with an Enemie,
Whose Armes are tooke from natures arcenall.
Man rarely from that fight a conquest brings▪
Which is with Place, and not with men, but things.
Thus Swethland fortified by Natures care
Vpon that side, which lyeth opposite
To Russia, doth not the Invasions feare
And vaine attempts of the cold Muscovite.
For prudent nature set a fringed hem
Of Finland Marsh betweene the Sweds, and them.
Let not the Irish glory, that their might
Rob'd us the Honour of a victory;
The Nature of the soyle, and Countries site
Scornes an assault, and mockes an Enemie.
That Poynings then so meanely came away,
The bogs must set up Trophies, and not they.
That great Castruccio, who soar'd so high,
And was so low in his Originall;
Who twice o'rthrew the Armes of Thuscany,
Once at Fucecchio, once at Serravall.
Machiavell who so fam'd him, was thus free,
To say the places beate them, and not hee.
But the production of an act so great,
As Irelands peace, did its perfection lacke:
Vntill Eliza did the Worke compleat,
That Ʋirgo of our English Zodiacke.
Her maiden fingers tun'd the Irish Harpe,
And made that note a meane, which was a sharpe.
Yet Poynings there perform'd one worke of fame,
That all the English lawes in Ireland should
Have force: which Constitution beares the name
Of P [...]ynings law. It seemes that Poynings would
The Irish Rebells to obedience draw,
Not by the Law of Armes, but Armes of Law.
Now Perkin calls me, who lookes boldly out,
Hearing that Henry is a progresse gone:
'Twas Henries absence that made Perkin stout,
And counsel'd him to put a boldnesse on.
When Henry like the sunne, was progrest North,
This Mercury, and wandring starre peep'd forth.
This counterfeit, and Artificiall Rose,
(Like to the true ones, which in Winter goe
Backe to their Causes and themselves disclose
In Summer) did himselfe in Summer show:
But all the Winter with the Dutchesse kept,
Where like a Rose he in his Causes slept.
But from this sleepe, when he was well awake,
And had on England an attempt design'd:
Debtours, and Malcontents his part did take,
And Bankrouts flock'd by swarmes: which is a kind
Of Resonable Insect, that is made
Of the corrupted matter of some Trade.
No man of marke was in the Armie seene,
Except men marked for some Villanies:
Felons, and Theeves, whose fortune it hath beene
To lay the frames of puissant Monarchies.
A man, as Henry Great, might feare their force;
For Rome and Turkie did beginne from worse.
Fierce Spartacus the Fencer, once defi'd
Rome at her full, with Gaole-birds lately flowne
Out of their Cage: so bravely that he try'd
Great Pompei's fortune to be overthrowne.
The fight is doubtfull with that foe to try,
Who brings despaire arm'd with necessity.
That none of name, and family were there,
Henries preventing wisedome did effect:
They by the hand, and Sword of Iustice were
Cut off, whose Fortunes Perkin might protect:
His vitall spirits floated in their blood,
And all his hopes were drowned in that flood.
They land in Kent but there no people rise,
Because no braver men with Perkin came:
A meane Aspect strikes not the vulgar eyes
But shew a great though an inglorious name,
You cannot then their wild devotion hold,
They will adore a Calfe, if made of Gold.
Nor did the Gentry second his designe,
But mustring up the People that were there;
They Marshall'd them in warlike discipline
Without confusion; which made Perkin feare,
For Tumult was his Hope; they did not looke
Like men of Perkins Church that Orders tooke.
Himselfe lands not, when he their Order saw,
(Which was a Badge, and Livery of a foe)
Their faire array did so the stripling awe,
He durst not venture from his shippes to goe▪
And it was thought, that had he come a shore,
The Youth had never made Sea voyage more.
The Kentish seeing that no more would land,
Nor touch the fatall ground, the Battaile strooke,
And slew them, fore they could their ships command:
Some sevenscore of the Heard, were Prisoners tooke.
A just mischance to them, for 'twas no more,
Than they had beene, or should have beene before.
Henry for terrour put them all to death:
Here he was strangely rigorous: hut Hee
At the more great Rebellion of Black-heath,
Was strangely mild: so that a man may see:
Caesars, and Cato's nature met in one,
Spare all like Caesar, or like Cato none.
When just revenge, hath a right levell made,
Home to the head she may the arrow bring;
And when provoked Iustice drawes her blade,
[...]nto the fire she will the scabber'd fling.
Iustice and sinne should keepe an equall race,
If sinnes doe gallop, justice must not pace.
And thus the courses kept by Rome of old,
Were full of terrour, or without it quite:
Camillus sayd, the way to Latium hold,
Was Punishment, or love: And Henry might
From Alexander some such notion have,
Or to save all, or none at all to save.
Once by the Samnites when the Hoast of Rome,
Was streight en compas'd: one did thus advise;
Or slay them all, or send them fairely home.
Shunne the third way: so place your courtesies
That Rome endeard may be your friend, or so
Confound her, that she cannot be your foe.
This blaze extinct, Perkin to Flanders sail'd,
To fetch more fuell: thence to Ireland came,
That fumes, and vapours, from those bogs exhal'd
Might the expired Meteor reinflame.
But the late thunder made by Poyrings there
Had purg'd the ayre, and made the Region cleare.
Ireland did nothing to his succours bring
But blustring pray'rs, and uneffectuall vowes.
Therefore they thinke on Scotland, whose young king
They did presume the quarrell would espouse;
Glad that with England he some cause espy'd,
With strength, and colour for his cause beside.
To Scotland come, they welcome him at Court
(For Charles of France had prepossest the King,
And by his letters had prepar'd him for't)
And to the Presence Chamber Perkin bring,
Where King and Nobles sate in state that day.
To be spectatours of a Puppet-play.
Admitted to have audience he presum'd
To play the man he knew not; he did looke
Stately enough, and Spiritlike assum'd
The Body of another: for he tooke
Yorke from himselfe, and having made a rape
Vpon his Part, thus acted in his shape.
Sir, shall you please to lend a gratious eare
To a sad story, and a Princely eye
To a sad spectacle; then know that here
Both of those objects represented lye;
And such that judgement will not censure right
Whether the tale be sadder; or the sight.
Englands fourth Edward as your highnesse knowes
Two Orphans left to Crook-backe Richards care:
A man as farre estrang'd from faith, as those
With whom these Maximes Orthodoxall are
Ravish Astrea, and pull justice downe
If on the ruines you may scale a crowne.
Soone he imploy'd his ministers of death
To kill them both, but take no blood at all:
But curiously to suffocate their breath
To make a violent death seeme naturall.
'Tis a bold Cowardise, when man shall dare,
To act the sinne, and the suspition feare.
They posting to the Tow'r (which was the fold
Of these soft Lambs in a Wolves Custodie)
Sacrific'd one but they their Master told
They had in both observ'd his Majesty,
He trusts them: for from nature tis receiv'd
An object much desir'd, is soone beleeved.
Hard though they were, and villanes to all worth,
They had some softnesse for they pittyed one.
As in the Chrystall, which the freezing North
Doth of an Ice convert into a stone,
Some little water uncongeal'd we finde,
Not hardned by the rigour of the wind.
And they in truth slew not the Eldest sonne:
For pittying Heav'n, knowing that such a worke
Is then done best of all, when 'tis not done,
Mov'd the Assassinates to spare poore Yorke.
The Holy-water issuing from his eyes
Was Yorkes expiatory Sacrifice.
Now (Royall Sir) behold that Yorke in me;
Poore wandrer, like that bird without a Gall,
Which was th' Espiall of the Arke; for we
Could finde no ground to rest our feete at all:
But our returnes should be of different kind,
She found an Arke, I should an Altar finde.
First I was close imprisond in the Tow'r
Then sent into the world, which is to me
But as the greater Gaole: for to this How'r
I never did enjoy a libertie,
So that you may this my strange freedome call
A world of roome, and yet no roome at all.
For but this peece of ground, whereon I stand
Lent by your Princely favour, I have none:
And yet by birth the Monarch of a land;
A land by Tyranns now usurp'd upon.
Thus he whose hand should hold a Globe, can meet
No roome in all the Globe to set his feet.
Long have I gone (as these tird limbes can tell)
Like restlesse Heav'n about the Earth; 'till I
Were certaine of his Death: at last He fell
At Bosworth field ▪ For Tyrans seldome die
Of a dry Death; it waiteth at their gate
Drest in the colour of their Robes of State.
But what 'though Richard did at Bosworth dye
The Persons are but changd, and not the Case:
For now one Henry Tydder doth supply,
The vacant Seat, and prides it in his place.
This Tyranne did of his corruption breed,
His grave was Henries wombe, his blood his seed.
