Classic Poem

And here my Muse leads me as by the hand
Out of the way (as it were) by the way,
To view the liues of Princes of this Land,
Since first the Norman did the Scepter sway
And scanne their vndertakings as I may:
For by th' event of Actions past, wee shall
The present, and future, the better sway;
Which is the vse of storie, for they fal
Seldome or nere, that haue light to see All .

William the Norman, surnam'd Conquerer
By his succesful sworde having subdude
This compound Nation (weake through civil war)
The Conquest hee so thorowly pursude
As that an admirable peace ensude:
This fierce Invader with resistlesse force
Dissolu'd the state and made the Multitude
To liue by Lawes, which Lawyers yet enforce,
Which, of all former lawes did crosse the course.

Hee pull'd vp all that might pul downe his state,
Supplanting, or transplanting ev'rie plant
That might proue poison to his frolicke fate;
And planting in their place (ere Plants did want)
Such as were holsome, or lesse discrepant:
So that no Brittaine, Saxon, Dane, or all,
Could to this day his Ofspring here supplant,
But they haue, doe, and still continue shall,
Vntill this Kingdome from her selfe doth fall.

It was no little worke, nor wisedome lesse,
From so smal wealth, and powre which he possest
Not onely such a people to suppresse,
But erst at ods, to make them liue in rest
For ten descents twice tolde and more at least;
Not as a Nation mixt, but most intire,
And with new Lordes, new Lawes the land invest,
Which straight extinguish might sedition's fire,
And keepe Ambition downe that would aspire.

For who so reacheth with his sworde a Crowne
If head, and hand, vse not like government,
The reeling Crowne may soone be overthrowne,
Though it (perhaps) be propt by Parliment
Witnesse our Conquests in the Continent .
That were more glorious, then commodious,
Because we made the sword the instrument
Onely to make our selues victorious,
But not to keepe what made vs glorious

From William, vnto Edward, Longshancks nam'd
Turmoiles, and Brals, to that state incident,
That is not throughly staide, the Land inflam'd;
For no peace is so sure or permanent,
But Avarice or Pride makes turbulent
Richard the first, transported by desire
To helpe to conquere Iurie, thether went;
And made his brother Iohn, Regent intire;
Who did vsurpe the Crowne ere his retire

In which returne, hee was tane Prisoner
In Austria, from whence b'ing ransomed,
Hee repossest his Crowne; but in the warre
He made (when he his Crowne recovered)
Vpon his foes, he life surrendered
The end of Kings thus causing their owne griefe
To leaue their crownes so neere another's Head:
A pleasant pray enticeth many a Theefe,
And who 'l bee second, when he may be chiefe?

Neither did Iohn escape the heavie hand
Of iust Revenge, to all Vsurpers due;
In whose dire Raigne, two curses crost the Land
God's, and the churche's, which made all to rue,
For ceaslesse Troubles did thereon ensue:
And in conclusion his life hee lost;
For vengeance to the ende did him pursue;
So, al his life hee being turn'd and tost,
Before his time gaue vp his tired Ghost .

But to descend to Longshanckes, in whose time
The common-wealth (fast rooted) gan to sprout
And by this Piller to high state did clime,
For he was prudent, painefull, valiant, stout,
And dextrously his bus'nesse brought about:
He wisely waide how incommodiously
The Conquests stoode atchiv'd the Land without,
Therefore he bent his powre, and industry,
It to reduce into a Monarchie.

On Wales, and Scotland he that powre imploide,
Reducing both to his obedience;
And long might one the other haue enioy'd
Without hart-burning inbred difference:
If hee had vs'd King William's dilligence:
Prosperous he was abroade, and iust at home,
A no lesse vertuous, then a valiant Prince
Leaving his Sonne (that next supplide his rome)
A demonstration what doth kings become

Edward his Sonne, succeeded him in Rule,
But not in Rules, by which he rul'd aright
Who being seduc'd by Masters of Misrule,
Referr'd the government to their oresight,
Who, all oresaw, but what advance them might:
Vntill their rapine, and ambition,
The loue of all from their Liege parted quight;
So that the Sire assail'd was by the Sonne,
And being subdu'd, was murth'red in Prison

A direfull end to Kinges misguided due;
Who like to figg-Trees growing on the side
Of some steepe Rocke, doe feede none but a crue
Of Crowes and Kites, which on their Toppes do ride,
And plume on them (base Birds) on ev'ry side;
A State's abundance, if it manag'd be
By a lascivious King, which Slaves misguide,
Subverts the State which Kinges cannot foresee
When they are compast with ill Companee.

