FINIS.
To my worthy and deerely esteemed Friend, Maister Iames Huish.
SIR, your owne naturall inclination to vertue, & your loue to the Muses, assure mee of your kinde acceptance of my dedication. It is seated by custome (from which wee are now bolde to assume authoritie) to beare the names of our friends vpon the fronts of our bookes, as Gentlemen vse to set theyr Armes ouer theyr gates. Some say this vse beganne by the Heroes and braue spirits of the old world, which were desirous to bee thought to patronize learning; and men in requitall honour the names of those braue Princes. But I thinke some after, put the names of great men in their bookes, for that men shoulde say there was some thing good, onely because indeed their names stoode there; But for mine owne part, (not to dissemble) I find no such vertue in any of theyr great titles to doe so much for anie thing of mine, and so let them passe. Take knowledge by this I loue you, & in good faith, worthy of all loue I thinke you, which I pray you may supply the place of further complement.
Yours euer, M. Drayton.
Elinor Cobham to Duke Humfrey.
THE ARGUMENT.
Elinor Cobham, daughter to the Lord Cobham of Sterborough, and wife to Humfry Plantaginet Duke of Glocester, the son of Henry the fourth, King of England, sirnamed Bullingbrooke. This noble Duke for his great wisedome and iustice called the good, was by King Henry the fift (brother to this Duke) at his death appointed Protector of the Land, during the nonage of Henry the sixt; this Elinor Duches of Glocester, a proud and ambitious woman, knowing that if young Henry died without issue, the duke her husband was the neerest of the blood, conspired with one Bullenbrooke, (otherwise called Onely, a great Magitian) Hun a priest, and Iourdane witch of Eye, by sorcery to make away the king, & by coniuration to know who should succeede. Of this beeing iustly conuicted, she was adiudged to do penance three seuerall times openly in London, & then to perpetuall banishment in the Ile of Man, from whence she writeth this Epistle.
ME thinks not knowing, who these lines should send,
Thou straight turn’st ouer to the latter end,
Where thou my name no sooner hast espi’d,
But in disdaine my letters casts aside;
Why if thou wilt, I will my selfe denie,
Nay, I’le affirme and sweare I am not I,
Or if in that thy shame thou doost perceiue,
Ile leaue that name, that name my selfe shall leaue,
And yet me thinks, amaz’d thou shouldst not stand,
Nor seeme so much appauled at my hand,
For my misfortunes haue inur’d thine eye
(Long before this) to sights of misery;
No, no, read on, tis I the very same,
All thou canst read, is but to reade my shame.
Be not dismaid, nor let my name afright,
The worst it can, is but t’offend thy sight;
It cannot wound, nor doe thee deadly harme,
It is no dreadfull spell, nor magique charme;
If shee that sent it, loue Duke Humfrey so,
Ist possible her name should be his foe?
Yes, I am Elnor, I am very shee,
who brought for dower, a virgins bed to thee,
Though enuious Beuford slaunder’d me before,
To be Duke Humfreys wanton Paramore,
And though indeed, I can it not denie,
To magique once I did my selfe apply,
I won thee not, as there be many thinke,
with poysoning Philters, and betwitching drinke,
Nor on thy person did I euer proue,
Those wicked potions, so procuring loue,
I cannot boast to be rich Hollands heyre,
Nor of the blood and greatnes of Bauier,
Yet Elnor, brought no forraine Armies in,
To fetch her backe, as did thy Iacomin;
Nor clamorous husbands folowed me that fled,
Exclaiming Humfrey to defile his bed,
Nor wast thou forc’d the slaunder to suppresse,
To send me backe as an adulteresse;
Brabant, nor Burgoyne, claimed me by force,
Nor su’d to Rome to hasten my deuorce,
Nor Belgias pompe, defac’d with Belgias fire,
The iust reward of her vniust desire,
Nor Bedfords spouse, your noble sister Anne,
That princely-issued great Burgunnian;
Should stand with me, to moue a womans strife,
To yeeld the place to the Protectors wife.