Henry for surenesse doth my sister wed;
It was his fortune to ascend a throne
By the assistance of a Ladies bed,
Whose brother should have lost his life by one.
I had strange fate to Beds: for once my owne
Should have my life, now hers will have my crowne.
Thinking to make the Truth, by scorning weake
He sports at me, and sets himselfe aworke
To give me names: indeed he dares not speake
Now thinke my owne without affright: for Yorke
Is Henries tetragrammaton, and he dares
No more pronounce it than the Jewes dare theirs.
He by th' imposing of the forged Stile
Of Perkin, would upon the Realme impose
I am a counterfeit: yet he the while
Knowes I am Yorke, but covers what he knowes.
Thus to the world two Counterfeits are brought,
Henry is one indeed, J but in thought.
For were I an Impostor, or a meere
Imaginary Idoll, why should He
Me in his thoughts, as the true Yorke revere,
And so commit civill Idolatry?
The World knowes his devotion, and He
Can sacrifice no more to Yorke, than Me.
For when in France his Armes were in the field.
To question the French Aribute, and the Blade
Drawne to decide, so soone as France did yeeld
T' abandon me, so soone the Peace was made.
Here he confess'd my Birth, and did advance
My naturall Right; I made the Peace with France.
Th' English with Flemmings trade, the Flemmings come
And trade with them; but when th' Arch-duke did mak
Some love to me he call'd his merchants home,
And interdicted trafficke for my sake.
Then, can I be a nothing, who have made
A Kingdomes Peace, and mar'd a Kingdomes trade?
And were I not that Yorke, why should my Aun [...]
Of Burgundy both recognize my Cause,
And second my designes? who will not grant,
That she contesting against natures lawes
Should wrong her Neece a Queene, if she should get
A Kingdome from her for a counterfet.
But to use farther demonstrations now
Were in the Cause and to your judgement vaine:
Truth, and your selfe were prejudic'd, for you
See clearely and the Truth it selfe is plaine:
But like to Truth of Old 'tis in a Pit,
And must lie there, unlesse you succour it.
Now in your brow ( Great Sir) me thinkes I spy
Characterizd both pitty, and beliefe
Of my sad state: which with my selfe doth fly
Vnto your pow'r, and justice for reliefe.
These are the two, which can my Hopes compleat,
One makes you Good, and both may make me great.
All Actions doe their consummations owe
To Can, and Will: these Principles alone
Are all-sufficient, and doe grow in you,
One in your Pow'r, and in your Iustice one.
You are my Gaurdian Angell, these your wings,
Whose quills may write me in the list of King [...].
The Greatest honour will be thine, for I
Shall be but as thy Creature; a poore thing
Temperd by thee; and is it not more High,
And Glorious to make, than be a King?
And know ( Brave Prince) this shall thy honour be
Kings have beene made, Tyrans unmade by thee.
Thus Perkin boldly spake: and did not spare,
To promise Mountaines to his Majestie:
Which are no more in nature than those are,
Call'd Hyperborean in some History.
And with such l [...]fe did personate his part,
That Nature never was so brav'd by Art.
King Iames to Perkins declaration sayd,
Who e're he were, he never should repent
That he had him his sanctuary made.
His winning lookes made all, that saw relent:
For he did play True Yorke with such a grace,
'Twas hard to know the Mettall from the face.
Diamonds and Saphyres are ascrib'd to Jove
In which if any feature be imprest,
The owner as Magician [...] would prove,
Shall with the favour of great men be blest:
Then Perkins face was in some Saphyre cut,
Or in a Diamond his Image put.
And to assure him, that he was as much
In his opinion, as himselfe profest,
Young Gordon, that same beautifull Non-such,
(And by the Kings consent) his Nuptialls blest.
Me thinkes he look'd, when both of them were m [...]
Like a false stone, and yet most richly set.
He then ammassed a sufficient pow'r,
And after the most hostile manner enter'd in
Northumberland: and Perkin Yorkes false flow'r
Was wagging in the field, and did begin
By a Proclamation a true King to play,
Which like a Herald thus prepard his way.
It sayd that Yorke fourth Edwards second sonne▪
(That Lyon so long Couchant) now was rowz'd.
Whose case from Heav'n had so much pitty won,
That Scotland now his quarrell had espous [...]d.
Which with the English got but small applause,
Who for his Company did hate the cause.
It promis'd that this warre was but to free
Himselfe from danger, them from Tyrannie;
His Princely care (forsooth) was such that he
Would not the state or subject damnifie.
Which made King James to smile: for doing so
Was but to be a Steward to his foe.
It praised Richard that unnaturall Prince;
Who though he enterd in by usurpation:
Yet both his equity, and lawes convince,
That he was noble in administration.
Nor was this such a wonder, for one can
Be a good King, and yet a wicked man.
It told of Stanlies, and of Mountforts fall
Murderd by Henry most inhumanely.
Thus vertu [...] like himselfe, he did miscall,
And what was Iustice nicknamd cruelty:
But had not Stanly sufferd, Henry must;
And to himselfe be cruell, and unjust.
It cry'd how Henry did with taxes get
His coffers filld, and the poore Realme abusd.
But had the people but the foxes wit,
'Twas a poore plea for him: the Fox refusd
To have the Flies removd, which suck'd him first,
He knew that fresh ones would torment him worst.
It promisd impositions should cease
And th'hated names of Tax, and subsidie:
It breathed nought but Dialects of Peace,
And silken notes of Ease, and libertie.
It might perswade the people, that they saw
Too much of Gospell to have any law.
It profferd worlds to him should take the King.
And give to Perkin Royall Honours. He
Did imitate the Divell in this thing:
All this I'le give, if thou wilt worship me.
The Divels and Perkins liberality
Was but to draw men to Jdolatry.
But these faire words could not the people take;
There was not one that did assistance bring:
Nor would his Proclamation perfect make
By the addition of God save the King;
They had not studied Pedegrees, to learne,
What Yorks, or Edwards sonnes might them concern.
King Iames despairing of accesse of aid,
Turnd his intended Warre inth a Road:
And then with speed returnd: for had hee staid,
Our Armie would have easd them of their Load
Of spoile and bootie: soone as that should come
They'de have their Handsfull, yet goe Emptie home.
Before that Henry would the wrong repay
Made by this depredation: Henry made
A reparation of the trades decay,
And with the Flemmings did renew the trade:
That with his Treasure a Decorum kept,
Twinlike they smild together, twinlike wept▪
This mutuall entertrafficke seemes a thing
Purpros'd by Nature. Isles (which in the sea
Are set like stones within a Chrystall Ring)
Nature hath not so farre remov [...]d, but we
May from some part, some other land descry,
To minde us of this Sociable tye.
Trading confirm'd; he calls a Parliament,
And shewes that war with Scotland must be made:
Though he conceal'd his inference, they sent
His Logicke was, as if he should have sayd
If warre then Coine: when he his medium drew
From warre, they easily his Conclusion knew.
With sixescore thousand pounds the subjects prove
They tooke his meaning right. In one we reade,
His warres were a strange Ore, Iron above
And Gold below: 'twas a strange Ore indeed;
For Natralists observe, that in the ground
Where Iron is, there's no rich metall found.
The Kings Collectours at S. Michaels Mount
Met with a Cruell rub: for while they strive
To bring the stubborne Cornish to account,
Those People (buried in their Mines alive)
Mistaking it for Doomesday, did begin
To Rise out of their Sepulchers of Tin.
These Pioners (as if they ow'd their Birth
To the Earth matrix) crept out of the Ground:
And like the Giants the old sonnes of Earth
Against the gods doe an Alarum sound.
To undermine had beene their trade of late,
And so 'tis still; but not the ground but state.
Want made them murmur: for the People, who
To get their Bread, doe wrastle with their fate:
Or those who in superfluous riot flow
Soonest rebell: Convulsions in a state
Like those, which naturall Bodies doe oppresse,
Rise from repletion, or from emptinesse.
While this rough Sea of People roules, and raves
With giddy Ebbes and Tydes: some [...]winds began
(Like those dismis'd from the Eolian Caves)
T' exasperate this troubled Ocean.
This Rabble quickely with Commanders sped;
Ill Humors thus soone gather to a Head.
A prating Lawyer (one of those which Clowd
That Honour'd Science) did their conduct take:
He talk'd all Law, and the tumultuous crowd
Thought it had all beene Gospell, which he spake.
At length these fooles that Common Error saw▪
A Lawyer on their side, but not the Law.
A Blackesmith next did in this tumult sweate,
To have this monster brought to light, which they
Bred in their Noddles; when Ioves Braine was great
With Pallas; Ʋulcan did the midwife play.
