ΔΑΦΝΙΣ ΠΟΛΥΣΤΕΦΑΝΟΣ.
An Eclog treating Of Crownes, and of Garlandes, and to whom of right they appertaine.
Addressed, and consecrated to the Kings Maiestie.
By G. B. Knight.
Iohn
Morris.
AT LONDON Printed by G. Eld for Thomas Adams. 1605.
Quatuor hasce cruces clypeo coniunxit in vno (Quas ergò nemo separet) ipse Deus.
INVICTO, PACIF. FOEL. AVG. CHRISTIANISS. FIDEI DEFENSORI, IACOBO D. G. MAGNAE BRITANNIAE, GALLIAE, & HIBERNIAE REGI, DOMINO SVO CLEMENTISS. HAEC STEMMATA, & DIADEMATA, I. HAS GENEALOGIAE AVG. ET IMPERII BRITANNICI LEVES ADVMBRATIONES, GEORGIVS BVCVS E Q. R. S P. C. L. M. D. D.
I haue aduentured to present your Maiestie, not with a faire pourtrait, but with a slight shadow of your imperiall greatnesse, Which I began long since, but then the end was in nubibus, or in abeiance (as our Lawyers say) for I could not finish it (according to my proiect) vntill such time as he, which should be sent, Expectatio gentium (Britannicatū) should come, who was ordained from aboue to weare all these crownes and garlands, and to reduce this whole Isle (with the hereditary Kingdomes, and Prouinces thereof) to one monarchie, and entire Empire, as they had been in the times of diuers ancient. British Saxon, and some English kings of the Norman, or Danish race, as it shall hereafter appeare. The foundation of this great worke hath bin layd, by many Kings your Maiesties ancestors (I meane by alliance, not by armes for those plots were frustrate) but as lately by King Henry the eight when he mediated the mariage of his sonne the Prince of England with the Princesse of Scotland your Maiesties mother:Vide R [...]. Ascam [...]in Toxophil. of the Iustnes of this vnion. as also in this maner many ages before the good king Malcolm Capito, vt Buchanā. Cammoir proiected this worke (and that with happy successe) by the mariage of Margaret daughter of the Saxon Prince Edward Exul, Buchanan rerū. Scotie. lib. 7. heire of the great Edgar) out of which royall bride-bed your Maiestie is issued. Likewise Alexander the first maried Sibilla eldest daughter of William Duke of Normandy king of England. The first Dauid also king of Scotland maried Matilda daughter of the Earle Waldeof and of Iudith neece to the said King William: King Alexander the second maried Ioan Plantagenet daughter of King Iohn. King Alexander the third maried Margaret Plantagenet daughter of King Henry the third. King Dauid the second maried Ioan Plantagenet daughter of King Edward the [Page] second. King Iames the first maried Ioane daughter of the Duke of Somerset Grandchild to King Edward the third. King Iames the fourth your Maiesties great Grandfather maried Margaret eldest daughter of King Henry the seauenth, and of Queene Elizabeth Plantagenet daughter and heire of King Edward the fourth. But these Princes maried onely but daughters of England; but You (most sacred Prince) the great IACOB,An Do. 1603. Iul 25. ap. Westminster. enthronized vpon the Patriarke Iacobs fatall stone, and vpon Saint Iacobs Festiuall espoused solemnely faire England her selfe. And all the former matches were but preparatiues, & (as I said) foundations of this great worke, which your Maiesty (whom I may now call an English man, as well for being descended from so many English Princes, as also for that your Maiesties Father was an English man, and your mother Princesse, and heire of England) hath by diuine preordinance now finished and accomplished in plenitudine temporum; and that by iust right, for in your sacred person are iointly met, and coalesced, the royall blouds, interests, and titles not onely of all Great Britaine, but also of France and Ireland. Which to prooue will not require much search, nor study, for they are euident, and I will for breuities sake but thus point at them. For some of them namely Scotland (the Crowne and Scepter whereof (missa per innumeros auos) your Maiestie hath borne from your infancy) all