Where limbes of mangled men on heaps lay to be sold;
Sterne discontented Warre did neuer yet appeare
With a more threatning brow, then it that time did there.
O Leicester (alas) in ill time wast thou wonne
To ayd this gracelesse youth, the most ingratefull sonne
Against his naturall Syre, who crown’d him in his dayes,
Whose ill requited loue did him much sorrow raise,
As Le’ster by this warre against King Henry show’d,
Vpon so bad a cause, O courage ill bestow’d;
Who had thy quarrell beene, as thou thy selfe was skild
In braue and martiall feats, thou euermore hadst fild
This Ile with thy high deeds, done in that bloody field:
But Bigot and this Lord, inforc’d at length to yeeld
Them to the other part, when on that fatall plaine,
Of th’English and the Dutch, ten thousand men lay slaine.
As for the second Fight at Lincolne, betwixt those
Who sided with the French, by seeking to depose
Henry the sonne of Iohn, then young, and to aduaunce
The Daulphin Lewes, sonne to Philip King of France,
Which Lincolne Castle, then most straightly did besiege;
And William Marshall Earle of Pembroke for his Liege,
(Who led the faithfull Lords) although so many there,
Or in the conflict slaine, or taken prisoners were;
Yet for but a surprize, no field appointed fight,
Mongst our set Battels here, may no way claime a right,
The Field at Lewes then, by our third Henry fought,
Who Edward his braue sonne vnto that Conflict brought;
With Richard then the King of Almaine, and his sonne
Young Henry, with such Lords as to his part he wonne,
With him their Soueraigne Liege, their liues that durst engage.
And the rebellious league of the proud Barronage,
By Symon Mounford Earle of Le’ster their chiefe Head,
And th’Earle of Gloster, Clare, against King Henry led;
For th’ancient Freedomes here that bound their liues to stand,
The Aliens to expulse, who troubled all the land,
Whilst for this dreadfull day, their great designes were meant;
From Edward the young Prince, defiances were sent
To Mountfords valiant sonnes, Lord Henry, Sim, and Guy,
And calling vnto him a Herauld, quoth he, Flie
To th’Earle of Leisters Tents, and publikely proclame
Defiance to his face, and to the Montfords name,
And say to his proud sonnes, say boldly thus from me;
That if they be the same, that they would seeme to be,
Now let them in the field be by their Band roules knowne,
Where as I make no doubt, their valour shall be showne.
Which if they dare to doe, and still vphold their pride,
There will we vent our spleenes, where swords shall it decide.
To whom they thus replide, Tell that braue man of Hope,
He shall the Mountfords find in t’head of all their Troupe,
To answere his proud braues; our Bilbowes be as good
As his, our Armes as strong; and he shall find our blood
Sold at as deare a rate as his; and if we fall,
Tell him weele hold so fast, his Crowne shall goe withall.
The King into three fights his forces doth diuide,
Of which his princely sonne the Vaward had to guide:
The second to the King of Almaine, and his sonne,
Young Henry he betooke, in the third Legion
Of Knights, and Men of Armes, in person he appeares.
Into foure seuerall Fights, the desperate Barons theirs.
I’th first those valiant youths, the sonnes of Leister came,
Of leading of the which, Lord Henry had the name:
The Earle of Gloster brought the second Battell on,
And with him were the Lords Mountchency, and Fitz-Iohn:
The third wherein alone the Londoners were plac’d,
The stout Lord Segraue led; the greatest, and the last,
Braue Leicester himselfe, with courage vndertooke.
The day vpon the host affrightedly doth looke,
To see the dreadfull shocke, their first encounter gaue,
As though it with the rore, the Thunder would out-braue.
Prince Edward all in gold, as he great Ioue had beene:
The Mountfords all in Plumes, like Estriges were seene,
To beard him to his teeth, toth’ worke of death they goe;
The crouds like to a Sea seemd wauing to and fro.