The People thus did thinke a Ʋulcan fit,
To be the Midwife of their Bare-whelpe wit.
They say this Action was but to defend
The Poore: and Chastise some about the King.
Iustice, and Mercie blanch what they intend
With faire pretexts. Who on the Stage doe bring
Rebellion, must to Countenance the Fact,
Have vertues clothes wherein the vice must act.
When these two Chiefes as farre as Wells had gone,
They met Lord Audly, and transferre to him
Their Place, and Pow'r by Resignation;
As I have seene two little Bubbles swim
Vpon the Chrystall pavement of a Lake,
Then meete a third, and one great Bubble make.
Turbulent spirits with the buzzing winde,
And aires of People are puff'd up, and blowne.
Popular Audly quickely was inclinde
To be their Head, although he lose his owne.
The discontents of Nobles often sleepe,
Till People wake them with the noyse they keepe.
Proud of the Gallant change, they now obey
A Lord, and under a new conduct goe:
And Audly was as vainely proud as they,
To be their Leader, yet he was not so.
In a just warre, he had their Leader bin,
Here but their fellow, equalliz'd by sinne.
He undiscreetely led them into Kent
Which Henry by those two great props of states
Had lately fix'd, Reward and Punishment.
There they might see their owne in others fates.
Rebells on Jibbets hang'd, like Crowes to scare
Such fowle from flocking, and allighting there.
But Kent was never conquer'd (sayd their storie.)
The worse for them. She, who refus'd that Kings
Should touch her, will she yeeld her mayden Glory
To the Embraces of such worthlesse things?
As if a Virgin, which deny'd a Crowne,
Would prostitute her Honour to a Clowne.
That Kent no succours to their ayde did bring,
Possess'd them more with choler, than affright.
They threaten▪ to give Battaile to the King,
And pillage trembling London in his sight;
Being thus confirm'd they to Black Neath did goe,
A name of dread and Character of woe.
The Rebels proud not to be met, expound
That to be Henries feare, which was his plot:
And what they did suppose his doubt, was found
To be his resolution; he seem'd not
To note them, lest the noise the game should spoyle,
And Keepe the Beast from comming to the Toyle.
To have them farre from home, Henry thought best,
From their owne ground they perish with more ease;
Which Poets have mysteriously exprest
In their Anteus; and their Hercules;
Whose fight was equall till Alcides found
This Stratagem, To take him from the ground.
He knew how soone such violence was wont
To languish, and a diminution take:
Not to be fear'd, but in the first affront.
For Nature never did a compound make
Of such a mixture, as a headles rabble,
At once so weake, and yet so formidable.
Like to the Blocke, Iove cast into the Lake,
To be the King of Frogges: which the fall
Rending the waters, such a noyse did make
At the first dash it terrifi'd them all.
The first affright pass'd over; not a Frog,
But did insult; and leape upon the Log.
He saw their Snowball did not grow, but loose
[...]n rouling: dayly waving in its might,
And in such Cases the best Leaders choose
The Fabian wisdome, and deferre to fight.
Here the designe is hastned by delay,
And then goes forward, when it seemes to stay.
The Rebels perch'd neere London on a Hill,
As if to stoope more strongly on the prey,
Henry no more protracts the time, but will
Instruct them in their ruin, that this stay
Was but to choose his time, and make them know
That his intendments were advis'd, not slow.
London to see a foe so neere her dore
Was strangely mov'd. Those who doe most possesse
Are most affray'd: desire of having more:
Was ever match'd with feare of having lesse.
The Palenesse of the metall, which they owne,
In the same tincture on themselves is showne.
The King perceiving where the Cause did lye
Of their feares shaking fit, and agueish swoune:
Himselfe for Physicke did himselfe apply
Neere to the side of the astonish'd Towne.
Their Hearts left fainting, when they felt him there,
He was a Soveraigne Cure against their feare.
Henry divides his forces into three
(The number of Perfection;) Old Rome held
This discipline, and order, nor did shee
Fight without three Battalias in the field.
Like the three sister destinies they goe,
To spin the fate, and ruine of the foe.
Th' Armie whereon both Londons Hope did lye,
And this dayes Honour, and its Danger too.
Henry assign'd to trusty Dawbenie,
His Chamberlaine, who will the Citty doe
Th' Office he did the King: Henry doth deigne,
To make his owne the Citties Chamberlaine.
These did the Foe affront: but he ordain'd
Oxford, and Essex should beyond them goe,
T' enclose the Game▪ that, as that King maintein'd,
That Hunting like a kinde of warre did show,
And image representing it: so here
This warre a kinde of hunting did appeare.
Henry with force invincible did goe
Assured to imparke this rascall Heard;
Else had this course beene dangerous; for a foe
If stop'd, gives greatest reason to be fear'd.
You may from Musicke the resemblance take,
Where every stop the note more sharpe doth make.
Despaire of safety sharper spurs doth weare,
Than hope of victory; there's not a man
Who hopes no good, that any Ill will feare.
He that contemneth his owne being, can
Be Master of another mans, and he
That scornes himselfe, may triumph over thee.
London was now assured of the Day,
Affying in the Fortune of these Three.
For mans condition's such to thinke, that they
Who oft have conquer'd cannot conquer'd be.
Iove loves a Laurell, and his Thunder spares it
Nor it alone, but ev'n the Head that weares it.
Our eyes, and Hopes are on mens Fortunes bent:
When Caesar did the mariner importune
To set to sea, He us'd this Argument,
Thou carri'st Caesar, and with him his fortune.
Not Caesars vertue, but his fortune must
Warrant a saylour in so great a gust.
But least the Citizens should stand in doubt,
(For they are Creatures, that will hardly trust)
Of this securitie, King Henry brought
His armie to S. Georges fields, which must,
If they have neede of better bondsmon yet
Their Armes, and Markes to the assurance set.
The King gave out he would not fight that day:
That he the Rebells in suspence might hold
And unobservd their strength might disarray.
Like to the Norwey ayre, whose thrilling cold
With such a stealth doth through the bodie run,
Men feele not their undoing 'till undon.
And yet he fought that day, that Day was His:
As Tuesday once in the affection swaid
Of Royall Iames, and his grave reason this,
As the same Day the treasons were bewraid:
So, both the Plots from the same Author came,
And th' Author of his safetie was the same.
Dawbney at the declining of the Day,
(Which was their fortunes declination too.)
At Detford bridge disordered their array
And taught what reason, against rage could do.
He beate them from that standing to a Ferrie;
And made thē change the bridge for Charons whirry
There he did winde his valour to th' extreame,
( Men belie vertue to a meane:) and 'though
Imcompatible qualities they seeme,
He did a Gen'rals part, and souldiers show
A souldiers Grammar will not be compleat,
'Till Captain [...]s Rules, and their Examples meet.
But fighting hotly, (which I will not call
An inconsideratnesse, but forward zeale)
Dawbney captivd into their hands did fall,
But was redeemd before they well could feele
They had him there: no sooner tooke, but mist,
As if they had graspd lightning in their fist.
Then Oxford like his owne Artillery
Shot himselfe through them: had this worthy plaid
Such straines of valour in Romes Infancy
Which canonisd great worths; she had not staid
For's Death, as her strict orders did provide,
He had beene deified before he di'de.
Essex by Active proofes evinc'd so well
A constant spirit: that had he beene there
When the whole breed of Giants did rebell
Against the gods, and made the gods for feare
Assume new shapes, that they might lye unknowne;
Essex had scorned any but his owne.
The Rebels now feares Antimaske begin
Their sinews first like trembling Lutestrings shooke:
But when the spirits were retreated in
They stood insensate statues, strange to looke
Vpon so many Images, when feare
Was th' onely Statuary that was there.
In Horror some deploring their mistake,
Wishd themselves underground, and digging Tin:
Not all the Terriers under Heav'n would make
These Foxes stirre, if they were Earth'd agin.
They had turnd Sadduces, and would gainesay
A Resurrection with more zeale than they.
The Leaders first did yeeld: it seemes their men
Would out of manners give their betters place,
And let their Captaines render first; but then
Like to good Soldiers thinke it no disgrace
To yeeld: nay if their Captaines run away,
They hold it breach of discipline to stay.
Henry was once incensed: but while he
Was thinking of Revenge, they of Despaire:
Milde Clemencie, Ioves eldest Child, for shee
Made Peace in the first Chaos, cuts the aire;
And for a while forsooke her spangled Throne,
Which Iove hath seated in the temperate Zone.
Over their steele with silver wings she plaid
'Till she had fastned her enquiring eyes
On Henry: and his fierce intendment staid
Which meant to make them but one Sacrifice.
And thus she spoke, having first fand his brow
With th' Emblem of her selfe an Olive Bough.