men know and acknowledge your ancient royall right,His Maiesties title to Scotland & to Ireland. G. Buchan. and estate therein. And your Maiesties title to Ireland will be manifest in your Genealogie herein deduced from that great Plantagenet King Henry the second,Lionel Plantag. Du. of Clarence, third sonne of king Ed. 3. maried Eliz. daugh & heire of VVil. Murc-Burk Erle of Vlster L. of Connacht: from whom the Dukes of York are descended. Camden in Hiber. the first English Prince Lord of Ireland, & from his heroycall posteritie (as well Marches as others) who haue been continually seysed thereof vntill this day. His Maiesties title to France, see it more a [...] large in the Argumēt So likewise your Maiesties tytle to the Crowne of France sheweth it selfe clearly in the ancient possessions of these royall Plantagenets here presented, your Maiesties Progenitors first Dukes of Normandy, then of Aquitaine, Earles of Poictow, of Aniow, of Maine, of Touraine, and of [Page] Britaine, and after of Angolesme: And lastly Kinges of all France in the right of Isabell or Elizabeth sole daughter, and heyre of Philip le bel King of France mother of King Edward the third,Vide 1. Froissar à Tom [...] who made a most renowned and happy entry vpon that his royall inheritance: & hee his great heires were not onely titulare Lords, but also actuall possessors of France many yeares, and yet to this day in token of that ancient right) haue seysine of a Gersey, Garnesey, Aldern [...]y, &c. are parcels of Normandy, and so consequently of France yet possessed by the K. of Eng. part of that kingdome, notwithstanding that counterfeit hethenish law Salica maintained by all the power of France many ages against them.
His Maiesties title frō the British Kings. Your Maiesties tytle, and descent from the ancient kings of great Britaine (and which is least knowne) may thus redily be deriued. The Welsh Bardes, as also our best heralds record thatRussin. Rhese ap-Gruffith (surnamed Atgluid) prince of Southwales about the yeere of our Lord 1196. (and issued from Cadwallader the last British King) had a daughter namedFaire Iulian. Gwenlhian maried to Edmund. Edneuet Vachan Lord of Bransencle, and chiefe Iustice of Wales, and bare to him a sonne called Gerion, or Ieronim. Grono, this Grono hadTheodore. Tedor, Tedor had Grono, Grono had Tedor, Tedor had Veridik. Meredith, Meredith had Owen. Which Owen maried Catherine (widow of king Henry the fift, and daughter of the French king Charles the sixt) by whom hee had Edmond creaeted Earle of Richmond by King Henry the sixt, his brother vterine. And this Edmond was father of King Henry the seauenth, who was father of Queene Margaret your Maiesties great granmother, &c. But some deriue your Maiesties British race from a namelesse, & a good namelesse daughter of Gruffith ap Leolhin (a Prince [...]f Wales about the yeere 1051) vpon whom (as they pretend) Fleanchus thane,D. Povvel in Historie of the Princes of Wales. or Steward of Abria flying into Wales for suc [...]our) begat vnlawfully a sonne, who should be ancester to all the [...]hiefe Stewards to this day: But this being not acknowledged by [...]he best Scotish Historiographers, & the thing not honourable, I may well pretermit it. Lastly, to finish all these your Maiesties [Page] natiue titles to these many Diadems mentioned in this Poësy, I haue inserted a Genealogy of the Saxon Kings drawne from the first vniter of the heptarchye,His Maiesties title from the Saxon kings. and the Godfather of Anglia King Egbert vnto Matilda the Empresse, daughter and heyre of King Henry the first, and mother of this great Plantagenet King Henry the second, ancester of all the English Kings vntill this day. And from him this poesy is a continued pedegree vnto Queene Elizabeth the first, and from Her to your Maiesty, and to your Maiesties most excellent Sonne Henry, The Prince of Great Britaine.
