Michael Drayton- Collected Poetical Works
Page 65
As well their state and dignity might fit,
Apparelling a matter of that weight,
In ceremony well beseeming it,
To carry things so steddy, and so right,
Where Wisedome with cleare maiesty might sit;
All things still seeming strictly to effect,
That Loue commaunds, and Greatnesse should respect.
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Whose expedition by this faire successe,
That doth againe this antient league combine,
when Edward should by couenant release,
And to the Prince the Prouinces resigne,
With whome king Charles renues the happy peace,
Receiuing homage due to him for Guyne:
And lastly now to consumate their speede,
Edwards owne person to confirme the deede.
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Who whilst he stands yet doubtfull what to do,
The Spensers chiefely that his counsels guide,
Nor with their Soueraigne into Fraunce durst goe,
Nor in his absence durst at home abide;
Now whilst the weake king stands perplexed so,
His listning eares with such perswasion plide,
As he at last to stay in England’s wonne,
And in his place, to send the Prince his sonne.
65
Thus is the King encompasst by their skill,
A meane to worke what Herford doth deuise,
To thrust him on, to draw them vp the hill,
That by his strength they might get powre to rise:
Thus they in all things are before him still,
This perfect steersman of their policies
Hath cast to walke whilst Edward beares the light,
And take that aime that must direct his sight.
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And by th’allowance of his liberall will,
Supposde his safety, furthering their intent,
Stands as a test to iustifie their ill,
Made sound and currant by this late euent,
And what yet wanting lastly to fulfill,
Things in their course to fall in true consent,
Giues full assurance of that happy end,
On which they now laboriously attend.
67
Nor finding reason longer to protract,
Or in suspence their home-left friends to holde,
By being now so absolutely backt,
And thereby waxing confident and bold,
By their proceedings publishing their act,
whenas their powre was ripened as they would,
Now with an armed and erected hand,
To abet their faction absolutely stand.
68
When now the fearefull fainting Exceter,
A man experiencde in their counsels long,
Whether himselfe thought his way to preferre,
Or moou’d in conscience with king Eawards wrong,
Or t’was his frailty forede him thus to erre,
Or other fatall accident among,
The onely first that backe to England flew,
And knowing all, discouered all he knew.
69
The plot of treason lastly thus disclosde,
And Torletons drift by circumstaunces found,
With what conueyance things had beene disposde;
The cunning vsde in casting of the ground,
The meanes and apt aduantages he chosde,
When better counsell coldely comes to sound,
Awakes the King to see his owne estate,
When the preuention comes too vaine and late.
70
And whilst the time she daily dooth adjourne,
Charles as a brother, by perswasions deales,
Edward, with threates, to hasten her returne,
And Iohn of Rome with Papall curse assaies,
Tis but in vaine against her will to spurne,
Perswasions, threats, nor curses aught preuailes:
Charles, Edward, Iohn, do th’vtmost of your worst,
The Queene fares best when she the most is curst.
71
The subtile Spensers which French humors felt,
(And with their Soueraigne had deuisde the draught)
with Prince and Peeres now vnder-hand had dealt,
with golden baites that craftily were caught,
whose flexed temper soone begins to melt,
On which they now by sleights so throwly wrought,
As with great summes now lastly ouer-waide,
The wretched Queene is desperate of aide.
72
Nor can all this amaze this mighty Queene,
with all th’affliction neuer yet contrould,
Neuer such courage in her sex was seene,
Nor was she cast in other womens mould,
(Nor can rebate the edge of her hie spleene)
But can endure warre, trauell, want, and cold:
Strugling with Fortune, ne’re with griefe opprest,
Most cheerefull still, when she was most distrest.
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And thus resolu’d to leaue ingratefull France,
And in the world her fortune yet to trie,
Changing the ayre, hopes time may alter chance,
As one whose thoughts were eleuate more hie,
Her weakned state still seeking to aduance,
Her mighty minde so scorneth misery;
Yet ere she went, her grieued heart to east,
Thus to the King this grieued Lady saies.
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Is this a King and brothers part, quoth she?
And to this end did I my griefe vnfold?
Came I to heale my wounded heart to thee,
Where slaine outright I now the same behold?
Proue these thy vowes, thy promises to mee,
In all this heate, thy faith become so cold,
To leaue me thus forsaken at the worst?
My state more wretched than it was at first.
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My frailty vrging what my want requires,
To thy deere mercy should my teares haue tide,
Our bloods maintained by the selfe-same fires,
And by our fortunes as our birth alide;
My sute supported by my iust desires,
All arguments I should not be denide.
The grieuous wrongs that in my bosome be,
Should be as neere thy care, as I to thee.