Sonne of my Hopes, to spare these men incline,
And in these men thy selfe: for every blow,
Thy sword shall make, is by reflexion thine,
They are thy limmes, thou sufferest in their woe.
That which I aske is but a slender boone,
Shew mercy to thy selfe, and I have done.
Dead members should be lanc'd unto the quicke
I grant: and these are cut, as much as neede;
But the whole Body of the state is sicke.
Suppose; must therefore all the members bleed?
In naturall Bodies open but one veine,
You bring them to their temp'rature againe.
Not Heart alone makes a Chiefe fit for warres,
He must have Bowels too. Antiquitie
Gave not the Thunderbolt to Iron Mars
To Leaden Saturne, nor Quicke Mercury.
Nor any other of the Seven above,
But to the Kindly influence of Iove.
Iove thy Example breakes th' insulting foes
Pitties the Broken: the Aspiring Pine,
And daring Cedar feele his flaming blowes;
But not the Reedes which modestly decline.
Shall not a King pitty the yeelding foe
Which ev'n the King of Kings vouchsafes to doe.
The Princely Lyons their full anger try,
When with a stubborne combatant they meete▪
But in a Noble bravery passe by
Thē couching Prey which prostrates at their feet.
And shall a King tread on the humbled foe,
Which ev'n the King of Beasts disdaines to doe?
That Oyle powr'd on thy head (whose suppling touch
Mercy denotes) teacheth Commiseration;
Curtane the sword, doth intimate as much,
Carried before thee at thy Coronation.
Which hath the Point rebated, to imply
Your Iustice wedded to your Clemency.
God, who hath sayd that you are gods, doth save
By numbers: so may Henry now, and can
Be like to God. Mans streightned Arme may have
Pow'r of extent enough to save a man:
But to preserve whole multitudes alive
But Gods, and Kings have thei [...] prerogative.
Here your two Roses doe their Colours show,
Both in their spreading bravery array'd.
There the whole field distain'd with blood, as though
The Red of Lancaster were there display'd.
And they who yet survive are Pale with feare
As if the White of Yorke were planted there.
Those who are slaine can bee esteem'd no lesse
Than an oblation, who ventur'd theirs
To save the Blood of these: these who expresse
Repentance in an Offering of teares.
Heavens have not such a Sacrifice withstood,
Which thus consisted both of teares and blood.
When Kent was in commotion, I know,
Corr'sives did cure the ulcers of the state;
But should you use that course of Physicke now,
You might the Patients more exasperate.
So the same simples, as th' experienc'd finde,
Gather'd at severall times doe purge or binde.
If to be great not good were your intent
I have chalk'd out your way: 'twere a false aime.
If by the ruines of the slaine you meant,
To raise the Pile, and Structure of your Fame.
They which survive will the best Trophees be,
And living statues of this victorie.
Her speech and Henries choler end together,
Who tooke this second for his first intent,
That none should dye but those w ch lead them thither
And Heav'ns in this were Henries Precedent,
Which to those sinners easie Pardons grant,
Who sinne not out of wantonnesse, but want.
The fine, and noble way to Kill a foe,
Is not to kill him: you with kindnesse may
So change him, that he shall cease to be so,
And then he's slaine. Sigismund us'd to say
His Pardons put his foes to death; for when
He mortified their hate, he kill'd them then.
Audley, who led them once, is led from thence,
Having those Armes by his brave Grandsires worne
(Because his Armes were turn'd against his Prince)
Turn'd, and revers'd: and his Coat armour torne▪
Then he salutes a Scaffold, where one blow
Strooke off the Rebells head, and Audlies too.
The Cholericke Smith and Lawyer, who did so
Divide the members of the troubled state,
In their owne members, were divided too.
The Smith insulted in his noble fate;
And on the Hurdle he did seeme to Glory,
That after times should read him in a story.
When one had set (in a Satyricke veine)
The famous whores of Spaine upon a list:
One of that tribe tooke it in high disdaine,
And vow'd revenge because her name was mist.
What wilde attempts will vaine Ambition flye,
To be Eterniz'd, though for infamie?
Amidst these stirres from Ferdinand of Spaine,
Came an Embassador: whom Henry wonne
To treat a peace with Scotland, but to feigne
Twas from his Master, not by Henry done.
Gospells of Peace were here his sweetest ayres,
But he would no Epistles use, nor pray'rs.
Then reverend Fox was in Commission joyn'd
With him, who would the Scottish King perswade,
That Perkin might to Henry be consign'd,
Which with the King but small impression made.
For so he should his former faith denie,
Which would be thought Civill Apostacie.
And yet King Iames, did privately recant:
For calling him, he did advise him choose
Some fitter seate: yet still did Perkin vaunt,
And nothing of his haughty spirit loose.
But from the Court undauntedly depart,
Left of his hopes, and friends, but not his heart:
But his faire Gordon would not leave him there
But to himselfe, and to his fortunes cleave:
Her Kindred she forsooke, and did adhere
T' a stranger. Thus a Loadstone will not leave
The Kisses of the Irons lov'd embrace,
Although a thousand Loadstones were in place.
Stand up thou wonder of thy Sex, and Times,
If I at first had invocated thee,
To be th' assistant Goddesse of these Rimes;
This they had borrow'd from thy constancy.
That all would in a constant Tenour flow,
And had one verse beene good, all had beene so.
Once more the Cornish murmur, and begin
Lewdly to construe Henries Clemencie.
Twas the whole Kingdomes Case that they were in,
And therefore pardon'd by necessitie.
That Henry did so many Cornish spare,
They thanke not Henries love, but Henries feare.
The Florentine deliver'd this Position:
When people thinke their Princes courtesie
Is not derived from his disposition,
But from constraint, or some State secrecie.
The Grace is valu'd at a slender rate,
And more endangers than secures a State.
When desperate villaines ill successe have had,
(Who rather had be guilty of the fact
Atcheived, than attempted) they will adde
A higher, and a more nefarious act.
As when a stone-bow shootes too high, we will,
To set the Bow, set the Bead higher still.
They soone to Ireland did for Perkin send,
Who with his Councell canvassing the Case,
Their fond imaginations apprehend,
That was the Time, and Cornewall was the Place.
Dispute not, if his Councellours were able
Who from their shop-bords clim'd a Counseltable.
In the first place a Scriv'ner (Be it knowne
To all men) Perkins quarrell undertooke;
A Mercer then, late from a shop-bord flowne,
Where he had beene condemned by his Booke.
To these a Taylour joyn'd, as if he meant
To mend his owne with the whole Kingdomes Rent.
With sixscore men he did in Cornewall Land,
Then did to Bodmin goe the Black-smiths towne,
Where without Proclamation, or command
His Kingship did encounter many a clowne.
The Black-smiths Cinders, which were kept in store,
Might make a worse combustion than before.
But Perkin now a higher flight will sore:
He thinkes a Diadem fit for his brow.
He that was Richard Duke of Yorke before,
Calls himselfe Richard King of England now.
Thus Perkin did his former signe pull downe,
And for the Rose, set up the Rose and Crowne.
He like a dying Taper would expire,
Which at the End, as if the End it knew,
Musters together the surviving fire,
As if it would its languish'd flames renew.
Then blazeth forth a Gallant flash of light,
Then is extinct, and lost in its owne night.
These Rebells in their madnesse had some wit,
And Policy, which had a smacke of Braine:
They doe advise him some good Towne to get,
Where, as in Garrison they might remaine,
Or if in Battaile they in field were beate,
To have some refuge, whether to retreate.
Besides in gaine a pow'r attractive rests
To call men to it: should they once but taste
The pillage of a Citty, troopes of guests
Would without bidding, to the banquet haste.
All stoope at gaine: and if the Lure shall faile,
A Pidgeon with a Haggard will prevaile.
Faire Excester fit Rendez-vous is thought;
But vainely, for nor battring peeces were,
Nor other Ingens to the Citty brought;
And 'fore they starv'd them, Henry would be there,
To coole their stomackes, that they should not serve
To stay so long till Excester should sterve.
For want of Cannon they did wildly cry,
And make the fields with barbarous shouts resound,
As if those hideous roarings should supply
The Instruments of warre. 'Tis not the sound
Of voyces, but of instruments must make
A Citty dance, and her foundation shake.
Both for a needefull, and a brave defence
The Excestrians wisely did themselves prepare,
To keepe such hungry Customers from thence,
Men like to prove bad chapmen for their ware.
Who taking all, might make a riddle just
Faying for none, none giv'n, and none on trust.
And as their danger did collect their strength
Into it selfe: so did their spirits dilate,
In Hope that Henry would arrive at length
Whose looke that fiction would annihilate.