Edward the third, was most victorious,
In all attempts and Actions fortunate,
No lesse iudicious then valorous,
Yet were his Conquests hurtfull to his State,
For they the same did but debilitate:
So that when through his age's feeble plight,
And this ore racked Realme's most poore estate,
The Synnewes of the warre were cracked quight,
His wonted fortunes then plaide least in sight

His Father's blood with never-ceasing cries
Filling Th'almightie's iust al-hearing Eares,
Importunes Vengeance, which with Argus Eyes
Watcheth his shaking house for many yeares,
And to his Sonne's Sonne fearefully appeares:
Disastrous Richard second of that name,
Pestred with plagues, and ceaselesse cause of feares,
(Through his misrule) can well averre the same,
Who did the forme of this State quite vnframe.

He, like his Grandsire great, great troubles rais'd
Through his more great oppressions, and excesse:
He lov'd and praised none that vertue prais'd;
Liv'd like his Grandsire great, with like successe
Who, blest a few, that few or none did blesse:
Edward, and Richard, second of their names,
(The last, the first did second in distresse)
Both over-ruled were by base past-shames,
So Both alike, lost Kingdome, Life, and fames

And if there be wrench in this Paralell ,
It is in that one had a sory Sonne,
The other a like Cousin to compell
Him yeeld his Crowne, before his Daies were done
Which were abridg'd (as Edward's) in Prison:
But, if this King had not so childish bin
When Mowbray peacht th' Vsurper of Treason,
He might haue bin secure from al his Kin:
But blinded Iudgment is the hire of Sinne

Thus fares it with weake Kings, and Cousins stronge;
Richard, lies naked clothed with his gore,
Exposed to the view of old and yonge,
A woefull Spectacle, if not much more
For Kinges that live, as he had liv'd before:
But though Examples (freshly bleeding yet)
Doe Caue crie, (or rather lowde doe rore,)
Yet Kings thus clawde, where they doe ytche, forgett
The future paine, on present pleasure sett

Henry the fourth, which thus vsurpt the Crowne
Of all Vsurpers had the best successe.
For, he was provident to hold his owne,
And for the Common-wealth he was no lesse:
In Field, and Towne, he would direct the Presse
Chiefe Captaine, and chiefe Councellor was he
Who rul'd in height of Wisedome and Prowesse
Into obscurest Treasons he could see,
And if they Were, soone cause them not to Bee.

This held him Kinge as long as life he held,
Which was as longe as Nature gaue him leave;
And courage gaue the Scepter wel to weld
Vnto his Sonne to whome he both did leave,
Who, did accordingly the sume receave:
He rul'd as did his Sire, in Wisedome's strength
And heigth of Valor, which he eke did give;
Who caught fast hold on fleeting France at length,
" But weak Arms loose, what ere the strong Arme geint'h

And now as rowsed from a tedious Sleepe,
(After this Kinge with glorie was interr'd)
The Divine Vengeance gan againe to peepe
Vpon his Sonne that longe had bin deferr'd;
The Cries of Richard's blood now well are heard:
And silly Henry (though a Saint he bee)
Must beare the plagues his Grandsire's guilt incurr'd,
When he imbrude his hands, or did agree
To have his Sov'raigne's bloud shedd savaglee

His Vncles (more like Fathers) first he looseth,
Then by a woman most improvident
He is ore rul'd, for shee of all disposeth,
Till Hate and Factions ore-grew government
Then Richard Duke of Yorke in Parliment
Claimed the Scepter, (being so ill swai'd)
Where was examin'd his claime, and descent ,
And then gaue waie to it, when all was wai'd;
So, silly Henry was by law betrai'd.