Now it resteth that I answere, or excuse some faults found in this Poesy. for some note that I am too long in my induction, notwithstanding I propound in the first stanze. Others reproue me because I began no higher. Others charge me that I haue concealed, and coloured the faultes of bad Princes.
The first obiection is answered in it selfe. The second i [...] answered in the Argument following. The third may not onely be answered but maintained by the rule of Christian charity,1. Peter. 4. Math. 7. which (as the Apostle teacheth) operit multitudinem peccatorum, and the Euangelicall law of Talion prescribeth Quaecun (que) Vultis vt faciant vobis homines, & vo [...] facite illis. And I my selfe claim: the benefit hereof, for I confesse I haue other faults besides these. I am ignorant, I am poore,M. Scaurus ita suit patritius vt 3. supra cum etatibus iacuerit domus eius fortuna, &c. and I am as obscure as M. Scaurus was (of whom As [...] Pedianus maketh mention) and so haue been euer since th [...] fatall iourney at Bosworth: and had then perished vtterly had not the Princely Humanity of the great suruiuing Howard preserued my young orphan ancester: which with my best seruice (as I am bound) I will euer acknowledge to tha [...] most illustrious family of Norfolke the Durateus equus o [...] great Captaines, graue Counsellours, high Seneschalles Marshals, Treasorers, and Admirals of England: besides many other herïocall Gentlemen fortunate, and faithfull to the [Page]
I. W. S. delineauit.
[Page] [Page] Crowne, and Kingdomes.
But to conclude shortly, whatsoeuer be the faults of the booke, or of the Buc I most humbly submit them to your Maiesties most gracious censure, who (next to the omnipotent Lord of Lords) are vitae, & necis Arbiter, Vite, & neele gentibus arbit Seneca. and not onely the supreme, and highest iudge but (which is best) the best iudge. i. the most wise, the most learned, and the most clement iudge.Quicquid dominatur vim Dei habet. Artemidorus. And so therefore eftsoones prostrating my selfe, my small talent, (or rather mites) and all at your sacred feete; not seeking either praise, or thankes, nor so much as one branch or leafe of any of these your many Garlands, but with the old Poet
And with the new inauguratorie hymne still pray to the Almighty that.
AMEN.
THE PREFACE, OR Argument of this Poësy.
DAmaetas hauing long bin a woodman had obserued the natures, & propertyes of many trees, and apprehended there was some mistery, and some peculiar maiesticall matter in the Genest, more then he could discipher. Whereupon hee went to Silenus a man of great learning and authoritie (for he was held a Pro [...]het) and exposeth to him his conceit, and prayeth earnestly his ayde. Silenus entertaineth him curteously, and is very willing, (and by the meanes of a late accident) well able to rese [...]ue him: for (saith he): there was a complaint mad [...] [...]ately to our great God Apollo against certaine vnworthy fellowes, which presumptuously tooke garlands of his ancient tree the Laurell without leaue. Whereat he hauing indignation, determined to take order for that, and such like abuses. And foorthwith calling the Muses to counsell in Helicon established ordinances for the due wearing of that & of al other Ghirlands. And because the ancient Ghirlands were abused, & prophaned with common and vnworthy vse, hee made choice of a new tree (viz) the Genest, and instituted Ghirlands thereof, and gaue to them praerogatiues aboue the rest, & appropriated them to one imperial family seated in Britania, or Albion rather. Vide stanz 17. and it is taken out of Orpheus in his Argonaut: where Ma. Camden rather readeth [...] then [...]. Albion or Alba, rather then Pinaria, and iudiciously. Leuceessa: & with expresse [Page] defence that none else should weare them. And that not all the Princes of this family should haue Garlands hereof, but to some of them better deseruing should be permitted a chappelet, and to the rest but a branch, or Plante of the Genest. But the chiefe Garland of Genest complete and adorned with diuers sacred flowers should be reserued for his fauorite Daphnis (the most puissant, and the most vertuous, and (in briefe) the most true heroycall Prince of that imperiall race) ordained long-since by the highest aeternall wisedome to reconcile the olde, and vnnaturall fewd betweene Locrine, and Albanact, to reduce all the Britannik Isles into one entyre monarchy, to restore the ancient vnity of religion, lawes, and language in this great Iland, and finally to extend the limit of his Empyre as farre, as they were in the times of Albion, of Brutus, of Artur, of Edgar, or of any other our monarkes, whose dominions were largest. Thus farre Apollo's decree.
