Collected Works of Michael Drayton

by Michael Drayton

(Ah foule befall that foule tongues prophecie)

  And euery night am troubled in my dreames,

  That I doe see thee tost in dangerous streames;

  And oft-times shipwrackt, cast vpon the land,

  And lying breathlesse on the queachy sand;

  And oft in visions see thee in the night,

  where thou at Sea maintain’st a dangerous sight;

  And with thy proued Target and thy sword,

  Beat’st backe the Pyrate which would come abord.

  Yet be not angry that I warne thee thus,

  The truest loue is most suspitious,

  Sorrow doth vtter what vs still doth grieue,

  But hope forbids vs sorrow to belieue;

  And in my counsell yet this comfort is,

  It cannot hurt, although I thinke amisse;

  Then liue in hope, in tryumph to returne,

  when cleerer dayes shall leaue in clowdes to mourne;

  But so hath sorrow girt my soule about,

  That, that word hope (me thinks) comes slowly out;

  The reason is, I know it heere would rest,

  where it would still behold thee in my brest.

  Farewell sweete Pole, faine more I would indite,

  But that my teares doe blot as I doe write.

  Notes of the Chronicle Historie.

  Or brings in Burgoyne to ayde Lancaster.

  PHILLIP Duke of Burgoyne and his sonne, were alwayes great fauorites of the house of Lancaster, howbeit they often dissembled both with Lancaster and Yorke.

  Who in the North our lawfull claime commends

  To win vs credite with our valiant friends.

  The chiefe Lords of the North-parts, in the time of Henry the 6. withstoode the Duke of Yorke at his rising• giuing him two great ouerthrowes.

  To that allegeance Yorke was bound by oath

  To Henries heyres, and safetie of vs both,

  No longer now he meanes records shall beare it,

  He will dispence with heauen, and wil vnsweare it.

  The duke of Yorke, at the death of Henry the fift, & at this kings coronation tooke his oath to be true subiect to him, and his heyres for euer; but afterward dispensing therewith, claymed the crowne as his rightfull and proper inhearitance.

  If three sonnes faile, shee’le make the fourth a King.

  The duke of Yorke had foure sonnes, Edward Earle of March, that afterward was duke of Yorke, and king of England, when he had deposed Henry the sixt, and Edmond Earle of Rutland, slaine by the lord Clifford at the battell at Wakefield; & George duke of Clarence that was murthered in the Tower: and Richard duke of Glocester, who was (after he had murthered his brothers sonnes) King by the name of Richard the third.

  that’s so like his Dam, her youngest Dicke,

  That foule •fauoured crookback’d Stigmaticke, &c.

  Till this verse, As though begot an age, &c.

  This Richard, (whom ironically she here calls Dicke,) that by treason after his Nephewes murthered, obtained the crowne, was a man low of stature, crookeback’d, the left shoulder much higher then the right, & of a very crabbed & sower countenaunce: his mother could not be deliuered of him, he was borne toothed, & with his feete forward, contrarie to the course of nature.

  To ouershadow our vermilian Rose,

  The redde Rose was the badge of the house of Lancaster, and the white Rose of Yorke, which by the marriage of Henry the seauenth, with Elizabeth indubitate heyre of the house of Yorke, was happilie vnited.

  Or who will muzzell that vnrulie beare.

  The Earle of Warwicke, the setter vp and puller downe of Kings, gaue for his Armes the white Beare rampant, & the ragged staffe.

  My Daysie flower which erst perfum’d the ayre,

  Which for my •auour Pri•••es once did were &c.

  The Daysie in French is called Margaret, which was Queene Margarets badge, where-withall the Nobilitie and chiualrie of the Lande at the first arriuall were so delighted, that they wore it in theyr Hats in token of honour.

  And who be starres but Warwicks bearded slaues.

  The ragged or bearded staffe was a part of the Armes belonging to the Earledome of Warwick.

  Slaundring Duke Rayner with base baggary.

  Rayner Duke of Aniou, called himselfe King of Naples, Cicile, and Ierusalem, hauing neither inhearitance nor tribute from those parts, & was not able at the marriage of the Queene, of his owne charges to send her into England though he gaue no dower with her: which by the Dutches of Glocester was often in disgrace cast in her teeth.

