❧A true note of the auncient Castles, famous Monuments, goodly Riuers, faire Bridges, fine Townes, and courteous people, that I haue seene in the noble Countrie of Wales.
THrough sondrie Soyles,
The Authors troublesome life briefely set downe.
and stately Kingdomes ritch,Long haue I traest, to tread out time and yeares:
Where I at will, haue surely seene right mitch,
As by my works, and printed bookes appeares.
And wearied thus, with toyle in forrayne place,
I homeward drue, to take some rest a space:
But labouring mynd, that rests not but in bed,
Began a fresh, to trouble restles hed.
Then newfound toyles, that hales men all in haste,
To runne on head, and looke not where they goe:
Bade reason ride, where loue should be enbraste,
And where tyme could, his labour best bestowe.
To Wales (quoth Wit), there doth plaine people dwell,
So mayst thou come, to heauen out of hell:
For Fraunce is fine,
A short note of the nature of many Coū tries, with the disposition of the people there.
and full of faithlesse waies,Poore Flaunders grosse, and farre from happie daies.
Ritch Spayne is proude, and sterne to straungers all,
In Italie, poysning is alwaies rife:
[Page]And Germanie, to Drunkennesse doth fall,
The Danes likewise, doe leade a bibbing life.
The Scots seeke bloud, and beare a cruell mynd,
Ireland growes nought, the people ware vnkynd:
England God wot, hath learnde such leawdnesse late,
That Wales methinks, is now the soundest state.
In all the rest, of Kingdomes farre or nere,
A commendation of the loyaltie of Welshmen.
A tricke or two, of treacherie staynes the Soyle:But since the tyme, that rule and lawe came here,
This Brittish land, was neuer put to foyle,
For foule offence, or fault it did commit:
The people here, in peace doth quiet sit,
Obayes the Prince, without reuolt or iarre,
Because they know, ethe smart of Ciuill warre.
A rehearsall of great strife and dissention that ruinated Wales.
Whiles quarrels rage, did nourish ruyne and wracke,And Owen Glendore, set bloodie broyles abroach:
Full many a Towne, was spoyld and put to sacke,
And cleane consum'd, to Countries foule reproach.
Great Castles raste, fayre Buyldings burnt to dust,
Such reuell raignde, that men did liue by lust:
But since they came, and yeelded vnto Lawe,
Most méeke as Lambe, within one yoke they drawe.
How Lawe and loue links men together like brethren.
Like brethren now, doe Welshmen still agree,In as much loue, as any men aliue:
The friendship there, and concord that I see,
I doe compare, to Bees in Honey hiue.
Which kéepe in swarme, and hold together still,
Yet gladly showe, to straunger great good will:
A courteous kynd, of loue in euery place,
A man may finde, in simple peoples face.
The accustomed courtesie of Wales.
Passe where you please, on Plaine or Mountaine wilde,And beare your selfe, in swéete and ciuill sort:
[Page]And you shall sure, be haulst with man and childe,
Who will salute, with gentle comely port
The passers by: on braues they stand not so,
Without good speech, to let a trau'ler go:
They thinke it dett, and duetie franke and free,
In Towne or fielde, to yéeld you cap and knee.
They will not striue,
No such theft and robberie in Wales as in other Countries.
to royst and take the way,Of any man, that trauailes through their Land:
A greater thing, of Wales now will I say,
Ye may come there, beare purse of gold in hand,
Or mightie bagges, of siluer stuffed throwe,
And no one man, dare touch your treasure now:
Which shewes some grace, doth rule and guyde them there,
That doth to God, and man such Conscience beare.
Behold besides, a further thing to note,
The best cheape cheare,
Victuals good cheape in most part of Wales.
they haue that may be found:The shot is great, when each mans paies his groate,
If all alike, the reckoning runneth round.
There market good, and victuals nothing deare,
Each place is filde, with plentie all the yeare:
The ground mannurde, the graine doth so encrease,
That thousands liue, in wealth and blessed peace.
But come againe,
A great rebuke to those that speakes not truely of Wales.
vnto their courteous shoe,That wins the hearts, of all that markes the same:
The like whereof, through all the world doe goe,
And scarce ye shall, finde people in such frame.
For méeke as Doue, in lookes and spéech they are,
Not rough and rude, (as spitefull tongues declare)
No sure they seeme, no sooner out of shell,
(But nature shewes) they knowe good maners well.
Good disposition neuer wants good maners.
How can this be, that weaklings nurst so harde,
(Who barely goes, both barefoote and vncled)
[Page]In gifts of mynd, should haue so great regarde,
Except within, from birth some grace were bred.
It must be so, doe wit not me deceaue,
What nature giues, the world cannot bereaue:
In this remaines, a secrete worke deuine,
Which shewe they rise, from auncient race and line.
Good & true Authors that affirmes more goodnesse in Wales than I write of.
In Authors old, you shall that plainly reade,Geraldus one, and learned Geffrey two:
The third for troth, is Venerable Beade,
That many graue, and worthie workes did doe.
What néedes this proofe, or genalogies here,
Their noble blood, doth by their liues appeare:
Their stately Townes, and Castles euery where,
Of their renowme, doth daily witnesse beare.
A description of Monmouth Shiere.
Two Riuers by Mōmouth, the one called Monnow, and the other Wye.
FIrst I begin, at auncient Monmouth now,That stands by Wye, a Riuer large and long:
I will that Shiere, and other Shieres goe throwe,
Describe them all, or els I did them wrong.
It is great blame, to writers of our daies,
That treates of world, and giues to Wales no praise:
They rather hyde, in clowde (and cunning foyle)
That Land than yéeld, right glorie to that Soyle,
King Henry the fifth.
A King of ours, was borne in Monmouth sure,Neere the Towne Sir Charles Harbert of Troy dwelt in a faire Seate called Troy.
The Castle there, records the same a right:And though the walles, which cannot still endure,
Through sore decay, shewes nothing fayre to sight.
In Seate it selfe, (and well plaste Citie old)
By view ye may, a Princely plot behold:
[Page]Good mynds they had,
At Wynestow now dwels Sir Thomas Harbert, a little from the same Troy.
that first those walles did raise,That makes our age, to thinke on elders daies.
The King here borne, did proue a péereles Prince,
He conquerd Fraunce, and raign'd nine yéeres in hap:
There was not here, so great a Uictor since,
That had such chaunce, and Fortune in his lap.
For he by fate, and force did couet all,
And as turne came, stroke hard at Fortunes ball:
With manly mynd, and ran a reddie way,
To lose a ioynt, or winne the Gole by play.
If Monmouth bring,
Maister Roger Ieames dwelt at Troy nere this Towne.
such Princes forth as this,A Soyle of grace, it shalbe calde of right:
Speake what you can, a happie Seate it is,
A trim Shiere towne, for Noble, Barron or Knight.
A Cittie sure, as free as is the best,
Where Size is kept, and learned Lawyers rest:
Buylt auncient wise, in swéete and wholesome ayre,
The Earle of Worcesters house and Castle.
The Earle of Penbroke that was created Earle by King Edward the 4. buylt the Castell of Raggland sumptuously at the first.
Earle of Worcester Lord hereof.
A faire bridge. Maister Lewis of Saint Peere dwelles neere that.
Where the best sort, of people oft repayre.
Not farre from thence, a famous Castle fine,
That Raggland hight, stands moted almost round:
Made of Freestone, vpright as straight as line,
Whose workmanship, in beautie doth abound.
The curious knots, wrought all with edged toole,
The stately Tower, that lookes ore Pond and Poole:
The Fountaine trim, that runs both day and night,
Doth yéeld in showe, a rare and noble sight.
Now Chepstowe comes, to mynd (as well it may)
Whose Seate is set, some part vpon an hill:
And through the Towne, to Neawport lyes a way,
That ore a Bridge, on Wye you ride at will.
This Bridge is long, the Riuer swift and great,
The Mountaine bigge, about doth shade the Seate:
[Page]
Sir Charles Sommerset at the Grange doth dwell now.
The craggie Rocks, that ore the Towne doth lye.Of force farre of, doth hinder viewe of eye.
The common Port, and Hauen is so good,
It merits praise, because Barkes there doe ride:
Sir William Morgan that is dead dwelt at Pennycoyd.
To which the Sea, comes in with flowing flood,And doth foure howers, aboue the Bridge abide.
Beyond the same, doth Tyntterne Abbey stand,
As old a Sell, as is within that Land:
Harbert of Colbroke buryed there.
Chepstow. In the Castle there is an ancient tower called Longis tower, wherby rests a tale to be considered of.
Of this Earle is a great and worthie tale to be heard A peece of a petigree.
Earle Strongbowe was maried to the King of Lynsters Daughter in Ireland, and this Strongbowe wan by force of armes the Earledoms of Wolster & Tyroll.
Whereof as yet, the troth I haue not gote.
To Chepstowe yet, my pen agayne must passe,
Where Strongbow once, (an Earle of rare renowne)
A long time since, the Lord and Maister was
(In princely sort) of Castle and of Towne.
Then after that, to Mowbray it befell,
Of Norffolke Duke, a worthie knowne full well:
Who sold the samet, o William Harbert Knight,
That was the Earle, of Penbrooke then by right.
His eldest Sonne, that did succeede his place,
(Of Huntyngton: and Penbrooke Earle likewise)
Had but one childe, a Daughter of great race:
And she was matcht, with pompe and solempne guise,
To Somerset, that was Lord Chamberlaine,
And made an Earle, in Henry seuenths raigne:
Of him doth come, Earle Worster liuing nowe,
Who buildeth vp, the house of Raggland throwe.
A Creation of an Earle.
EDward by the grace of God, King most imperiall,
Of France, & England, & the Lord of Ireland therwithall,
To Archbishops, & Bishops all, to Abbotes and to Priors
To Dukes, to Earles, to Barrons, & to Sheriffes of the shires,
[Page]To Iustices, to Maiors, and chiefe of Townly gouernment,
To Baylieffes, & my lichefolke all, haue herewith greeting sent.
Knowe ye whereas we iudge it is a gracious Prince his parte,
To yéeld loue, fauour, and reward to men of great desarte:
Who of himselfe, his Royall house, and of the publique state,
Haue well deseru'd, their vertues rare euer to renumerate:
And to adorne with high reward, such vertue cléere and bright,
Stirs others vp to great attempts, and faintnes puts to flight.
We following on the famous course, ye former Kings haue run,
That worthie & approued wight, whose déedes most nobly dun,
Haue greatest things of vs deseru'd, we do intend to raise,
To fame and honors highest type, with gifts of Princely praise,
That truely regall are we meane, that valiant worthie Knight,
That William Herbert hath to name, & now L. Herbert hight.
Whose seruice whē we first did raigne, we did most faithful find.
When for our royal right we fought, which stil we call to mind:
To which we ad from then till now, continuall seruices,
Which many were whereof each one, to vs most pleasing is.
And chiefly when as lately now, his déedes did him declare,
A worthie Knight wherby he gayn'd, both fame and glorie rare:
When as that Rebell and our foe, euen Iasper Tudyrs sonne,
who said he Earle of Penbroke was, did westwales coast orerū.
And there by subtile shifts and force, did diuers sondrie waies
Anoy our State, and therewithall a vyle Sedition raise.
But there he gaue to him a fielde, and with a valiant hand
Orethrew him and his forces all, that on his part did stand.
And marching all along those Coasts, ye most he flew out right,
The rest he brake and so disperst, they gaue themselues to flight.
Our Castle then of Hardelach, that from our first daies raigne,
A refuge for all Rebels did, against vs still remaine:
A Fort of wonderous force, besiege about did he,
And tooke it, where in most mens mynds, it could not taken be.
He wan it & did make them yéeld, who there their saftie sought,
And all the Countrie thereabouts, to our obedience brought.
These therefore his most worthie Acts, we calling into minde,
His seruices and great desarts, which we praise worthie finde:
[Page]And for that cause we willing him, with honors royally
For to adorne, decke, and aduaunce, and to sublime on hye▪
The eight day of September, in the eight yéere of our Raigne▪
We by this Charter, that for ours shall firme for euer remaine▪
Of speciall grace and knowledge sure, sound and determinate,
And motiō méere him William doe, of Penbroke Count create
Erect, preferre, and vnto him the Title stile and state,
And name thereof and dignitie, foreuer appropriate,
As Earle of Penbroke and withall, we giue all rights that do
All honors and preheminence, that state perteyne vnto:
With which estate, stile, honor, great, and worthie dignitie,
By cincture of a Sword, we him ennoble reallie.
The Authors verses in the honor of noble mynds.
For that the sence, and worthie words were great,The seruice such, as merites noble fame:
The forme thereof, in verse I doe repeate,
And shewe likewise, the Lattin of the same.
He seru'd a King, that could him well reward,
And of his house, and race tooke great regard,
And recompenst, his manly doing right,
With honor due, to such a noble Knight.
Good men are made of, and bad men rebuked.
Where loyall mynd, doth offer life and all,For to preserue, the Prince and publique state:
There doth great hap, and thankfull Fortune fall,
As guerdon sent, by destnie and good fate.
No Soueraine can, forget a Subiects troeth,
With whose good grace, great loue and fauour goeth:
Great gifts and place, great glorie and renowne,
They get and gayne, that truely serues a Crowne.
And thou my Knight, that art his heire in blood,
Sir William Harbert of [...]nt Gillyans.
Though Lordship, land, and Ragglands stately towers,A female heire, and force of fortunes flood
Haue thée bereft, yet bearst his fruits and flowers:
[Page]His armes, his name, his faith and mynd are thyne,
By nature, nurture, arte and grace deuyne:
Ore Seas and Lands, these moue thée paynes to take,
For God, for fame, for thy swéete Soueraines sake.
❧Here followeth the Creation of an Earle of Penbroke in Latin.
EDwardus Dei gracia Rex Angliae & Fraunciae & Dominus Hiberniç, Archiepiscopis, Episcopis, Abbatibꝰ, Prioribus, Ducibus, Comitibus, Baronibus, Iusticiarijs, Vicecomitibus, Prepositis, Ministris, & omnibus Balliuis, & fidelibus suis, salutē. Sciatis quod cum felicis & grati admodum Regis munus censeamus, de se, de Regia domo, deque Republica & regno bene meritas personas, cōgruis amore, beneuolentia & liberalitate prosequi: denique & iuxta eximias probitates, easdem magnificentiùs ornare & decorare, quatenus in personis huiuscemodi congestis clarissimis virtutum praemijs ceteri, socordia ignauiaque sepositis ad peragenda pulcherrima quaeque facinora laude & gloria concitentur: Nos ne à maiorum nrō laudatissimis moribus discedere videamur, nostri esse officij putamus probatissimū nobis virum qui ob res ab se clarissimè gestas quàm maxima de nobis promeruit, condignis honorū fastigijs attollere & verè regijs insignire muneribus. Strenuum & insignem loquimur militē Willūm Herbert Dominum Herbart, iam defunctū, cuius in regni nostri primordijs obsequia gratissima tum nobis multipliciter impensa cum nrō pro iure decertaretur, satis ambiguè obliuisci non possumus accessere & de post in hoc vsque temporis continuata seruicia, que non parum nobis fuere complacita, presertim nuperimis hijs diebus quibus optimum se gessit militem, ac non mediocres sibi laudis & fame titulos comparauit. Hijs equidem iampridē cū Rebellis, hostisque nostri Iasper Owini Tedur filliū, nuper Pembrochiae se Comitem dicens, Walliae partes peruaderet, [Page] multaque arte ad contra nos & statum nostrum vilem populo seditionem concitandum truculentiam moliretur, societatis sibi ad eandem rem conficiendam electissimis viris fidelibus nostris arma cepit, confligendi copiam hostibus exhibuit, adeoque valida manu peruasus ab ipsis partes peruagatus est & nusquam eis locum permiserit quo nō eos complicesque affligauerit, vires eorūdem fregerit, morteque affecerit, seu desperantes in fugam propulerit, demum Castrum nostrum de Hardelagh nobis ab initio regni nostri contrarium, quo vnicum miseris patebat refugium, obsidione vallabat, quod capi impossible ferebatur, cepit, inclusos que ad deditionem compulit, adiacentem quo (que) primam omnem nostram Regiae Maiestati rebellem hactenus ad summam obedientiam reduxit. Haec itaque sua laudabilia obsequia, promeritaque memoriter & vt decet intimè recolentes volentesque proinde eundem Willūm condignis honoribus, regalibúsque praemijs ornare amplicare & sublimare, octauo die Septembris anno regni nostri octauo, per Chartam nostram de gratia nostra speciali ac ex certa scientia & mero motu nostris ipsum Willūm in Comitem Pembrochiae ereximus, praefecerimus, & creauerimus, & ei nomē, statum, stilum, titulum, & dignitatem Comitis Pembrochie cum omnibus & singulis preëminencijs honoribus & ceteris quibuscunque huius statui Comitis pertinentibus, siue congruis dederimus & concesserimus, ipsum (que) huiusmodi statu, stilo, titulo, honore, & dignitate per cincturam gladij insigniuerimus, & realiter nobilitauerimus.