With him a King, what will false Richard doe
Who but an Earle a true one did o're throw?
What gave them courage, made the foe agast:
(The hope of Henry;) for when he comes in
Perkin must off; and therefore must make hast,
Not quickely win, or not at all to win
Did Perkin with an equall danger strike:
Slow victory, and ruine was alike.
Defective in the instruments of fire
He made the fire his Instrument: and set
Fire to a gate: the Citizens conspire
To do the like: so flames with flames were met.
Crosse to that moldie tenet, which denies
Cures can be taken but from Contraries.
Henry came thether, soone as he did heare
That King of Rakehels roreing in the West.
( 'Twas Perkins west indeed for he set there.)
Towards whose end, all were in Armes addrest.
Let Greatnesse feigned, or true decline in state,
'Tis the worlds garbe t' accelerate her fate.
The Cornish soone did yeeld, (whom Henry tooke
To mercy on submission:) for their Head,
And Leader Perkin had them all forsooke,
And wisely to a Sanctuary fled.
Where he was safe, as if the place had bin
A shrine for vice, and priviledge for sin.
Crimes as if Sacred to some God, were kept,
And Patronizd with the Religious care
Of Sanctuary: had a villane crept
Within those wals, he was protected there.
But while their Pow'r such Parracids releeves,
The House of Pray'r is made a Den of Theeves.
Henry too tender of the Priviledge
Of Sanctuary, would not draw him thence,
Although advisd by's Councell, who alledge
No place could guard his person, or offence;
And Canonists deny, this Grace to those
Who are their Princes, and their Countries foes.
Cities of Refuge anciently were meant
For such Offenders, whom they guilty knew
Of the thing done, but guiltlesse of th' intent;
They helpd not others: and Benajah slew
The valiant Ioab by the Kings command,
Even when he touchd the Altar with his hand.
Henry to those enclind, who did advise
To win him thence; that he might solve the doubt,
And sound the depth of his conspiracies.
Promise of life entic'd the Iuggler out:
Who like a Hokus-Pokus soone was won
To shew the King how all his tricks were done,
Perkin to London did attend the King:
Contempt, and wonder Perkin did attend:
Who, as his life had beene no other thing
But jugling, like a Iuglers tricke doth end.
Which is of all admired, when unknowne,
But every Boy will slight it, when 'tis showne.
As for deare Katherine in his love enthrald,
She had more pitty, than himselfe had scorne ▪
And truly was the dainty white-Rose cald,
The Title falsely by her husband worne.
So faire, that had you Beauties Picture tooke,
It must like her, or not like Beautie looke.
What a deepe wound did th' Arme of fortune give
Vpon a flesh, so delicate as this,
And soft as Peace, and slumber? did she live
With him that writ the metamorphasis;
She with a numming cold had turnd stone-dead,
And Gordon, had for Niobe beene read.
Calamity in Homer bare foote goes,
Therefore encountring hard and stubborne men
She makes a lesse impression of her woes,
For she is barefoot, and treads lightly then.
But if with soft, and gentle soules she meet,
She dares more boldly trample with her feet.
Hath Pomp a being 'tis so transitory?
She's nothing now, that was even now a Queene ▪
There is no Present tense in this worlds Glory,
Even when it is, it may be said to have beene.
This Cressant's waned, and this Katharins wheele,
Resembling fortunes did her turnings feele.
But where her Perkin had deficient been
Henry supplied: Perkin but gave to her
The titles of a Dutchesse, and a Queene
But Henry gave the meanes; and did confer
Such an allowance that no more was due
Vnto those titles, if they had beene true.
Now the Celestiall powers did ordaine
A good effect from a bad accident,
A Fray at Norham where some Scotts were slaine
Brought on the match beyond the Frayes intent.
'Twas a brave match but a strange kind of wooing,
Where both the parties sought their owne undoing.
From ouglie Discord did faire union come,
(So dainty Beauties have their being drew
From the darke horror of a Negroes womb:)
Antiquity ne'r such a reason knew
To ratifie her Axiom, that strife
Gave all things Being, and all beings life.
These Nations Concord, thus deriv'd from strife
From stormie wrath, and boistrous injurie;
Is in that Goddesse typified to life,
Who is the Queene of love and unity,
This Venus her Originall must have,
From a rough billow, and a rugged wave.
The wayes of [...]eav'n are Pathlesse: ther's no light
To trace, or p [...]ck them: all those Counsels lye
Vnder the Privy-Seale of depth, and night
That boundlesse Arme will worke by contrary.
And when that Oculist his skill will try
Eve'n Clay shall be Colyrium for an eye.
King Iames incensed that no orders are
Tooke by the wardens: by his passion driv'n
Dispachd a Herauld to denounce a warre,
If present satisfaction were not giv'n.
Henry was all for peace: for with the Scott
The warres were barren, and he lov'd them not.
Therefore Grave Durham, who was most engag'd;
(They were his men that did this quarrell make)
Writes to the King of Scotland thus enragd;
But no smooth lines this angrie Mars can take.
Letters from Venus would have faild in this,
Sent by a Dove, and sealed with a Kisse.
Not thus prevailing, he in Person went,
(But Henry first his businesse approves.)
And was his letters fuller supplement:
For viva vox, not the dead letter moves.
When he Preachd Peace, King Iames to peace did bow
And's Gospels, not Epistles did allow.
The King saw farther than the Bishop could,
He told him, that his Match with England might
This Knot of Peace inviolable hold;
A Princes thoughts sore above humane flight.
Ther's not a King, but is in this like Saul,
For by the head, he's higher than them all.
'Twas an ind [...]biate Oracle he spake:
Divining, that this matrimoniall tye,
The great Conjunction of both Realmes would make,
And that a Peace, as fixd as destinie;
A greater truth nor Priest, nor Sibyll gave
From Delphian Tripod, or Prophetick Cave.
That age the marriage saw, and we in it
The great effect, a peace inviolate:
And since the d [...]slocated realmes are knit,
It will the juncture more consolidate.
Thus in a bone cure but the fracture right,
Those parts of all most solidly unite.
About this time our world began to thinke
Of a New world: 'twas an Italian Head,
[...]here this imagination first did sinck,
[...]hat other Lands might be discovered.
As Blith Democritus of old had done
In his assertion of more worlds than one.
Ev'n when the world had left to Hope for more,
And like the Three-Night Giant set a marke,
And non plus ultra, not to be pass'd o're:
Columbus like the Dove sent from the Arke
With wing-like Sailes by unknowne waters past,
Till he found footing for himselfe at last.
The furious Youth of Macedon was sad
That one poore world should bound his victories:
But had Columbus lived then, he had
So plagu'd the Gallant with discoveries,
That he had forc'd him to confesse, that store
Did worse torment him now than want before.
The Prophesie of Seneca did make
Small way to this discou'rie: it exprest
Rather a flash of Poetry; and spake
Of Islands in the North, not in the West.
It sayd, that Thule should no longer be
The boundure of the Roman Monarchie,
This Probability more than the rest
Mov'd Him: for since but halfe of the degrees
Of longitude were knowne toward the West,
He could not thinke, the other halfe was Seas,
And that the Sunne did nought for halfe his race
But gild the waves, and there behold his face.
For this discovery he did obteine
The use of three small Barkes from Ferdinand;
And sayling forty Dayes upon the Maine,
From the Canaries West discover'd land.
Then the ships seem'd to daunce, and sailes unfurl'd
Swel'd not with winde, but pride for the New-world.
With poyson'd breath the Spanish pride would blast
This glorious act. For Envie doth invade
Workes breathing to Eternitie, and cast
Vpon the fairest peece the greatest shade.
By petty starres her blacke infection skippes:
They're Sunnes, and Moones that suffer her Eclipse.
Nor he alone; but even that Age shall want
The glory of it: since no Spaniard did
Find it, a Roman shall: and hence they vant
Some of Augustus coyne was there found hid.
Th' Historian, and mintmaster did conjoyne
To coyne this story, and to forge this coyne.
For can it be that in Augustus time,
When Peace, and learning strove with equall Glory,
And Arts were in their flourish, and their prime,
This thing should not be register'd in story?
To leave so brave an action unwrit,
Argues both want of gratitude and wit.
Rather the Knight fam'd in the Welch records
Shall have my Ʋote: for in those Parts there were
At their discov'rie found some Brittish words,
Good monuments that they had once beene there.
Henry may seeme entitled to the ground,
As by his Countreyman, and subject found.
But the Acquist was for Castile mark'd downe
By destiny: which with the Golden East,
Did at the first compose the Catholick crowne,
And now hath gilt it with the Golden West.
And now the starres in his Dominions have
Their rise, and set, their Cradle, and their Grave.
