Classic Poem

The fourth Canto .

T HE A RGUMENT .

The Queene in Henault mightie Friends doth win ,
In Harwitch Haven safely is arriv'd ,
Garboyles in England more and more begin ,
King E DWARD of his Safetie is depriv'd ,
Flyeth to Wales, at Neath received in ,
Whilst many Plots against him are contriv'd;
Lastly betray'd, the S PENSERS and his friends
Are put to Death: with which, this Canto ends.

1

Now seven times Phaebus had his welked Waine,
Upon the top of Cancers Tropicke set,
And seven times, in his descent againe,
His fierie Wheeles had with the Fishes wet,
In the Occurrents of King E DWARDS raigne,
Since Mischiefe did these Miseries beget;
Which through more strange Varieties had runne,
Then he that while Celestiall Signes had done.

2

Whilst our ill-thriving in those Scottish Broyles,
Their strength and courage greatly did advance,
In a small time made wealthie by our Spoyles;
And we, much weak'ned by our Warres in France ,
Were well-neere quite dis-heart'ned by our Foyles:
But at these things the Muse must only glance,
And H ERCKLEYS Treasons haste to bring to view,
Her serious subject sooner to pursue.

3

When R OBERT B RUSE , with his brave Scottish Band,
By other In-rodes on the Borders made,
Had well-neere wasted all Northumberland ,
Whose Townes he levell with the Earth had layd;
And finding none his Power there to withstand,
On the North part of spacious Yorkeshire prey'd,
Bearing away with Pride his Pillage got,
As Fate to him did our last Fall allot.

4

For which, that H ERCKLEY , by his Sov'raigne sent,
T'intreat a needfull, though dis-honor'd Peace;
Under the colour of a true intent,
Kindled the Warre, in a faire way to cease,
And with King R OBERT did a Course invent,
His Homage due to E DWARD , to release:
Besides, their Faith they each to other plight,
In Peace and Warre to joyne with all their Might.

5

Yet more, King R OBERT (things being carried so)
His Sister to that trech'rous Earle affyde;
Which made too playne and evident a show,
Of what before his Trust did closely hyde:
But the Cause found, from whence this League should grow,
By such as (neere) into their Actions pryde,
Discover'd Treasons, which not quickly crost,
Had shed more Bloud, then all the Warres had cost.

6

Whether the Kings weake Councels causes are,
That ev'ry thing so badly falleth out,
Or that the Earle did of our state despayre,
When nothing prosper'd, that was gone about,
And therefore carelesse how the English fare;
Ile not dispute, but leave it as a doubt:
Or some vaine Title his Ambition lackt;
But something hatch'd this Treasonable Act.

7

Which once revealed to the jealous King;
Th'apprehension of that Trayt'rous Peere
He left to the Lord L UCYES managing,
(One whose prov'd Faith he had held ever deare)
By whose brave carriage in so hard a thing,
He did well worthie of his Trust appeare;
Who, in his Castle, carelessly defended,
That craftie C ARIEL closely apprehended.

8

For which, ere long, to his just Tryall led,
In all the Robes befitting his Degree,
Where S CROOPE , chiefe Justice in that dang'rous stead,
Commission had, his lawfull Judge to be;
And on the proofes of his Indictment read,
His Treasons, all so easily might see;
Which soone themselves so plainely did expresse,
As might assure them of his ill successe.

9

His Style and Titles to the King restor'd,
Noted with Names of Infamie, and Scorne,
And next, disarmed of his Knightly Sword,
On which (before) his Fealtie was sworne,
Then, by a Varlet of his Spurres dis-spur'd,
His Coat of Armes (before him) ras'd and torne;
And to the Hurdle lastly he was sent,
To a trayt'rous death, that trayt'rously had meant.

10

Whereon the King a Parlament procur'd,
To fixe some things, whose Fall he else might feare;
Whereby he hop'd, the Queene to have abjur'd,
His Sonne, and such as their Adjutors were:
But those, of whom himselfe he most assur'd,
What they had seem'd, the same did not appeare;
When he soone found, he had his Purpose mist,
For there were those, that durst his Power resist.