This was set downe, for causes more then one,
The world beléeues, no more than it hath seene:
When things lye dead, and tyme is past and gone,
Blynd people say, it is not so we weene.
It is a tale, deuisde to please the eare,
More for delight, of toyes then troth may beare:
But those that thinks, this may a fable be,
To Authors good, I send them here from me.
[Page]First let them search, Records as I haue done,
Then shall they finde, this is most certaine true:
And all the rest, before I here begun,
Is taken out, not of no writers nue.
The oldest sort, and soundest men of skill
Myne Authors are, now reade their names who will:
Their workes, their words, and so their learning through,
Shall shewe you all, what troth I write of now.
BEcause many that fauoured not Wales (parsiall writers and historians) haue written & set downe their owne opinions, as they pleased to publish of that Countrey: I therefore a little degresse from the orderly matter of the booke, and touch somewhat the workes and wordes of them that rashly haue written more then they knewe, or well could proue.
As learned men, hath wrote graue works of yore,
So great regard, to natiue Soyle they had:
For such respect, I blame now Pollydore:
Because of Wales, his iudgement was but bad.
If Buckanan, the Scottish Poet late
Were here in sprite, of Brittons to debate:
He should finde men, that would with him dispute,
And many a pen, which would his works confute.
But with the dead, the quick may neuer striue,
(Though sondrie works, of theirs were little worth)
Yet better farre, they had not bene aliue,
Than sowe such seedes, as brings no goodnesse forth:
Their praise is small, that plucks backe others fame,
Their loue not great, that blots out neighbours name,
Their bookes but brawles, their bable bauld and bare,
That in disdaine, of fables writers are.
What fable more, then say they knowe that thing
They neuer sawe, and so giue iudgement streight:
[Page]And by their bookes, the world in error bring,
That thinks it reades, a matter of great weight.
When that a tale, of much vntroth is told:
Thus all that shines, and glisters is not gold:
Nor all the bookes, that auncient Fathers wrate
Are not alo'wd, for troth in euery state.
Though Caesar was, a wise and worthie Prince,
And conquerd much, of Wales and England both:
The writers than, and other Authors since.
Did flatter tyme, and still abuse the troth.
Same for a fee, and some did humors feede,
When sore was healde, to make a wound to bleede:
And some sought meanes, their patient still to please,
When body throwe, was full of foule disease.
The worldly wits, that with each tyme would wagge,
Were caryed cleane, away from wisedomes lore:
They rather watcht, to fill an emptie bagge,
Than touch the tyme, then present or before:
Nor car'd not much, for future tyme to come,
They rould vp tyme, like thréede about the thome:
And when their clue, on trifles all was spent,
Much rotten stuffe, vnto the garment went.
Which stuffe patcht vp, a péece of homely ware,
In Printers shop, set out to sale sometyme:
Which ill wrought worke, at length became so bare,
It neither seru'd, for prose nor pleasant ryme:
But past like that, and old wiues tales full vayne,
That thunders long, but neuer brings forth rayne:
A kynd of sound, that makes a hurling noyse,
To feare young babes, with brute of bugges and toyes.
But aged sires, of riper wit and skill,
Disdaines to reade, such rabble farst with lyes:
[Page]This is enough, to shewe you my goodwill
Of Authors true, and writers graue and wise.
Whose pen shall proue, each thing in printed booke,
Whose eyes withall, on matter straunge did looke:
And whose great charge, and labour witnesse beares,
Their words are iust, they offer to your eares.
Each Nation had, some writer in their daies
For to aduaunce, their Countrey to the Starres:
Homer was one, who gaue the Greekes great praise,
And honord not, the Troyans for their warres.
Liui among, the Romaines wrate right mitch,
With rare renowne, his Countrey to enritch:
And Pollidore, did ply the pen a pace,
To blurre straunge Soyles, and yéeld the Romaines grace.
Admit they wrate, their volumes all of troeth,
(And did affect, ne man nor matter then)
Yet writer sees, not how all matters goeth
In field: when he, at home is at his pen.
This Pollidore, sawe neuer much of Wales,
Though he haue told, of Brittons many tales:
Caesar himself, a Uictor many a way,
Went not so farre, as Pollidore doth say.
Kings are obayd, where they were neuer seene,
And men may write, of things they heare by eare:
So Pollidore, oft tymes might ouerwéene,
And speake of Soyles, yet he came neuer there.
Some runne a ground, that through each water sailes,
A Pylot good, in his owne Compasse failes:
A writer that▪ beléeues in worlds report,
May roue to farre, or surely shoote to short.
The eye is iudge, as Lanterne cléere of light,
That searcheth through, the dim and darkest place:
[Page]The gladsome eye, giues all the bodie sight,
It is the glasse, and beautie of the face.
But where no face, nor iudging eye doth come,
The sence is blynd, the spirit is deaffe and dome:
For wit can not, conceiue till sight send in
Some skill to head, whereby we knowledge win.
If straungers speake, but straungely on our state,
Thinke nothing straunge, though straungers write amis:
If straungers do, our natiue people hate,
Our Countrey knowes, how straunge their nature is.
Most straunge it were, to trust a forayne foe,
Or fauour those, that we for straungers knowe:
Then straungely reade, the bookes that straungers make,
For feare ye shroude, in bosome stinging Snake.
Polidorus Virgilius spake all of his owne nations praise, and sawe but little of Brittaine, nor loued the same.
The straungers still, in auncient tyme that wrate,Exalt themselues, and kéepes vs vnder foote:
As we of kynd, and nature doe them hate,
So beare they rust, and canker at the roote
Of heart, to vs, when pen to paper goeth,
Their cunning can, with craft so cloke a troeth,
That hardly we, shall haue them in the winde,
To smell them forth, or yet their finenesse finde.
Of force then must, you credite our owne men,
Venerable bede, a noble writer.
(Whose vertues works, a glorious garland gaynes)Who had the gift, the grace and arte of pen:
And who did write, with such sweete flowing vaynes,
Gildas, a passing Poet of Brittaine.
That Honey seem'd, to drop from Poets quill:I say no more, trust straungers and ye will,
Our Countrey breedes, as faithfull men as those,
As famous too, in stately verse or prose.
Sibilla, a deuine Prophesiar & writer.
And trueth I trowe, is likte among vs best:For each man frounes, when fabling toyes they heare,
[Page]And though we count, but Robin Hood a Iest,
And old wiues tales, as tatling toyes appeare:
Yet Arthurs raigne, the world cannot denye,
Such proofe there is,
Merilinus[?] Ambrosius, a man of hye knowledge & spirit.
the troth thereof to trye:That who so speakes, against so graue a thing,
Shall blush to blot, the fame of such a King.
Condemne the daies, of elders great or small,
And then blurre out, the course of present tyme:
Cast one age downe, and so doe orethrow all,
And burne the bookes, of printed prose or ryme:
Who shall beléeue, he rules or she doth raigne
In tyme to come, if writers loose their paine:
The pen records, tyme past and present both,
Skill brings foorth bookes, and bookes is nurse to troth.
Now followes the Castles and Townes neere Oske, and there aboutes.
A Pretie Towne,
A description of Oske.
calde Oske néere Raggland stands,A Riuer there, doth beare the selfesame name:
His Christall streames, that runnes along the Sands,
Shewes that it is, a Riuer of great fame.
Fresh water swéete, this goodly Riuer yéelds,
And when it swels, it spreads ore all the Féelds:
Great store of Fish, is caught within this flood,
That doth in déede, both Towne and Countrey good.
A thing to note,
Two Riuers nere together of seuerall natures, shewes a strange thing.
when Sammon failes in Wye,(And season there: goes out as order is)
Than still of course, in Oske doth Sammons lye,
And of good Fish, in Oske you shall not mis.
And this seemes straunge, as doth through Wales appeere,
In some one place, are Sammons all the yeere:
[Page]So fresh, so swéete, so red, so crimp withall,
As man might say, loe, Sammon here at call.
King Edward the fourth and his children, (as some affirme), and King Richard the third, were borne here.
A Castle there, in Oske doth yet remaine,A Seate where Kings, and Princes haue bene borne▪
It stands full ore, a goodly pleasant Plaine,
The walles whereof, and towers are all to torne,
(With wethers blast, and tyme that weares all out)
And yet it hath, a fayre prospect about:
Trim Meades and walkes, along the Riuers side,
With Bridge well built, the force of flood to bide.
Upon the side, of wooddie hill full fayre,
Castle Strogē doth yet remaine three myle from Oske, but the Castle is almost cleane downe.
This Castle stands, full sore decayde and broke:Yet builded once, in fresh and wholesome ayre,
Full néere great Woods, and many a mightie Oke.
But sith it weares, and walles so wastes away,
In praise thereof, I mynd not much to say:
Each thing decayd, goes quickly out of minde,
A rotten house, doth but fewe fauours finde.
In the Duchie of Lancaster, these three Castles are, but not in good plight any way.
Thrée Castles fayre, are in a goodly ground,Grosmont is one, on Hill it builded was:
Skenfreth the next, in Ualley is it found,
The Soyle about, for pleasure there doth passe.
Whit Castle is, the third of worthie fame,
The Countrey there, doth beare Whit Castles name,
A stately Scate, a loftie princely place,
Whose beautie giues, the simple Soyles some grace.
The Duke of Yorke once lay here, and now the Castell is in Maister Roger Willyams hands.
Two myles from that, vpon a mightie Hill,Langibby stands, a Castle once of state:
Where well you may, the Countrey view at will,
And where there is, some buildings newe of late.
A wholesome place, a passing plat of ground,
As good an ayre, as there abouts is found:
[Page]It seemes to sight, the Seate was plast so well,
In elders daies, some Duke therein did dwell.
Carleon now,
A description of Carleon.
step in with stately style,No feeble phrase, may serue to set thee forth:
Thy famous Towne, was spoke of many a myle,
Thou hast bene great,
Maister Morgan of Lanternam in a fayre house dwelles two mile from Carleon.
though now but little worth.Thy noble bounds, hath reacht beyond them all,
In thée hath bene, King Arthurs golden Hall:
In thée the wise, and worthies did repose,
And through thy Towne, the water ebs and flowes.
COme learned lore with loftie style,
A plaine and true rehearsall of matter of great antiquitie.
and leade these lynes of myne:
Come gracious Gods, and spare a whyle
to me the Muses nyne.
Come Poets all, whose passing phrase
doth pearce the finest wits:
Come knowledge whereon world doth gase,
A fayre Fountaine now begun.
(yet still in iudgement sits)
And helpe my pen to play his parte,
A free Schoole now erected by Maister Morgan of Lanternam.
for pen is stept on stage,
To shewe by skill and cunning arte,
the state of former age.
For present tyme hath friends enowe,
to flatter faune and faine:
A gird to the flatterers and fauners of present tyme.
And elders daies I knowe not how,
doe dwell in deepe disdaine.
No friend for auncient yéeres we finde,
our age loues youth alone:
A house of reformatiō newly begun likewise.
The former age weares out of minde,
as though such tyme were none.
King Arthurs raigne (though true it weare)
The Bishop of Landaffe still lying in the Towne.
Is now of small account:
[Page]
We praise and extoll strange Nations, and forget or abase our owne Countries.
The same of Troy is knowne each where,And to the Skyes doth mount.
Both Athens, Theabes, and Carthage too
We hold of great renowne:
What then I pray you shall we doe,
To poore Carleon Towne.
In Arons the Martyrs Church King Arthur was crowned.
King Arthur sure was crowned there,It was his royall Seate:
And in that Towne did Scepter beare,
With pompe and honor greate.
Three Archbishops, Yorke London, and Carleō, crowning King Arthur.
An Archbishop that Dubrick hight,Did crowne this King in déede:
Foure Kings before him bore in sight,
Foure golden Swords we réede.
Arthur was great[?], that cō manded such solemnitie.
These Kings were famous of renowne,Yet for their homage due:
Repayrd vnto Carleon Towne,
As I rehearse to you.
The true Authors are in the beginning of this booke for profe of this.
How many Dukes, and Earles withall,Good Authors can you tell:
And so true writers shewe you shall,
How Arthur there did dwell.
What Court he kept, what Acts he did,
What Conquest he obtaynd:
And in what Princely honor still,
King Arthur long remaynd.
Another notable solemnitie at a Coronation.
Quéene Gueneuer was crown'd likewise,In Iulius Church they say:
[Page]Where that fower Quéenes in solemne[?] guise,
In Iulius[?] Church the Martyr the Queene was crowned. An honor rare and great yet seldome seene.
(In royall rich aray).
Foure Pigeons white, bore in their hands
Before the Princesse face:
In signe the Quéene of Brittish Lands,
Was worthie of that grace.
Carleon lodged all these Kings,
And many a noble Knight:
As may be prou'd by sondrie things,
That I haue seene in sight.
The bounds hath bene nine myles about,
The length thereof was great:
It shewes it self this day throughout,
It was a Princes Seate.
In Arthurs tyme a Table round,
A deepe and large round peece of groūd shewes yet where Arthur sate.
Was there whereat he sate:
As yet a plot of goodly ground,
Sets foorth that rare estate,
The Citie reacht to Creet church than,
A Church on a hil a mile of. Saint Gillyans is a faire house where Sir William Harbert dwelles.
And to Saint Gillyans both:
Which yet appeares to view of man,
To trye this tale a troth.
There are such Uautes and hollowe Caues,
Such walles and Condits déepe:
Made all like pypes of earthen pots,
Wherein a child may créepe.
Such streates and pauements sondrie waies,
Wonderfull huge and long pauements.
To euery market Towne:
[Page]Such Bridges built in elders daies,
And things of such renowne.
The notablest seate to behold being on the top that may be seene.
As men may muse of to behold,But chiefly for to note:
There is a Castle very old,
That may not be forgot.
The Castle almost downe.
It stands vpon a forced Hill,Not farre from flowing flood:
Where loe ye view long Uales at will,
Enuyron'd all with wood.
The flowing water may easily be brought about both Towne and Castle.
A Seate for any King aliue,The Soyle it is so swéete:
Fresh springs doth streames of water driue,
Almost through euery streate.
From Castle all these things are seene,
A great beautie of grounds, waters, groues, & other pleasures for the eye to be seene[?] from the old Castle of Carleon.
as pleasures of the eye:The goodly Groues and Uallies gréene,
and wooddie Mountaines hye.
The crooked Créekes and pretie Brookes,
that are amid the Plaine:
The flowing Tydes that spreads the land,
and turnes to Sea againe.
The stately Woods that like a hoope,
I haue seene Caues vnder ground (at this day) that goe I know: not how farre, all made of excellent work, and goodly great stones both ouer head and vnder foote, & close and fine round about the whole Caue.
doth compasse all the Uale:The Princely plots that stands in troope,
to beautifie the Dale.
The Riuers that doth daily runne,
as cleare as Christall stone:
Shewes that most pleasures vnder Sunne,
Carleon had alone.
Great ruth to see so braue a Soyle,
Fall in so sore decay:
[Page]In sorowe sit, full nere the foyle,
As Fortune fled away.
And world forsooke to knowledge those,
That earst hath bene so greate:
Where Kings and graue Philosophers,
Made once therein their Seate.
Vrbs legionum was it namde,
The name so mightie argues it was a mightie and noble towne.
In Caesars daies I trowe:
And Arthur holding resdence there,
(As stories plainly showe).