After this Silenus declareth more particularly, who, and what these royall Worthyes were, which should beare, or weare Chappelets, or Garlāds of the Genest tree, and lastly the Garland complete.
Beginning with that great Henry sonne of the Empresse Matilda (the first King of this Iland surnamed Plantagenet) and so deducing a genealogy from him through his royall posterity to our present sacred Soueraign IAMES, He was also surnamed Courtmantel. his now next heire, and nephew, whom the Prophet herein styleth the true [Page] Polystephanus, the Peace-maker, King Arturs successor, great Aedgars heire, high Seneschall of Albion, the great Briton &c. And crowneth his head with this imperiall Polyanthine Ghirland, and his raigne with all the blessings of peace, victory, long life, a rare fayre wife, hopefull Princely issue, and a perpetuall succession of their posterity in the Empire of great Britain.
And now to that obiection touched in the dedicatory, and made because I deriue not this title, and genealogy from some of the ancient monarkes of this Isle Britons, or Saxons, or at the least from King William the Conquerour, I must answere that to haue chosen any of the most ancient Kings, I must haue looked so farre backe, as I should not onely haue made this Eclog ouer-long, and tedious, but also haue lost my selfe in the cloudes of obscurity by soring too high amongst them (as they know, which know what our ancient storyes bee.) But as for William the Conquerour there be many reasons why I should not begin with him (although I goe as neere him, as his sonnes daughter) for firstly, he was a bastard, (and yet not that of the blood royall of England) hauing no title to the Crowne but violence, and his sword as he confessed,Vide lib. S. Stephani Cadomensis de Gulielmo conqu [...]storre editum. an. 1603. and thereof had remorse of conscience at his death. Secondly he was neuer possessed of the one halfe of Britain, for hee had neither Scotland, nor Wales, and in Ireland he not one foote. Furthermore Girard Du-Haillan and other [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] French antiquaries according to their Salike heraldry say that his lyne ended in his sonne King Henry the first: for all they holde as a maxime, (La famille se continué es masles, Philosalicus. et se finist aux filles.) And yet Du-Haillan (notwithstāding, or forgetting this) affirmeth in an other place, that the race of the Kings of England issued out of the house of Aniow (viz) from our great Henry, In Summaire des ducs, et contes d' Aniov. and his ancesters) continueth vntill this day. From whom there be many reasons on the other side, why I should deduce the genealogy of our Kings passed, and of our present Soueraigne Lord King IAMES: for this great Henry was not onely rightfull heire,K. Henry the second, the greatest king &c and King of England, but also the greatest King (of whom there is any credible story extant) which hath been in this Isle of Britain since the time of the Romaine Emperous (who were reputed Lords of all the world) and which thus I demonstrate, and briefly. He was King of England in the right of his mother Matilda the Empresse, daughter and heire to King Henry the first, by Matilda Bona daughter of King Malcolm Canmoir, King Malcolm knighted this K. H. the secōd at fifteene yeeres of age, Novbrig. who writeth much in the honour of this king Malcolm. lib. 2. cap. 20. and of Margaret his wife, who was the daughter of Edward Exul the Saxon Prince the sonne of Edmond Ironside King of England