11

For H EREFORD , in Parlament accus'd
Of sundry Treasons, wherein he was caught,
By such his Courses strictly as perus'd,
Whereby subversion of the Realme was sought,
His holy Habit and his Trust abus'd,
Who, to his Answer when he should be brought,
Was by the Clergie (in the Kings despight)
Seiz'd, under colour of the Churches Right.

12

When some, the favorers of this fatall Warre,
Whom this Example did more sharpely whet,
Those for the Cause that then impris'ned were,
Boldly attempt, at libertie to set;
Whose Purpose frustrate, by their Enemies care,
New Garboyles doth continually beget,
Bidding the King, with care to looke about,
Those secret Fires so howrely breaking out.

13

And th'Earle of Kent , who was by E DWARD plac'd
As the great Gen'rall of his Force in Guyne ,
Was in his absence, here at home disgrac'd,
And frustrated both of Supplyes and Coyne,
By such lewd persons, to maintaine their Waste,
As from his Treasures ceas'd not to purloyne;
Nor could the King be mov'd, so carelesse still
Both of his owne losse, and his Brothers ill.

14

Whose Discontent too quickly being found,
By such as all Advantages did wait,
Who still apply'd strong Cor'sives to the wound,
And by their Tricks, and intricate Deceit,
Hind'red those Meanes that hap'ly might redound,
That fast arising Mischiefe to defeat;
Til E DMUNDS wrongs were to that ripenesse growne,
That they had made him absolute their owne;

15

With all his faithfull Followers in those Warres,
Men well experienc'd, and of worthiest parts,
Who for their pay received only Scarres,
Whilst the Inglorious had their due deserts;
And Minions hate of other hope debarres,
Which vex'd them deepely, to the very hearts,
That to their Gen'rall for Revenge they cry,
Joyning with B EAMOUNT , giving him supply.

16

These great Commanders, and with them combyne
The Lord P OCELLES , S ARES , and B OYSEERS ,
D AMBRETTICOURT , the young and valiant H EIN ,
E STOTIVYLE , C OMINES , and V ILLEERS ,
The valiant Knights, Sir M ICHAEL DEIA L YNE ,
Sir R OBERT B ALIOL , B OSWIT , and S EMEERS ;
Men of great skill, whom Spoyle and Glory warmes,
Such as (indeed) were dedicate to Armes.

17

Leading three thousand must'red Men, in pay,
Of French, Scots, Alman, Swisser , and the Dutch ;
Of Native English , fled beyond the Sea,
Whose number neere amounted to as much,
Which long had look'd, nay, wayted for that day,
Whom their Revenge did but too neerely touch;
Besides, Friends readie to receive them in:
And new Commotions ev'ry day begin.

18

Whilst the wise Queene, from England day by day,
Of all those Doings that had certaine word,
Whose Friends much blam'd her over-long delay,
When as the time such fitnesse did afford;
Doth for her Passage presently purvay,
Bearing Provision ev'ry howre aboord,
Ships of all Burthens rig'd and manned are,
Fit for Invasion, to transport a Warre.

19

When she for England fairely setting forth,
Spreading her proud Sayles on the Wat'rie Playne,
Steereth her Course directly to the North,
With her young E DWARD , Duke of Aquitaine ,
With other three, of speciall name and worth,
(The destin'd Scourges of King E DWARDS raigne)
Her Souldier B EAMOUNT , and the Earle of Kent ,
With M ORTIMER , that mightie Malecontent.

20

For Harwitch Road, a fore-wind finely blowes,
But blew too fast, to kindle such a fire,
Whilst with full Sayle, and the stiffe Tyde, she goes;
It should have turn'd, and forc'd her to retire,
The Fleet it drove, was fraughted with our Woes:
But Seas and Winds doe E DWARDS wracke conspire;
" For when just Heaven, to chastise us is bent,
" All things convert to our due punishment.