  A Kentish Rebell, a base vpstart Groome.

  This was Iacke Cade, which caused the Kentish-men to rebell in the 28. yeere of Henry the sixth.

  And this is he the white Rose must prefer,

  By Clarence daughter match’d to Mortimer.

  This Iacke Cade instructed by the Duke of Yorke, pretended to be descended from Mortimer which married Lady Phillip, daughter to the Duke of Clarence.

  And makes vs weake by strengthning Ireland.

  The Duke of Yorke being made Deputy of Ireland, first there beganne to practise his long pretended purpose, strengthning himselfe by all meanes possible that he might at his returne into England by open warre, claime that which so long he had priuily gone about to obtaine.

  Great Winchester vntimely is deceas’d,

  Henry Beuford, Bishop and Cardinall of Winchester, sonne to Iohn of Gaunt, begot in his age, was a proude & ambitious Prelate, fauouring mightily the Queene & the Duke of Suffolke, continually heaping vp innumerable treasure, in hope to haue beene Pope, as himselfe on his death bed confessed.

  With Fraunce t’ vpbrayd the valiant Somerset.

  Edmund Duke of Somerset, in the 24. of Henry the sixt, was made Regent of Fraunce, and sent into Normandie to defend the English territories against the French inuasions, but in short time hee lost all that King Henry the fifth won, for which cause the Nobles and the Commons euer after hated him.

  T’endure these stormes with wofull Buckingham.

  Humfry duke of Buckingham, was a great fauorite of the Queen• Faction, in the time of Henry the sixt.

  And one fore-told by water thou should’st die.

  The Witch of Eye receiued aunswer by her spirit, that the duke of Suffolke should take heede of water: which the Queene forwarnes him of, as remembring the Witches prophecie, which afterward came to passe.

  FINIS.

  To the Right Worshipfull Sir Thomas Munson, Knight.

  SIR, amongst many which most deseruedly loue you, though • the least, yet am loth to be the last, whose endeuours may make knowne howe highly they esteeme of your noble and kind disposition; Let this Epistle Sir (I beseech you) which vnworthily weares the badge of your woorthy name, acknowledge my zeale with the rest, (though much lesse deseruing) which for your sake doe honour the house of the Mounsons. I know true generositie accepteth what is zealously offered, though not euer deseruingly excellent, yet for loue of the Art fro¯ whence it receiueth resemblance. The light Phrigian harmony stirreth delight, as well as the melancholy Doricke moueth passion, both haue theyr motion in the spirit, as the liking of the soule moueth the affection. Your kinde acceptance of my labour• shall giue some life to my Muse, which yet •ouers in the vncertainetie of the generall censure.

  Mich: Drayton.

  Edward the fourth to Shores wife.

  THE ARGUMENT.

  This Mistres Shore, king Edward the fourths beautious paramour, was so called of her husband a Goldsmith, dwelling in Lombard streete. Edward the fourth, sonne to Richard Duke of Yorke, after hee had obtained the crowne by deposing Henry the sixth, (which Henry was after murthered in the Tower by Richard Crookeback) & after the battel fought at Barnet, where the famous Earle of Warwicke was slaine, and that King Edward quietly possessed the crowne, hearing (by report of many) the rare and wonderfull beautie of the aforesaid Shores wife, commeth himselfe disguised to London to see her; where after he had once beheld her, he was so surprised with her admirable beau
tie, as not long after hee robbed her husband of his deerest iewell; but first by this Epistle he writeth vnto her.

  VNTO the fayr’st that euer breath’d this ayre,

  From English Edward to that fairest faire;

  Ah would to God thy title were no more,

  That no remembrance might remaine of Shore,

  To countermaund a Monarchs high desire,

  And bar mine eyes of what they most admire.

  O why should Fortune make the Citty proud,

  To giue that more then is the Court allow’d?

  Where they like (wretches) hoard it vp to spare,

  And doe engrosse it, as they doe their ware.

  When fame first blaz’d thy beauty heere in Court,

  Mine eares repulsd it, as a light report,

  But when mine eyes saw that mine eare had hard,

  They thought report too nigardly had spard;

  And strooken dumbe with wonder, did but mutter,

  Conceiuing more then she had words to vtter.