Not only Kings and noble Péeres,
Two hundred Philosophers were norished in Carleon[?].
Repayrde vnto that place:
But learned men full many yéeres,
Receiu'd therein their grace.
Than you that auncient things denyes,
Let now your talke surcease:
When profe is brought before your eyes,
Ye ought to hold your peace.
And let Carleon haue his right,
And ioye his wonted fame:
Yeeld right as well to our elders daies, as to our present age.
And let each wise and worthie wight,
Speake well of Arthurs name.
Would God the brute thereof were knowne,
In Countrey, Court, and Towne:
And she that sits in reagall Throne,
With Scepter, Sword, and Crowne.
(Who came from Arthurs rase and lyne)
Would marke these matters throwe:
[Page]And shewe thereon her gracious eyne,
To helpe Carleon now.
Thus farre my pen in Arthurs praise,
Hath past for plainnesse sake:
In honor of our elders daies,
That kéepes my muse awake.
All only for to publish plaine,
Tyme past, tyme present both:
That tyme to come, may well retaine,
Of each good tyme, the troth.
¶ An Introduction to the Letters sent from Lucius Tyberius, at the Coronation of King Arthur.
NOt vnwilling to delate and make large the matter now written of, & further because the raigne of King Arthur is diuersly treated on and vncertainly spoken of (the men of this world are growen so wise) I haue searched and found (in good Authors) such certaintie of King Arthur, and matter that merits the reading, that I am compelled with pen to explaine, and with some paines and studie to p [...]esent the world with in generall. The substance whereof being in Latin, (may be read and vnderstood by thousands) is englished because the common sorte (as well as the learned) shall see how little the Kings and Princes of this Land, haue esteemed the power of the Romaines, or manasing and force of any forraine foe whatsoeuer. And for the amending of my tale, let our Soueraine Ladie be well considered of, (whose graces passeth my pen to shewe) and you shall see great things are encountred, and no small matters gone about and brought to good passe, in the action afore named: which becommeth well a Quéene of that race, who is descended of so noble a progenie. But now purposing orderly to procéede to the [Page] former discourse, and to rehearse word for word, as it was left by our forefathers, (men of great learning and knowledge) I haue set doune some such Letters and Orations, as peraduenture wil make you to maruell of, or at the least to thinke on so much, that some one among a multitude, will yéeld me thankes for my labour, and rather encourage a true writer to continue in the like exercises, then to giue him any occasion to sit ydle, and so forget the vse of pen. There followeth hereafter those things before mentioned, which I hope the Readers will iudge with aduisement, and construe to the best intent and meaning. For this matter not only shewes by good authoritie the royall Coronation of King Arthur, but in like maner declares with what pride and pomp the Romaines sent hether (at the very instant of this great tryumph) for tribute and homage: at which proud and presumptuous demaund, King Arthur (and all his other Princes about him) began to bee greatly moued, and presently without further delay, gaue so sharpe and sodaine an answer to the Embassadors of Rome, that they were so vexed and abashed therewith, that they neither knewe well how to take it, nor made any further reply: as followes by matter presently here, if you please throughly to reade it. Consider withall, that after this Embassage, King Arthur in plaine battaile slue Lucius, and had gone to Rome to haue bene crowned Emperour there, if Mordred had not made a reuolt in Arthurs owne kingdome.
The Coronation, and solemnitie therof: The Embassage, and proude message of the Romaines: And the whole resolution of King Arthur therein, is first set forth here in English.
THE appoynted tyme of the solemnitie approching, and all being readie assembled in the Citie of Carleon, the Archbishops, London and Yorke: and in the Citie of Carleon the Archbishop Dubright were conueighed to the Palace, with [Page] royall solemnitie to crowne King Arthur. Dubright therefore (because the Court then lay within his Diocesse, furnished himselfe accordingly to perfourme and solemnize this charge in his owne person. The King being crowned, was royally brought to the Cathedrall Church of that Metropoliticall See. On either hand of him, both the right and the left, did two Archbishoppes support him. And fower Kings, to wit, Angusell King of Albania, Caduall King of Venedocia, Cador King of Cornewall, & Sater King of Demetia, went before him, carying iiii. golden Swords. The companies also and concourse of sondrie sorts of officers, played afore him most melodious & heauenly harmonie. On the other parte, the Quéene was brought to the Church of professed Nunnes, being cōducted and accompanied with Archbishops and Bishops, with her Armes and titles royally garnished. And the Quéenes, being wiues vnto the fower Kings aforesayd, caryed before her (as the order and custome was) fower white Doues or Pigeons.
For behold, twelue discréete personages of reuerend countenance came to the King in stately maner, carying in their right hands in token and signe of Ambassage, Oliue boughes. And after they had saluted him, they deliuered vnto him on the behalfe of Lucius Tyberius, Letters contayning this effect.
¶The Epistle of Lucius the Romaine Lieutenant, to Arthur King of Britaine.
LVcius Gouerner of the Commonwealth, to Arthur King of Britaine, as he hath deserued. I haue excéedingly wondered to thinke of thy malepert and tyrannicall dealing. I doe meruaile[?] (I say) and in considering the matter, I am angrie and take in ill part, the iniurie that thou hast offered to Rome: and that thou, no better aduising thy self, refusest to acknowledge her. Neither hast thou any care speedelie to redresse thyne ouersight, thus[?] by vniust dealings to offend the Senate: vnto whom [Page] thou art not ignorant, that the whole world oweth homage and seruice. For, the Tribute done for Britaine which the Senate commaunded thée to pay; for that Iulius Caesar, and other worthie Romaines long and many yéeres enioyed the same, thou to the contempt of such an honorable Estate, hast presumed to detaine and kéepe backe. Thou hast also taken from them Gallia: thou hast wonne from them, the Prouinces of Sauoy[?] and Daulphinie:Allobroges thou hast gotten the possession of all the Ilands of the Ocean: the Kings whereof (so long as the Romaine authoritie was there obeyed) payed Tribute to our Auncestors. Sith therfore the Senate hath decréed to redemaund amends and restitution at thy hands for these thy so great wrongs, I enioyne and commaund thée to come to Rome in the middest of August the next yéere; thexe to answere vnto thy Lords, and to abyde such sentence and order, as they by iustice shall lay vpon thée. Which thing if thou refuse to doe, I will inuade thy Countries, and whatsoeuer thy wilfull rashnes hath disloyally taken away from their Commonwealth, that will I by dint of sword, assay to recouer and to them restore.
¶Cador the Duke of Cornewall his Oration to the King.
I Haue hitherto bene in feare, least the Britaines through much ease and long peace, should growe to flouth and cowardize▪ and lose that honorable reputation of Cheualrie and martiall prowesse, wherein they are generally accoumpted to surmount all other Nations. For where the vse of Armes is not estéemed, but in stéede therof, Dyeing, Carding, dalying with women and other vayne delites frequented, it cannot choose, but there cowardize and sluggardie must néedes dimme and deface all vertue, honour, valiaunce, and fame. There bee now almost fiue yéeres passed, since we hauing lacked Martial exercise, haue effeminately bene nuzzeled in these foresayd delites. God therefore not willing to see vs any longer marred and stayned with sluggardie, [Page] hath stirred vp the Romaines, that they should be the meanes to reduce our auncient valour vnto the former state and dignitie. While hée vsed these and such like wordes, confirmed by those that were there at that tyme in presence, they came at length to their Benches or Seates, where after that euery person was set and placed: Arthur vsed this spéech vnto them.
❧The Oration of Arthur to his Lords and people.
MY fellowes (sayth he) and companyons both of aduersitie and prosperitie: whose fidelities I haue heretofore both in your sound counsels, and in exployting militare seruices had good tryall and experience of: listen now and affoord vnto me your aduise, and wisely foresee, what you thinke conuenient for vs, touching such demaunds and commaundements, to be done. For, when a thing is wisely aforehand deliberated and carefully foreseene, when it commeth to the pinch, it is more easilie auoyded and tolerated. We shall therefore the easier bee able to abyde the imperious demaund of Lucius, if wee lay our heads together and foresee, how and which way, wee may best defeate and infringe the same. And (surely) for my part, I doe not thinke that we haue any cause greatly to feare him, sith vpon an vnreasonable cause he seeketh to haue a tribute payed out of Britaine. For, he alledgeth, that the same is due and payable to him, because it was payd to Iulius Caesar and others his Successors, which being inuited and called hether through the discorde and iarres of the auncient Britaines, arriued here in Britaine with numbers of armed Soldiours: and with force and vyolence, brought vnder their subiection, this our Countrey, miserably tossed with ciuile garboyles and domesticall discord. And because they in this sort, got the possession of it, they haue since taken and vniustly receiued a Tribute out of it. For nothing that is gotten by force and vyolence, is iustly possessed by him that offered the vyolence. The cause therefore which he pretendeth is vnreasonable, [Page] whereby he d [...]eth vs by law and right to be tributarie vnto them. Sith therfore he thus presumeth to demaund of vs that which is vniust: let vs by the same reason, demaund of him, tribute at Rome: & he that is the stronger, let him carie away that which he desireth and claymeth. For, if his reason, why he demaundeth tribute now, as due, to be payed by vs, because Caesar and other Romaine Princes sometymes conquered Britaine be good: by the like reason, I doe thinke that Rome ought to pay tribute to mee, because my Predecessors heretofore wanne and subdued it. For Belinus that most noble King of Britaines, with the helpe and ayde of his brother Brennus Duke of Sauoy, Allobroges tooke by force that Citie, and long while possessed it, hanging vp in the middest of their chiefe Market place and high streate, twentie of the chiefest Nobles among them. Constantine also the sonne of Helena, and Maximianus likewise, being both of them, my nere Cosens, and either of them successiuely, crowned King of Britaine, were enthronized in the imperiall Seate of the Romaine Empyre. What thinke ye now? Iudge you that the Romaines haue any reason or right to demaunde Tribute at our hands? As touching Fraunce or other collaterall Ilands of the Ocean, it néedeth no answere, sith they refused to defend them, when we forcibly tooke them out of their cloutches & iurisdiction.
The answere of Howell King of little Britaine.
THough euery one of you should neuer so diligently consider: and debate with himselfe neuer so aduisedly in his mynd: yet doe I not thinke, that he could possiblie deuise any better counsell then this, which thy most graue wisedome hath now remembred. Thy eloquent and Tullie like aduise therefore, hath furnished vs with that skill, whereby wee ought incessantly to commende in you the affect of a constant man, the effect of a wise mynd, and the benefite of prudent counsell. For, if ye will take your voyage and expedition to Rome, according to the reason afore [Page] alledged, I doubt not, but wee should winne tryumph, sir [...] wee doe but defend our libertie, and iustly demaund of our enemies, that, which they haue vniustly begun to demaunde of vs. For whosoeuer goeth about to defeate or dispossesse an other of his right, and to take from him that which is his owne; worthylie and deseruedlie may bee put from that, which is his owne, by him to whom he hath offered and done such wrong and violence. Séeing therefore, the Romaines would so gladly take from vs, that which is our owne, we will without doubt, take from them that, which they haue, if we may once come to buckle with them. Behold this is the conflict that al true hearted Britaines so long haue wished for:Sybilla her prophesies touching the Britaines. Behold these be the Prophesies of Sybilla now fulfilled, which so plainly and truely foretolde, that of the third stock of the Britaines there should one be borne, that should obtaine and possesse the Romain Empyre. Now, for two of these, the Prophesies bee alreadie fulfilled: sithence it is manifest (as thou hast alreadie declared) that those two most noble and excellent Princes Belinus and Constantine, ouercame, and gaue the Armes of the Romaine Empyre. And now haue we you, being the third, vnto whom such high exployt and honour is promised. Make haste therefore to receiue that which God is readie to bestowe on thée. Hasten (I say) to subdue that which he is willing should be subdued. Hasten to aduaunce all vs, that are here readie for thyne aduauncement & honour, neither to refuse wounds, nor to lose life and limme.An exhortatiō of Howell. And for thy better atchieuing hereof, I my selfe will accompanie thée with tenne thousand well armed Souldiours.
ANgusell King of Albania, when Howell had made an ende of his Oration, began to declare his lyking and opinion of the matter, in this sort following. Since the tyme that I heard my Lord vtter his mynd, touching this case, I haue conceiued such inwarde ioye as I am not able here afore you to expresse. For, in all our victorious Conquests alreadie passed, and in so many Kings and Regions as wee haue subdued, wee may well seeme to haue done nothing at all; if wee suffer the Romaines [Page] and Germaines still to remaine, and doe not manfully wrecke vpon them,The sentence and resolution of the King of Albania. those bloodie slaughters, which heretofore they inflicted vpon our Auncestors and Countreymen. And now sith wee haue occasion and libertie to trye the matter with them by force of armes, I reioyce excéedingly, and haue a longing thirst to see that day, wherein we may méete together; yea I thirst, euen as if I had bene drye and kept three daies, thirstie, from a Fountaine of water. Oh that I might see that day; how swéete and pleasant should those wounds be, that I should either giue or take, when we coape together! yea, death it self shall be sweete and welcome, so that I may suffer the same in reuenging our fathers, in defending our libertie, and in aduauncing our King. Let vs therefore giue the charge and oncet vpon yonder effeminate and meycoclie people, and let vs stand to our tackle like men: that after we haue banquished them, we may enioye their honors and offices with ioyfull victorie. And for my parte, I will augment our Armie with two thousand Horsemen well appoynted and armed, beside Footemen.
FINIS.
Here followeth the Latin of the English going before.
OMnibus in vrbe legionum congregatio solemnitate instante Archipraesules Londinensis Eboracensis: necnon in vrbe legionum Archiepiscopus Dubricius ad pallatium ducuntur vt regem Arthurum diademate regali coronarent Dubricius ergo quoniam in sua duecesi curia tenebatur: paratus ad celebrandum huius rei curam suscepit. Rege tandem insignito ad templum metropolitanae sedis ornatè conducitur: à dextro & à laeuo latere duo Archipontifices ipsum tenebant. Quatuor autem reges viz. Anguselus rex Albaniae, Caduallus Venedociae rex, Cador rex Cornubiae, & Sater rex Demetiae: quatuor aureos gladios ante ipsum ferentes praeibant. Conuentus quoque multimodocum ordinatorum miris modulationibus praecinebat. Ex alia parte reginam suis insignibus laureatam Archipraesules [Page] atque pontifices[?] ad templum dicatarum puellarum conducebant. Quatuor quoque praedictorum regum reginae quatuor albas columbas de more praeferebant.
Ecce enim duodecim viri maturae etatis reuerendi vultus: tamos oliuae in signum legationis in dextris ferentes moderatis passibus ad regem ingrediuntur: & eo salutato literas[?] ipsi ex parte Lucij Tiberij in haec verba obtulerunt.
Lucij Romani Procuratoris ad Arthurum Britonum regem epistola.
LVcius reipublicae procurator Arthuro regi Britāniae quid meruit. Admirans vehementer admiror super tuae tyrannidis proternia. Admiror inquam & iniuriam quam Romae intulisti recolligens, indignor quod extra te egressus eam cognoscere diffugias: nec animaduertere festines quid sit iniustis actibus senatum offendisse: cui totum orbem famulatum debere non ignoras. Etenim tributū Britanniae quod tibi senatus reddere precaeperat: quia Caius Iulius ceteri (que) romanae dignitatis viti illud multis temporibus habuerunt: neglecto tanti ordinis imperio detinere praesumpsisti. Eripuisti quoque illi Galliam: eripuisti Allobrogum prouinciā: eripuisti omnes oceani insulas: quarum reges dum romana[?] potestas in illis partibus perualuit, vectigal maioribus nostris reddiderūt. Quia ergo de tantis iniuriarum tuarum cumulis senatus reparationem petere decreuit mediantē Augustum proximi anni terminum perfigens Romam te venire iubeo: vt dominis tuis satisfaciens sententie quam eorum dictatori iusticia acquiescas. Sin aliter ipse partes tuas adibo & quicquid vesania tua reipublicae erripuit eidem mediantibus gladijs restituere conabor.
Cadoris ducis Cornubiae ad regem.