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Nature that easly wrought vpon my sex,
To thy vile pleasure thus mine honour leaues,
And vnder colour of thy due respects,
My settled trust disloyally deceaues,
That me and mine thus carelesly neglects,
And of all comfort wholy me bereaues;
Twixt recreant basenes, and disord•nate will,
To expose my fortunes to the worst of ill.
77
But for my farewell this I prophecie,
That from my wombe that glorious fruit doth spring,
Which shall deiect thy neere posteritie,
And leade a captiue thy succeeding King,
That shal reuenge this wretched iniury.
To fatall Fraunce I as a Sybel sing,
Her citties sackt, the slaughter of her men,
When of the English, one shall conquer ten.
78
Bewmount in Fraunce that had this shuffling seene,
whose soule by kindnes Isabel had wonne,
For Henault now perswades the grieued Queene,
By full assurance what might there be done;
Now in the anguish of this tumerous spleene,
Offring his faire Neece to the Prince her sonne:
The lurest way to gaine his brothers might,
To backe yong Edward, and vphold her right.
79
This gallant Lord, whose name euen filld report,
To whom the souldiers of that time did throng,
As that knew all to honour did belong,
And in his youth traind vp with her in Court,
And fully now confirmed in her wrong,
Crosst by the faction of th’emperiall part,
In things that sat too neerely to his hart.
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Sufficient motiues to inuite distresse,
To apprehend the least and poorest meane,
Against those mischiefes that so strongly presse,
Whereon their lowe dejected state to leaue,
And at this season, though it were the lesse,
That might a while their sickely powre sustaine;
Till prosprous times by milde and temprate dayes,
Their drooping hopes to former height might raise
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Where finding cause to breathe their restlesse state,
where welcome lookt with a more milder face,
From those dishonours she receiu’d of late,
Where now she wants no due officious grace,
Vnder the guidance of a gentler fate,
Where bounteous offers mutually embrace:
And to conclude all ceremonies past,
The Prince affies faire Philip at the last.
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All couenants signde with wedlockes sacred seale,
A lasting league eternally to binde,
And all proceeding of religious zeale,
And suting right with Henaults mighty minde,
That to his thoughts much honour dooth reueale,
What ease the Queene is like thereby to finde,
The sweete contentment of the louely Bride,
Yong Edward pleasde, and ioy on euery side.
The end of the third Canto.
THE FOURTH BOOKE OF THE BARRONS WARRES.
The Argument.
The Queene in Henault mightie power doth winne,
In Harwich hauen safely is arriu’d,
Great troubles now in England new beginne,
The King of friends and safety is depriu’d,
Flieth to Wales, at Neath receiued in,
Many strange acts and outrages contriu’d:
Edward betrayde, deliu’red vp at Neath,
The Spensers, and his friends are put to death.
1
NOW seauen times Phoebus had his welked waine,
Vpon the top of all the Tropike set,
And seauen times descending downe againe,
His firy wheeles had with the fishes wet;
In the occurrents of this haplesse raigne,
Since treason first these troubles did beget:
which through more strange varieties had runne,
Than it that time celestiall signes hath done.
2
Whilst our ill thriuing in those Scottish broiles,
Their strength and courage greatly doth aduance,
That being made fat and wealthy by our spoiles.
When we still weakned by the jarres in France,
And thus dis-hartned by continuall foiles,
Yeeldes other cause, whereat our Muse may glance;
And Herckleys treasons lastly brings to view,
Whose power of late the Barrons ouer-threw.
3
Now when the Scot with an inuasiue hand,
By daily inroads on the borders made,
Had spoilde the Country of Northumberland,
whose buildings leuell with the ground were laide;
And finding none that dare his power withstand,
Without controlement eu’ry where had praide,
Bearing with pride what was by pillage got,
As our last fall appointed to their lot.
4
For which false Herckley by his Soueraigne sent,
T’intreate this needefull, though dishonored peace,
Cloking his treasons by this fain’d intent,
Kinling the warre which otherwise might cease;
And with a Scot, new mischiefes doth inuent,
T’intrap King Edward, and their feare release;
For which, their faith they constantly haue plight,
In peace and warre, to stand for eithers right.
5
For which the King his sister doth bestow,
Vpon this false Lord, which to him affy’d,
Maketh too plaine and euident a show,
Of what before his trust did closely hide;
But being found from whence this match should grow
By such as now into their actions pry’d,
Displaies the treasons, which not quickly crost,
Would shed more blood then all the wars had cost.