  Then thinke of what thy husband is possest,

  when I enuie that Shore should be so blest,

  when much aboundance makes the needie mad,

  And hauing all, yet knowes not what is had;

  Into fooles bosomes this good fortune creepes,

  And wealth comes in the whilst the miser sleepes.

  If now thy beauty be of such esteeme,

  which all of so rare excellencie deeme,

  what would it be, and prized at what rate,

  where it adorned with a kingly state?

  Which being now but in so meane a bed,

  Is like an vncut Diamond in led,

  Ere it be set in some high-prized ring,

  Or garnished with rich enamiling;

  we see the beauty of the stone is spilt,

  wanting the gracious ornament of guilt.

  When first attracted by thy heauenly eyes,

  I came to see thee, in a straunge disguise,

  Passing thy shop, thy husband calls me backe,

  Demaunding what rare iewell I did lacke?

  I want (thought I) one that I dare not craue,

  And (one I feare) thou wilt not let me haue;

  He cals for Caskets forth, and shewes me store,

  But yet I knew he had one iewell more;

  And deadly curst him that he did dinie it,

  That I might not for loue or money buy it.

  O might I come a Diamond to buy,

  That had but such a lustre as thine eye.

  Would not my treasure serue, my Crowne should go,

  If any iewell could be prized so;

  An Agat, branched with thy blushing straines,

  A Saphire, but so azur’d, as thy vaines;

  My kingly Scepter onely should redeeme it,

  At such a price if iudgement could esteeme it.

  How fond and sencelesse, be those strangers then,

  who bring in toyes to please the English men.

  I smile to thinke how fond th’Italians are,

  To iudge their artificiall gardens rare,

  when London in thy cheeks can shew them heere,

  Roses and Lillies growing all the yeere;

  The Portugall, that onely hopes to win,

  By bringing stones from farthest India in,

  when happy Shore can bring them forth a gerle,

  whose lips be Rubies, and her teeth be pearle.

  How silly is the Polander and Dane,

  To bring vs Christall from the frozen maine?

  When thy cleare skins transparence doth surpasse.

  Their Christall, as the Diamond doth glasse.

  The foolish French, which brings in trash and toyes,

  To turne our women men, or gerles to boyes,

  when with what tire thou doo’st thy selfe adorne,

  That for a fashion onely shall be worne;

  which though it were a garment but of haire,

  More rich then robe that euer Empresse ware.

  Me thinks thy husband takes his marke awry,

  To set his plate to sale when thou art by;

  when they which do thy Angell-locks behold,

  Like basest drosse doe but respect his gold;

  And wish one haire before that massy heape,

  And but one locke before the wealth of Cheape;

  And for no caus else, hold we gold so deare,

  But that it is so like vnto thy haire.

  And sure I thinke Shore cannot chuse but flout

  Such as would find the great Elixar out,

  And laugh to see the Alchimists, that choke

  Themselues with fumes, and wast their wealth in smoke.

  when if thy hand but touch the grossest mold,

  It is conuerted to refined gold,

  when theirs is chaffer’d at an easie rate,

  well knowne to all to be adulterate;

  And is no more when it by thine is set,

  Then paltry Be•gle, or light-prized Iet.

  Let others weare persumes, for thee vnmeet,

  If there were none, thou could’st make all things sweet.

  Thou comfor’st sence, and yet all sence doo’st wast,

  To heare, to see, to smell, to feele, to tast;

  Thou a rich ship, whose verie refuse ware,

  A romaticks, and precious odors are.

  If thou but please to walke into the Pawne,

  To buy thee Cambricke, Callico, or Lawne,

  If thou the whitenes of the same would’st proue,

  From thy more whiter hand plucke off thy gloue;

  And those which by, as the beholders stand,

  will take thy hand for Lawne, Lawne for thy hand.

  A thousand eyes, clos’d vp by enuious night,

  Doe wish for day, but to enioy thy sight;

  And when they once haue blest their eyes with thee,

  Scorne euery obiect else, what ere they see,

  So like a Goddesse beautie still controules,

  And hath such powerfull working in our soules.

  The Merchant which in traffique spends his life,

  Yet loues at home to haue daintie wife,

  The blunt-spoke Cynick, poring on his booke,

  Sometimes (aside) at beautie loues to looke.