Anno Dom. 1016. This Edmond was sonne and heyre to King Etheldred, who in ancient charters is written Totius Britanniae rex (quod nota) because a late Anonymus in a little booke dedicated to his Maiesty, affirmeth that neuer any Prince was king of this whole Isle vntill now: But he is deceiued for [Page] (besides Constantius Chlorus and his sonne our countriman Constantine the great, Constans, Aurelius Ambrosius, Vter, & others (which were Lords of all great Britaine) Edgar also the father of this King Etheldred was absolute Monarke of this Isleland, and so puissant in forces both by land, and sea, as hee was surnamed the Great, and was stiled Totius Albionis basileus, & Anglici orbis basileus (as G. Malmesburiensis & Florentius Wigorniensis witnesse. Whereupon (to note also by the way) some thinke that the word Anglia was sometimes vsed for the whole Isle,Britannia ab aduentu Saxonum in insulam appellatur Anglia Ioān. Salisbur, in Policratico. and which Ion Lidgate disertly asseuereth in King Arthurs complaint in these words, Great Britain now called England: so likewise doth Geffrey Chaucer in the Franklins tale (viz.) In England, that Clepid was Britain: And Ranulfus Cestrensis a grauer Authour peremptorily affirmeth that King Egbert after his conquests ordained,Ranulfus Higeden in Polichronic. and commaunded that the Saxons, and Iutes should bee called Angles, and that Britain should bee called England: But I leaue this to be discussed by antiquaryes. And to returne to the ancient Saxon Kings progenitors of this Henry, and also possessors of this whole Isle (as I will shew for the better confirmation of that, which I haue said against the opinion of this Anonymus.) In diuers ancient records and charters of donations of these kings to Monasteries, and to Cathedrall Churches, and in other ancient monuments, I haue obserued these seuerall stiles,
[Page] Ex archiuis Ciscestreasis Ecclesiae by the fauour of the reuerend D. Hen. Blaxtoa Ch [...]unce [...]lor. Ego Athelstanus rex Anglorum anno Dominicae incarnationis D. CCCCXXX. r [...]gni verò mihi gratis commissi VI. Indictione III. Epoch [...] Epactae xviii. Concurrente iiii. Nonis mensis Aprilis iii. Lunae rotigerae vaga, tionis i. per eiusdem omnipatrantis dextram totius BRITANNIAE regium solio sublimatus &c.
Ego Eadmundus rex Anglorum, ceterarum (que) gentium in circuitu persistentium Gubernator et rector An. Dom. 945. Ego Edredus rex terrenus sub imperiali potentiaregu seculorum, K Edred was vncle to Edgar Ingulf. aeterni (que) principis, magnae Britanniae temporale gerens imperium, &c. An. Dom. 948. Ego Edgarus totius Albronis monarcha &c. An. Dom. 966. And in another, Ego Edgarus totius Albionis, finitimorum (que) regum basileus. An. Dom. 974. These three last stiles I finde in the history of Ingulfus Abbot of Croyland transcribed by him from the Charters of that Monastery. And the other two before going, are copyed out of the records of the Cathedrall Church of Chicester, as also these three next following. Ego Eadwis [...], sub. rex. This Eadvvis or Edvvin was elder brother to the great Edgar. basileon totius Albionis &c. An. Dom. D.CCCC.LVI. imperii autem 1. An in another, Ego Eadwin rex gentium Albionis &c. And in the date of a charter of Bishop Brighthelmus, Anno 2. imperii Eadwin totius Albionis insulae imperantis. I finde also (in Asser Meneuensis) Aelured or Aelfred a more ancient Saxon King then these written Omnium Britān. insulae Christianorum rector. An. Dom. 872.Io. Asser in histor. de Gestis Ealfredi.