If Cobhams name, my birth can dignifie,
Or Sterborough, renowne my familie,
Where’s Greenewich now, thy Elnors Court of late?
where she with Humfrey held a princely state.
That pleasant Kent, when I abroade should ride,
That to my pleasure, layd forth all her pride;
The Thames, by water when I tooke the ayre,
Daunc’d with my Barge in lanching from the stayre,
The anchoring ships, that when I pass’d the roade
were wont to hang their chequered tops abroad;
How could it be, those that were wont to stand,
To see my pompe, so goddesse-like on land,
Should after see mee mayld vp in a sheete,
Doe shamefull penance, three times in the streete?
Rung with a bell, a Taper in my hand,
Bare-foote to trudge before a Beedles wand;
That little babes, not hauing vse of tongue,
Stoode poynting at me as I came along.
Wher’s Humfreys power, where was his great command,
wast thou not Lord-protector of the Land?
Or for thy iustice, who can thee denie,
The title of the good Duke Humfrey?
Hast thou not at thy life, and in thy looke,
The seale of Gaunt, the hand of Bullingbrooke?
What blood extract from famous Edwards line,
Can boast it selfe to be so pure as thine?
who else next Henry should the Realme prefer?
If it allow of famous Lancaster?
But Rayners daughter must from Fraunce be fet,
And with a vengeance on our throne be set;
Mauns, Maine, and Aniou, on that begger cast,
To bring her home to England in such hast,
And what for Henry thou hast laboured there,
To ioyne the King with Arminacks rich heyre,
Must all be dash’d, as no such thing had been,
Poole needs must haue his darling made a Queen
How should he with our Princes else be plac’d,
To haue his Earleship with a Dukedome grac’d?
And raise the ofspring of his blood so hie,
As Lords of vs, and our posteritie.
O that by Sea when he to Fraunce was sent,
The ship had sunck wherein the traytor went;
Or that the sands, had swallowed her before
Shee ere set foote vpon the English shore.
But all is well, nay we haue store to giue,
what need we more, we by her lookes can liue?
All that great Henries conquests euer heap’d,
That famous Bedford to his glory kept,
Be giuen backe, to Rayner all in post,
And by this meanes, rich Normandy be lost;
Those which haue comen as Mistresses of ours,
Haue into England brought their goodly dowers
which to our Coffers, yeerely tribute brings,
The life of subiects, and the strength of Kings;
The meanes whereby faire England euer might
Raise power in Fraunce, to back our auncient right,
But she brings ruine, heere to make aboad,
And cancels all our lawfull claime abroade,
And shee must recapitulate my shame,
And giue a thousand by-words to my name,
And call me Beldam, Gib, Witch, Night-mare, Trot,
with all despight that may a woman spot:
O
that I were a Witch but for her sake,
I fayth her Queeneship little rest should take,
I would scratch that face that may not feele the ayre,
And knit whole ropes of witch-knots in her hayre,
O I would hag her nightly in her bed,
And on her breast sit like a lumpe of led,
And like a Fayerie, pinch that daintie skin,
Her wanton blood is now so cockerd in,
Or take me some such knowne familiar shape,
As she my vengeance neuer should escape;
were I a garment, none should neede the more
To sprinkle me with Nessus poysned gore,
It were enough if she once put me on,
To teare both flesh and sinewes from the bone,
were I a flower that might her smell delight,
Though I were not the poysning Aconite,
I would send such a fume into her brow,
Should make her mad, as mad as I am now.
