HISTORY OF THE CIVIL WARS. BOOK V. The Argument. Heary the V. cuts off his enemy, The Earl of Cambridge, that conspir'd his death, His, and his country's glory ruineth. Suffolk, that made the match, preferr'd too high, What means the Duke of York observ'd, to gain I. CLOSE Imother'd lay the low depreffed fire, "Can England fee the best that she can boast IV. "Why do you seek for feigned palladines, "(Out of the fmoke of idle vanity) "Who may give glory to the true designs "Of Bourchier, Talbot, Nevile, Willoughby? His conqu'ring troops; that could no thoughts" Why fhould not you strive to fill up your lines, "With wonders of your own, with verity? "Tenflame their offspring with the love of good, "And glorious true examples of their blood. XXVII. For being of mighty means to do the deed, And yet of mightier hopes than means to do; (c) ------Docet talerare laberes; non jubet. (d) Richard Earl of Cambridge, the fecond fon to Edmund Langley, Duke of York; married Anne, the daugh ter of Roger Mortimer, Earl of March, defcended from Lioael Duke of Clarence, the third fon to King Edward III. by whole right, Richard Duke of York, fon to this Earl of Cambridge, afterwards claimed the crown. And yet of spirit that did his hopes exceed; (Being pow'rs enough a climbing mind to woo) XXVIII. The well-known right of th' Earl of March allur'd A leaning love; whose cause he did pretend : Whereby he knew that fo himself procur'd The crown for his own children in the end. For the earl being (as he was affur'd) Unapt for iffue; it muft needs defcend On thofe of his, being next of Clarence race, As who by course of right should hold the place. XXIX. It was the time, when as the forward prince Had all prepar'd for his great (ƒ) enterprise; And ready ftand his troops to part from hence, And all in stately form and order lies; When open fame gives out intelligence, Of these bad complots of his enemies. Or elfe this time of purpose chofen is; Though known before, yet let run on till this. XXX. That this might yield the more to aggravate Upon fo foul a deed untimely fought, Now at this point t' attempt to ruinate So glorious a defign fo forward brought; Whilft careful virtue feeks t' advance the state, And for her everlasting honour fought: That though the cause seem'd right, and title ftrong; The time of doing it yet makes it wrong. But ftrait an unlamented death he had. And ftrait were joyfully the anchors weigh'd, And all flock fast aboard with visage glad; As if the facrifice had now been paid For their good speed, that made their stay so fad, Lothing the least occasion that delay'd. And now new thoughts, great hopes, calm feas fair winds, With present action entertain their minds. No other crofs, O Henry, faw thy days But this, that touch'd thy now poffeffed hold; Nor after long, till this man's (g) fon afsays To get of thine the right that he controul'd; For which contending long, his life he pays. So that it fatal feem'd, the father should Thy winning feek to stay; and then his fon Should be the cause to lofe, when thou hadst wen. And yet fuch wrongs are held meet to be done, Who would have thought that mischief could A way, fo foon, to lofe what was attain'd? XLI. With what contagion, France, didst thou infect This land, by thee made proud, to difagree? T'enrage them fo, their own (words to direct Upon themfelves, that were made fharp in thee? Why didft thou teach them here at home t' erect Trophies of their blood, which of thine should be? Or was the date of thine affliction out; And so (by course) was ours to come about? XLII. But that untimely death of this (b) great king, And made his peace the lefs, his plague the Yet fo ill accidents unfitly fell, That their defigns could hardly prosper well. His father's end, in him no fear could move, (b) Henry V. reigned nine years and ten months, and died in the 36th year of his age. (i) Henry VI. fcarce one year old when he began his reign, was committed to the charge ofthe two good duke Bedford and Glocester, his uncles, XLVII. And how much better for him had it been, "T' endure a wrong with peace, than with fuch " toil ชา "T" obtain a bloody right?---Since right is fin, "That is ill fought, and purchafed with spoil." But this fo wretched ftate are kingdoms in, Where one man's caufe fhall all the reft embroil: "And oft t' advance a tyrant to a crown, "Men run't' undo the state that is their own," XLVIII. And yet that opportunity which led Who both the land and him did much abufe: LIV. With fuch a weak-good, feeble-godly king, Hath Richard Duke of York his cause to try; Who by th' experience of long managing The wars of France with fupreme dignity; And by his own great worth, with furthering The common good against the enemy, Had wrought, that zeal and love attend his might, And make his fpirit equal to his right. LV. For now the Duke of Bedford being dead, He is ordain'd the (4) regent to fucceed In France, for five years: where he travel'd With ready hand, and with as careful heed, To feek to turn back fortune, (that now fled) And hold up falling pow'r in time of need: And got and loft; and re-attains again, That which again was lost for all his pain. LVI. His time expir'd, he should for five years more Have had his charge prolong'd; but (1) Somerset, That still had envy'd his command before, That place and honour for himself did get : Which adds that matter to th' already flore Of kindled hate, which fuch a fire doth fet Unto the touch of a confounding flame, As both their bloods could never quench the fame. LVII. And now the weakness of that feeble head (That doth neglect all care, but his foul's care) So eafy means of practice minift'red Unto th' ambitious members, to prepare Their own defires to what their humours led; That all good actions coldly followed are, And fevral tending hopes do wholly bend To other now than to the public end. LVIII. And to draw on more speedy mifery, The king unto a fatal match is led, With (m) Rayner's daughter, King of Sicily ; Whom, with unlucky ftars, he married. For by the means of this affinity, Was loft all that his father conquered; Ev'n as if France had fome Erynnis fent, T'avenge their wrongs done by the infolent. LIX. This marriage was the (a) Earl of Suffolk's deed, With great rewards won to effect the fame; (A) The Duke of York made regent in France, after the death of the Duke of Bedford. (1) Edmund Duke of Somerset, a great enemy of the Duke of York. (This Rayner was Duke of Anjou, and only enjoyed the title of King of Sicily. (n) William de la Pule, Earl of Suffolk, after created Duke of Suffolk, the chiefeft inftrument in this marriage; which was folemnited, anno regni 23. between the king and the Lady Margaret, daughter to Rayner Duke of An jou; to whom was delivered up the duchy of Anjou, and the county of Main, upon the conclufion of the inatch. |