HVcus (que) in timore fueram ne Britones longa pace quietos ocium quod ducunt ignauos faceret, famamque militiae [Page] qua ceteris gentibus clariores censentur in eis omnino deleret. Quippe vbi vsus armorum videtur abesse, alearum vero & mulierum inflamationes, ceteraque oblectamenta adesse: dubitandum non est quin quod erat virtutis: quod honoris, quod audaciae: quod famae ignauia commaculet. Fere namque transacti sunt quinque anni ex quo (predictis delitijs dediti) exercitio Martis caruimus. Deus igitur vt nos segnitia liberaret: Romanos in hunc affectum induxit vt in pristinum statum nostram probitatem reducerent. Haec & hijs similia illo cum caeteris dicente venerunt tandem ad sedilia vbi collocatis singulis: Arthurus illos in hunc modum affatus.
Oratio Arthuri ad suos.
COnsocij (inquit) aduersitatis & prosperitatis: quorum probitatis hactenus, & in dandis cōsilijs, & in militijs agendis expertus sum: adhibete & monete nunc vnanimiter sensus vestros, & sapienter prouidete quae super talibus mandatis nobis esse agenda noueritis. Quicquid enim à sapiente diligenter prouidetur cum ad actum accedit facilius toleratur. Facilius ergo inquietationem Lucij tolerare poterimus si communi studio premeditati fuerimus quibus mofiis eam debilitare instaremus. Quam non multum timendam nobis esse existimo: cum ex irrationabili causa exigat tributum quod ex Britannia habere desiderat. Dicit enim ipsum sibi dare debere quia Iulio Caesari ceterisque successoribus suis redditum fuerit: qui dissidio priscorū Britonum inuitatem cum armata manu in Britaniam applicuerunt: atque patriam domesticis motibus vacillantē suae potestativi, & violētia submiserunt. Quia vero hoc modo eam adepti fuerunt vectigal ex ea iniuste ceperunt. Nihil enim quod vi vt violentia acquiritur iuste ab ipso possidetur qui violentiam metuit.
Irrationabilem ergo causam pretendit: qua nos iure sibi tributarios esse arbitratur. Quoniam ergo id quod iniustū [Page] est à nobis praesumit exigere: consimili ratione petamus ab illo tributum Romae: & qui fortior superuenerit ferat quod habere exoptauit. Nam si quia Caesar caeterique romani reges Britanniam olim subiugauerunt vectigal nunc debere sibi ex illa reddi decernit: Similiter nunc ego censeo quam Roma mihi tributum reddere debet: quia antecessores mei eam antiquitus obtinuerunt. Belinus etenim ille Britonum serenissimus rex vsus auxilio fratris sui, Brenni videlicet ducis Allobrogum: suspensis in medio foro viginti nobilioribus Romanis: vrbem ceperut, captámque multis temporibus possederunt. Constantinus etiam Helenae filius necnon & Maximianus vterque mihi cognatione propinquus alter post alterum diademate Britanniae insignitus: thronum[?] Romani imperij adeptus est. Censetis ne ergo vectigal romanis petendum? De Gallia autem sine de collateralibus insulis oceani non est respondendum: cum illas diffugerent quando easdem potestati eorum subtrahebamus.
Hoeli regis minoris Britanniae, responsio.
LIcet vnusquisque vestrum totus in se reuersus, omnia, & omnibus animo tractare valuerit non existimo eum praestantius consiliū posse inuenire quam istud quod modo discretio solertis prudentiae tuae recoluit. Proinde etenim prouidit nobis tua deliberatio Tulliano liquore lita. Vnde constantis viri affectum: sapientis animi effectum optimi consilij profectum laudare indesinenter debemus. Nam si iuxta praedictā rationem Romam adire volueris non dubito quin triumpho potiamur: dum libertatem nostrā tueamur dum iuste ab innimicis nostris exigamus quod à nobis iniuste petere incaeperunt. Quicunque enim sua alteri eripere conatur merito quae sua sunt per eum quem impetit amittit. Quia ergo Romani nostra nobis demere affectant: sua illis procul dubio: auferemus si authoritas nobis congrediendi praestabitur. [Page] En congressus cunctis Britonibus desiderandus.Vaticinia Sibille de Britonibus. En vaticinia sibyllae quae veris angurijs testantur: ex Britannico genere tertio nasciturum qui Romanum obtinebit imperiū. De duobus autem adimpleta sunt oracula: cum manifestrum sit praeclaros vt dixisti principes Belinum atque Constantinum imperij Romani gessisse insignia & imperia. Nunc verò te tertium habemus, cui tātum culmen honoris promittitur. Festina ergo recipere: quod deus non differt largiri. Festina subingare quod vltro vult subingari.Exhortatio Hoeli. Festina nos omnes exaltare qui vt exalteris nec vulnera recipere: nec vitam amittere diffugiamus. Vt autem haec perficias decem millibus armatorum praesentiam tuam conabor..
ANguselus Albaniae rex: vt Hoelus finem dicendi fecerat: quod super hac re affectabat in huc modum manifestare perrexit. Ex dominum meum ea quae dixit affectare conieci: tanta laetitia animo meo illapsa est: quantam nequeo in vestra presentia exprimere. Nihil enim in transactis debellationibus quas tot & tantis regibus intulimus egisse videmur:Sententia regis Albaniae. si Romani & Germani illesi permaneant: nec in illos clades quas olim nostratibus ingesserunt viriliter vindicemus. Ac nunc quoniam licentia congrediendi permittitur gaudens admodū gaudeo & desiderio diei quo conueniamus aestuans sitio cruorem illorum quemadmodū fontem si triduo prohiberer. O si illam lucem videbo quae dulcia erunt vulnera quae vel recipiam vel inferam: quando dextras conferemus. Ipsa etiam mors dulcis erit: dum eam in vindicando patres nostros: in tuendo libertatem nostram: in exaltando regem nostrum perpessus fuero. Aggrediamur ergo semiuiros illos & aggrediendo perstemus vt deuictis ipsis eorum honoribus cum laeta potiamur victoria. Exercitum autem nostrum duobus milibus armatorū equitum exceptis peditibus angebo.
FINIS.
Would to God we had the like ayde of Kings and offer now to daunt the pride of the Romish practises.
The true Authors of this whole Booke.
- Iohannes Badius Ascenciu.
- Merlinus Ambrosius.
- Gualterus Monemotensis.
- Giraldus Cambrensis.
- Iohannes Bale of Brutus.
- Ieffrey of Monmouth.
- Analles sue gentes.Gildas Cambrius, a Poet of Britaine.
- Sibilla.
Two Brethren that were Martyrs, Iulius and Aron in Carleon, in whose names two Churches were built there.
Thelians Episcopus Landaph.
Saint Augustine could not make the Britaines be obedient to the Archbishop of Canterburie, but yet they onely submitted themselues to the Archbishop of Carleon, in Adelbrights tyme that was King of Kent.
A Hill most notable neere Carleō a myle frō the towne.
NOw must I touch, a matter fit to knowe,A Fort and strength, that stands beyond this Towne:
On which you shall, behold the noblest showe,
(Looke round about, and so looke rightly downe)
That euer yet, I sawe or man may view:
Upon that Hill, there shall appeare to you,
Of seauen Shieres, a part and portion great,
Where Hill it selfe, is sure a warlike Seate.
Ten thousand men, may lodge them there vnseene,
In trebble Dykes, that gards the Fortresse well:
And yet amid, the Fort a goodly gréene,
Where that a power, and mightie Campe may dwell:
[Page]In spyte of world,
A very high Hill of a marueilous strēgth which[?] was a strong For [...] [...]n Arthurs daies[?].
if Soldiours victuall haue.The Hill so stands, if Bird but wing doe waue,
Or man or beast, but once stirre vp the head
A Bowe aboue, with shaft shall strike it dead.
The Hill commaunds, a maruels way and scope,
It seemes it stood,
Bellinus Māgnus made this called Bellingstocke.
farre off for Townes defence,And in the warres, it was Carleons hope:
Or els in deede, the Duke of Gloster sence
(That did destroy, both Towne and all therein)
To serue his turne,
A wonderfull high mountaine with the like maner of defence.
this Fortresse did begin.Not farre from this, much like vnto the same,
Tombarlown stands, a Mountaine of some fame.
A Towne nere this, that buylt is all a length,
Cal'd Neawport now,
The towne of Neawport.
there is full fayre to viewe:Which Seate doth stand, for profite more then strength▪
A right strong Bridge,
On a round hill by the Church there is for Sea and Land the most princely sight that any man liuing at one instant may with perfect eye behold. The Towne hath Marchants in it. A Castle is at the end of this Towne, and full by the Bridges and Riuer. Greenefield Castle that was the Duke of Lancasters.
is there of Timber newe:A Riuer runnes, full nere the Castle wall:
Nere Church likewise, a Mount behold you shall,
Where Sea and Land, to sight so plaine appeeres,
That there men see, a part of fiue fayre Shéeres.
As vpward hye, aloft to Mountaine top,
This Market towne, is buylt in healthfull sort:
So downeward loe, is many a Marchants shop,
And many sayle, to Bristowe from that Port.
Of auncient tyme, a Citie hath it bin,
And in those daies, the Castle hard to win:
Which yet shewes fayre, and is repayrd a parte,
As things decayd, must néedes be helpt by arte.
A goodly Seate, a Tower, a princely pyle,
Built as a watch, or saftie for the Soyle,
By Riuer stands, from Neawport not thrée myle.
This house was made, when many a bloodie broyle,
Here men with sword, and shield did braules debate:
Here saftie stood, for many things in déede,
That sought sauegard, and did some sucker néede.
The name thereof, the nature shewes a right,
For Riuer, wood, pasture ayre, walke & pleasure, this place passeth.
Greenefield it is, full gay and goodly sure:A fine sweete Soyle, most pleasant vnto sight,
That for delight, and wholesome ayre so pure,
It may be praisde, a plot sought out so well,
As though a King, should say here will I dwell:
The Pastures gréene, the woods, and water cléere.
Sayth any Prince may buyld a Pallace héere.
And in this place, and many parts about,
A true iudgement of the commodities in Wales if the people there would be laborous.
Is grasse and Corne, and fertile ground enough:And now a while, to speake of Wales throughout,
Where if men would, take paynes to plye the Plough:
Digge out of drosse, the treasure of the earth,
And fall to toyle, and labour from their birth:
They should as soone, to store of wealth attaine,
As other Soyles, whose people takes great paine.
But most of Wales, likes better ease and rest,
Nychill.
(Loues meate and mirth, and harmelesse quiet daies)Than for to toyle, and trouble brayne and brest,
To vexe the mynd, with worldly wearie waies.
Some stand content, with that which God shall send,
And on their lands, their stock and store doth spend:
And rubs out life, cleane voyde of further care,
Because in world, right well to liue they are.
Yet were they bent, to proule and purchace still,
And search out wealth, as other Nations doe:
They haue a Soyle, a Countrey rich at will,
Which can them make, full quickly wealthie too.
[Page]They haue begun, of late to lime their land.
And plowes the ground,
The people of wales in many places thriues by labour daylie, and gets great gayne through tillage.
where sturdie Okes did stand:Conuerts the meares, and marrish euery where,
Whose barraine earth, begins good fruite to beare.
They teare vp Trées, and takes the rootes away,
Makes stonie fieldes, smooth fertile fallowe ground:
Brings Pastures bare, to beare good grasse for Hay,
By which at length, in wealth they will abound.
Wales is this day (behold throughout the Shéeres,
In better state, than twas these hundred yéeres:
More rich, more fine, and further more to tell,
Fewe men haue knowne, the Countrey halfe so well.
Whereas at first,
I haue knowen many places so barraine, that they haue sought for come farre of, who now are able to liue without helpe of any other Countrey.
they sought for Corne farre off,(To helpe the wants, of Wales when grayne was deere)
Now on the boord, they haue both Cheese and lofe,
To shewe the world, in house is greater cheere.
The open Plaine, that hath his rubbish lost,
Saith plentie is, through Wales in euery coast:
The well wrought ground, that thousands may behold,
Where thornes did growe, sayth now there springs vp gold.
I meane where weedes, and thistles long hath growne,
(Wild drosse and docks, and stinking nettles vile)
There Barley swéete, and goodly Wheate is sowne,
Which makes men rich, that liu'd in lacke long while.
No gift nor gayne, more great and good to man,
Then that which toyle, and honest labour wan:
What sweat of browes, brings in is sugred swéete,
Makes glad the mynd, and comforts hart and spréete.
❧Aborgaynies Towne is walled round about, and hath fayre Suburbs also.
REturne I must, to my discourse before,
Of Borrow townes, and Castles as they are:
It stands ouer two little Riuers, called Ceybbie and Ceyuennie, of which Ceyuenie, Aborgeuenie tooke the name.
Aborgaynie, behind I kept in store,Whose Seate and Soyle, with best may well compare.
The Towne somewhat, on stéepe and mounting hill,
With Pastor grounds, and Meddowes great at will▪
On euery side, huge Mountaines hard and hye,
And some thicke woods, to please the gazers eye.
The Riuer Oske, along the Uale doth passe,
The Bridge of stone a eleuen[?] fayre arches, and a great bridge of stone to come drylie to that bridge.
Right vnderneath, an auncient Bridge of stone:A goodly worke, when first it reared was,
(And yet the Shiere, can shewe no such a one)
Makes men to knowe, old Buildings were not bace,
And newe things blush, that steps not so in place,
With suretie good, and shewe to step on stage,
To make newe world, to honor former age.
For former tyme, built Townes and Castles trim,
Of the bountie of tyme past, and the hardnes of our age.
Made Bridges braue, and strong for tyme to come:And our young daies, that doth in glorie swim,
Holds hard in hand, that finger fast may thome▪
Looke what tyme past, made gallant fresh and fayre,
Tyme present spoyles, or will not well repayre:
A fayre and noble Castle belonging to the auncient house and race of the honorable, the Lord of Aborgaynie
As in this Towne, a stately Castle shoes,Which loe to ruyne, and wretched wracke it goes.
Most goodly Towers, are bare and naked laft,
That cou'red were, with[?] timber and good lead:
These Towers y [...]and, as streight as doth a shaft,
The walles whereo [...], might serue to some good stead.
[Page]For sound and thicke, and wondrous high withall,
They are in déede, and likely not to fall:
Would God therefore, the owner of the same,
Did stay them vp, for to encreace his fame.
Who doth delight, to see a goodly Plaine,
Faire Riuers runne,
The bountie of the Castle and Countrie.
great woods and mountaines hye:Let him a while, in any Tower remaine,
And he shall see, that may content the eye.
Great ruth to let, so trim a Seate goe downe,
The Countries strength, and beautie of the Towne:
A Lordly place, a princely plot and viewe,
That laughs to scorne, our patched buildings newe.
The shell of this,
A goodly and stately peece of worke as like to fall as be repayred againe.
I meane the walles without,The worthie worke, that is so finely wrought:
The Sellers déepe, and buildings round about,
The firme Freestone, that was so derely bought,
Makes men lament, the losse of such a thing,
That was of late, a house for any King.
Yea who so wayes, the worth of Castle yet,
With heauie mynd, in muse and dump shall sit.
To see so strong, and stately worke decay,
The same disease, hath Oske in Castle wall:
Which on maine Rocke,
Any heart in the world would pittie the decay of Castles in Mō mouth shiere.
was builded euery way,And now Got wot, is readie downe to fall.
A number more, in Monmouth Shiere I finde,
That can not well, abyde a blast of winde:
The losse is theirs, that sees them ouerthrowne,
The gaine were ours, if yet they were our owne.
Though Castle here,
In this church was a most famous worke in maner of a genealogie of Kings, called the roote of Iesse, which worke is defaced and pulled downe in peeces.
through trackt of tyme is worne,A Church remaines, that worthie is of note:
Where worthie men, that hath bene nobly borne,
Were layd in Tombe, which els had bene forgot.
[Page]And buried cleane, in graue past mynd of man,
As thousans are, forgot since world began:
Whose race was great, and who for want of Tome,
In dust doth dwell, vnknowne till day of Dome.
In Church there lyes a noble Knight,
Enclosde in wall right well:
On the right hand in a faire Chappell.
Crosselegged as it seemes to sight,(Or as record doth tell)
He was of high and princely blood,
Both the windowe and in other parts about him shewes that he was a stranger.
His Armes doth shewe the same:For thereby may be vnderstood,
He was a man of fame.