The title of Duke Richard thus admitted,
But an Vsurper needes must make the King;
Yet t'was decreed that he should bee permitted
For life to hold the Crowne which death doth bring
When as the Crowne is held as no such thing:
Making the Duke by Act of Parliament
His Heire apparant, without altering,
Which for them both was most malevolent,
For hardly can one Crowne, two Kings content.

This was a fond conspiring Parliment
Against their Liege directlie, and the Lawes;
No lesse disloiall, then improvident,
And of effectes most blouie was the cause;
For now the King his Friendes together drawes,
Who, for his safetie straight began to lay,
Which could not be without the fearefull Pawse
Of Yorke (that Lion) cleane were cut away,
Downe must his Den, his Howse must haue no stay.

Who like him selfe (beeing truely Leonine)
Stood on his strength, so to defeate his foes;
And having wisedome truelie serpentine
Still compassing about the crowne he goes,
Whom Henry tripping in his course orethroes:
But his Sonne Edward kept the claime a foote
Vntill that civill bloud the Land oreflowes;
Who, in conclusion, pull'd vp by the roote
All Lets, & got th' imbrued crowne with mickle boot

Whilst this was doing, the Realme was vndunne
The Common-wealth, became a Common-woe
Iustice, and government by Rogues ore runne,
The Ministers whereof tost too and fro
Like foote-balls over which al men may goe:
All was quite out of square, by squaring thus,
The Ground did grone enforc'd to vndergoe,
Continued Armies (most contentious)
That made the State poore, as prodigious.

This Claime was wel examin'd, and admitted,
Here was Succession wel established,
What villanie was not thereby committed?
What vertue was not quite abolished?
And who so high that were not drown'd in dreade?
Yonge, olde, rich, poore , and Babes vnborne, or borne,
Beasts, & things senselesse had cause Teares to shedd,
For all hereby away perforce were worne,
And far'd at least, as Creatures most forlorne.

Woe woorth such vip'rous Cousins that wil rend
Their Mother's wombe (the Common-wealth) to raigne;
From such apparant-Heires God vs defend,
That care not who doe lose so they may gaine:
And long may Hee in peace the Crowne sustaine,
That for our peace, & his, such Heires hath brought;
We all of late for such did stil complaine;
Then now sith we haue such, and cost vs nought,
Lett's thankfull be and know them as we ought

As Pow'r doth want, so Claimes, & Factions cease;
Might Right orecomes, chiefly in Kingdom's claimes:
Pow'r Titles stirrs, and Conquest makes their peace;
The Sword the Law (how firme soever) maymes
Which at a Conquest (though vnlawful) aymes:
Though Prince, and Peeres, provide for future rule
Ambition hardly her estate disclaimes,
Though for a time the Lawes her over-rule,
Yet when time serues, the Law shee wil misrule.

Our State stands not on Armes as others doe;
Our force lies most dispersed at the Plow,
Vnready, rude, and oft rebellious too,
Whose Sun -burnt Necks oft rather breake then bow,
Not caring whom, ne what they doe alow:
These and such like enduced our late Prince
Such motions vtterly to disalowe,
For this, and many an inconvenience,
Whereof all Times affoord experience.

This made this careful Queeene as knowing well,
(By fortie fiue yeares proofe, and her sharpe sight
Into events, whereof al Stories tell)
How safe to rule, and keepe the State vpright,
For her right's sake, right close to keepe this right
Better (she thought) such Hiires two daies old
Then two yeares, and as strong in Law, and Fight :
So, lou'd her State's life, and her owne to hold,
And made her Hart that Heire's securest Hold.

But sith shee did conclude this great affaire,
Both Law, and Conscience, doe conclude the State;
And who resists (by birth) that lawful Heire,
Resists the lawful Sov'raigne Maiestrate,
Made both by birth and Law from iust estate:
Monarchicall -inheritance resides
In him from her, then, who doth violate
Obedience to him wounds the tender sides
Of Law and Conscience, and al good besides.