Friend falling by his friend, together they expire:
He breath’d, doth charge afresh; he wounded, doth retyre.
The Mountfords with the Prince vye valour all the day,
Which should for Knightly deeds excell, or he, or they,
To them about his head, his glistring blade he throwes,
They waft him with their swords, as long with equall showes:
Now Henry, Simon then, and then the youngest Guy,
Kept by his brothers backe, thus stoutly doth reply,
What though I be but young, let death me ouerwhelme,
But I will breake my sword vpon his plumed helme.
The younger Bohun there, to high atchiuements bent,
With whom two other Lords, Lucy, and Hastings went,
Which charging but too home, all sorely wounded were,
Whom liuing from the field, the Barons stroue to beare,
Being on their partie fixd; whilst still Prince Edward spurres;
To bring his Forces vp to charge the Londoners,
T’whom cruell hate he bare, and ioyning with their Force,
Of heauy-armed Foot, with his light Northerne Horse,
He putting them to flight, foure miles in chase them slew:
But ere he could returne, the conquest wholly drew
To the stout Barons side: his father fled the field,
Into the Abbay there, constrained thence to yeeld.
The Lords Fitz-warren slaine, and Wilton that was then
Chiefe Iustice (as some say) with them fiue thousand men;
And Bohun that great Earle of Her’ford ouerthrowne,
With Bardolfe, Somery, Patshull, and Percie knowne.
By their Coat-armours then, for Barons, prisoners ta’n;
Though Henry ware the Crowne, great Le’ster yet did raigne.
Now for the Conflict next, at Chesterfield that chanc’d
Gainst Robert that proud Earle of Darby, who aduanc’d
His Ensignes gainst the King, (contrary to his oath)
Vpon the Barons part, with the Lord Deuell, both
Surpriz’d by Henry Prince of Almain with his power,
By comming at so strange an vnexpected hower:
And taking them vnarmd; since meerely a defeat,
With our well-ordered fights, we will not here repeat.
The fatall Battell then at fertile Eusham struck,
Though with the selfe same hands, not with the selfe same luck:
For both the King and Prince at Lewes prisoners taken,
By fortune were not yet so vtterly forsaken;
But that the Prince was got from Le’ster, and doth gather
His friends, by force of Armes yet to redeeme his father;
And th’Earle of Glo’ster wonne, who through the Mountfords pride
Disgrac’d, came with his power to the Emperiall side.
When now those Lords, which late at Lewes wonne the day,
The Sacrament receiu’d, their Armes not downe to lay,
Vntill the King should yeeld th’old Charter to maintaine.
King Henry and his sonne Prince Edward swore againe,
They would repeale those Lawes that were at Oxford made,
Or through this bloody warre to their destruction wade.
But since the King remain’d in puissant Lei’sters power,
The remnant of his friends, whom death did not deuoure
At Lewes Battell late, and durst his part partake.
The Prince excites againe, an Armie vp to make,
Whom Roger Bigot, Earle of Norfolke doth assist,
Englands high Marshall then, and that great Martialist,
Old Henry Bohun, Earle of Her’ford, in this warre,
Gray, Basset, and Saint-Iohn, Lisle, Percie, Latimer,
All Barons, which to him their vtmost strengths doe lay,
With many a Knight for power their equall euery way;
And William Valence, Earle of Pembroke, who had fled
From Lewes field, to France, thence with fresh succour sped.
Young Humphrey Bohun still, doth with great Le’ster goe,
Who for his Countries cause becomes his fathers foe.
Fitz-Iohn, Gray, Spencer, Strange, Rosse, Segraue, Vessey, Gifford,
Wake, Lucy, Vipount, Vaux, Clare, Marmion, Hastings, Clifford.
In that blacke night before his sad and dismall day,
Were apparitions strange, as drad Heauen would bewray
The horrors to ensue, O most amazing fight!