A shield of blacke he beares on brest,
A white Crowe plaine thereon:
A ragged sléeue in top and crest,
Blewe is.
All wrought in goodly stone.The labell whereon are nyne Flowerdeluces.
And vnder feete, a Greyhound lyes,Thrée golden Lyons gay,
Nine Flowerdeluces there likewise,
His Armes doth full display.
On the left hand a Lord of Aborgany.
A Lord that once enioyde that Seate,Lyes there in sumptuous sort:
They say as loe his race was great,
So auncient men report.
His force was much: for he by strength
With Bull did struggle so,
He broke cleane off his hornes at length,
And therewith let him go.
This Lord a Bull hath vnder feete,
And as it may be thought,
A Dragon vnder head doth lye,
In stone full finely wrought.
The worke and Tombe so auncient is,
(And of the oldest guyse)
[Page]My first bare view, full well may mis,
To shewe how well he lyes.
A Tombe in déede,
Sir William Thomas Knight (alias) Harbert.
of charge and showe,Amid the Chappell stands:
Where William Thomas Knight ye knowe,
Lyes long with stretched hands.
A Harbert was he cal'd of right,
Who from great kindred cam,
And married to a worthie wight,
Sir Dauie Gam Knight father to this Knights wife.
Daughter to Dauie Gam,
(A Knight likewise, of right and name)
This Harbert and his Féere,
Lyes there like one that purchast fame,
This Knight was slaine at Edgingcourt field.
As plainly doth appéere.
His Tombe is rich, and rare to viewe,
Well wrought of great deuice:
Though it be old,
His Tombe is of hard and good Allablaster[?].
Tombes made but newe,Are of no greater price.
His Armes thrée ramping Lyons white,
Behind his head in shield:
A crowned Lyon blacke is hers,
Set out in most rich field:
Behind her head is likewise there,
Sir William Thomas was father to the next that followes, called Sir Richard Harbert of Colbroke Knight.
Loe what our elders did,
To make those famous euery where,
Whose vertues are not hid.
In Tombe as trim as that before,
Sir Richard Harbert lyes:
He was at Banbrie field of yore,
And through the battaile twise:
He past with Pollax in his hands,
A manly act in déede,
To preace among so many bands,
In the Chronicle this is rehearsed.
As you of him may reede.
On the left hand of the Chappell they lye.
Nere Aborgaynie towne:Who when his fatall destnie felt,
And Fortune flong him downe,
Among his enemies lost his head,
A rufull tale to tell:
Yet buryed was as I haue said,
In sumptuous Tombe full well.
She was daughter to Thomas ap Griffith father to Sir Rice ap Thomas Knight.
His wife Dame Margret by his side,Lyes there likewise for troth:
Their Armes as yet may be tryed,
(In honor of them both)
Stands at their heads, thrée Lyons white
He giues as well he might:
Thrée Rauens blacke, in shield she giues,
As Daughter to a Knight.
A sheafe of Arrowes vnder head,
He hath as due to him:
Thus there these worthie couple lye,
In Tombe full fine and trim.
On the right hand of the Chappell.
Now in another passing Tombe,Of beautie and of charge,
There lyes a Squire (that Harbert hight)
With cost set out at large.
Two Daughters and sixe Sonnes also,
Are there set nobly forth:
With other workes that makes the showe,
And Monument more worth.
Himselfe, his wife, and children to,
Lyes shrouded in that Seate:
Now somewhat for that Squire I do,
Because his race was great.
The old Earle of Penbroke one of the priuie Councell.
He was the father of that Earle,That dyed Lord Steward late,
A man of might, of spréet most rare,
[Page]And borne to happie fate.
His father layd so richly here,
So long agoe withall,
Shewes to the lookers on full cleere,
(When this to mynd they call)
This Squire was of an auncient race,
And borne of noble blood:
Sith that he dyed in such a cace,
And left such wordly good,
To make a Tombe so rich and braue:
Nay further now to say,
The thrée white Lyons that he gaue
In Armes, doth race bewray:
And makes them blush and hold downe browe,
That babble out of square.
Rest there and to my matter now:
Upon this Tombe there are
Three Lyons and three white Bores heads:
The first thrée are his owne.
The white Bores heads his wife she gaue,
As well in Wales is knowne.
A Lyon at his feete doth lye,
At head a Dragon gréene:
More things who lists to search with eye,
On Tombe may well be seene.
Amid the Church, Lord Hastings lay,
Lord Aborgaynie than:
And since his death remou'd away,
In the windowe now he lyes[?].
By fine deuice of man:
And layd within a windowe right,
Full flat on stonie wall:
Where now he doth in open sight,
Remaine to people all.
The windowe is well made and wrought,
A costly worke to see:
[Page]In which his noble Armes are thought,
Of purpose there to bee.
A ragged sléeue and sixe red Birds,
Is portrayd in the Glasse:
His wife hath there her left arme bare,
It seemes her sléeue it was
That hangs about his necke full fine,
Right ore a Purple wéede:
A robe of that same colour too,
The Ladie weares in déede.
Under his legges a Lyon red,
His Armes are rare and ritch:
A Harrold that could shewe them well,
Can blase not many fitch.
Sire Lyons white, the ground fayre blew,
Thrée Flowerdeluces gold:
The ground of them is red of hew,
And goodly to behold.
But note a greater matter now,
Upon his Tombe in stone
Were foretéene Lords that knées did bow,
Some say this great Lord was called Bruce and not Hastings, but most doe hold opinion he was called Hastings.
Unto this Lord alone.Of this rare worke a porch is made,
The Barrons there remaine
In good old stone, and auncient trade,
To shewe all ages plaine.
What homage was to Hastings due,
What honour he did win:
What Armes he gaue, and so to blaze
What Lord had Hastings bin.
Right ore against this windowe, loe
A Ladie of Aborgaynie.
In stone a Ladie lyes:And in her hands a Hart I troe,
She holds before your eyes:
And on her breast, a great fayre shield,
[Page]In which she beares no more
But thrée great Flowerdeluces large:
And euen loe, right ore
Her head another Ladie lyes
With Squirrell on her hand,
A Ladie of some noble house whose name I knowe not.
And at her feete, in stone likewise,
A couching Hound doth stand:
They say her Squirrell lept away,
And toward it she run:
And as from fall she sought to stay
The little pretie Bun,
Right downe from top of wall she fell,
And tooke her death thereby.
Thus what I heard, I doe you tell,
And what is seene with eye.
A friend of myne who lately dyed,
That Doctor Lewis hight:
Doctor Lewis lately Iudge in the Amoraltie
Within that Church his Tombe I spyed,
Well wrought and fayre to sight.
O Lord (quoth I) we all must dye,
No lawe, nor learnings lore:
No iudgement déepe, nor knowledge hye,
No riches lesse or more,
No office, place, nor calling great,
No worldly pompe at all,
Can kéepe vs from the mortall threat
Of death, when God doth call.
Sith none of these good gifts on earth,
Haue powre to make vs liue:
And no good fortune from our birth,
No hower of breath can giue.
Thinke not on life and pleasure héere,
They passe like beames of Sunne:
For nought from hence we carrie cléere,
When man his race hath runne,
❧An Introduction for Breaknoke Shiere.
IS bodie tyerd with trauaile, God forbid,
That wearie bones, so soone should seeke for rest:
Shall sences sleepe, when head in house is his,
As though some charme, were crept in quiet brest.
And so bewitch, the wits with too much ease,
That duls good spréete, and blunts quicke sharpe deuice:
Which climes the Clowdes, and wades through déepest Seas,
And goes before, and breakes the frozen Ice,
To cléere the coast, and make the passage free
For trau'lers all, that will great secrets see.
When quick conceyt, by slouth is rocke asléepe,
And fresh deuice, goes faynt for lacke of vse:
Along the limmes, doth lazie humours créepe,
And daylie bréedes, in bodie great abuse.
If mettall fine, be not kept cleane from rust,
The brightest blade, will sure some cancker take:
And when cléere things, are staynd with drosse and dust,
They must be skour'd by skill, for profites sake.
Wit is nought worth, in ydle braine to rest,
Nor gold doth good, that still lyes lockt in chest.
The soft Downe bed, and Chamber warm'd with fire,
Or thicke furd gowne, is all that sluggard seckes:
But men of spréete, whose hearts do still aspire,
Do labour long, with leane and lentten cheekes,
To trye the world, and taste both sweete and sower:
Who much doth see, may much both speake and write:
Who little knowes, hath little wit or power
To winne the wise, or dwell in worlds delight.
Feare not to toyle, for he that sowes in paine,
Shall reape with ioye, for store good Corne againe.
In reachlesse youth, whiles fancie flewe with winde,
Féete could not stay, the bodie mou'd so fast:
For euery part, thereof did answer minde,
Till aged yéeres, sayd wanton daies were past.
If that be true, sound iudgement should be fraught
With grauer thoughts, and greater things of weight:
Sith sober sence, at lightnesse now hath laught,
Thy reason should, set crooked matters streight:
And newly frame, a forme of fine deuice,
That vertue may, bring knowledge most in price.
To treate of tyme, and make discourse of men,
And how the world, doth chop and chaunge estate,
Doth well become, an auncient writers pen:
If skill will serue, such secretes to debate.
If no, hold on the course thou hast begun,
To talke of Townes, and Castles as they are:
And looke thou doe, no toyle nor trauaile shun,
To set foorth things, that be both straunge and rare.
If age doe droope, and can abide no toyle,
When thou comest home, yet set out some swéete Soyle.
Though ioynts waxe stiffe, and bodie heauie growes,
And backe bends downe, to earth where corps must lye:
And legges be lame, and gowte créepes in the toes,
Cold crampe, and cough, makes groning goast to crye.
When fits are past, if any rest be found,
Plye pen againe, for that shall purchase praise:
Yea though thou canst, not ride so great a ground,
As all ore Wales, in thyne old aged daies:
Forget no place, nor Soyle where thou hast bin,
With Breaknocke Shiere, than now this booke begin.
Shewe what thyne eyes, are witnesse of for troth,
And leaue the rest, to them that after liues:
[Page]When man is cal'd, away to graue he goeth,
Death steales the life, that God and nature giues.
Thou hast no state, nor pattent here on earth,
But borrowed breath, the bodie beares about:
Death daylie wayts, on life from hower of birth,
And when he lists, he blowes thy candle out.
Then leaue some worke, in world before thou passe,
That friends may say, loe here a writer was.
My Muse thus sayd, and so she shranke aside,
As though some Spréet, a space had spoke to mée:
With that I had, a friend of myne espyde,
That stood farre of, behind a Lawrell trée.
For whom I cal'd, and told him in his eare
My Muses tale: but therewithall his eyes
Bedeaw'd his chéekes, with many a bitter teare,
For sorrowe great, that from his heart did rise.
Oh friend (quoth he) thy race I see so short,
Thou canst not liue, to make of Wales report.
For first behold, how age and thy mishap,
Agréed in one, to tread thée vnder foote:
Thou wast long since, flong out of Fortunes lap,
When youths gay blowmes, forsooke both braunch and roote.
And left weake age, as bare as barraine stocke▪
That neither fruite, nor leaues will growe vpon:
Can feeble bones, abide the sturdie shocke
Of Fortunes force, when youthfull strength is gon:
And if good chaunce, in youth hath fled from thée,
Be sure in age, thou canst not happie bée.
Tis hap that must, maintaine thy cost and charge,
By some such meane, as great good turnes are gote:
Els walke or ride, abroade the world at large,
And yet great mynd, but makes old age to dote.
[Page]Thy trauaile past, shewes what may after fall,
Long iourneys breedes, disease and sicknesse oft:
Thou hast not health, nor wished wealth at call,
That glads the heart, and makes men looke aloft.
No sorer snib, nor nothing nips so néere,
As feele much want, yet shewe a merrie chéere.
My newfound friend, no sooner this had sayd,
(Which tryall knowes, both true and words of weight)
But that my mynd, from trauaile long was stayd,
Saue that I tooke, in hand a iourney streight,
To Breakenoke Towne, whose Seate once throughly pend,
(With some such notes, as season serues therefore)
There all the rest, of toyle should make an end,
Sith aged limmes, might trauaile Wales no more.
Right sorie sure, I can no further go,
Content perforce, sith hap will haue it so.
Some men[?] begin, to build a goodly Seate,
And frames a worke, of Timber bigge and large:
Yet long before, the workmanship be greate,
Another comes, and takes that plot in charge.
Men may not doe, no more then God permits,
The mynd it thinkes, great things to bring to passe:
But common course, so soone orecomes the wits,
In péeces lyes, mans state like broken glasse.
We purpose much, but little power we finde,
With good successe, to answer mightie minde.
Well, that discourse, let goe as matter past,
To Breakenoke now, my pen and muse are prest:
And sith that Soyle, and towne shalbe the last,
That here I meane, to touch of all the rest,
In briefest sort, it shalbe written out:
Yet with such words, as caries credit still,
[Page]As other works, in world can bréede no dout:
So this small peece, shall shewe my great good will,
That for farewell, to worthie Wales I make,
That followes here, before my leaue I take.
O Happie princely Soyle, my pen is farre to bace,
My muse but serues in sted of foyle, to giue a Iewell grace▪
My bare inuention cold, and barraine verses vaine,
When they thy glory should vnfold, they do thy Coūtrie staine.
Thy worth some worthie may, set out in golden lines,
And blaze ye same, wt colors gay, whose glistring beautie shines.
My boldnesse was to great, to take the charge in hand,
With wasted wits the braines to beat, to write on such a Land:
Whose people may compare, in high'st degree of praise,
With any now aliue that are, or were in elders daies.
Thy Townes and Castles fayre, so brauely stands in déede,
They should their honour much apayre, if they my verses néede.
A writers rurall rime, doth hinder thy good name:
For verse but entertaines the tyme, with toyes yt fancies frame▪
With Tullies sugred tongue, or Virgils sharpe engine,
Thy rare renowne should still be rong, or sung in verse deuine.
A simple Poets pen, but blots white paper still,
And blurres the brute & praise of men, for want of cunning quill.
If Ouids skill I had, or could like Homer write,
Or Dant would make my muses glad, to please ye worlds delite.
Or Chawser lent me in these daies, some of his learned tales,
As Petrarke did his Lawra praise, so would I speake of Wales.
But all to late I craue, for knowledge wit and sence:
For looke what gifts yt Gods thē gaue, they tooke thē al frō hēce,
And left vs nought but bookes, to stare and pore vpon,
On which perchaūce blind bayard lookes, whē skil & sight is gō.
Our former age did floe, with grace and learned lore,
Then farre behind they come I troe, that striue to run before.
We must goe lagging on, as legges and limmes were lame,
And though long since ye gole was gon, & wit hath won ye game.
[Page]We shall haue roume to play, and tyme and place withall,
To looke, to reade, to write and say, what shall in fancie fall.
But woe is me the while, that ouerweenes in want,
When world may at my boldnes smile, to see my skill so scant.
Yet write in Countries praise, that I cannot set out,
And stands discourag'd many waies, to trauaile Wales about.
Yet take now well in worth, the works I haue begun,
I can no further thing set foorth, my daies are almost dun:
As candle cléere doth burne, to socket in small tyme,
So age to earth must needes returne, when youth hath past his pryme.
Now Breakenoke shiere, as falleth to thy lot,
In place a péere[?], thou art not sure forgot:
Nor written of so much as I desire:
For sicknesse long, made bodie for to[?] retyre
Unto the Towne where it was borne and bred,
And where perhaps, on turffe must lye my hed.
When labors all, shall reape a geaue for rest,
And silent death, shall quiet troubled brest:
Then as I now, haue somewhat sayd on thee,
So shall some friend, haue tyme to write on mee.
Whose restlesse muse, and wearie waking minde,
To pleasure world, did oft great leasure finde:
And who reioyst, and tooke a great delight,
For knowledge sake, to studie reade and write.
❧The Towne and Church of Breakenoke.
THE Towne is built, as in a pit it were,
By water side, all lapt about with hille
You may behold a ruinous Castle there,
Somewhat defaste, the walles yet standeth still.
Small narrowe streates,
Maistre Gams[?] dwelles here.
through all the Towne ye haue,Yet in the same, are sondrie houses braue:
[Page]
Doctor Awberie hath a house here.
