Collected Works of Michael Drayton

by Michael Drayton

  The Barrons draw their forces to a head,

  (Whome Edward spur’d with vengeance still pursude)

  By Lancaster, and noble Herford led,

  This long proceeding lastly to conclude;

  Whilst now to meet, both Armies freshly sped

  To Burton, both incamping for the day,

  With expectation for a glorious pray.

  13

  Vpon the East, from Needwoods bushy side,

  There riseth vp an easie clyming hill,

  At whose faire foote the siluer Trent doth glide,

  With a deep murmure permanent and still,

  With liberall stor• of many Brooks supplide,

  Th’•n•atiate Meades continually doe fill,

  Vpon whose streame, a bridge of wondrous stregth

  Doth stretch it selfe in forty arches length.

  14

  Vppon this Mount the Kings pauillion fixt,

  And in the towne, the foe intrench’d in sight,

  When now the flood is risen so betwixt,

  That yet a while prolong’d th’unturall fight,

  With tributarie waters intermixt,

  To stay the furie dooing all it might,

  Things which presage both good and ill there bee,

  Which heauen fore-shewes, but mortals cannot see.

  15

  The heauen euen mourning o’re our heads doth sit,

  As greeu’d to see the time so out of course,

  Looking on them who neuer looke at it,

  And in meere pittie melting with remorce,

  Longer from teares that cannot stay a whit,

  Whose confluence on euery lower sourse,

  From the swolne fluxure of the clowdes doth shake

  A ranke Impostume vpon euery lake.

  16

  O warlike Nation! hold thy conquering hand,

  Euen sencelesse things admonish thee to pawse,

  That Mother soyle on whom thou yet doost stand,

  That would restraine thee by all naturall lawes.

  Canst thou (vnkinde) inuiolate that band,

  When even the earth is angry with the cause?

  Yet stay thy foote in mischiefes vglie gate,

  Ill comes too soone, repentance still too late.

  17

  And can the clowdes weepe ouer thy decay,

  And not one drop fall from thy droughtie eyes?

  See’st thou the snare, and wilt not shun the way,

  Nor yet be warn’d by passed miseries?

  T’is yet but early in this fatall day;

  Let late experience learne thee to be wise,

  Mischiefe foreseene, may easly be preuented,

  But hap’d, vnhelp’d, though nere enough lamented.

  18

  Cannot the Scot of your late slaughter boast?

  And are you yet scarce healed of the sore?

  I’st not enough you haue alreadie lost,

  But your owne madnesse needsly make it more?

  Will you seeke safety in a forraine Coast?

  Your wiues and children pittied you before;

  But when your own blood your own swords imbrue,

  Who pitties them which once did pittie you?

  19

  The neighbouring groues dispoiled of their trees,

  For boates, and timber to assay this flood,

  Where men are laboring as the Summer bee,

  Some hollowing truncks, som binding heaps of wood,

  Some on their breasts, some working on their knees,

  To winne the bancke whereon the Barrons stood,

  Which o’re this current they by strength must tew,

  To shed that blood that many ages rew.

  20

  Some sharpen swords, some on their Murrians set

  The Greaues, and pouldrons others riuet fast,

  The archers now their bearded arrowes whet,

  Whilst euery where the clamerous Drums are bra’st,

  Some taking view where surest ground to get,

  And euery one advantage doth fore-cast;

  In ranks and fyles each plaine and meadow swarmes,

  As though the land were clad in angry Armes.

  21

  The crests and honours of the English name,

  Against their owne opposed rudely stand,

  As angry with th’atchieuements whence they came,

  That to their vertues gaue the generous brand;

  O you vnworthy of your ancient fame,

  Against your selues to lift your conqu’ring hand!

  Since forraine swords your height could not abate,

  By your owne powre your selues to ruinate.

  22

  Vpon his surcoate valiant Neuell bore

  A siluer saltoyre grac’d on martiall red;

  A Ladies sleeue hie-spirited Hastings wore,

  Ferrer his Taberd with rich verry spred,

  Wel knowne in many a warlike match before;

  A Rauen sate on Corbets warlike head,

  Cou’ring his Helmet; Culpepper inrayld,

  On maiden Armes, a bloodie bend engrayld,

  23

  The noble Percy in this furious day,

  With a bright Cressant in his guide-home came,

  In his faire Cornet Verdoon dooth display

  A Geuly fret, priz’d in this mortall game

  That had beene taskt in many a doubtfull fray,

  His launces pennons stained with the same;

  The angry horse chafde with the stubborne bit,

  The ruinous earth with rage and horror smit.

  24

  I could the summe of Staffords arming show,

  What colours Courtney, Rosse and Warren holde,

  Each sundry blazon I could let you know,

  And all the glorious circumstance haue tolde,

  What all the Ensignes standing in arow,

  But wailing in a Muse, (ah me) thou arte controlde,

  When in remembrance of this horred deede,

  My pen for inke euen drops of blood doth sheede.