And Edward (surnamed Pius, and Confessor) was from the yeare of our Lord 1050. King of this whole [Page] Isle (if there be any credite to be giuen to our stories) and was stiled rex Albionis, as Ion Twine auoweth out of his charters giuen to the Abby of Abingdon. Io. Tvvinus in Albionicis. And that same King Etheldred before cited,I haue seene this charter in the hands of Ma. of Holland, a learned Gentleman, & a good antiquary. was stiled in the charters of Glastonbury, Aetheldred Anglicae nationis, caeterarum (que) gentium triniatim intra ambitum Britān. insulae degentium &c. basileus, and another K. in old inscription, Britanniae Anax: Sigillo. V. and many such more, which were too long to recite. And some kings of the Norman race (which is more rare) haue been so stiled For the Lord Bishop of Bristow voucheth a coine of King Ion, Ion B. of Bristow in his first treatise about the vnion. wherein is stamped Ioānes rex Britonum. but that coine which his Lordship shewed to me had the armes of little Britain vpon the reuerse: but his grandchild King Edward the firsty & after him king Edward the third were greater monarkes here then he.Vide Tho. VValshingham in K. Edvv. 1. & in Ed. 3. But this great Henry Plantagenets Empire extended beyond the bounds of the Britannish world; and his greatnes so farre exceeded all other kings his ancesters,Io. Praesul Carnotensis in Polycratico. that he was stiled Maximus Britanniae regum, as I will shew by and by, and by good right: for besides this his great Britain and Ireland, he was possessed of a great part of France, and by these titles.K. Edw. 3. erected Aquitain into a Princedome for his eldest sonne Edw. He was Duke of Normandy by right of inheritance from his granfather King Henry the first Duke of Normandy &c. He was Duke of Aquitain (that is) Gascoin, and Guien (sometimes a kingdome) and Earle of Poictow by the mariage of Queene Elianor daughter & heire of William DukeIcan de la Hay. [Page] of Aquitain and Earle of Poictow (whose wife Ieanne was daughter of Dauid king of Scots) he was Earle of Aniow (seminary of kings) of Touraine, and of Maine (his natiue country) by right of enheritance from his father Geoffrey Le Bel Earle of them all.Gyr. du Hailian en la sommaire des contes d' Aniovv. &c. He swayed all in litle Britain; which authority he acquired partly by the mariage of Constance daughter and heire of Conan Earle of Britain with his third sonne Geffrey Earle of Richmont, but chiefly by his swoord: as it appeareth by Gu: Neuburgensis, who then liued, and thus writeth.Lib. 11. cap. 18. Cum a potentioribus in Britannia inferiores premerentur, regis Anglorum auxilium expetentes, eius seditioni spontaneè subdiderunt &c. ipsos (que) potentes viribus subegit, sic (que) in breni tota Britannia potitus est. He also conquered Auuergne: and thus much for his possessions in France: and now to Ireland. He twise inuaded that kingdome, and by armes seconded with the letters of fauour of his good friend Pope Adrian (an Englishman) hee brought the discording Princes there,Giraldus Cambrens. in Hiber. expugnata & G. Càmden. to submit theyr differents and their tytles to him, and so obtained the possession of the Isle.
And as for those parts, & partyes in this our great Britain (viz) of Engl. Scotl. and Wales (which did not acknowledge his souerainty) hee reduced them in good time to the ancient subiection, and obedience, which they owed to the British, & Saxon kings his progenitors. The Welshmē in their stories acknowledge this, & in their loyalty & dueties (as the English) liuely [Page] expresse it euery day. But for the other (if any doubt be made) G. Neuburgensis (veridicus autor as Polidore Vergill obserueth him) will thus satisfie him, speaking of this K. Henry, G. Neuburg. lib. 2. cap. 38. & of Dauid K. of Scots his prisoner, being then both at Yorke. Occurrit eirex Scotorum cum vniuersis regni nobilibus, qui omnes in ecclesia beatissimi apostolorum principis, regi Angliae, tanquam principali domino hominium