Well built without, yea trim and fayre within,With swéete prospect, that shall your fauour win.
The Riuer Oske, and Hondie runnes thereby,
Fower Bridges good, of stone stands ore each streame:
The greatest Bridge, doth to the Colledge lye,
A free house once, where many a rotten beame
Hath bene of late, through age and trackt of tyme:
Which Bishop now, refourmes with stone and lyme.
Had it not bene, with charge repayrd in haste,
That house and Seate, had surely gon to waste.
Two Churches doth, belong vnto this Towne,
One stands on hill, where once a Priorie was:
Which chaung'd the name, when Abbyes were put downe,
But now the same, for Parrish Church doth passe.
Another place, for Morning prayer is,
Made long agoe, that standeth hard by this.
Built in this Church, a Tombe or two I finde,
That worthie is, in briefe to bring to minde.
The auncient house of Gams.
Thrée couple lyes, one ore the others head,Along in Tombe, and all one race and lyue:
And to be plaine, two couple lyeth dead,
The third likewise, as destnie shall assyne,
Shall lye on top, right ore the other twaine:
Their pictures now, all readie there remaine,
In signe when God appoynts the terme and date,
All flesh and blood must yéeld to mortall fate.
These are in déede, the auncient race of Gams,
A house and blood, that long rich Armes doth giue:
And now in Wales, are many of their names,
That kéepes great trayne, and doth full brauely liue.
The eldest Sonne, and chiefest of that race,
Doth beare in Armes, a ramping Lyon crownd,
[Page]And thrée Speare heads, and thrée red Cocks in place.
A Dragons head, all greene therein is found:
And in his mouth, a red and bloodie hand,
All this and more, vpon the Tombe doth stand.
Thrée fayre boyes heads,
The Armes of the Gams.
and euery one of thoseA Serpent hath close lapt about his necke:
A great white Bucke, and as you may suppose,
Right ore the same, (which doth it trimly deckē)
A crowne there is, that makes a goodly shoe,
A Lyon blacke, and thrée Bulles heads I troe:
Three Flowerdeluce, all fresh and white they were,
Two Swords, two Crownes, with fayre long crosse is there[?].
Thrée Bats, whose wings were spreaded all at large,
And three white barres were in these Armes likewise:
Let Harrolds now, to whom belongs that charge,
Describe these things, for me this may suffise.
Yet further now, I forced am to goe,
Of seuerall men, some other Armes to shoe.
Within that Church, there lyes beneath the Quere,
These persons two, whose names now shall ye heare.
In Tombe of stone,
The Armes of one Waters.
full fayre and finely wrought,One Waters lyes, with wife fast by his side:
Of some great stocke, these couple may be thought,
As by their Armes, an Tombe may well be tride.
Full at his feete, a goodly Greyhound lyes,
And at his head there is before your eyes
Thrée Libbarts heads, three cups, two Eagles splayd,
A fayre red Crosse: and further to be sayd,
A Lyon blacke, a Serpent fircely made,
With tayle wound vp: these Armes thus endeth so▪
Crosse legg'd by him,
His name was Reynold Debreos.
as was the auncient trade,Debreos lyes, in picture as I troe,
[Page]Of most hard wood: which wood as diuers say
No worme can eate, nor tyme can weare away:
A couching Hound, as Harrolds thought full méete,
In wood likewise, lyes vnderneath his feete.
Iust by the same, Meredith Thomas lyes,
Who had great grace, great wit and worship both,
And world him thought, both happie blest and wise,
A man that lou'd, good Iustice faith and troth.
Right ore this Tombe, of stone, to his great fame,
Good store in déede of Latin verses are,
And euery verse, set foorth in such good frame,
That truely doth his life and death declare.
This man was likt, for many graces good
That he possest, besides his birth and blood.
❧Somewhat of some Riuers and VVaters.
Glasseberies Bridge is within two myle of Portthamwel.
OF other things, as farre as knowledge goes,Now must I write, to furnish foorth this booke:
Some Shieres doe part at Waters, tryall showes
There, who so list vpon the same to looke.
Dulace doth runne, along vnto the Hay.
So Hartford shiere, from Breakenoke parteth there.
Maister Robert Knowles that maried one of the heires of the Vaughhans hath a fayre house and a Parke at Portthamwell.
Brennick Deelyes, Thlauenny as they sayAt Tawllgath méetes, so into Wye they beare:
From Arthurs Hill, Tytarell runnes apace,
And into Oske and Breakenoke runnes his race.
Nere Breakenoke Towne, there is a Mountaine hye,
Which shewes so huge, it is full hard to clime:
The Mountaine seemes so monstrous to the eye,
Yet thousands doe repayre to that sometime.
[Page]And they that stand, right on the top shal see
A wonder great, as people doe report:
Which common brute, and saying true may bee,
But since in deede, I did not there resort,
I write no more, then world will witnesse well:
Let them that please, of those straunge wonders tell.
What is set downe, I haue it surely seene,
As one that toyld and trauayld for the troth:
I will not say, such things are as I weene,
And frame a verse, as common voyces goeth.
Nor yet to please the humors of some men,
I list not stretch, nor racke my termes awry:
My muse will not so farre abuse the pen.
That writer shall gayne any blot thereby:
So he haue thanke in vsing ydle quill,
He seekes no more for paines and great good will.
¶Ludloe Towne, Church and Castle.
THE Towne doth stand most part vpon an Hill,
Built well and fayre,
The names of streates there. Castle streate. Broad streate. Old streate. And the Mill streate. A fayre house by the gate of the making of Iustice Walter[?].
with streates both large and wide:The houses such, where straungers lodge at will.
As long as there the Councell lists abide,
Both fine and cleane the streates are all throughout,
With Condits cleere, and wholesome water springs:
And who that lists to walke the Towne about,
Shall finde therein some rare and pleasant things:
But chiefly there the ayre so sweete you haue,
As in no place ye can no better craue.
The Market house, where Corne and Cates are sold,
Is couered ore, and kept in finest sort:
[Page]
Nere this is a fayre house of Maister Sackfords which he lid buyld, and a fayre house that Master Secretarie Foxe did bestowe great charges on, & a house that Maister Berrie dwelles in. M. Townesend hath a fayre house at Saint Austins once a Frierie. The Lord President Sir Harrie Sidneys Daughter, called Ambrosia, is entombed here in most brauest maner and great chargeable workmanship on the right hand of the Aulter. On the same is my Lord of Warwicks Armes excellētly wrought, and my Lord Presidents Armes and others, are in like sort there richly set out.
From which ye shall, the Castle well behold,And to which walke, doe many men resort.
On euery side thereof fayre houses are,
That makes a shewe, to please both mynd and eye:
The Church nere that, where monuments full rare
There is, (wherein doth sondrie people lye)
My pen shall touch, because the notes I finde
Therein, deserue to be well borne in minde.
Within the Quere, there is a Ladie layd
In Tombe most rich, the top of fayre Touchstone:
There was bestow'd in honour of this mayd,
Great cost and charge, the trueth may well be knowne.
For as the Tombe, is built in sumptuous guise,
So to the same, a closet fayre is wrought,
Where Lords may sit in stately solemne wise,
As though it were a fine deuice of thought,
To beautifie both Tombe and euery part
Of that fayre worke, that there is made by arte.
Against that Tombe, full on the other side,
A Knight doth lye, that Iustice Townesend hight:
His wife likewise, so soone as that she dyed,
In this rich Tombe, was buryed by this Knight:
And trueth to tell, Dame Alice was her name,
An Heire in deede, that brought both wealth and land,
And as world sayth, a worthie vertuous Dame,
Whose auncient Armes, in colours there doth stand:
And many more, whose Armes I doe not knowe,
Unto this Knight, are ioyned all a roe.
Amid the Church, a Chantrie Chappell stands,
Where Hozier lyes, a man that did much good:
Bestow'd great wealth, and gaue thereto some lands,
And helpt poore soules that in necessitie stood.
[Page]As many men,
Sir Robert Townes-end Knight lyes in a maruelos fayre Tombe in the Queere here, and his wife by him, at his feete is a red Rowbuck▪ and a word tout en dieu. On the left hand Hozier lyes in the bodie of the Church. On the right hand Cookes lyes. This man was my mothers father. Beawpy was a great ritch and verteous man▪ he made another Chantrie.
are bent to win good willBy some good turne, that they may freely showe:
So Hoziers hands, and head were working still:
For those he did, in det or daunger knowe.
He smyld to see, a begger at his doore:
For all his ioye, was to reléeue the poore.
Another man, whose name was Cookes for troth,
Like Hozier was, in all good gifts of grace:
This Cookes did giue, great lands and liuings both,
For to maintaine, a Chauntrie in that place.
A yéerely dole, and monthly almes likewise
He ordaynd there, which now the poore doe mis:
His wife and he, within that Chappell lyes,
Where yet full plaine, the Chauntrie standing is:
Some other things, of note there may you see
Within that Church, not touched now by mée.
Yet Beawpy must, be nam'd good reason why,
For he bestow'd, great charge before he dyde,
To helpe poore men, and now his bones doth lye
Full nere the Font, vpon the formost side.
Thus in those daies, the poore was lookt vnto,
The rich was glad, to fling great wealth away:
So that their almes, the poore some good might do.
In poore mens boxe, who doth his treasure lay,
Shall finde againe, ten fold for one he leaues:
Or els my hope, and knowledge me deceiues.
THE Castle now,
The Castle of Ludloe.
I mynd here to set out,It stands right well, and pleasant to the vewe,
With sweete prospect, yea all the field about.
An auncient Seate,
Sir Harry Sidney built many things here worthie praise and memorie.
yet many buildings neweLord Presdent made, to giue it greater fame:
But if I must, discourse of things as true,
[Page]There are great works, that now doth beare no name,
Which were of old, and yet may pleasure you
To see the same: for loe in elders daies
Was much bestow'd, that now is much to praise.
Prince Arthurs Armes, is there well wrought in stone,
Ouer a Chimney excellently wrought in the best chamber, is S. Androwes Crosse ioyned to Prince Arthurs Armes in the hall windowe.
(A worthie worke, that fewe or none may mend)This worke not such, that it may passe alone:
For as the tyme, did alwaies people send
To world, that might excéede in wit and spréete:
So sondrie sorts of works are in that Seate,
That for so hye a stately place is méete:
Which shewes this day, the workmanship is greate.
Looke on my Lords, and speak your fancies throw,
And you will praise, fayre Ludloe Castle now.
In it besides, (the works are here vnnam'd)
A Chappell is, most trim and costly sure,
So brauely wrought, so fayre and finely fram'd,
That to worlds end, the beautie may endure.
About the same, are Armes in colours sitch,
As fewe can shewe, in any Soyle or place:
A great deuice, a worke most rare and ritch:
Which truely shewes, the Armes, the blood and race
Of sondrie Kings, but chiefly Noble men,
That here in prose, I will set out with pen.
All that followes are Armes of Princes and Noblemen.Sir Walter Lacie was first owner of Ludloe Castle, whose Armes are there, and so followes the rest by order as you may reade.
- Ieffrey Genyuile, did match with Lacie.
- Roger Mortymer the first Earle of Martchy an Earle of a great house matcht with Genyuile.
- [Page]Leonell Duke of Clarence ioyned with Ulster in Armes.
- Edmond Earle of Marchy matched with Clarence.
- Richard Earle of Cambridge matcht with the Earle of Marchy.
- Richard Duke of Yorke matcht with Westmerland.
- Edward the fourth matcht with Woduile of Riuers.
- Henry the seuenth matcht with Elizabeth right heire of England.
- Henry the eight matcht with the Marquese of Penbroke.
These are the greatest first to be named that are there set out worthely as they were of dignitie and birth.
Now followes the rest of those that were Lord Presidents, and others whose Armes are in the same Chappell.
- William Smith Bishop of Lincolne was the first Lord President of Wales in Prince Arthurs daies.
- Ieffrey Blythe Bishoppe of Couentrie and Litchfield Lord President.
- Rowland Lée Bishoppe of Couentrie and Litchfield Lord President.
- Ihou Uessie Bishop of Exeter Lord President.
- Richard Sampson Bishop of Couentrie and Litchfield Lord President.
- [Page]Iohn Duldley Earle of Warwick (after Duke of Northumberland) Lord President.
- Sir William Harbert (after Earle of Penbroke) Lord President.
- Nicholas Heath Bishop of Worcester Lord President.
- Sir William Harbert once againe Lord President.
- Gilbert Browne Bishop of Bathe and Welles Lord President.
- Lord Williams of Tame Lord President.
- Sir Harry Sidney Lord President.
- Sir Andrew Corbret Knight, Uicepresident.
There are two blancks left without Armes.
- Sir Thomas Dynam Knight, is mentioned there to doe some great good act[?].
- Iohn Scory Bishop of Hartford.
- Nicholas Bullingham, Bishop of Worcester.
- Nicholas Robinson, Bishop of Bangore.
- Richard Dauies, Bishop of Saint Dauies.
- Thomas Dauies, Bishop of Saint Assaph.
- Sir Iames Crofts Knight, Controller.
- [Page]Sir Iohn Throgmorton Knight, Iustice of Chester and the three Shieres of Eastwales.
- Sir Hugh Cholmley Knight.
- Sir Nicholas Arnold Knight.
- Sir George Bromley Knight, and Iustice of the three shieres in Wales.
- William Gerrard, Lord Chauncellor of Ireland, and Iustice of the three Shieres in Southwales.
- Charles Foxe Esquier and Secretorie.
- Ellice Price Doctor of the Lawe.
- Edward Leighton Esquier.
- Richard Seborne Esquier.
- Richard Pates Esquier.
- Rafe Barton Esquier.
- George Phetyplace Esquier.
- William Leighton Esquier.
- Myles Sands Esquier.
The Armes of al these afore spoken of are gallantly and cunningly set out in the Chappell.The great water called Teā, comes 17. mile frō a place called the Whitehall neere vnto Begyldie in the County of Radnor.
Now is to be rehearsed, that Sir Harry Sidney being Lord President, buylt twelue roumes in the sayd Castle, which goodly buildings doth shewe a great beautie to the same.
[Page]He made also a goodly Wardrope vnderneath the new Parlor, and repayred an old Tower, called Mortymers Tower, to kéepe the auncient Records in the same: and he repayred a fayre roume vnder the Court house, to the same entent and purpose, and made a great wall about the woodyard,The Forrest of Brenwood is west from the towne. The Chace of Mocktrie and O [...]kley Parkes stāds not farre from thence. & built a most braue Condit within the inner Court: and all the newe buildings ouer the Gate Sir Harry Sidney (in his daies and gouernement there) made and set out to the honour of the Quéene, and glorie of the Castle.
There are in a goodly or stately place set out my Lord Earle of Warwicks Armes, the Earle of Darbie, the Earle of Worcester, the Earle of Penbroke, and Sir Harry Sidneys Armes in like maner: al these stand on the left hand of the Chamber. On the other side are the Armes of Northwales and Southwales, two red Lyons and two golden Lyons, Prince Arthurs.
A deuice of the Lord Presidents.At the end of the dyning Chamber, there is a pretie deuice how the Hedgehog brake the chayne, and came from Ireland to Ludloe.
There is in the Hall a great grate of Iron of a huge height: so much is written only of the Castle.
❧The Towne of Ludloe, and many good gifts graunted to the same.
He gaue great possessions, large liberties, and did incorporate them with many goodly freedomes.
KIng Edward fourth, for seruice truely done,When Henry sixt, and he had mortall warre:
No sooner he, by force the victorie wone,
But with great things, the Towne he did prefarre.
Gaue lands thereto, and libertie full large,
Which royall gifts, his bountie did declare,
And dayly doth, mainteyne the Townes great charge:
Whose people now, in as great freedome are,
[Page]As any men, vnder this rule and Crowne,
That liues and dwels,
That Towne hath bin well gouerned a lōg while with two Bayliefes, twelue Aldermen, and fiue and thirtie Commoners, a Recorder & a Townclarke assistant to the sayd Bayliefes by iudiciall course of lawe weekely, in as large and ample maner for their triall betweene partie and partie, as any Cittie or Borrowe of England hath.
in Citie or in Towne.Two Bayliefes rules, one yéere the Towne throughout,
Twelue Aldermen, they haue there in likewise:
Who doth beare sway, as turne doth come about,
Who chosen are, by oth and auncient guise.