Yet Henry had a tender of these lands,
Which he embrac'd not; for it did not come
In a fit time to one, whose head, and hands
Had their just ta [...]ke of businesse at Home:
Perkin that Little World, did lately try,
The strength of Henries best discovery.
And tries it yet: for Perkin hath contriv'd
His freedome; but is quickly had in chase
To keepe him from the sea; yet he arriv'd
At th' Holy Iland of a Priviledge place,
And did unto the house of Bethlem flye,
In Bethlem then an Antichrist did lye.
The Promise of his life, (which was the baite
That drew him out before) drew him out now:
Some about Henry, would have hang'd him straite,
But Henries disposition could not bow,
To hate a worme; for spirits highly borne,
Did never joyne their anger to their scorne.
All that his stomacke suffer'd him to say,
Was, take the Knave, and put him in the stockes;
His he [...]les were justly punished, for they
Help'd his flight most: where having heard their mock [...]
And made a Spectacle, they did him carry,
Vnto the Tow'r, a fitter Sanctuary.
Lodg'd there, his Keepers he attempts to win;
Who scorning his contemned state to Eye:
He plots to worke the Earle of Warwicke in
To share the fate of his conspiracie.
It is hells Art an innocent to make
Partake in Sinne, in suffering to partake.
Wearie of life Warwicke the Plot embrac'd,
And ventur'd death to flye the feare of it.
Thus did the Tunnie, by a Dolphin chas'd,
Into a boate, with greater danger get.
He could no longer Deaths expectance beare,
For death is lesse than deaths continuall feare.
The Hidden Pow'rs of Heav'n! they make, and bend
Those Councels, that a mischiefe should divert,
Fit to advance it; when the fates intend
To ruine us, our judgements they pervert,
And adde this greater plague, to make us thought
The cause, which on our selvs the mischiefe brought.
Soone Warwicke turn'd, soone turn'd the Keepers too,
He was the spring whence they their motions tooke;
His Fortunes did, what Perkins could not doe,
For Perkin had no baite upon his hooke:
Nero had nets of Gold: had Perkin one,
Perkin had caught them, though he fish'd alone.
These fellowes, the Leisetenants men conspire
To Kill their Lord, and them their freedome give,
Rewar'd but hop'd for did these villaines hire
To sell his life, by whom themselves did live.
Money and Men a mutuall falshood show▪
Men make false money, money makes men so.
But though their Project was in darkenesse seald,
Yet he, who made the Light from darknesse come,
Sayd but his Fiat Lux, and 'twas reveal'd;
And 'tis maintein'd impossible by some,
That any plot can undiscover'd lye,
With more than foure in the Conspiracy.
Perkin who twice before had life obteind
By Henries Pardon, nor could justly hope
The Mercy of another, was arraign'd
To have his thred of life end in a Rope.
You may the Ladder a true Emblem call
Of his false honours; which he clim'd, to fall.
Thus he his fortunes giddinesse did feele,
For had not fortune turned, man would doubt
She were the Lady Regent, who did wheele
The Actions of Mortality about.
And some unsetteld Head would draw from thence
An argument to question Providence.
At Tow'r hill next the Earle of Warwicke fell,
(With false Plantagenet a true one dyes)
The reason for't in state I neede not tell,
That object's not proportion'd with my eyes
To looke upon: and he that argueth least
In the affaires of Kings concludeth best.
If that were true, which some of old profest,
That vicious Soules fled hence themselves did roule,
And winde into the Body of some beast
Which they resembled here: then Perkins soule,
That could so imitate, and take a shape,
Is playing somewhere in a Iugglers Ape.
But if the Nobler Soules, as they maintein'd,
Were fixed in the Body of some starre
Where, in a constant motion they reign'd;
Then Edwards murder'd sonnes, and Warwickes are,
In those call'd Delta of Triangle fashion,
And there lend vertue to that Constellation.
Such Envie fell on Henry for the fact,
That though he ever was observ'd to stand
And dare it to th' incounter, yet this act
He was content to lay on Ferdinand;
Tir'd with its weight, like Atlas, he was faine,
To put it on the Hercules of Spaine.
Letters were showne from thence, wherein was read
This doubt: his daughters heires might misse the crown
If Warwicke liv'd: 'twas that tooke Warwickes head.
For which the Lady afterward made knowne
Her feare, that Heav'n would not the marriage blisse
Because 'twas made in blood, and she meant this.
This yeare a Jubile at Rome did take
Some English purses: but the Pope pretends
A Holy warre in Palestine, to make
The People free by such religious ends.
Sacred pretext's he knew the purse would draine,
Thus in an ill sense, Godlinesse is gaine.
But now our Doctours Chaires will not allow
Warres for religion: for the Conscience
Is immateriall, and disdeignes to bow
Vnto the bent of Corp'rall violence.
'Tis built too strong, and high: none can invade it;
Nor lead it Captive, but the hand that made it.
And force is vaine, for it advanceth higher
The Cause it would oppresse. The Martyres blood
Made such conceptions in the pregnant fire,
It brought forth Converts in a numerous brood.
And the ten persecutions did as much,
As ten Commandements to make them such.
Pitty from Love; love doth from pitty spring,
And such a mutuall combination hold;
That when the sad spectatours in a Ring,
With wonder, and Compassion doe behold
Those fixed spirits, which no torment awes:
They pitty first, and then they love the Cause.
That was a merry Turke who when a warre
Was by the Pope denounc'd, this answere made;
We Turkes, as you Italians say you are,
Are sprung from Troy, then let us Greece invade,
And joyn'd in one the Trojan warres renew
With those who Hector our brave Gransire slew.
He said that Armes were an improper way
To spread a faith: (nor doth the Signeur take
Th' assistance of compulsion at this day,
Which doth more Hypocrites, than Converts make:)
So scoffd at our Religion, and our Laws,
That built a war on so absurd a Cause.
But 'though Religion will not make a war
Legitimate against this Infidell:
Yet there be motives which sufficient are
To rouse us 'gainst this race of Ismael:
Or else the truth of Prophesie might fall;
All hands 'gainst his, his hands against them all.
Th' enslaved Christians tir'd with whippes, and feares
Command us to compassionate their grones:
The chained slaves, whose pittying Oares drop teares
Sollicite freedome with such ruthfull Tones,
That heard, there would more Ʋoluntaries come
Vnto that Call than a Commanders Drum.
How many sacred Oratories burnd
By the mad zeale of the Mahumetan?
How many Temples to Moskettos turnd
Prophaned by their impious Alcoran?
It is the Divels policy that where
God hath his Church, his Chappell should he there.
God did his Law first in Arabia write;
And there (this Ape of God) the Divell meant
By Mahomet his Scripture to endite.
With the same Country he was then content,
But now growne saucie, the same wals must be
Seezd by this Rivall of the Deity.
The world is summond to this glorious strife
By all those Kings out of their Kingdomes throwne:
And by the action to give Iustice life,
Which lies in this, Give every one his owne.
And spoile this gawdy [...]ay, who thus presumes,
Trimd in the Pride of his usurped plumes.
And since these Scythians in an impious vaunt
Vntemple God, and Majestie unthrone;
The singularity of the Act will want
Both precedent, and imitation
To discompose this Barbarous Pow'r, which beates
Both God, and Man from their Imperiall Seates.
Nor is th' Impresse so difficult as then;
Their Conquests have enlarg'd them to our doores:
We may more eas'ly now transport our men,
Than when they went to the far Easterne shores.
They have encroachd so neare, that we may choose
Surely to conquer, or as surely loose.
The Ianizaries bul warks of that state,
Are broke with idlenesse, and cowd with vice;
As if they purposd to anticipate
The loose delights of their dream'd Paradise.
They were the winds which sweld that sea so high,
Now they breath faintly, and those waves will lie.
And seemes not Turkie to approach her Fate,
Having so many yeares no progresse made?
(A certaine note of ruine:) when a State
Comes to its Tropick, then 'tis retrograde.
When Bodies cease to grow, 'tis the presage
Of a decline to their decrepit Age.
Cald to these warres Henry good will did show,
To pay his money, that himselfe might stay:
Yet (please the Pope) he would in person goe,
If Christian Princes first their discords lay:
For Henry knew, they had the causes beene,
Why Christian Armes no good successe had seene.
While our first Richard, that same Lyon-heart,
His banners did in Syria advance,
And with his Conquests made the Sultan start:
King Phillip seizd on Normandy; and France
Forc'd him to lay that glorious action downe,
And quit the worlds affaires, to save his owne.
But when another Phillip had espousd
The quarrell, and such preparations made,
That the East trembled: our third Edward rowsd,
And claiming France, the expedition staid.