They say the Druides, once liu’d in this Ile,
This fatall Man, the place of my exile,
whose powerfull charmes, such dreadfull wonders wrought
which in the gothish Island tongue were taught,
O that theyr spels to me they had resign’d,
wherewith they raisd and calm’d both sea and wind,
And made the Moone pause in her palid spheare,
whilst her grim Dragons drew them through the ayre,
Theyr hellish power to kill the plow mans seede,
Or to forespeake the flocks as they did feede,
To nurse a damned spirit with humaine blood,
To carry them through earth, ayre, fire, and flood;
Had I this skill that time hath almost lost,
How like a Goblin, I would haunt her ghost.
O pardon, pardon my misgouern’d tongue,
A womans strength cannot endure my wrong.
Did not the heauens her comming in withstand,
As though affrighted when she came to land,
The earth did quake, her comming to abide,
The goodly Thames did twice keepe backe her tyde,
Paules shooke with tempests, and that mounting spire,
with lightning sent from heauen was set on fire,
Our stately buildings to the ground were blowne,
Her pride by these prodigious signes were showne;
More fearefull visions on the English earth,
Than euer were at any death or birth.
Ah Humfrey, Humfrey, if I should not speake,
My breast would split, my very hart would breake.
I that was wont so many to commaund,
worse now then with a clapdish in my hand;
A simple mantle, couering me withall,
A very leaper of Cares hospitall,
That from my state, a presence held in awe,
Glad heere to kennell in a pad of straw;
And like an Owle by night to goe abrode,
Roosted all day within an Iuy tod,
Amongst the sea cliffes, in the dampie caues,
In charnell houses, or among the graues;
Saw’st thou those eyes, in whose sweet cheerfull looke,
Duke Humfrey once, such ioy and pleasure tooke;
Sorrow hath so dispoyl’d me of all grace,
Thou couldst not say, this was my Elnors face,
Like a foule Gorgon, whose disheuel’d hayre
with euery blast flies glaring in the ayre;
Some standing vp, like hornes vpon my head,
Euen like those women, that in Coos are bred:
My lanke breasts hang like bladders left vnblowne,
My skinne with lothsome Iaundize ouer-growne;
So pin’d away, that if thou long’st to see
Ruins true picture, onely looke on mee,
Sometime in thinking of what I haue had,
Euen in a suddaine extasie am mad;
Then like a Bedlam, forth thy Elnor runs,
Like one of Bacchus raging frantick Nuns,
Or like a Tartar, when in strange disguise,
Prepar’d vnto a dismall sacrifice.
That Prelate Be•ford, a foule ill befall him,
Prelate said I, nay deuill I should call him;
Ah God forgiue me, if I thinke amisse,
His very name me thinks my poyson is,
Ah that vile Iudas, our professed foe,
My curse pursue him where so ere he goe;
That to my iudgement when I did appeare,
Layd to my charge those things which neuer were,
I should pertake with Bullenbrookes intents,
The hallowing of his magique instruments,
That I procured Southwell to assist,
which was by order consecrate a Priest,
That it was I should couer all they did,
That but for him, had to this day beene hid.
Ah that vile bastard, that himselfe dare vaunt
To be the sonne of thy braue Grandsire Gaunt,
whom he but fatherd of meere charitie,
To rid his mother of that infamie,
who if report of Elder times be true,
Vnto this day, his father neuer knew.
He that by murthers blacke and odious crime,
To Henries throne attempted once to clime;
Hauing procur’d by hope of golden gaine,
A fatall hand his soueraigne to haue slaine;
who to his chamber closely he conuaid,
And for that purpose fitly there had layd,
Vpon whose sword that famous Prince had died,
If by a dogge he had not beene discried.
But now the Queene, her Minion, Poole, and he,
As it please them, so now must all things be,
England’s no place for any one beside,
All is too little to maintaine their pride:
Henry alas, thou but a Kings name art,
For of thy selfe, thou art the lesser part;
And I pray God, I doe not liue the day
To see thy ruine, and thy Realmes decay,
And yet as sure, as Humfrey seemes to stand,
He be preseru’d from that vile Traytors hand;
From Glosters seate, I would thou wert estrang’d,
Or would to God that Dukedoms name were chang’d,
For it portends no goodnes vnto vs,
Ah Humfrey, Humfrey, it is ominous;
Yet rather then thy hap so hard should be,
I would thou wert heere banished with me;
Humfrey adue, farewell true noble Lord,
My wish is all thy Elnor can afford.