21

The Coasts were kept with a continuall Ward,
The Beacons watch'd, her comming to descrie;
Had but the love of Subjects been His Guard,
'T had been t'effect, that he did fortifie:
But whilst he stood against his Foes prepar'd,
He was betray'd by his home Enemie;
Small helpe by this he was but like to win,
Shutting Warre out, he lockt Destruction in.

22

When H ENRY , Brother to that lucklesse Prince,
The first great Mover of that civill strife,
T HOMAS , whom Law but lately did convince,
That had at Pomfret left his wretched life;
That H ENRY , in whose Bosome ever since
Revenge lay covered, watching for reliefe,
Like fire in some fat Myn'rall of the Earth,
Finding a fit Vent, gives her Furie birth.

23

And being Earle Marshall, great upon that Coast,
With Bells and Bone-fires welcomes Her ashore;
And by his Office gath'ring up an Hoast,
Shew'd the great Spleene that he to E DWARD bore,
Nor of the same, abash'd at all to boast;
The Clergies Power in readinesse before,
And on their Friends a Tax as freely layd,
To rayse Munition, for their present Ayd.

24

And to Confusion all their Powers expose,
On the rent Bosome of the Land, which long
Warre, like the Sea, on each side did inclose,
A Warre, from our owne home Dissentions sprong,
In little time which to that greatnesse rose,
As made us loath'd our neighb'ring States among:
But this Invasion, that they hither brought,
More Mischiefe farre then all the former wrought.

25

Besides, this Innovation in the State
Lent their great Action such a violent Hand,
When it so boldly durst insinuate
On the cold faintnesse of th'infeebled Land;
That being arm'd with all the power of Fate,
Finding a way so openly to stand,
To their intend'ment, might, if followed well,
Regayne that Height, from whence they lately fell.

26

Their Strengths together in this meane time met,
All Helpes, and Hurts, by Warres best Councels way'd,
As what might further, what their Course might let,
As their Reliefes conveniently they layd,
As where they hop'd Securitie to get,
Whereon, at worst, their Fortunes might be stay'd;
So fully furnish'd, as themselves desir'd,
Of what the Action needfully requir'd.

27

When at Saint E DMUNDS they a while repose,
To rest themselves, and their Sea-beaten Force,
Better to learne the manner of their Foes,
To th'end not idly to direct their Course,
And seeing dayly how their Armie growes,
To take a full view of their Foot and Horse;
With much discretion managing the Warre,
To let the World know what to doe, they dare.

28

When as the King of their Proceedings heard,
And of the Routs that dayly to them runne;
But little Strength at London then prepar'd,
Where he had hop'd most favour to have wonne;
He left the Citie to the watchfull guard
Of his approv'd, most trusted S TAPLETON ;
To J OHN of Eltham , his deare Sonne, the Tower ,
And goes himselfe tow'rds Wales , to rayse him Power.

29

Yet whilst his Name doth any hope admit,
He made proclaym'd, in paine of Goods and Life,
Or who would have a Subjects benefit,
Should bend themselves against his Sonne and Wife,
And doth all Slaughters gen'rally acquit,
Committed on the movers of this Strife;
As who could bring in M ORTIMERS proud Head,
Should freely take th' Revenues of the dead.

30

Which was encountred by the Queenes Edict,
By publishing the Justnesse of her Cause;
That she proceeded in a Course so strict,
T'uphold their ancient Liberties and Lawes:
And that on E DWARD she did nought inflict,
For private Hate, or Popular Applause;
Only the S PENSERS to Account to bring,
Whose wicked counsels had abus'd the King.

31

Which ballasted the Multitude, that stood
As a Barke, beaten betwixt Wind and Tide,
By Winds expos'd, opposed by the Flood,
Nought therein left, to Land the same to guide;
Thus floated they in their unconstant Mood,
Till that the weakenesse of King E DWARDS side
Suffred a Seisure of itselfe at last,
Which to the Queene a free Advantage cast.

32

Thus E DWARD left his England to his Foes,
Whom Danger did to recreant Flight debase,
As farre from Hope, as he was neere his Woes,
Depriv'd of Princely Sov'raignetie and Grace,
Yet still grew lesse, the farther that he goes,
His Safetie soone suspecting ev'ry Place;
No Helpe at Home, nor Succour seene Abroad,
His Mind wants Rest, his Bodie safe Aboad.