Thus Emulation foiles us; and while we
Conquer our selves, the Turks triumphers be.
But at this time no Holy warre went on,
The pence for other use were kept in store:
For when the Faire, and Jubile were done,
The rattle of the war was heard no more.
When the Deneirs were paid, they understand,
They were for Rome, and for no Holy-land?
Our Arthurs nuptiall with Spaines Katharine
Succeedes this yeare of Jubile at Rome:
Which we deluded with our Hopes divine
Would be a yeare of Iubile at home.
Vaine man to Hopes, vaine as himselfe, will trust,
And Dust will build its confidence on dust.
Things with slow strides to their perfection grow,
Then they take wings, and to their period hast:
A seav'n yeares treaty made this marriage slow,
Whose joy with Arthur did not seven months last.
To the conjunction of the Moone and Sun
A month's requird, but in an hou'r 'tis done.
And heav'n it seemd, the Marriage would retard:
The windes displeasd her landing did oppose:
Or Sea-borne Venus her arrivall bard,
Who with a frowne wrinckling the waves arose
And stopd the Bark, vext that her youthfull Nun
Should tast of sweets, which should so soone be don.
Married at Pauls with state celebrious,
The Tryumphs of the marriage did succeede:
He was Arcturus, she was Hesperus,
And King Alphonsus did their fortunes reade,
No story tels what his predictions were;
But if for good: he, or the stars did erre:
For these two Princes in November met,
And th' April following divorced are
By the command of Death: Arcturus set,
And had his even before his evening-star,
His Hesperus; who the new spheare did prove
Of Henries armes, where she did longer move.
For compensation of this yeare, th' encrease
Of Triumphs doe attend th' ensuing yeere:
With Brittaine, 'tis the Epocha of peace,
Her peace begins her computation there.
Write all that yeare in Red, for it is all
But as one Holy-day, and Feastivall.
Margeret, eldest daughter of the King
King Iames to wife did by a Proxie take:
Which told by Fame, the Bels contend to ring
A peale as lowd as Fames: and Bon-fires make
So great a light that if heav'ns light were don,
They might have made a Day without a Sun.
Then into Scotland did this new Queene goe
Whom a brave troope of Lords, and Ladies bring
I [...] [...]llant order, and Majestick show
To Ed [...]nborrough to her spouse the King.
And there with all magnificence of state,
This glorious Marriage they did consummate.
A thousand little Cupids with their wings
Did blow their fires, and heighten their delights;
And every Grace a flowrie present brings.
Then Hymen, president of marriage Rites,
Beckned for silence with his Torch of Pine
Vsed at Nuptials, and did thus divine;
My Torch turnes cleare, and with the pointed flame
Not dimme, nor winking doth white houres foretell,
And if my skill be true, I see the same
Portended in the stars, by which I spell
Future events and fortunes, that are set
Downe in those lights, Heav'ns mystick Alphabet.
In them ( Faire Bridegroome, fairer Bride) I reade
This Marriage shall two hostile Realmes attone,
Which must be married too: yours doth preceede
As Introduction to that greater one.
That marriage, as the substance, Heav'n points at,
Yours is the figure, and the Type of that.
Your Marriage is their contract, and inferres
Th' espousals of those Kingdomes: in your hands
The Genij of two nations hold out theirs,
Which shall hereafter consummate those bands.
But the Solemnities are kept by fate
For your posterity to celebrate.
It is a worke of Time: there cannot be
The spring-time in your Age, and Harvest too,
Your Age the seede, the next the blade shall see,
A third the Eare. Thus China Grandsires doe
Bury their Porcellan dishes in the ground,
Whose profits but to their sonnes heires redound.
Both Realmes a while with their own blood shall flow,
( Alli'de in blood before alli'de:) but th' End
Shall be a firmer love: for a brave foe,
If reconciled, m [...]kes the bravest friend.
All things from strife Originally rose,
And discords must this harmony compose.
Thus th' Elements did in the Chaos fight
When jarring seedes did in her Matrix lye.
When cold with hot, when heavie with the light,
Did combate with intestine mutinie.
Till on th' Abysse a Spirit did display,
His brooding wings, and arbitrate the fray.
Mars bath'd in blood shall on the borders ride,
With terrour in the Van, death in the Reere.
And in this quarrell fatall to decide
These realmes, with mutual cuts their brests shall teare
As if they meant through those large wounds to see
Each others hearts, 'fore they would married be.
[...]et shall this Ʋnion no debtour be
To victory, nor be a Conqu'rours prize:
The Authour shall descend from you, and Hee,
[...]hat must unite this Paire, from you shall rise.
And that Rich Pearle, which doth the Ʋnion hight,
Shall be derived from this Margarite.
Your off-spring, a Pacificke Prince shall knit
This sacred bond, this true-love Knot shall tye.
Biest are Peacemakers shall be justly writ
His Glorious Motto: in whose Monarchie
Drummes shall be silenc'd, and alarums cease,
As at the Birth of the great Prince of Peace.
If the impressions of licentious rage,
And markes of ancient enmitie remaine;
They shall be cancel'd, and effac'd that age
By the milde peace of his auspicious reigne.
Nature no more her prickles shall disclose
In Scottish thistle, or in English Rose.
Thus Hymen spake; this Heav'ns accomplish'd have,
And with the Sea, as with a Ring, have Knit
This Royall paire. Let Venice cease to brave,
That she contracts the Sea, and marries it.
Let her stand dumbe at this more glorious thing,
What there is marri'd, here is but the Ring.
Ne're could the Sea, which doth about them flow,
With her imbrace put them in minde of love.
For her encircling armes did nothing doe,
But make a stage whereon their Armes to prove▪
And two feirce realmes the Gladiatours were
To combat in this Amphitheater.
Tis thought the Policie of France did breake
Th' intended marriage of this froward paire▪
For if for us alone France were too weake,
Th' united Scots would force her to despaire.
Since th' English Aspect was alone so fear'd;
At their Conjunction how had they beene scar'd?
Therefore when th' English did to France sayle or'e
The Scots oblig'd by the French courtesies,
Made their incursions at the Posterne dore,
And stop'd the Current of our victories.
Which did the Proverbe make. He that would wi [...]
The Day of France with Scotland must begin.
When 'twixt sixt Edward, and the Scottish Queene,
The match was almost to conclusion brought:
Twas broke by France, whose gifts did intervene.
Then was the field at Mussell Borrough fought;
Where Mars did quit the wrongs by Venus done,
And though the Night was lost, the Day was won.
At last Great Iames this Vnion contriv'd,
Whose Royall blood by lineall descent
Was from the Monarchs of both Realmes deriv'd,
He joyn'd this Isle, and in the Parliament,
Call'd it his Wife: the Angells Peace did sing,
When he espous'd her with Astreas Ring.
Here is a threefold Cord, a threefold Knot;
The Saxons Heptarchie was first combind.
Then Wales was added, then the valiant Scot,
This twist by Mortalls cannot be untwin'd.
And as the lippes of Sacred truth have spoke,
A threefold Cord cannot be easily broke.
My Soveraigne now; Heire of his fathers Peace,
And great Confirmer of it, doth defend
Her Rights, which doe encrease with his encrease;
Triumphs of Peace Trophees of warre transcend
In Glory, and an Olive branch will raise
A name as high, as a whole Grove of Bayes.
Being now at Peace, Henry did wealth pursue;
For soone as Iron was layd downe, he had
Some thought on Gold: we but foure Ages knew
Gold, Silver, Iron, Brasse, till he did adde
This fift, a compound different from either,
His Age was Gold, and Iron mix'd together.
And as the lower Orbes are wheel'd about
Rapt by the motion of the Orbe above:
So were Inferiour agents soone found out,
Which mov'd, and turn'd, when he began to move.
For 'tis observ'd, that Princes sooner get
Men for their humour, than their honour fit.
Empson and Dudly, men of wide desires,
Which could not be or satisfi'd, or sham'd.
The Creatures were, whose avaritious fires,
Like Hells, could not or be extinct, or tam'd.
Had they drunke Tagus, and Pactolus quaft
Their Golden streames had beene too small a draught.
Nay if they owners had, and heires become
Of all the treasures, which interred lye,
Where nature teemes the burden of her wombe
Conceiv'd with Sulphur mix'd with Mercury.
Even nature had growne barren, and her stuffe
Beene all consum'd, yet they not sayd, Enough.
The wisest King in sacred leaves hath writ
The Horse-leach hath two daughters, which doe cry,
Give, give, nor have enough: if she thought fit.
This longing Paire should not unmarryed dye,
Here is a Paire, which may their longing save,
So they two husbands, she two sonnes may have.