Notes of the Chronicle Historie.
I sought that dreadfull Sorceresse of Eye.
ELINOR Cobham was accused by some that sought to withstand, and mislik’d her marriage with Duke Humfrey, that shee practised to giue him Philters and such poysoning potions, to make him loue her, as she was slandered by Cardinall Beuford, to haue liued as the Dukes Lemmon, against the which Cardinall she exelaimeth in this Epistle in the verse before.
Though enuious Beuford slaundered me before,
Noting the extreame hate he euer bore her.
Nor Elnor brought thee forraine Armies in,
To fetch her backe as did thy Iacomin.
This was the chiefe and onely thing that euer tuched the reputation of this good Duke; that dotingly he marred Iacomin, or as some call her Iaquet, daughter and heire to William Bauier Duke of Holland, married before, and lawfull wife to Iohn Duke of Brabant then liuing; which after as it is shewed in this verse following.
Brabant nor Burgoyne claimed me by force,
Nor su’d to Rome to hasten my deuorce.
Caused great warres, by reason that the Duke of Burgoyne tooke part with Brabant, against the Duke of Glocester; which being arbittated by the Pope, the Ladie was adiudged to be deliuered backe, to her former husband.
Nor Bedfords spouse, your noble
sister Anne,
That Princely issued braue Burgunian.
Iohn Duke of Bedford, that scourge of Fraunce, and the glory of the Englishmen, married Anne, sister to the Duke of Burgundy, a vertuous and beautifull Ladie, by which marriage, as also by his victories attained in Fraunce; he brought great strength to the English nation.
Where’s Greenewich now, thy Elnors Court of late?
That faire and goodly Pallace of Greenewich, was first builded by that famous Duke, whose rich and pleasant situation might remaine an assured monument of his wisedome, if there were no other memorie of the same.
They say the Druides once liued in this Ile,
It would seeme that there were two Ilands, both of them called Mona, though now distinquished the one by the name of Man, the other by the name of Anglesey, both which were full of many infernall ceremonies, as may appeare by Agricolaes voyage, made into the hither most Man, described by his sonne in law Cornelius Tacitus. And as superstition the daughter of bararisme and ignorance, so amongst these northerly nations, like as in America Magicke was most esteemed. Druidae were the publique ministers of their religion, as throughly taught in all rites thereof; their doctrine concerned the immortalitie of the soule, the contempt of death, and all other points which may conduce to resolution, fortitude, and magnanimitie: their abode was in Groues and Woods, whereupon they haue their name; their power extended it selfe to maister the soules of men diseased, and to confer with Ghosts, and other spirits, about the successe of things. Plutarch in his profound and learned discourse of the defect of Ora•les, reporteth that the outmost Brittish Iles were the prison of I wote not what Demigods, but it shall not need to speake any farther of the Druidae, then that which Lucan doth.
Et vos barbaricus ritus, morem{que} sinestrum,
Sacrorum, Druidae positis repetistis ab armis.
Did not the heauens, her comming in withstand.
Noting the prodigious and fearefull signes that were seene in England, a little before her comming in: which Elinor expresseth in this Epistle, as fore-shewing the dangers which should casue vpon this vnlucky marriage.
The hallowing of the magique instruments.
The instruments which Bullenbrooke vsed in his coniurations, according to the deuillish ceremonies and customes of these vnlawfull Artes, were dedicated at a Masse in the Lodge in Harnsey Parke, by Southwell, Priest of Westminster.
Hauing procur’d by hopes of golden gaine,
Michael Drayton- Collected Poetical Works Page 50