cum ligeantia (id est) solemni cautione standi cum eo, et pro eo contra omnes homines (rege proprio praecipiente) fecerunt. Ipse quo (que) rex Scotorum coram vniuersa multitudine nobilium vtrius (que) regni regem Anglorum modis solemnibus dominum suum, seque hominem et fidelem eius declarauit, ei (que) tria praecipua regni sui munimina (scilicet Rokesburk, Berwik, et Castellum puellarum loco obsidum tradidit &c. But Ion Bishop of Chartres maketh his Empyre yet much greater,Io. bish. Carnotensis in Polycratico. for hee boundeth it to the Southward with Spaine, and to the Northward with the Isles of Orkney, and mought as well (if it had pleased him) with the North pole (as Giraldus Cambrensis did) and then styleth him Maximum Britanniae regum 1. the greatest of the Kings of great Britaine vt supra: And Giraldus goeth further, for he compareth him with the great Alexander, and ascribeth (as some interpret) the first discouery of the West Indies (which was made by Madok, D. Povvell. a yonger son of Owin Gwineth Prince of Northwales An. Dom. 1170.) to this King, because it was done by his auspices: as we may as well also attribute to him [Page] the redeeming of our great Artur from the iniurious imputation of a fabulous Heros, because he caused his monument to be sought out (which was sunk deep within the ground in the Isle of Aualon) by the occasion of a Bardes song,D. Powel in the history of the Princes of Wales. which he heard in Pē broke. But I will set downe Giraldus his owne words written in maner of a Panegyrick to this king, and in my conceit elegant enough for those times. Certant cum orbe terrarum victoriae vestrae a Pyrenaeis enim montibus vsque in occiduos, Sil. Giraldus in Topographia Hiberniae cap. 47. & 48. Distinct. 3. et extremos Borealis Oceani fines Alexander noster occidentalis brachium extendisti. Quantum igitur his in partibus natura terras, tantum et victorias extulisti si excursuum tuorum metae quaerantur, prius deerit orbis, quam aderit finis. Animoso enim pectori cessare possunt terrae, cessare nesciunt victoriae, non deesse poterunt triumphi, sed materia triumphandi. Qualiter titulis vestris, et triumphis Hibernicus accesserit orbis? Quanta, et quàm laudabili virtute Occani secreta, et occulta naturae deposita transpentraueris &c? Qualiter fulguranti aduentus vestri lumine attoniti occidentales reguli tanquam ad lucubrum auiculae ad vestrum statim imperium conuolauerunt? And much more, which for breuity I omit.Ioan. Saresbur. in Policratico lib. 8. cap. 24. That which the Bishop of Chartres writeth of him before mentioned and promised, is thys: Rex illustris Anglorum Henricus secundus regum Britanniae maximus &c. circa Garumnam fulminat, et Tolosam falici cingens obsidione, non modò prouinciales, vs (que) ad Rhodanum, et Alpes territat sed munitionibus dirutis, populis (que) Profligatis. suba [...]lis (quasi vniuersis praesens. [Page] immineat) timore principes cōcussit Hispanos, et Gallos. And to these I will adde onely Will. of Neuboroughs elogie for a Corollarie.G. Neuburg. lib. 11. Regis supra omnes, qui vnquam hactenus in Anglia regnasse noscebantur, latius dominantis (hoc est) ab vltimis Scotiae finibus ad montesvs (que) Pyrenaeos nomen in cunctis regionibus celebre habebatur &c. Hunc finem habuit inclytus ille rex Henricus [...]. inter reges terrarum nominatissimus, et nulli eorūvel amplitudine opū, vel faelicitate successuū secundus. And thus much for the testimony of the greatnes of his conquests, & of his Empire▪ as for his other greatnesses (viz) of his wisedome, of his iustice, of his magnanimity, of his bounty and other heroycall vertues I shall not need to produce any proofe, for his wise and politik administration of his great affayres, and estate, his victoryes and hygh acheeuements secretly intimate them at the full. He was also well learned, as Giraldus affirmeth,Gyral. Cambr. and (which was his best prayse) he was very charytable, and pious, (incomparabilis Eleemosynarum largitor, et praecipuus terrae Palestinae sustentator.) And Radulph de Diceto writeth that in the time of an extreame dearth in Aniow and Maine hee releeued with bread ten thousand people dayly from Aprill till haruest.An Dom. 1176. And William of Newborough addeth that he receiued with great deuotion the character of the sacred Militia for the recouery of the holy land.Vide S. Giraldum in Topograp. Hibern. Distinct. 