Good lawes they haue, and open place to pleade,
In ample sort, for right and Iustice sake:
A Preacher too, that dayly there doth reade,
A Schoolemaster, that doth good schollers make.
And for the Queere, are boyes brought vp to sing,
And so serue God, and doe none other thing.
Thrée tymes a day, in Church good Saruice is,
At sixe a clocke, at nine, and then at three:
In which due howers, a straunger shall not mis,
But sondrie sorts, of people there to see.
And thirtie thrée, poore persons they maintaine,
Who wéekely haue, both money, almes and ayde:
Their lodging free, and further to be plaine,
Still once a weeke,
The poore haue sweete lodgings each one a part to himselfe. An Hospitall called S. Iones. A Guyld that King Edward (by Letters Pattents) gaue to the Bayliefs and Burgesses of the towne. The Aldermē are Iustices of the Peace for the time being
the poore are truely payde:Which shewes great grace, and goodnesse in that Seate,
Where rich doth see, the poore shall want no meate.
An Hospitall, there hath bene long of old,
And many things, pertayning to the same:
A goodly Guyld, the Township did vphold,
By Edwards gift, a King of worthie fame.
This Towne doth choose, two Burgesses alwaies
For Parliament, the custome still is so:
Two Fayres a yéere, they haue on seuerall daies,
Three Markets kept, but monday chiefe I troe:
And two great Parkes, there are full néere the Towne,
But those of right, pertaine vnto the Crowne.
These things rehearst, makes Ludloe honord mitch,
And world to thinke, it is an auncient Seate:
Where many men, both worthie wise and ritch
Were borne and bred, and came to credit great.
Our auncient Kings, and Princes there did rest,
Where now full oft, the Presdent dwels a space:
It stands for Wales, most apt, most fit and best,
And néerest to, at hand of any place:
Wherefore I thought, it good before I end,
Within this booke, this matter should be pend.
The rest of Townes, that in Shropshiere you haue,
I néede not touch, they are so throughly knowne:
And further more, I knowe they cannot craue
To be of Wales, how euer brute be blowne.
So wishing well, as duetie doth me binde,
To one and all, as farre as power may goe,
I knit vp here, as one that doth not minde
Of natiue Soyle, no further now to showe.
So cease my muse, let pen and paper pause,
Till thou art calde, to write of other cause.
❧An Introduction to remember Shropshiere.
HOw hath thy muse so long bene luld a sléepe?
What deadly drinke, hath sence in slumber brought?
Doth poyson cold, through blood and bosome créepe?
A deuice of the Author called Reasons threatning.
Or is of spite, some charme by witchcraft wrought,That vitall spréetes, hath lost their feeling quite?
Or is the hand, so weake it cannot write?
Come ydle man, and shewe some honest cause,
Why writers pen, makes now so great a pause.
Can Wales be nam'de, and Shropshiere be forgote,
The marshes must, make muster with the rest:
Shall Sallop say, their countreyman doth dote,
To treate of things, and write what thinks him best.
No sure such fault, were dubble error plaine,
If in thy pen, be any Poets vayne,
Or gifts of grace, from Skyes did drop on thée,
Than Shrewsebrie Towne, thereof first cause must bée.
Both borne and bred,
The Author[?] borne in Shrewseburie.
in that same Seate thou wast,(Of race right good, or els Records do lye)
From whence to schoole, where euer Churchyard past.
To natiue Soyle, he ought to haue an eye,
Speake well of all, and write what world may proue,
Let nothing goe,
Shrewseburie the marshes of Wales.
beyond thy Countries loue:Wales once it was, and yet to mend thy tale,
Make Wales the Parke, and plaine Shropshiere the pale.
If pale be not, a speciall peece of Parke,
Sit silent now, and neither write nor speake:
But leaue out pale, and thou mayst misse the marke,
Thy muse would hit, or els thy shaft may breake
Against a stone,
Reasons threatning is[?] done.
thou thinkst to glance vpon.Now weigh these words, my chorlish check is gon,
More gentle spéech, hereafter may I spend,
When that in verse, I see thy Countrie pend.
When Reasons threat, had rapt me on the pate,
(With priuie blowes,
The priuie blowes that Reason giues.
that neuer drawes no blood)To studie streight, with pen and ynke I gate,
And sadly there, bethought me what was good.
But ere the locke, and doore was bolted fast,
Ten thousand toyes, in head through fancie past,
And twentie more, conceyts came rouling on,
That were too long, to talke and treat vpon.
Wherefore in briefe, I settled pen to worke,
For feare of shame slouthfull men are well occupied.
For feare least world, found fault with slouthfull muse:And calling vp, the spréetes that close did lurke
In cloke of ease, that would good wits abuse.
I held on way, to auncient Shrewsebrie Towne,
And so from horse, at lodging lighting downe,
I walkt the streates, and markt what came to vewe,
Found old things dead, as world were made a newe.
Newe buildings makes old deuice blush.
For buildings gay, and gallant finely wrought,Had old deuice, through tyme supplanted cleane:
Some houses bare, that seem'd to be worth nought,
Were fat within, that outward looked leane:
Wit had won wealth, to stuffe each emptie place,
The cunning head, and labouring hand had grace
To gayne and kéepe, and lay vp still in store,
As man might say, the heart could wish no more.
A number sure, were ritch become of late,
Labour reapes reward.
By worldly meanes, by hap or wisedomes arte:He had no praise, that did apayre his state,
And he most lawde, that playd the wisest parte.
To come by goods, well won with honest trade,
And warely looke, there were no hauock made:
Such thriftie men, doe dwell in Shrewsebrie now,
That all the Towne, is full of Marchants throw.
Many well borne and rich in Shrewseburie. Diuers Almes houses in Shrewseburie, and hath bin there mainteyned in old time.
And sondrie borne, of right good race and blood,Who freely liues, from bondage euery way:
Whose rent and lands, whose wealth and worldly good,
(When other works, giues them free leaue to play)
Most part are ritch, or els right well to liue,
And to the poore, the godly people giue:
To preaching still, repayres both young and old,
Makes more thereof, then of ritch pearle or gold.
Now come to poynts,
Shrewseburie and Wales are like in courtesie.
and rules of ciuill men,Good maner calde, that shewes good nature still:
And so with Wales, ye may compare them then,
The meanest sort, I meane of slendrest skill.
For as some whelpes, that are of gentle kinde,
Excéedes curre dogges,
Fayre wordes[?] and reuerence is a common thing there.
that beares a doggish minde:So these méeke folke, that méetes you in the streete,
Will curchie make, or shewe an humble spréete.
This argues sure,
Good nature and good maners shewes good mynds.
they haue in Wales bin bred,Or well brought vp, and taught where now they dwell:
If haughtie heart, be spyde by loftie hed,
And curteous folkes, by lookes are knowne full well:
Me thinkes the myld, wins all goodwill away,
The sturdie stands,
Stout behauiour is rather abhorred then embraced.
like Stagge or Bucke at bay:The tame white Doue, and Faulkon for delytes,
Are better farre, then fifteene hundred Kytes.
My theame is Wales,
Many of wales wealthie men in Shrewseburie.
and to that theame I goe,Perhaps some seede, of that same Soyle is here:
Sowne in such sort, that dayly it doth growe
In fayrest fourme, to furnish forth this shiere.
Admit the same, the sequell graunts it well,
Passe that discourse, and giue me leaue to tell
How Shrewsebrie stands, and of the Castles seate,
The Riuer large, and stonie bridge so greate.
The Towne three parts,
A deepe deuice the foundation of Shrewseburie. The Castle built in such a braue plot, that it could haue espyed a byrd flying in euery streate.
stands in a valley loe,Three gates there are, through which you néedes must passe,
As to the height, of Towne the people goe:
So Castle seemes, as twere a looking glasse,
To looke through all, and hold them all in awe,
Treangle wise, the gates and Towne doth drawe:
But Castle hill, spyes out each streate so plaine,
As though an eye, on them did still remaine.
In midst of Towne, fower Parrish Churches are,
A matter to be marked.
Full nere and close, together note that right:The vewe farre of, is wondrous straunge and rare,
For they doe seeme, a true loue knot to sight:
A Knight lyes crosselegged in S. Maries, his name is Leyborne.
They stand on hill, as Nature wrought a Seate,To place them fower, in stately beautie greate:
As men deuout, to buyld these works tooke care,
So in these daies, these Temples famous are.
Of the same of Churches.
First for the cause, whereon they so were made,Then for their fourme, and fashion framed fine:
Next for the cost, the stones and auncient trade,
And chiefe of all, for mans intent deuine.
Their placing thus, the plots whereon they stand,
The workmanship, with cunning Masons hand:
Their height and breadth, their length and thicknesse both,
Argues in déede, a wondrous worke of troth.
Of the Riuer of Seuarne.
Not farre from them, doth goodly Seuarne run,An arme of Sea, a water large and deepe:
Whose headstrong streame, the Fisher can not shun,
Except by banke, both bote and he doth creepe.
This Riuer runs, to many a noble Towne,
As Wyster one, and Bristowe of renowne:
With moe besides, which here I neede not name,
The Card can shewe, both them and all their fame.
A notable Riuer, called Seuarn, running vnder two faire bridges of stone.
About the walles, trim vnder goodly banksDoth Seuarne passe, and comes by Cotten hill:
Much praise they had, and purchast many thanks,
That at Stonebridge, made place for many a Mill.
About the Towne, this water may be brought,
If that a way, were nere the Castle wrought:
So Castle should, stand like a péereles mount,
And Shrewsebrie Towne, be had in great account.
Full from Welshbridge,
There is a bridge called Welshbridge, which shewes Shrewseburie to be of Wales
along by meddowes greene,The Riuer runs, most fayre and fine to vewe:
Such fruitfull ground, as this is seldome seene
In many parts, if that I heare be true.
Yet each man knowes, that grasse is in his pride,
And ayre is fresh, by euery Riuers side:
But sure this plot, doth farre surpasse the rest,
That by good lot, is not with graces blest.
Who hath desire,
The Castle though old and ruynate stands most braue and gallantly.
to vewe both hill and vale,Walke vp old wall, of Castle rude and bare,
And he shall see, such pleasure set to sale,
In kindly sort, as though some Marchants ware
Were set in shop, to please the passer by:
Or els by shewe,
Maister Prince his house stāds so trim and finely, that it graceth all the Soyle it is in.
beguyld the gazers eye:For looke but downe, along the pleasant coast,
And he shall thinke, his labour is not lost.
One way appeares, Stonebridge and Subbarbs there,
Which called is, the Abbey Forehed yet:
A long great streate, well builded large and faire,
In as good ayre, as may be wisht with wit:
Where Abbey stands, and is such ring of Belles,
As is not found, from London vnto Welles:
The Stéeple yet, a gracious pardon findes,
To bide all blasts, all wethers stormes and windes.
Another way,
Here is the way to Meluerley, to Wattels Borrow where Ma. Leighton dwelles, to Cawx Castle Lord Staffords, and to Maister Williams house.
full ore Welshbridge there is,An auncient streate, cal'd Franckwell many a day:
To Ozestri, the people passe through this,
And vnto Wales, it is the reddie way.
In Subbarbs to, is Castle Forehed both,
A streate well pau'd, two seuerall waies that goeth:
All this without, and all the Towne within,
When Castle stood, to vewe hath subiect bin.
But now doth hold, their fréedome of the Prince,
Aldermen in Scarlet orderly in Shrewseburie, and two Bayliefes as richly set out many Mayor of some great Cities.
And as is found, in Records true vnfaynd,This trim shiere towne, was buylt a great while since:
Whose priuiledge, by loyaltie was gaynd.
Two Bayliefes there, doth rule as course doth fall,
In state like Maior, and orders good withall:
Each officer due, that fits for stately place,
Each yéere they haue, to yéeld the roume more grace.
On sollemne daies, in Scarlet gownes they goe,
Good house they kéepe, as cause doth serue therefore:
Great & costly banquetting in Christmas and at all Sessions & Sizes.
But Christmas feasts, compares with all I knoweSaue London sure, whose state is farre much more.
That Cities charge, makes straungers blush to see,
So princely still, it is in each degree:
But though it beare, a Torch beyond the best,
This Lanterne light, may shine among the rest.
A matter of trafficke to be noted and cō sidered of.
This Towne with more, fit members for the head,Makes London ritch, yet reapes great gayne from thence:
It giues good gold, for Clothes and markes of lead,
And for Welsh ware, exchaungeth English pence.
A fountaine head, that many Condits serue,
London compared to the flowing Sea.
Kéepes moyst drye Springs, and doth it selfe preserue:The flowing Sea, to which all Riuers run,
May spare some shewres, to quench the heate of Sun.
So London must, like mother to the Realme,
The great must maintaine the smal.
To all her babes, giue milke, giue sucke and pap:Small Brookes swelles vp, by force of mightie streame,
As little things, from greatest gaynes good hap.
If Shrewsebrie thriue, and last in this good lucke,
It is not like, to lacke of worldly mucke:
The trade is great, the Towne and Seaee stands well,
Great health they haue, in such swéete Soyles that dwell.
Thus farre I goe, to proue this Wales in déede,
Or els at least, the martches of the same:
But further speake, of Shiere it is no néede,
Saue Ludloe now, a Towne of noble fame:
A goodly Seate,
Ludloe is set[?] out after.
where oft the Councell lyes,Where Monuments, are found in auncient guyse:
Where Kings and Quéenes, in pompe did long abyde,
And where God pleasde, that good Prince Arthur dyde.
This Towne doth front, on Wales as right as lyne,
So sondrie Townes, in Shropshiere doe for troth:
As Ozestry,
Ozestrie and Bishops Castle doth front in Wales.
a pretie Towne full fine,Which may be lou'd, be likte and praysed both.
It stands so trim, and is maintaynd so cleane,
And péepled is, with folke that well doe meane:
That it deserues, to be enrould and shrynd
In each good breast, and euery manly mynd.
The Market there, so farre excéedes withall,
As no one Towne, comes néere it in some sort:
For looke what may, be wisht or had at call,
It is there found, as market men report.
For Poultrie,
Of a notable market a meruclous matter.
Foule, of euery kind somewhat,No place can shewe, so much more cheape then that:
All kind of Cates, that Countrie can afford,
For money there, is bought with one bare word.
They harke not long,
Poore folkes makes fewe words in bargayning.
about the thing they sell,For price is knowne, of each thing that is brought:
Poore folke God wot, in Towne no longer dwell,
Then money had, perhaps a thing of nought:
So trudge they home, both barelegge and vnshod,
With song in Welsh, or els in praysing God:
O swéete content, O merrie mynd and mood,
With sweat of browes, thou lou'st to get thy food.
The blessednesse of plaine people.
O plaine good folke, that haue no craftie braines,O Conscience cléere, thou knowst no cunning knacks:
O harmlesse hearts, where feare of God remaines,
O simple Soules, as sweete as Uirgin waxe.
O happie heads, and labouring bodies blest,
O sillie Doues, of holy Abrahams brest:
You sléepe in peace, and rise in ioye and blisse,
For Heauen hence, for you prepared is.
A rare report yet truely giuen of Wales.
Where shall we finde, such dealing now adaies?Where is such chéere, so cheape and chaunge of fare?
Ride North and South, and search all beaten waies,
From Barwick bounds, to Venice if you dare,
And finde the like, that I in Wales haue found,
And I shall be, your slaue and bondman bound.
If Wales be thus, as tryall well shall proue,
Take Wales goodwill, and giue them neighbours loue.
You must reade further before you finde Ludloe described.
To Ludloe now, my muse must needes returne,A season short, no long discourse doth craue:
Tyme rouleth on, I doe but daylight burne,
And many things, in déede to doe I haue.
Looke what great Towne, doth front on Wales this hower,
I minde to touch, God sparing life and power:
Not hyerd thereto, but hal'de by harts desire
To giue them praise, whose deedes doe fame require.
Verte folium.
¶ Of Shrewsebury Churches and the Monuments therein,The Authors forgetfulnesse clensed. with a Bridge of stone two bowshot long, and a streate called Colam, being in the Subbarbs, and a fayre Bridge there in like maner: all this was forgotten in the first copie.