Let darke Antiquity cease to avouch
Her Midas, whom the angry Gods decreed
Should with his fingers admirable Touch
Turne all to Gold: for these men did indeed
What he did but in fiction, and were able
To make that Story which was once but Fable.
These out of subtile malice, and not errour
Did wrest the penall statutes to their bent:
And make that Rigour, which was meant but Terrour.
Pretense of law did colour their intent,
And their oppression gild, as if they would
Imploy the scales of Iustice to weigh Gold.
The sweete of Riches did pervert the Law
To Gall, and wormewood, which their greedy mind
Did with Gold-wires to its owne vastnesse draw,
And passe the lines, which Iustice had defin'd.
Nay man will venture to an Indian Mine,
Though in the passage he twice cuts the Line.
This was the noted Blemish of his Time,
And most disfigur'd it: though else a Man
Built to be Great by goodnesse: the same Crime
Story hath cast upon Ʋespasian.
A Prince fram'd all of Clemency, and one
Too high for Censure, but for that alone.
Yet one Historian for the Emperour pleades;
Sayes, he was forc'd by the necessity
Of Publicke stocke, and the Exchequers needes,
But Henry found as leane a Treasurie.
Thus Ʋictor with Ʋespasian did dispense,
One is the fault, then one be the defence.
I am not of their Party, who contend,
He us'd these Arts to Keepe his subjects low,
And by the weight of Poverty to bend
Their minds to Concord, and to Vnion bow.
Want is too sordid, and too base will prove
To beare so trimme a Paire as Peace, and Love.
What though the Scribe of Florence doth mainteine,
To keepe men quiet, is to keepe them scant.
Clowds of Examples, and all Henries Reigne
Refell him; whose Rebellions sprung from want.
Want's a strange Herald: for some men had bore
No Armes at all, unlesse they had beene poore.
To men exhaust, and worne with Pen [...]ry,
New things are pleasing, and the Old ingrate,
And innovation is their Remedy.
Rebellions are the Monsters of a state,
And nature showes, that they proceed no lesse
From the defect of matter, than th' excesse.
They who to Fortunes lowest forme are throwne,
To ruine, and confusion doe aspire;
As if anothers wound could salve their owne,
And when their owne Estates are set on fire,
Then Catilines resolve is judg'd most fit,
With fire not water to extinguish it.
He rather did observe the Exigents
The want of Treasure, brought some Princes to,
And taught himselfe by those experiments
The danger to be unprovided so.
He's a Good husband who so buies his wit,
That others, not himselfe, doe pay for it.
The Case of neighbour Kings did him instruct
The inconvenience, not to have at hand
The three maine things, which doe a warre conduct
As when one did Trivulcio demand,
What things in warre a Prince most pow'rfull made,
He answer'd three, and three times Money sayd.
And may not Henries Buildings speake him cleare,
And not so poore, that he did riches prize,
His Royall Chappell this record shall beare,
That he to Gold did not Idolatrize.
For if he did, succession might object
He spent his God, his Chappell to erect.
But grant it was his fault: who will deny
That Henry was a man? if you will say,
That Henry had not his infirmity,
Maintaine this Paradox: He was not Clay.
Man is Gods Coyne, yet he was never made
Of any Ore so pure, but was allaide.
A constant cleerenesse is above the law
Of Mortall, nor within that Region stands.
As those elaborate peeces, which doe draw
Breath from exact Van-Dyks unerring hands
Are deepely shadow'd, and a duskie Sable
Doth Clow'd the borders of the Curious Table.
Now least that Henry should be too intent
With an affection totally inclin'd
On wealth; the times a danger did present,
To waine his thoughts, and avocate his minde.
Sent Heav'n no trouble man no Watch would Keepe,
Without this Thorne the Nightingall would sleepe.
For at this time, Suffolkes wild Earle did take
His second sally forth: Henry forgave
His first, but that did small impression make;
Who in such haughty soules thinkes to engrave
A favour, writes it in the Horne of Deere,
Where it is cast, and mued in a yeare.
He fled before, for having rashly slaine
A Private man, was forc'd to pleade his Case
In Publicke, which in him begat disdaine,
And purpose of revenge for the disgrace.
Indignity like lightning stealeth in,
'Twill runne a soule quite through, and misse the skin.
His debts contracted by his bravery,
Showne at Prince Arthurs wedding, made him place
His thoughts this second time on Errantry,
Want made him feared more than his disgrace.
As 'tis observ'd, that Catiline ne're meant
His Countries ruine, till his meanes were spent.
Yet nor his Want, nor his Indignitie,
So much mov'd Henry: 'twas another thing,
That wak'd his feare, and rows'd his Iealousie,
The House he came of, terrefied the King.
This Comet shot from Yorke his threatning Ray,
Which was the Region, where his danger lay.
To sound his purposes, Henry did flye
To his Probatum est, and tryed Art:
He sent a Spiall in discovery;
Curson must winde, and screw into his Heart,
And act the part of a Decoy, to get
The fowle which flock'd with Suffolke to his net.
Curson had here too hard a Taske to save
His faith, and yet winne Suffolke to beleeve;
He had no way, but what Lysander gave,
Children with confects, men with Oathes deceive:
Or else the Spanish Axiom to try,
He that would finde a truth, must tell a lye.
Then if the Earle (as who can thinke he would)
Would not his Councells with a stranger trust,
Till he with vowes, and execrations should
Renounce his former master: then I must
Thinke Curson mask'd under Religious oathes,
Was but a Divell in an Angells Cloathes.
And since he was curs'd solemnely at home,
As one of Henries foes, it may be sayd,
That then the Mayd the Mistresse did become,
And Pollicy Religion overswayd.
Twas like the Errour which Polemo found,
When one sayd heav'n, but pointed to the ground.
Though Curson playd his Part, Henry did finde
A storme doe more: 'tis a [...] ill winde doth blow
To no man Profit; that impetuous winde
Which did Pauls Golden Eagle overthrow.
It did this Courtesie for Henry doe,
Besides that Eagle, strike this Haggard too.
Th' Imperiall Eagle too, the Emperours sonne,
Philip of Castile being then at Sea,
In hopes to take the Kings of Arragon,
Was by this winde driv'n hither; thus while he
To take another unawares divis'd,
(See the mistake) was by a storme surpriz'd.
Henry upon the newes dispatch'd away
Arundell, with an Honourable traine,
To bring him unto Windsor, where he lay:
Henrie's request at Callice could not gaine,
To have him in a Towne: but now a storme
Effects, what Henries calme could not performe.
After Caresses, and some Complement,
Henry from him his subject did demand,
And that this Earle that hare-braind male-content,
Might be no more protected in his Land,
For since (sayd Henry) you are sav'd in Ours,
It is not Justice I should wracke on Yours.
He promis'd he would banish him; but what
Could that helpe Henry? for unlesse assur'd
The Earle should plague him no where else, by that
Henry had but his paine remov'd not cur'd.
And like a Running Goute with him be vext,
Which leaves one Part, but to invade the next.
So 'twas concluded that this Errant Knight.
Should be returned home: but not to dye
On Henries honour: as Physitians write
Some Cures are taken from the Contrary,
So it prov'd here, and Henries ease must come,
Not from his banishment, but fetching home.
Now Suffolk's sent for: now he is arriv'd,
Now come to London, and as soone as come,
Imprison'd, as before it was contriv'd;
For Henry meant to Keepe the Axiome,
Which he before to Philip had profest,
The fittest place for Hornets is the nest.
No sooner did the Tower the Earle receive.
But (as his stay had for that purpose beene)
King Philip with all freedome tooke his leave
But not till Suffolke had lost his: that Scene
Concludes their Pastime, and the Jollity
Ends with the Prologue of his Tragedy.
Indeede his life was pardon'd, but it cost
Suffolke his life, under seventh Henries sonne;
So David slew not Ioab, yet he lost
His life, by his successour Solomon:
Death Cancells Deedes: that doth their honours save,
And Suffolkes bond was layd in Henries Grave.
Now was the Realme healthy, and strong; no Foe
Abroad; within no qualities at all
Disposing to Corruption could undoe:
Nor neede the Kingdomes Genius feare to fall,
But by th' immediate hand which governes fate,
Like to an Angell in's confirmed state.
Thus white with honours he to nature payd
The Common debt of man, in whose last breath,
Lies the last payment: in our Law tis sayd,
The King dyes not, then speake not of his death
Whose life I would to the last Ages draw,
If twere a Rule in verse, as well as Law.
Now if those Sages have opined right
That all this All by Discord should be broke,
A Concord once did make it: Henry might
Cement the Ruines, who hath beene so spoke
For Ʋnion, that a thing call'd Henries fame,
Would like some Spirit reunite the frame.
FINIS.

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