33

One scarce to him his sad Discourse hath done,
Of H ENAULTS Power, and what the Queene intends;
But whilst he speakes, another hath begun;
A third then takes it, where the second ends,
And tells what Rumors through the Countries run,
Of those new Foes, of those revolted Friends;
Straight came a fourth, in poste that thither sped,
With newes of Foes come in, of Friends out-fled.

34

What Plagues did E DWARD for himselfe prepare?
Forsaken King, O whither didst thou flye!
Changing the Clyme, thou couldst not change thy Care,
Thou fledst thy Foes, but followedst Miserie:
Those evill Lucks, in numbers many are,
That to thy Foot-steps doe themselves apply;
And still thy Conscience, corrosiv'd with greefe,
Thou but pursu'st thy selfe, both rob'd, and Theefe.

35

Who seeking Succour, offred next at hand,
At last, for Wales he takes him to the Seas,
And seeing Lundy , that so faire did stand,
Thither would steere, to give his Sorrowes ease;
That little Modell of his greater Land,
As in a Dreame, his Fancie seem'd to please;
For faine he would be King(yet) of an Ile,
Although his Empire bounded in a Mile.

36

But when he thought to strike his prosp'rous Sayle,
As under Lee, past danger of the Flood,
A sudden Storme of mixed Sleet and Hayle,
Not suffreth him to rule that piece of Wood:
" What doth his Labor, what his Toyle avayle,
" That is by the Celestiall Powers withstood?
And all his Hopes him vainely doe delude,
By God, and Men, incessantly pursu'd.

37

In that blacke Tempest, long turmoyl'd and tost,
Quite from his Course, and well he knew not where,
'Mongst Rocks and Sands, in danger to be lost,
Not in more Perill, then he was in Feare;
At length perceiving he was neere some Coast,
And that the Weather somewhat 'gan to cleare,
He found 'twas Wales ; and by the Mountaines tall,
That part thereof, which we Glamorgan call.

38

In Neath , a Castle next at hand, and strong,
Where he commandeth Entrance, with his Crue,
The Earle of Gloster , worker of much Wrong,
His Chancelor B ALDOCK , which much Evill knew,
R EDING his Marshall, other Friends among;
Where closely hid (though not from Envies view)
The Muse a little leaveth them to dwell,
And of great Slaughter shapes her selfe to tell.

39

Now, lighter Humor, leave me, and be gone,
Your Passion poore, yeelds Matter much too slight:
To write those Plagues that then were comming on,
Doth aske a Pen of Ebon , and the Night;
If there be Ghosts, their Murthers that bemoane,
Let them approach me, and in pittious plight
Howle, and about me with blacke Tapers stand,
To lend a sad Light to my sadder Hand.

40

Each Line shall lead to some one weeping Woe,
And ev'ry Cadence as a tort'red Cry,
Till they force Teares in such excesse to flow,
That they surround the Circle of each Eye:
Then whilst these sad Calamities I show,
All loose Affections, stand yee idly by,
Destin'd againe to dip my Pen in gore,
For the sad'st Tale that Time did e'er deplore.

41

New sorts of Plagues were threat'ned to the Earth,
The raging Ocean past his Bounds did rise,
Strange Apparitions, and prodigious Birth,
Unheard of Sicknesse, and Calamities,
More unaccustom'd and unlook'd for Dearth,
New sorts of Meteors gazing from the Skies;
As what before, had small or nothing bin,
And only then their Plagues did but begin.

42

And whilst the Queene did in this Course proceed,
The Land lay open to all offred Ill;
The Lawlesse Exile did returne with speed,
Not to defend his Countrey, but to kill;
Then were the Prisons dissolutely freed,
Both Field and Towne with Wretchednesse to fill:
London , as thou wast Author of such shame,
Even so wast thou most plagued with the same.