6
Whether the Kings weake Counsells, causes are
That eu’ry thing so badly sorteth out,
Or that the Earle did of our state dispaire,
when nothing prosperd that was gone about;
And therefore, carelesse how these matters fare
(Ile not define, but leaue it as a doubt)
Or some vaine title his ambition lackt,
Hatch’d in his breast this treasonable act.
7
Which now reueal’d vnto the jealous King,
For apprehension of this trait’rous Peere,
To the Lord Lucy leaues the managing,
One, whose knowne faith he euer held so deere;
By whose dispatch, and trauell in this thing,
(He doth well worthy of his trust appeare)
In his owne Castell carelesly desended,
The trecherous Herckley closely apprehended.
8
For which ere long vnto his triall led,
In all the roabes befitting his degree,
Where Scroope chiefe Iustice in King Edwards sted,
was now prepar’d his lawfull Iudge to bee,
Vrging the proofes by his enditement read,
Where they his treasons euidently see;
Which now themselues so plainely do expresse,
As might at first declare his bad successe.
9
His honor’d title backe againe restord,
Noted with termes of infamie and scorne,
And then disarmed of his knightly sword,
On which his faith and loyalty was sworne,
And by a varlet of his spurres dispur’d,
His coate of Armes in peeces hal’d and torne;
To taste deserued punishment is sent,
T’a traitrous death that traitrously had meant.
10
When such the fauorers of this fatall warre,
Whom this occasion dóth more sharpely whet,
Those for this cause that yet impris’ned are,
Boldly attempt at libertie to set,
Whose purpose frustrate by the others care,
Doth greater wounds continually beget;
Warning the King more strictly looke about,
These secret fires still daily breaking out.
11
And Hereford in Parlement accusde
Of treasons, which apparantly were wrought,
That with the Queene, and Mortimers were vsde,
Whereby subuersion of the Realme was sought,
And both his calling and his trust abusde;
Which now to answer when he should be brought,
Seizde by the Clergie in the Kings despight,
Vnder the colour of the Churches right.
12
Whilst now the Queene from England day by day,
That of these troubles still had certaine word,
Whose friends much blamde her tedious long delay,
When now the time occasion doth afford,
With better haste doth for her selfe puruay,
Bearing prouision presently abord;
Ships of all vses daily rigging are,
Fit’st for inuasion to transport a warre.
13
The Earle of Kent by�
�s soueraigne brother plac’d,
As the great Generall of his force in Gwine,
Who in his absence heere at home disgrac’d,
And frustrated both of his men and coine,
By such lewd persons to mainetaine their waste,
From the Kings treasures ceas’d not to proloine;
Th’lasciuious Prince, though mou’d, regardlesse still,
Both of his owne losse, and his brothers ill.
14
Whose discontentment being quickly found,
By such as all aduantages await,
That still apply’d strong corsiues to the wound,
And by their sharpe and intricate deceit,
Hindred all meanes might possibly redound,
This fast-arising mischiefe to defeate;
Vntill his wrongs were to that fulnesse growne,
That they haue made him absolute their owne.
15
Whose selfe-like followers in these faithlesse warres,
Men most experienc’d, and of worthiest parts,
Which for their pay receiued onely scarres,
Whilst the inglorious reap’d their due desarts,
And Mineons hate of other hope debarres,
With too much violence vrg’d their grieued harts,
On Iohn of Henault wholy doe rely,
Who led a great and valiant company.
16
That in this conquest do themselues combine,
The Lords Pocelles, Sares, and Boyseers,
Dambretticourt, the young and valiant Heyn.
Estoteuill, Comines, and Villeers,
Others his Knights, Sir Michaell de la Lyne,
Sir Robert Balioll, Boswit, and Semeers,
Men of great power, whom spoile & glory warmes,
Such as were wholy dedicate to Armes.
17
Three thousand souldiers mustred men in pay,
Of French, Scotch, Almaine, Swiser, and the Dutch,
Of natiue English, fled beyond the sea,
Whose number neere amounted to asmuch;
which long had look’d for this vnhappie day,
whom her reuenge did but too neerely tutch,
Her friends now ready to receiue her in,
And new commotions eu’ry day begin.
18
When she for England fitly setting forth,
Spreading her prowd sailes on the watry plaine,
Shaping her course directly to the North,
with her young Edward Duke of Aquitaine,
with th’other three of speciall name and worth,
(The destainde scourges of his lawlesse raigne)
Her souldier Beumount, with the Earle of Kent,
And Mortimer, that mightie malconsent.
19
A fore-winde now for Harwich fitly blowes,
Blow not too fast to kindle such a fire,
whilst with full saile, and fairer tide shegoes,
Turne gentle winde, and force her to retire;