Two Armies in the Ayre, discerned were to fight,
Which came so neere to earth, that in the morne they found
The prints of horses feet remaining on the ground,
Which came but as a show, the time to entertaine,
Till th’angry Armies ioyn’d, to act the bloody Sceane.
Shrill shouts, and deadly cries, each way the ayre do fill,
And not a word was heard from either side, but kill:
The father gainst the sonne, the brother gainst the brother,
With Gleaues, Swords, Bills, and Pykes, were murthering one another.
The full luxurious earth, seemes surfitted with blood,
Whilst in his Vnckles gore th’vnnaturall Nephew stood;
Whilst with their charged Staues, the desperate horsmen meet,
They heare their kinsmen groane vnder their Horses feet.
Dead men, and weapons broke, doe on the earth abound;
The Drummes bedash’d with braines, doe giue a dismall sound.
Great Le’ster there expir’d, with Henry his braue sonne,
When many a high exployt they in that day had done.
Scarce was there noble House, of which those times could tell,
But that some one thereof, on this, or that side fell;
Amongst the slaughtered men, that there lay heap’d on pyles:
Bohuns, and Beauchamps were, Basets, and Mandeviles:
Segraues, and Saint-Iohns seeke, vpon the end of all,
To giue those of their names their Christian buriall.
Ten thousand on both sides were ta’n and slaine that day:
Prince Edward gets the gole, and beares the Palme away.
All Edward Long shankes time, her ciuill warres did cease,
Who stroue his Countries bounds by Conquest to increase.
But in th’insuing raigne of his most riotous sonne,
As in his fathers dayes, a second warre begun;
When as the stubborne heires of the stout Barons dead,
Who for their Countries cause, their blood at Eusham shed,
Not able to endure the Spencers hatefull pride,
The father and the sonne, whose counsels then did guide
Th’inconsiderate King, conferring all his graces,
On them who got all gifts, and bought and sold all places,
Them raising, to debase the Baronage the more
For Gauaston, whom they had put to death before.
Which vrg’d too farre, at length to open Armes they brake,
And for a speedy warre, they vp their powers doe make.
Vpon King Edwards part, for this great Action bent,
His brother Edmund came, the valiant Earle of Kent,
With Richmount, Arundell, and Pembroke, who engage,
Their powers, (three powerfull Earles) against the Baronage.
And on the Barons side, great master of the warre,
Was Thomas (of the Blood) the Earle of Lancaster,
With Henry Bobun, Earle of Hereford, his Peere,
With whom (of great command and Martialists) there were
Lyle, Darcy, Denvile, Teis, Beach, Bradburne, Bernvile, Knovile,
With Badlesmer, and Bercks, Fitz-william, Leyburne, Louell,
Tuchet, and Talbot stout, doe for the Barons stand,
Mandute, and Mowbray, with great Clifford that command
Their Tenants to take Armes, that with their Landlords runne;
With these went also Hugh, and Henry Willington;
Redoubted Damory, as Audley, Elmesbridge, Wither,
Earles, Barons, Knights, Esquiers, embodied all together,
At Burton vpon Trent who hauing gathered head,
Towards them with all his power the King in person sped;
Who at his neere approach (vpon his March) discri’d,
That they against his power the Bridge had fortifi’d:
Which he by strong assault, assayes from them to win,
Where as a bloody fight doth instantly begin,
When he to beat them off, assayes them first by shot;
And they to make that good, which they before had got,
Defend them with the like, like Haylestones from the skie,
From Crosse-bowes, and the Long, the light-wingd arrowes flie:
But friended with the Flood, the Barons hold their strength,
Forcing the King by Boats, and pyles of wood at length,
T’attempt to land his force vpon the other side.
The Barons, that the more his stratagems defide,
Withstand them in the streame, when as the troubled flood,
(With in a little time) was turned all to blood;
And from the Boats and Bridge, the mangled bodies feld,
The poore affrighted Fish, their watry walks expeld.