  The Church-man, by whose teaching we are led,

  Allowes what keepes loue in the marriage bed;

  The bloody Souldiour spent in Armes and broyles,

  with beautie yet content to share his spoyles;

  The busie Lawyer wrangling in his pleas;

  Findeth that beauty giues his labour ease;

  The toyling trades-man, and the sweating Clowne,

  would haue his wench faire, though his bread be browne;

  So much is beauty pleasing vnto all,

  To Prince and peasant like in generall;

  Nor neuer yet did any man despise it,

  Except too deere, and that he could not prize it,

  Vnlearn’d is learning, artlesse be all Arts,

  If not imploy’d to praise thy seuerall parts;

  Poore plodding Schoolemen, they are far too low,

  which by probations, rules, and axiom’s goe,

  He must be still familiar with the skies,

  which notes the reuolutions of thine eyes;

  And by that skill which measures sea and land,

  See beauties all, thy wast, thy foote, thy hand,

  where he may find, the more that he doth view,

  Such rare delights as are both strange and new;

  And other worlds of beauty more and more,

  which neuer were discouered before;

  And to thy rare proportion to apply,

  The lines and circles in Geometry,

  Vsing alone Arithmeticks strong ground,

  Numbring the vertues that in thee are found.

  And when these all haue done what they can doo,

  For thy perfections all to little too.

  When fr
om the East the dawne hath broken out,

  And gone to seeke thee all the world about,

  within thy Chamber hath she fixt her light,

  where but that place, the world hath all beene night;

  Then is it fit that euery vulgar eye,

  Should see loue banquet in her maiestie?

  We deeme those things our sight doth most frequent,

  To be but meane, although most excellent;

  For strangers still the streets are swept and strowd,

  Few looke on such as daily come abroad;

  Things much restrain’d, doth make vs much desire them,

  And beauties seldome seene, makes vs admire them.

  Nor is it fit a Citie shop should hide,

  The worlds delight, and natures onely pride,

  But in a Princes sumptuous gallery.

  Hung all with Tissue, flor’d with Tapestrie;

  Where thou shalt sit, and from thy state shalt see,

  The tylts and tryumphs that are done for thee.

  Then know the difference (if thou list to prooue)

  Betwixt a vulgar, and a kingly loue;

  And when thou findst, as now thou doubt’st the troth,

  Be thou thy selfe vnpartiall Iudge of both.

  Where harts be knit, what helps if not enioy?

  Delayes breeds doubts, no cunning to be coy.

  Whilst lazie Time his turne by tariance serues,

  Loue still growes sickly, and hope daily starues.

  Meane while receiue that warrant by these lines,

  which princely rule and soueraintie resignes;

  Till when, these papers by their Lords commaund,

  By me shall kisse thy sweet and dainty hand.

  Notes of the Chronicle Historie.

  THIS Epistle of Edward to Shores wife, and of hers to him, being of vnlawfull affection, ministreth small occasion of historicall notes, for had he mentioned the many battels betwixt the Lancastrian faction and him, or other warlike daungers, it had beene more like to Plautus boasting Souldier then a kingly Courtier. Notwithstanding, it shall not be amisse to annexe a line or two.

  From English Edward to the fairest faire.

  Edward the fourth was by nature very chiualrous & very amorous, applying his sweet and amiable aspect to attaine his wanton appetite the rather, which was so well knowne to Lewes the French King, who at their enteruiew inuited him to Paris, that as Comineus reports, being taken at his word, he notwithstanding brake off the matter, fearing the Parisian Dames with their wittie conuersation, would detaine him longer then should be for his benefit, by which meanes Edward was disappointed of his iourney; and albeit Princes whilst they liue haue nothing in them but what is admirable, yet wee need not mistrust the flattery of the Court in those times, for certaine it is that his shape was excellent, his haire drew neere to a black, making his faces fauor see me more delectable. Though the smalnes of his eyes full of a shin•ng moisture, as it tooke away some com••nesse, so it argued much sharpnes of vnderstanding, and cruelty mingled therewith. And indeede George Buchanan (that imperious Scot) chargeth him & other Princes of those times, with affectation of tiranny, as Richard the third manifestly did.