  25

  Th’imperiall standard in this place is pitcht,

  With all the hatchments of the English crowne,

  Great Lancaster with all his power enricht,

  Sets the same Leopards in his Colours downe;

  O if with furie you be not bewitcht,

  Haue but remembrance, on your selfe you frowne,

  A little note, or difference is in all,

  How can the same stand, when the same dooth fall?

  26

  Behold the Eagles, Lyons, Talbots, Beares,

  The badges of your famous ancestries,

  And shall they now by their inglorious heires,

  Stand thus oppos’d against their families?

  More honoured markes no Christian nation weares,

  Reliques vnworthie of their progenies;

  Those beasts you beare, do in their kindes agree.

  O that than beasts more sauage men should bee!

  27

  But whilst the king no course concluded yet,

  In his directions variably doth houer,

  See how misfortunes still her time can fit,

  Such as were sent the Country to discouer;

  As vp and downe, from place to place they flit,

  Had found a foord to land their forces ouer:

  Ill newes hath wings, and with the winde doth goe,

  Comfort’s a Cripple, and comes euer slow.

  28

  When Edward fearing Lancasters supplies,

  Prowd Richmond, Surry and great Penbrooke sent,

  On whose successe his chiefest hope relies;

  Vnder whose conduct halfe his Army went,

  The neerest way, conducted by thespies;

  And he himselfe, and Edmond Earle of Kent,

  Vpon the hill, in sight of Burton lay,

  Watching to take aduantage of the day.

  29

  Stay, Surry stay, th
ou mai’st too soone be gone,

  Pawse till this rage be somewhat ouer past,

  Why runn’st thou thus to thy destruction?

  Richmond and Penbrooke, whither doe you haste?

  You labour still to bring more horror on;

  Neuer seeke sorrow, for it comes too fast:

  Why do you striue to passe this fatall flood,

  To fetch new wounds, and shed your natiue blood?

  30

  Great Lancaster, sheath vp thy angry sword,

  On Edwards armes whose edge thou shouldst not whet,

  Thy naturall kinsman, and thy soueraigne Lord;

  Are you not one, both true Plantaginet?

  Call but to mind thy once-engaged word,

  Canst thou thy oath to Longshankes thus forget?

  Consider well, before all other things

  Our vowes be kept we make to Gods and Kings.

  31

  The windes are hush’d no little breath doth blow,

  Which seemes so still as though it listning stood,

  With trampling crouds the verie earth doth bow,

  And through the smoke the sunne appeares like blood;

  What with the shout, and with the dreadfull show,

  The heirds and flockes runne bellowing to the wood.

  When drums and trumpets giue the fearfull sound,

  As they would shake the clowds vnto the ground.

  32

  The Earles then charging with their power of horse,

  Taking a signall when they should beginne,

  Being in view of the imperiall force,

  Which at the time assay’d the bridge to winne;

  That now the Barrons change th’intended course,

  T’auoide the danger they were lately in;

  Which on the suddaine had they not fore-cast,

  Of their blacke day this howre had beene the last.

  33

  When from the hill the Kings maine power comes downe,

  Which had Aquarius to their valiant guide,

  Braue Lancaster and Herford from the towne

  Now issue forth vpon the other side,

  Peere against peere, the crowne against the crowne,

  The one assailes, the other munifide,

  Englands red crosse vpon both sides doth flie,

  Saint George the king, S. George the Barrons crie.

  34

  Like as an exhalation hote and dry,

  Amongst the ayre-bred moistie vapors throwne,

  Spetteth his lightning forth outragiously,

  Rending the grosse clowdes with the thunder-stone,

  Whose fierie splinters through the thin ayre flie,

  That with the terror heauen and earth doth grone;

  With the like clamor and confused woe,

  To the dread shocke these desp’rate Armies goe.

  35

  Now might you see the famous English Bowes

  So fortunate in times we did subdue,

  Shoote their sharpe arrowes in the face of those

  which many a time victoriously them drew,

  Shunning their aime, as troubled in the loose;

  The winged weapons mourning as they slew.

  Cleaue to the string, (now in potent and slacke)

  As to the Archers they would faine turne backe.

  36

  Behold theremnant of Troyes auntient stocke,

  Laying on blowes, as Smiths on Anuils strike,

  Grapling together in this fearefull shocke,

  whereas the like incountreth with the like,

  As firme and ruthlesse as th’obdurate Rocke,

  Deadly opposed at the push of pike;

  Still as the wings, or battels brought together,

  when Fortune yet giues vantage vnto neither.

  37

  From battred caskes with euery enuious blow,

  The scattred plumes flie loosly heere and there,

  which in the ayre dooth seeme as drifts of snow,

  which euery light breath on his wings dooth beare,

  As they had sence and feeling of our woe;

  And thus affrighted with the present feare,

  Now backe, now forward such strange windings make,

  As though vncertaine which way they should take.

  38

  Slaughter runnes wildely through th’afflicted hoste

  Whilst yet the battaile strongly dooth abide,

  That in this strange distemprature is lost,

  Where hellish fury sensibly doth guide,

  Neuer suffisde, where tyrannizing most,

  That now their woundes (with mouthes euen opend wide,)

  Lastly inforcde to call for present death,

  That wants but tongues, your swords do give them breath.