While at the Bridge the fight still strongly doth abide,
The King had learnt to know, that by a skilfull guide,
He by a Fourd not farre might passe his power of Horse,
Which quickly he performes, which draue the Barons force
From the defended Bridge, t’affront th’approching foe,
Imbattelling themselues, when to the shocke they goe,
(On both sides so assaild) till th’water, and the shore
Of one complexion were, distaind with equall gore.
Oft forc’d to change their fights, being driuen from their ground,
That when by their much losse, too weake themselues they found,
Th’afflicted Barons flie, yet still together keepe.
The King his good successe, not suffring so to sleepe,
Pursues them with his power, which Northward still doe beare;
And seldome scapes a day, but he doth charge their Reare:
Till come to Burrough Bridge, where they too soone were staid
By Andrew Herckley, Earle of Carleill, with fresh ayd
Being lately thither come, King Edwards part to take.
The Barons range their fights, still good their ground to make;
But with long Marches tyerd, their wearied breath they draw,
After the desperat’st fight the Sunne yet euer saw,
Braue Bohun there was slaine, and Lancaster forsaken
Of Fortune, is surpriz’d; the Barons prisoners taken.
For those Rebellions, Stirres, Commotions, Vprores, here
In Richard Burdeaux raigne, that long so vsuall were;
As that the first by Straw, and Tyler, with their Rout
Of Rebels brought from Kent, most insolent and stout,
By entring London, thought the the Iland to subdue:
The first of which, the Maior of London
brauely slew;
Walworth, which wonne his name much honour by the deed:
As they of Suffolke next, those Rascals that succeed,
By Litster led about, their Captaine who enstil’d
Himselfe the Commons King, in hope to haue exil’d
The Gentry from those parts, by those that were his owne,
By that braue Bishop (then) of Norwitch ouerthrowne.
By such vnruly Slaues, and that in Essex rais’d
By Thomas that stout Duke of Glo’ster, strongly ceaz’d,
As that at Radcot bridge, where the last named Peere,
With foure braue Earles his friends, encountred Robert Vere
Then Duke of Ireland cald, by Richard so created,
And gainst those Lords maintain’d, whom they most deadly hated;
Since they but Garboyles were, in a deformed masse,
Not ordered fitting warre, we lightly ouerpasse.
I chuse the Battell next of Shrewsbury to chant,
Betwixt Henry the fourth, the sonne of Iohn of Gant,
And the stout Percies, Henry Hotspurre and his Eame
The Earle of Wor’ster, who the rightfull Diademe
Had from King Richard reft, and heau’d vp to his Seat
This Henry, whom (too soone) they found to be too great,
Him seeking to depose, and to the Rule preferre
Richards proclaimed Heire, their cosen Mortimer,
Whom Owen Glendour then in Wales a prisoner staid,
Whom to their part they wonne, and thus their plot they laid,
That Glendour should haue Wales, along as Seuerne went,
The Percies all the North, that lay beyond the Trent;
And Mortimer from thence the South to be his share;
Which Henry hauing heard, doth for the warre prepare,
And down to Cheshire makes, (where gathering powers they were)
At Shrewsbury to meet, and doth affront them there:
With him his peerelesse sonne, the princely Henry came,
With th’Earle of Stafford, and of Gentlemen of name,
Blunt, Shyrley, Clifton, men that very powerfull were,
With Cockayne, Caluerly, Massy, and Mortimer,
Gausell, and Wendsley, all in Friends and Tenants strong,
Resorting to the King still as he past along;
Which in the open field before the ranged fights,
He with his warlike Sonne, there dub’d his Mayden Knights.
Th’Eatle Dowglasse for this day doth with the Percies stand,
To whom they Berwicke gaue, and in Northumberland
Some Seigniories and Holds, if they the Battell got,
Who brought with him to Field full many an angry Scot,
At Holmdon Battell late that being ouerthrowne,
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