Book VII, Chapter 36

SEauenth Henries forraine busenes had succesfull honor: heere
Three schol'd D[…]dalien Icarists (whose mounting cost them deere)
Did interrupt the peace. The first a Priests bace Puple: he
By his Complottors was pretenst'e Duke Clarence sonne to bee.
A many of our natiue Peeres, some forraine Princes too,
Submissiuly behight him aide in all that they might doo.
The Lad was lofty, for himselfe he harrollized well,
At full he could his lessons, and a formale lie would tell.
For him was fought a bloody field, the Victory the Kinges.
Lambert the forged Yorkest, and the Priest (that fram'd his winges)
Weare taken: For minority the Icarus was quit:
The Dedal[…]s for cleargie tites was but intowr'd for it.

Thus scapte the Priest. The mother Queene to her that now was Queene
Found harder sentence for a crime more venale, as I weene,
Shee that did forward Henry with her friends, her purse, her wit,
That had conspir'd, conceil'd, concur'd, for him the Crowne to git,
And had him now her sonne in law, vnchauncy Queene, fore-went
Her whole reuenewes, and her age as if in durance spent:
Because against her heart, good Soule (for bootles to withstand)
See yeelded all her daughters to the late Vsurpers hand,
Whereby the Vnion might haue quaild, and for it might she must
Indure such law, strict law to her of mallice not vniust.

THan good old Queene Elizabeth our next young Phaeton
Had gentlier Iudgement: He till then frō Realm to Realm had gone,
And now in Ireland (hoping no such honor) was at Corke
Saluted by some Rebels theare for Richard Duke of Yorke,
Fourth Edwards second son. Those Stiles to him were strange, but thay
Did feofe them on the bace-borne Muffe, and him as King obay.
The Yorkesh Faction (though they knew the error) let not slip
Occasion, that they now might haue Lancastrians on the hip:
Margret fourth Edwards sisters heart for ioy hereof did skip.
Shee had him soone to Burgone, and informes him cuery thing
That might concerne Yorks pettegree, or apted for a King:
Maliciously repining still at Lancasters successe,
And often would thus or thus-like her heart with tongue expresse.

God hath forgot our house of Yorke: nay Yorke it selfe forgot:
To my late Brother Richards soule cleaue euermore this blot:
He made away our friends to make a way vnto our Foe,
To Lancaster, proud Lancaster: I, thence these teares doc floe.
Had he stock't vp that hated stocke, had he ra[…]'st out that Race,
Python had ceast, and he had bene Apollo in that cace.
That Henry was Lancastrian, and that Henry was aliue,
And where he liu'd, & that he should not liue if we would thr[…]
He knew ywis: yeat knew he not his death how to contriue.
The Duke of Brutaine is no God, then how the diuell y'ste
That both my brothers, laboring him, for whome they […]
Their Sinons weare too simple, and their bribes but petite geere:
Whē had they bought him with their souls they had not bought him deere.
The heire of Lancaster (fie how it loathes to sound that name)
Enioyes the Crowne: nay worse, enioyes to wife a Yorkesh Dame:
Worser, the name Plantagenet is buryed in the same:
And, worst of all, their Title such as law bids vs disclame.
Who would haue lookt such change to chaunce? oh howe I feed like will
As Ae[…]as daughter Aesons house with tragedies to fill?
Who can endure to see their friends decline, their Foes ascend?
I see it, and for seeing so doe wish my life had end.

When that her darling had his looer she left him to his wings:
Who flead not to worse company or at lesse game than Kings.
He lighteth in the French Kings Court, wheare (honord as the same
From whom he falsely would contriue a Crowne by forged name)
He had Supplies, and English ayds, and Irish troupes also,
With which he lands in England: where King Henry met the Foe.
On either part the Battell was right bloodie, but at length
The King subdues, and Perke[…] flead the land, dispoyld of strength.
Then, as the French, the Scotch King did repute of him: whereby
He wyu'd a Lady passing fayre and of the Kings Allie,
The Earle of Huntlies daughter of the scotch-blood-royall bread:
Shee both before and after that her low-pris'd Mate was dead,
When well she knew his parentage, and felt his ebbed state,
In onely sorrow did abound, in loue no whit abate:
Howbeit in the English Court prefer'd to high estate.

Theare (for she was of comely parts and vncompeered face)
Shee, often brauely courted, yeelds no Courtier labor'd grace.
To one among'st the rest that most admierd her aunswers chaste
She sayd: besides the sinne and that I so might liue disgrac'ste,
A Presedent of wrong and woe did make me long since vow
Chastly to liue the Loue of him whom Fates should me allow.
I knew (quoth she) a Knight (a Knight he was in each respecte)
I knew a Ladie (fayre she was but fouly to be chect)
They loued long (if that to loue and leaue may loue be sayd)
Till lastly she conceyued loue wheare loue should be denayd.
Then he, whose Sowles Soule goddiz'd her, perceiuing her vntruth,
Became vnlike himselfe, and mou'd, saue her, each one to ruth.
At last he runs'distraught about, and what his moods conceited
He did: confusedly he wept, askt, answerd, and intreated:
Ah many a time (for though his words lackt methode, yeat they moued)
He had these speeches, arguments how earnestly he loued.