  39

  Heere lies a heape halfe slaine, and halfly drownd,

  Gasping for breath among the watry segs,

  And there a sort falne in a deadly swownd,

  Troade with the presse into the muddy dregs,

  Other lie bleeding on the firmer ground,

  Hurt in the bodies, maimde of armes and legs,

  One kills a foe, his braine another cuts;

  Ones feete intangled in anothers guts.

  40

  One his assayling enemie beguiles,

  As from the bridge hee happily dooth fall,

  Crusht with his weight vpon the forced piles,

  Some in their gore vpon the pauement spraule,

  That euery place so loathsomely defiles,

  The careasses lie heaped like a wall,

  Such hideous shreekes yet stil the souldiers breathe,

  As though the spirits had howled from beneathe.

  41

  The faction still defying Edwards might,

  Edmond of Woodstocke with the men of Kent,

  Charging afresh, reuiues the doubtfull fight,

  Vpon the Barrons languishing and spent,

  New preparation for a tragicke fight;

  when they againe supplies immediate sent

  A second battaile prowdly to beginne;

  The noblest spirits but newly entred in.

  42

  As at Troyes sacke, faire Thetis godlike sunne,

  Couragious Talbot with his shield him bare,

  Clifford and Mowbray brauely following on,

  Awdley and Gifford thronging for a share;

  These seconding, the former being gone,

  Elmsbridge and Baldsmere in the thickest are,

  Pell mell together flie this furious powre,

  when they perceiue that death will all deuoure.

  43

  Mountfort and Teis, your woorth I faine would speake,

  But that your valu•e dooth so ill deserue,

  And Denuile heere from thee perforce must breake,

  And from thy praises Willington must swerue,

  Your deeds permit not I your wrongs should wreake,

  Prowd Damory, heere must thy glorie starue:

  Concealing many most deseruing blame,

  Because your actions quench my sacred flame.

  44

  O had you fashion’d your great deedes by them,

  Who sommond Acon with an English drumme,

  Or marcht before that faire Ierusalem,

  With the vnited powres of Christendome,

  Eternall then had beene your Diadem,

  And with Christs warriors slept about his toombe:

  Then ages had immortalizde your name,

  Where now my song can be but of your shame.

  45

  O age inglorious, armes vntimely borne,

  When now this prooued and victorious shield

  Must in this ciuill massacre be torne,

  Which bare the markes of many a bloody field;

  And lastly, in their ouerthrowne forlorne,

  When now to flight the Barrons basely yeeld,

  That since that time the stones for very dreed,

  Agains
t foule storms smal drops of moisture sheed.

  46

  When now those wretched and vnstedfast frends,

  Which all this while stoode doubtfully to pawse,

  When they perceiue what desteny intends,

  And his successe dooth iustifie his cause,

  Their faintnesse now more comfort apprehends,

  For victory both feare and friendship drawes,

  T’an open smile, conuert a couered frowne,

  All lend their hands to hew the conquered downe.

  47

  That part of power th’ emperiall seemde to lacke,

  whilst yet the aduerse bare an vpright face,

  when now constraind to giue a recreant backe,

  Quickely returnes to prosecute the chase,

  where now the Barrons wholy goe to wracke,

  In the iust trial of so neere a case;

  Inforede to prooue the fortune of the coast,

  When they perceine the glorious goale is lost.

  48

  And to the fortunes of the conqu’ring King,

  Which well confirmde his long and tendred hope,

  His faire successe still more incouraging,

  which now had gote so large and ample scope,

  The Earle of Carlell happily dooth bring

  His light-armde bands the valiant Northerne troope,

  Armed too lately, and with too much speed,

  To doe most harme, euen when we least had need.

  49

  When now the Barrons making out their way,

  Through partes for safety, and aduantage knowne,

  Keeping their force still bodied as they may,

  Into the depth of this misfortune throwne;

  And in pursuite, deuising day by day

  T’ offend th’ assailant, and defend their owne,

  In their last hope the vtmost to endure,

  To deferre th’ effect, although the end were sure.

  50

  And whilst their fortune suting sadly thus,

  To Burrough-bridge conducted by their fate,

  Bridges to Barrons euer ominous,

  And to this place their fall preordinate,

  That ministring such cause of griefe to vs,

  By the remembrance of their passed state;

  The very soile by deepe impression yit,

  Euen to this day doth still remember it.

  51

  New courage now, new fights, new battells rangde,

  New breath (but what might make destruction new)

  They change the ground, but yet their fate vnchangde,

  Which too directly doth their course pursue,

  Nor from their former misery estrangde,

  Their strength decayes, their dangers daily grew,

  To shorten that which whilst it did depend,

  Gaue a long breathing to a fearefull end.

  52

  Like to a heird of weary heartlesse deere,

  whom hote-sporrde huntsmen seriously doe chase,