3. cap. 48. & in Hiber. expugnala lib. 1. cap. 45. And afterward (because he was not able to goe by reason of infirmities, and for the great daungers wherein his estate should stand [Page] in his absence which Giraldus sheweth) hee gaue toward this expedition the summe of 47. M. li. or there abouts.Io. Sto. in Anna [...] Iean de la Haye also writeth that hee built S. Andrews Church in Bourdeaux, and S. Peters in Poitiers, and founded a Bishops sea there, and enlarged the towne by the one halfe. Hee reedified the Abby at Waltham in Essex, Fabian. [...]du Haillan es contes, & D. d' Aniov. and the Charterhouse of Witham in Wiltshire. He repaired and much beautified the Monastery of font Euerard (or Fronteuaux) neere Egle in Normandy: and founded the Priories of Staneley, He loued Hunting and hauking exceedingly. Girald. and of Douer. He also began the stoneworke of London bridge, which was finished by his Sonne King Ion (or caused to be finished) for it is all one to a common wealth.He first kept Lyons, & made of the armes of Normandy (viz) the two Leopards, and of the single Lyon of Aquitain one coate of armes for Engl. as it is yet borne. Nic. Vpton. And he instituted the circuits of the Iudges: and not to be tedious in the enumeration of such particulars) in a word he was (as Ion Carnotensis who knew him well) testifieth, rex optimus apud Britānias, Normanorum, et Aquitanorum dux faelicissimus, Io. Carnotensis. lib. 16. cap. 18. et primus tam amplitudine rerum, quam splendore VIRTVTVM. Quam strenuus quam magnificus, And much more, and much and in his honour writeth Giraldus in Hiberna pugnata. lib. 1. & G. Nevbrig. lib. [...]. cap. 25. Wherunto for breuity I recommend. the Reader. quam prudens, et modestus quam pius ab ipsa (vt ita dicam infantia) fuerit, nec ipse liuor silere, nec dissimulare potest: cum opera recentia, et manifesta sint &c. And after those his great workes, and all his high achiuements, his victoryes, his trophees of his heroycall, and christian vertues, and a long and happy raigne, he departed at Chinon in Touraine, in the 35. yeere of his raigne, and in the 61. yeere of his age An. Do. 1189. and was with all due funerall pompe enterred, [Page] at Fronteuaulx, and vpon his tombe had this inscription engrauen.
Thus this great Henry left his great name, and his glory to the world: and his Kingdomes and his dominions to his posterity the Princes aranged, and enrouled in this following Poesy. Vnto which his Empire I dare affirme, & vpon the present allegata, et probata conclude, that neuer any Prince heyre generall of this kingdome had so many, so ancient, & so lawfull titles as Hee, to whose happy inauguration this humble verse is consecrated.
AN ECLOG, Entituled ΔΑΦΝΙΣ ΠΟΛΥΣΤΕΦΑΝΟΣ, betwixt Damaetus a Woodman, and Silenus the Prophet of the Shepheards, • DAMAETAS. , and • SILENVS.
L' ENVOY au Roy.
πολυχρονιον.
The Hymne inauguratory for his Maiestie: mentioned in the Epistle D.D.
AMEN.
Epigrammatis S. Regi Iacobo Iampridem Hantoniae regiae oblati exemplar, cuius mentio est Stanza. 49.
Aliud de symbolo nummi noui.
Faults escaped in the Printing.
In the Epistle DD. in the marg. Vite for Vitae.
Arbit for Arbiter. fol. B.
In the Pręface. Britania for Britannia. fol. B. 2 in the Marg.
Conquestorre, for Conquestore. fol. B. 3. in the Marg.
Seditioni for se ditioni. fol. C.
In the Eclog, Datus for datur. stanz. 5. in the Marg.
Cars for Carrs. stanz. 32.
Hertford for Hereford. stanz. 32. in the Marg.
Abollished for abolished. stanz. 40.
? for: stanz. 42.
and eke for rarenes. read: and for hir rarenes. stanz. 42.
chardone, for chardons. stanz. 56.