Classic Poem

When : as royall K ing henery the ffirst
 had ffoyled his ffoes in ffrance,
& spent the pl[e]asant springe
 his honors to aduance

then into England he returned
 w i th ffame & victorye,
what t[i]me the subiects of this Land
 receiued him ioyfullye.

but att his home returne,
 his children left hee still
in ffrance, ffor to soiourne
 to purchase learned skill

Duke william w i th his brother dere,
 Lo rd Richard was his name,
who was the Erle of Chester then,
 w[ho] thirsted after ffame;

the K ing s ffaire daughter eke,
 the Lady Marry bright,
w i th diuers noble peeres,
 & many a hardy Knight;

all these he left together there,
 in pleasure and delight,
when tha t our K ing to England came
 after the bloodye ffight.

but when ffaire fflora had
 drawen fforth her treasure drye,
then winter sadd and cold
 w i th hoarye head drew niee.

then these princes all w i th one assent
 p re pared all things meete
to passe the seas into ffaire England,
 whose sight to them was sweete.

“to England lett vs hye,”
 this euerye one did say,
“ffor Christamas draweth nye;
 no longer lett vs stay,

but let vs spend the Merry Christamas time
 in game and pleasant scrt,
where Lady pleasure doth attend
 w i th many a princely sport.”

to seas these princes went,
 full ffraught w i th mirth & ioy;
but all their merryment
 returned to greet anoye.

for the saylors & the shipmen,
 throughe ffoule excesse of wine,
they were soe amazed tha t on the sea
 they showed themselues like swine.

the sterne no man cold guide,
 the M aster sleeping Lay,
the saylors all besyde
 went reeling euerye way,

soe tha t the shipp att randome rode
 vpon the ffominge ffloode,
wherby in p er ill of their liues
 these princes alway stoode,

w hi ch caused distilling teares
 from their faire eyes to ffall,
their harts were filled w i th ffeare,
 No Ioy they had att all,

thé wished themselues vpon the land
 1000 times and more;
then att they last they come in sight
 of Englands pleasant shore.

then euery one began
 to turne these siges to smiles,
their coulours pale and wan
 a cheerfull looke Exiles

the princelye Lords most louinglye
 their Ladyes doe embrace;
“In england,” q uo th they “wee shalbe
 within a litle space.”

“take comforts to yo u r selues,”
 thus euerye one did say,
“& be no more dismayd;
 behold the Land att Last!”

but as they did thus cheerfullye
 their comfort to attaine,
then soddainlye vpon a rocke
 the shipp itt burst in twayne.

w i th tha t a greiuous scrike
 among them there was made,
& euery one did seeke
 on something to be stayd

but all in vaine! such helpe thé lacke
 the shipp soe soone did sinke
tha t in the seas they were constrained
 to take their latest drinke.

there might you see the Lords
 and Ladyes ffor to lye
amidst the salt sea ffome,
 w i th many a greiuous crye

still laboured for their liues defence
 w i th streched armes abroad,
& lifting vpp their Lilly hands
 for helpe w i th one accordd.

but as good ffortune wold,
 the sweete young duke did gett
into the Cockebotte then,
 where safelye he did sitt

but when he heard his si[s]ter crye,
 the K ing s faire daughter deere,
he turned his boate to take her in
 whose death did draw soe neere;

but while he turned his boate
 to take his sister in,
the rest such shifft did make
 in seas as they did swimn,

for to the boate a number gott,
 soe many att the Last,
tha t the boate & all tha t was therin
 was drowned & ouer cast.

of Lords & gentlemen,
 & ladyes ffaire of fface,
not one escaped then;
 this was a heauinesse!

60 tye and ten were drowned in all,
 not one escaped death
but one pore bucher, who had swoome
 himselfe quite out of breath

w hi ch was most heauy newes
 vnto our comlye Kinge;
all mirth hee did refuse,
 this word when he did bringe,

where by this meanes no child wee had
 his Kingdome to succeede.
his sisters sonne was crowned K inge ,
 as wee may plainly reede.