43

Whose giddie Commons, mercilesse and rude,
Let loose to Mischiefe on that dismall Day,
Their hands in bloud of E DWARDS Friends imbru'd;
Which in their Madnesse having made away,
Th'implacable, the monstrous Multitude,
On his Lieutenant S TAPLETON did prey;
Who drag'd by them o'er many a lothsome Heape,
Beheaded was before the Crosse in Cheape .

44

Here first sheered, upon her ruin'd Wall,
Her sad Destruction, which was but too nye,
Upon her Gates was charact'red her Fall,
In mangled Bodies, her Anatomie,
Which for her Errors did that Reck'ning call,
As might have wraught Teares from her ruthlesse Eye;
And if the thicke Ayre dim'd her hatefull sight,
Her Buildings were on fire, to give her light.

45

Her Chanels serv'd for Inke, her Paper, Stones,
Whereon to write her Murther, Incest, Rape;
And for her Penn's, a heape of dead Mens Bones,
To make each Letter in some monstrous shape;
And for her Accents, sad departing Grones:
And that to Time no desp'rate Act should scape,
If she with Pride againe should be o'ergone,
To take that Booke, and sadly looke thereon.

46

The tender Gyrle, spoyl'd of her Virgin shame,
Yet for that Sinne, no Ravisher was shent:
Blacke is my Inke, more blacke was her Defame,
None to revenge, scarce any to lament;
Nought could be done, to remedie the same;
It was too late those Mischiefes to prevent;
Against those Horrors she did idly strive,
But saw her selfe to be devour'd alive.

47

She wants redresse, and Ravishment remorse,
None would be found, to whom she could complayne,
And crying out against th' Adult'rers force,
Her Plaints untimely did returne in vayne;
The more she griev'd, her Miserie the worse,
Onely to her this Helpe there did remayne,
She spoyl'd of Fame, was prodigall of Breath,
And made her Life cleere, by her resolute Death.

48

Then, of that World Men did the want complayne,
When they might have been buried when they dyde,
Young Children safely in their Cradles layne,
The Man new marryed have enjoy'd his Bryde,
When in some Bounds Ill could it selfe contayne;
The Sonne kneel'd by his Fathers Death-bed side,
The Living wrong'd, the Dead no right could have,
The Father saw his Sonne to want a Grave.

49

But 'twas too late those Courses to recall,
None have externall nor internall Feare,
Those deadly Sounds, by their continuall Fall,
Settle Confusion in each deaf'ned Eare;
Of our ill Times, this was the worst of all,
Onely of Garboyles that did love to heare,
Armes our Attyre, and Wounds were all our Good,
Branded the most with Rapine and with Blood.

50

Inglorious Age, of whom it should be sayd,
That all these Mischiefes should abound in thee,
That all these Sinnes should to thy charge be layd,
From no calumnious nor vile Action free!
O let not Time, us with those Ills upbrayd,
Lest feare what hath been, argue what may be,
And fashioning so a Habit in the Mind,
Make us alone the Haters of our Kind!

51

O pow'rfull Heaven, in whose most Sov'raigne Raigne,
All thy pure Bodies move in Harmonie,
By thee, in an inviolable Chayne,
Together link'd; so ty'd in unitie,
That they therein continually remayne,
Sway'd in one certaine Course eternally;
Why, his true Motion keepeth ev'ry Starre,
Yet what they governe, so irregular.

52

But in the Course of this unnaturall Warre,
Muse, say from whence this height of Mischiefe grew,
That in so short time spread it selfe so farre,
From whence so sundry Bloudsheds did ensue,
The Cause, I pray thee, faithfully declare:
What, Men Religious, was the Fault in you?
Which restie growne, with your much Power, withdraw
Your stiff'ned Necks from th'yoke of Civill Awe.

53

No wonder though the People grew prophane,
When Church-mens lives gave Lay-men leave to fall,
And did their former Humblenesse disdaine;
The Shirt of Hayre turn'd Coat of costly Pall,
The holy Ephod made a Cloake for Gayne;
What done with Cunning, was Canonicall,
And blind Promotion shun'd that dang'rous Rode,
Which the old Prophets diligently trode.

