Classic Poem

When : as Edward the 3 d did liue, tha t vallyant K ing ,
david of Scottland to rebell did then begin;
the towne of Barwicke suddenlye ffrom vs he woone,
& burnt Newcastle to the ground: thus strife begun
to Rose-bury castle marchet he then,
& by the force of warlicke men
beseiged therin a gallant ffaire Ladye
while tha t her husband was in ffrance,
his countryes honor to advance,
[The Noble and Famous Earl of Salisbury]

Braue S i r w illia m Montague rode then in post,
who declared vnto the K ing the Scottishmens hoast;
who like a Lyon in a rage did straight-way p re pare
ffor to deliuer tha t woefull Lady from wofull care
but when the Scottishmen did heare say
Edw ard our king was comen tha t day,
the raised their seege, & ran away with speede,
soe tha t when he did thither come
w i th warlike trumpett, ffiffe, & drum,
none but a gallant Lady did him meete;

who when hee did w i th greedy eyes behold & see,
her peereles bewtye straight inthralld his maiestye;
& eu er the longer tha t he looked, the more hee might,
for in her only bewty was his harts delight.
& humbly then vpon her knee
shee thankett his royall maiestye
tha t he had driuen danger ffrom her gate.
" Lady, " q uo th he, " stand vp in peace,
although my warr doe now increase. "
" Lo rd , keepe, " q uo th shee, " all hurt ffrom yo u r estate! "

Now is the K ing ffull sad in soule; & wott you why;
all for the loue of the faire countesse Salsbury.
shee, litle knowing his cause of greefe, did come to see
wherefore his highnesse sate alone soe heauilye:
" I haue beene wronged, faire dame, " q uo th hee,
" since I came hither vnto thee "
" no, god forbid, my sou er ainge! " shee sayd;
" if I were worthy for to know
the cause & ground of this yo u r woe,
itt shold be helpet if itt did Lye in mee. "

" Sweare to p er forme to me thy words, thou Lady gay;
to thee the sorrow of my hart I will bewray. "
" I sweare by all the S ain ts in heauen I will, " q uo th shee,
" & lett my Lord haue no mistrust at all in me. "
" Then take thy selfe asyde, " he sayd;
q uo th hee, " thy bewtye hath betrayd
& wounded a K ing w i th thy bright shining eye;
if thou doe then some mercy show,
thou shalt expell a princes woe;
soe shall I liue, or else in sorrow dye. "

" you haue you[r] wish, my sou er aine Lo rd , effectuallye:
take all the loue tha t I may giue yo u r maiestye "
" but in thy bewtye all my woes haue their abode. "
" take then my bewtye from my face, my gracyous Lo rd . "
" didst thou not sweare to grant my will? "
" all tha t I may, I will fulfill. "
" then for my loue let thy true loue be seene. "
" my Lo rd , yo u r speech. I might reproue;
you cannott giue to me yo u r loue,
ffor tha t alone belongs vnto yo u r queene:

" But I suppose yo u r grace did this onlye to trye
whether a wanton tale might tempt Dame S ALSB urye ;
Nor ffrom yo u r selfe therfore, my leege, my stepps doe stray,
but fro m yo u r tempting wanton tale I goe my way. "
" O turne againe, thou Lady bright!
come vnto me, my hartes delight!
gone is the comfort of my pensiue hart.
heere comes the Erle of warwicke, hee
the father of this faire Ladye;
my mind to him I meane for to impart. "

" why is my Lo rd & sou er aine soe greeued in mind? "
" because tha t I haue lost the thing I cannott find. "
" what thing is tha t, my gracyous Lo rd , tha t you haue lost? "
" itt is my heart, w hi ch is neare dead twixt ffire & frost. "
" curst be the ffire, & ffrost too,
tha t causeth this yo u r hynesse woe! "
" O warwicke! thou dost wrong me wonderous sore.
It is thy daughter, Noble Erle;
tha t heauen-bright lampe, tha t peereles pearle,
w hi ch kills my hart; yett I doe her adore. "

" If tha t be all, my gracyous [Lord,] tha t workes yo u r greefe,
I will p er swade the scornefull dame to yeelde releefe.
neu er shall shee my daughter be if shee refuse;
the loue & ffauor of a king may her excuse. "
thus whylye warwicke went his way,
& quite contrary he did say
when as hee did the bewtyous countesse meete:
" well mett, my daugheter deere, " q uo th hee,
" a message I must doe to thee:
our royall K ing most kindlye [doth thee greete;]

The K ing will dye vnlesse to him thou grant thy loue. "
" to loue the K ing my husbands loue I shall remoue. "
" It is right charytye to loue, my daughter deere. "
" but not true loue, soe charytable to appeare. "
" his greatnesse may beare out the blame. "
" but his kingdome cannott buy out the shame. "
" he craues thy loue tha t may bereaue thy liffe;
itt is my duty to urge thee this! "
" but not my honestye to yeeld, I-wis;
I meane to dye a true vnspotted wiffe. "

" Now hast thou spoken, my daughter deere, as I wold hau[e];
chastity beares a golden name vnto her graue;
& when vnto thy wedded Lo rd thou proues vntrue,
then lett my bitter cursses still thy soule pursue.
then w i th a smiling cheere goe thou,
as right & reason doth allowe,
yett show the K ing thou bearest no strumpetts minde "
" I goe, deere ffather, with a trice;
& w i th a sleight of ffine deuice
Ile cause the K ing conffesse tha t I am kind. "

" Heere comes the Lady of my liffe! " the K ing did say.
" my ffather bidds me, sou er aigne Lo rd , yo u r will obay,
and I consent if you will grant one boone to mee. "
" I grant itt thee, my Lady ffaire, what-ere itt bee! "
" my husband is aliue, you know;
ffirst lett mee kill him ere I goe,
& att your com m ande ffor euer will I bee! "
" thy husband now in ffrance doth rest. "
" noe, noe! hee lyes w i thin my brest;
& being soe nye, hee will my ffalshoode see. "

w i th tha t shee started ffrom the K ing , & tooke her kniffe,
& desp er attly shee thought to rydd her selfe of liffe.
the K ing vpstarted ffrom his chayre her hand to stay:
" O noble K ing , you haue broke yo u r word w i th me this day. "
" thou shalt not doe this deed, " q uo th hee.
" then will I neu er lye w i th thee. "
" now liue thou still, & lett me beare the blame;
liue thou in hono ur & in high estate
w i th thy true Lo rd & wedded mate!
I will neu er attempt this suite againe. "