54

Hence 'twas, that God so slightly was ador'd,
That Rocke remov'd, whereon our Faith was grounded,
Conscience esteem'd but as an idle word,
And being weake, by vaine Opinions wounded:
Professors lives did little Fruit afford,
And in her Sects, Religion lay confounded;
Most sacred things were Merchandise become,
None talk'd of Texts, but Prophecying dumbe.

55

The Church then rich, and with such Pride possest,
Was like the poyson of infectious Ayre,
That having found a way into the Brest,
Is not prescrib'd, nor long time stayes it there,
But through the Organs seizeth on the rest,
The ranke Contagion spreading ev'ry where;
So, from that Evill by the Church begun,
The Common-wealth was lastly over-run.

56

When Craft crept in, to cancell wholesome Lawes,
Which fast'ning once on the defective Weale,
Where Doubts should cease, they rose in ev'ry Clause,
And made them hurt, which first were made to heale;
" One Evill still another forward drawes:
" For when Disorder doth so farre prevayle,
" That Conscience is cast off, as out of use,
" Right is the Cloake of Wrong, and all Abuse.

57

Meane while, the King thus keeping in his Hold,
(In that his poore imprisoned Libertie,
Living a Death, in Hunger, Want, and Cold,
Almost beyond imagin'd Miserie)
By hatefull Treason secretly was sold,
Through Keyes deliver'd to the Enemie;
" For when th' oppress'd is once up to the Chin,
" Quite over head, all helpe to thrust him in.

58

The dyre Disaster of that captiv'd King,
So surely seiz'd on by the adverse part,
(To his few Friends sad matter menacing)
Strucke with pale Terror ev'ry willing heart,
Their expectation cleane discouraging,
Him no evasion left, whereby to start;
And the blacke Cloud which greatliest did them feare,
Rose, where their Hopes once brightest did appeare.

59

For first, their Envie with unusuall Force,
Fell on the S PENSERS , from whose onely Hate
The Warre first sprung; who found, their lawlesse Course
Drew to an end, confined by their Fate;
Of whom, there was not any tooke remorse:
But as pernitious Cankers of the State,
The Father first to Bristow being led,
Was drawne to Death, then hang'd and quartered.

60

When as the Heire to W INCHESTER then dead,
The Lot, ere long, to his Sonne G LOSTER fell;
R EDING the Marshall, the like way was led,
And after him, the Earle of A RUNDEL ,
To pay the forfait of a reverend Head:
Then M UCHELDEN , and with him D ANIEL ;
These following him in his lascivious wayes,
Then went before him, to his fatall dayes.

61

Like some large Pillar, of a Lordly height,
On whose proud Top some huge Frame doth depend,
By Time disabled to uphold the weight,
And that with Age his backe begins to bend,
Shrinkes to his first Seat, and in pittious plight,
The lesser Props with his sad Load doth spend;
So far'd it with King E DWARD , crushing all
That had stood neere him, in his violent Fall.

62

The State whereon these Princes proudly leane,
Whose high ascent, Men trembling still behold,
From whence oft times, with insolent disdaine,
The kneeling Subject heares himselfe control'd,
Their earthly Weakenesse truly doth explane,
Promoting whom they please, not whom they should;
When as their Fall shewes how they foulely er'd,
Procur'd by those, whom fondly they prefer'd.

63

For when that Men of Merit goe ungrac'd,
And by her Fautors, Ignorance held in,
And Parasites in good Mens Roomes are plac'd,
Onely to sooth the Highest in their sinne,
From those whose skill and knowledge is debas'd,
There many strange Enormities begin;
" For great Wits forged into factious Tooles,
" Prove great Men (oft) to be the greatest Fooles.

64

But why, so vainely Time doe I bestow,
The base abuse of this vile World to chide?
Whose blinded Judgement ev'ry houre doth show,
What Folly weake Mortalitie doth guide.
Wise was that Man which laugh'd at humane Woe;
My Subject still more Sorrow doth provide,
And these Designes more matter still doe breed,
To hasten that which quickly must succeed.