I Had such haste, in hope to be but briefe,
That Monuments, in Churches were forgot:
[Page]And somewhat more, behind the walles as chiefe,
Where Playes haue bin,
A pleasant and artificiall peece of groūd
which is most worthie note.There is a ground, newe made Theat or wise,
Both deepe and hye, in goodly auncient guise:
Where well may sit, ten thousand men at ease,
And yet the one, the other not displease.
A space[?] belowe, to bayt both Bull and Beare,
For Players too, great roume and place at will.
And in the same, a Cocke pit wondrous feare,
Besides where men, may wrastle in their fill.
A ground most apt, and they that sits aboue,
At once in vewe, all this may see for loue:
At Astons Play,
Maister Aston was a good and godly Preacher.
who had beheld this then,Might well haue seene, there twentie thousand men.
Fayre Seuarne streame, runs round about this ground,
Saue that one side, is closde with Shrewsebrie wall:
And Seuarne bankes,
A Friery house stood by this ground called the Welsh Fryers. In Shrewseburie were three Fryer houses.
whose beautie doth abound,In that same Soyle, behold at will ye shall.
Who comes to marke, and note what may be seene,
Shall surely see, great pleasures on this greene:
Who walkes the bankes, and thinkes his payne not greate,
Shall say the Towne, is sure a princely Seate.
Without the walles, as Subbarbs buylded bée,
So doe they stand, as armes and legges to Towne:
Each one a streate, doth answer in degrée,
And by some part, comes Seuarne running downe:
As though that streame, had mynd to garde them all,
And as through bridge, this flood doth dayly fall,
So of Freestone, three Bridges bigge there are,
All stately built, a thing full straunge and rare.
Then iudge by this, and other things a heape,
They had déepe skill, that first the founders were:
[Page]Good right they should, the fruite of labour reape,
Whose wit and wealth, did all the charges beare.
O fathers wise, and wits beyond the nicke,
That had the head, the spréetes and sence so quicke:
O golden age, that car'de not what was spent,
So leaden daies, did stand therewith content.
Gold were those yéeres, that sparde such siluer pence,
And brazen world, was that which hoorded all:
The leaden daies, that we haue sauerd since,
Bytes to the bones, and tasteth worse then gall.
What newe things now, with franknesse well begun,
Can staine those déedes, our fathers old haue done:
Great Townes they buylt, great Churches reard likewise,
Which makes our fame, to fall and theirs to rise.
Looke on the works, and wits of former age,
And our tyme shall, come dragging farre behind:
If both tymes might, be plainly playd on stage,
And old tyme past, be truely calde to mind,
For all our braue, fine glorious buyldings gay,
Tyme past would run, with all the fame away.
Aske Oxford that, and Cambridge if it please,
In this one poynt, shall you resolue at ease.
A briefe discourse of auncient tyme.
In auncient tyme, our elders had desire,To buyld their Townes, on stéepe and stately hill:
To shewe that as, their hearts did still aspyre,
So should their works, declare their worthie will.
And for that then, the world was full of strife,
And fewe men stood, assur'd of land or life:
Such quarrels rose, about great rule and state,
That no one Soyle, was free from foule debate.
The occasion of buylding strong Holds.
For which sharpe cause, that dayly bred discord,They made strong Holds, and Castles of defence:
[Page]And such as weare, the Kings the Prince and Lord
Of any place, would spare for no expence,
To see that safe, that they had hardly won:
For which sure poynt, were Forts and Townes begun:
And further loe, if people waxed wyld,
They brought in feare, by this both man an child.
And if men may, iudge who had most ado,
Or gesse by Forts, and Holds what Land was best:
Or looke vpon,
Wales hath a wonderfull number of Castles.
our common quarrels to:Or search what made, men seeke for peace and rest,
Behold but Wales, and note the Castles there,
And you shall finde, no such works any where:
So old so strong, so costly and so hye,
Not vnder Sunne, is to be seene with eye.
And to be plaine, so many Holds they haue,
As sure it is, a world to marke them well:
Pause there a while, my muse must pardon craue,
Pen may not long, vpon such matter dwell.
Now Denbigh comes,
A description of Denbighshiere.
to be set foorth in verse,Which shall both Towne, and Castle here rehearse:
So that the verse, such credit may attayne,
As writer shall, not lose no péece of payne.
❧An Introduction to bring in Denbighshiere.
HAth slouth and sleepe, bewitcht my sences so,
That head cannot,
A conceyted toy to set a broach an earnest matter.
awake the ydle hand:Is frendly muse, become so great a foe,
That labring pen, in pennor still shall stand.
What trifeling toye, doth trouble writers brayne,
That earnest loue, forgets swéete Poets vayne?
[Page]Bid welcome mirth, and sad conceytes adue,
And fall againe, to write some matter newe.
Let old deuice, a Lanterne be to this,
To giue skill light, and make sound iudgement see:
Since gazing eyes, hath seene what each thing is,
And that no Towne, nor Soyle is hid from thee:
Set foorth in verse, as well this Countrey here,
As thou at large, hast set out Monmouthshiere:
Praise one alone, the rest will thee disdaine,
A day may come, at length to quite thy paine.
Though former toyles, be lost in Sommer last,
Being Muster-maister of Kent more chargeable then well cōsidered of there.
Dispayre not now, for Wales is thankfull still:Thou hast gon farre, the greatest brunt is past,
Then forward passe, and plucke not backe goodwill,
Put hand to Plough, like man goe through with all,
Thy ground is good, rim and thou canst not fall:
When seede is sowne, and tyme bestowes some paine,
Thou shalt be knowne, a reaper of good graine.
Hold on thy course, and trauaile Wales all ore,
And whet thy wits, to marke and note it well:
And thou shalt see, thou neuer saw'st before,
Right goodly things, in déede that doth excell:
More auncient Townes, more famous Castles old,
Then well farre of, with ease thou mayst behold:
With Denbighshiere, thy second worke begin,
And thou shalt see, what glorie thou shalt win.
So I tooke horse, and mounted vp in haste,
From Monmouthshiere, a long the coasts I ryde:
When frost and snowe, and wayward winters waste,
Chirke Castle a goodly and princely house yet.
Did beate from tree, both leaues and Sommers pryde.I entred first, at Chirke, right ore a Brooke,
Where staying still, on Countrey well to looke.
[Page]A Castle fayre, appéerde to sight of eye,
Whose walles were great, and towers both large and hye.
Full vnderneath, the same doth Kéeryock run,
A raging Brooke,
Keeryock[?] a wondrous violent water.
when rayne or snowe is greate:It was some Prince, that first this house begun,
It shewes farre of, to be so braue a Seate.
On side of hill,
Maister Iohn Edwards hath a fayre house nere this.
it stands most trim to vewe,An old strong place, a Castle nothing newe.
A goodly thing, a princely Pallace yet,
If all within, were throughly furnisht fit.
Beyond the same, there is a Bridge of stone,
That stands on Dée,
Newe Bridge on the Riuer Dee.
a Riuer déepe and swift:It seemes as it, would riue the Rocks alone,
Or vndermyne, with force the craggie Clift.
To Chester runs, this Riuer all along,
With gushing streame, and roring water strong:
On both the sides, are bankes and hilles good store,
And mightie stones[?], that makes the Riuer rore.
It flowes with winde, although no rayne there bée,
And swelles like Sea,
A straūge nature of a water
with waues and foming flood:A wonder sure, to see this Riuer Dée,
With winde alone, to waxe so wyld and wood,
Make such a sturre,
There is a poole in Meryonethshiere of three myle long rageth so by storme that it makes this Riuer flowe.
as water would be mad,And shewe such life, as though some spréete it had.
A cause there is, a nature for the same,
To bring this flood, in such straunge case and frame.
Not farre from this, there stands on little mount,
A right fayre Church, with pillars large and wide:
A monument,
Ruabon Church is a fayre peece of worke.
therein of good account,Full finely wrought, amid the Quéere I spyde,
A Tombe there is, right rich and stately made,
Where two doth lye, in stone and auncient trade.
[Page]The man and wife, with sumptuous sollemne guyse,
In this ritch sort, before the Aulter lyes.
His head on crest, and warlike Helmet stayes,
This Gentleman was called Iohn Bellis Eytton.
A Lyon blew, on top thereof comes out:On Lyons necke, along his legges he layes,
Two Gauntlets white, are lying there about.
An auncient Squire, he was and of good race,
As by his Armes, appéeres in many a place:
His house and lands, not farre from thence doth shoe,
His birth and blood, was great right long agoe.
The trimmest glasse, that may in windowe bée,
(Wherein the roote, of Iesse well is wrought)
At Aulter head, of Church now shall you see,
Yea all the glasse, of Church was déerely bought.
Within two myles, there is a famous thing,
Offaes Dyke.
Cal'de Offaes Dyke, that reacheth farre in length:All kind of ware, the Danes might thether bring,
It was free ground, and cal'de the Britaines strength.
Wats Dyke likewise, about the same was set,
Wats Dyke.
Betwéene which two, both Danes and Britaines met,And trafficke still, but passing bounds by sleight,
The one did take, the other prisner streight.
Thus foes could méete, (as many tymes they may)
And doe no harme, when profite ment they both:
Good rule and lawe, makes baddest things to stay,
That els by rage, to wretched reuell goeth.
The brutest beasts, that sauage are of kynd,
Together comes, as season is assyude:
The angryest men, that can no friendship byde,
Must ceace from warre, when peace appalles their pride.
Now let this goe, and call in haste to minde,
Trim Wricksam Towne,
Robert Howell lyes there a Gentleman.
a pearle of Denbighshiere:In whose fayre Church, a Tombe of stone I finde,
Under a wall, right hand on side of Quéere.
On th'other side, one Pilson lyes in graue,
Whose hearse of blacke, sayth he a Tombe shall haue:
In Quéere lyes Hope, by Armes of gentle race,
Of function once, a rector in that place.
But speake of Church, and stéeple as I ought,
My pen to base, so fayre a worke to touch:
Within and out, they are so finely wrought,
I cannot praise, the workmanship too much.
But buylt of late, not eight score yéeres agoe,
Not of long tyme, the date thereof doth shoe:
No common worke, but sure a worke most fine,
As though they had, bin wrought by power deuine.
The stéeple there, in forme is full foure square,
Yet euery way, fiue pinnackles appéere:
Trim Pictures fayre, in stone on outside are,
Made all like waxe, as stone were nothing déere.
The height so great, the breadth so bigge withall,
No peece thereof, is likely long to fall,
A worke that stands, to stayne a number more,
In any age, that hath bin buylt before.
❧A generall Commendation of Gentilitie.
NEre Wricksam dwels, of Gentlemen good store,
Of calling such, as are right well to liue:
By Market towne, I haue not seene no more,
(In such small roume) that auncient Armes doe giue.
[Page] They are the ioye, and gladnesse of the poore,
In Maylor, are all these Gentlemen.
Maister Roger Pilsons house at It [...]hlay.
Maister Almmer at Pantyokin.
Maister Iohn Pilson of Bersan.
Maister Edward Iones of Cadoogan. Maister Iames Eaton of Eatton.
Maister Edward Eaton by Ruabon. Maister Owen Brueton of Borras.
Maister Iohn Pilson of Haberdewerne. Maister Thomas Powell of Horsley.
Maister Iohn Treuar of Treuohn. Agene all praise of all Gentlemen inhabiting of any Countrey.
That dayly feedes, the hungrie at their doore:
In any Soyle, where Gentlemen are found,
Some house is kept, and bountie doth abound.
They beautifie, both Towne and Countrey too,
And furnisht are, to serue at néede in feeld:
And euery thing, in rule and order do,
And vnto God, and man due honour yeeld.
They are the strength, and suretie of the Land,
In whose true hearts, doth trust and credit stand,
By whose wise heads, the neighbours ruled are,
In whom the Prince, reposeth greatest care.
They are the flowers, of euery garden ground,
For where they want, there growes but wicked weedes:
Their tree and fruite, in rotten world is sownd,
Their noble mynds, will bring foorth faithfull deedes:
Their glorie rests, in Countries wealth and fame,
They haue respect, to blood and auncient name:
They weigh nothing, so much as loyall hart,
Which is most pure, and cleane in euery part.
They doe vphold, all ciuill maners myld,
All manly acts, all wise and worthie waies:
If they were not, the Countrey would grow wyld,
And we should soone, forget our elders daies:
Ware blunt of wit, in spéech growe rude and rough,
Want vertue still, and haue of vice enough.
Shewe feeble spréete, lacke courage euery where,
Dout many a thing, and our owne shadowes feare.
They dare attempt, for fame and hye renowne,
To scale the Clowdes, if men might clyme the ayre:
Assault the Starres, and plucke the Planets downe,
Giue charge on Moone, and Sunne that shines so fayre.
[Page]I meane they dare, attempt the greatest things,
Flye swiftly ore, high Hilles if they had wings:
Beate backe the Seas, and teare the Mountaines too,
Yea what dare not, a man of courage doo.
Now must I turne, to my discourse agayne,
I Wricksam leaue,
Holt Castle an excellent fine place, the Riuer of Dee running by it.
and pen out further place:So if my muse, were now in pleasant vayne,
Holt Castle should, from verse receiue some grace:
The Seate is fine, and trimly buylt about,
With lodgings fayre, and goodly roumes throughout,
Strong Uaults and Caues,
Maister Hues[?] dwelles there.
and many an old deuice,That in our daies, are held of worthie price.
That place must passe,
Maister Euan Flud dwelles in Yale, in a fayre house.
with praise and so adue,My muse is bent, (and pen is readie prest)
To feede your eares, with other matters newe,
That yet remaines, in head and labouring brest.
A Mountaine towne, that is Thlangothlan calde,
A pretie Seate, but not well buylt nor walde,
Stands in the way,
Castle Dynosebraen on a wooddie hill on the one side, & Greene Castle on the other.
to Yale and Writhen both,Where are great Hilles, and Plaines but fewe for troth.
Of Mountaines now, in déede my muse must runne,
The Poets there, did dwell as fables fayne:
Because some say, they would be neere the Sunne,
And taste sometymes, the frost, the cold, and rayne,
To iudge of both, which is the chiefe and best.
Who knowes no toyle,
A Bridge of stone very faire there stands ouer Dee.
can neuer skill of rest,Who alwaies walkes, on carpet soft and gay,
Knowes not hard Hilles, nor likes the Mountaine way.
A discourse of Mountaynes.
DAme Nature drew,
Maister Lakon. Ma. Thlude of Yale.
these Mountaynes in such sort,As though the one, should yéeld the other grace:
[Page]Or as each Hill, it selfe were such a Fort,
They scornde to stoope, to giue the Cannon place.
If all were playne, and smooth like garden ground,
Where should hye woods, and goodly groues be found:
The eyes delight, that lookes on euery coast,
With pleasures great, and fayre prospect were lost.
On Hill we vewe, farre of both feeld and flood,
Feele heate or cold, and so sucke vp swéete ayre:
Behold beneath, great wealth and worldly good,
Sée walled Townes, and looke on Countries fayre▪
And who so sits, or stands on Mountayne hye,
Hath halfe a world, in compasse of his eye:
A platforme made, of Nature for the nonce,
Where man may looke, on all the earth at once.
These ragged Rocks, brings playnest people foorth,
On Mountaine wyld, the hardest Horse is bred:
Though grasse thereon, be grosse and little worth,
Swéete is the foode, where hunger so is fed.
On rootes and hearbs, our fathers long did feede,
And neere the Skye, growes swéetest fruit in déede:
On marrish meares, and watrie mossie ground,
Are rotten wéedes, and rubbish drosse vnsound.
The fogges and mists, that rise from vale belowe,
A reason makes, that highest Hilles are best:
And when such fogges, doth ore the Mountayne goe,
In foulest daies, fayre weather may be gest.
As bitter blasts, on Mountaynes bigge doth blowe,
So noysome smels, and sauours breede belowe:
The Hill stands cléere, and cleane from filthie smell,
They finde not so, that doth in Ualley dwell.
The Mountayne men, liue longer many a yéere,
Then those in Uale, in playne or marrish soyle:
[Page]A lustie hart, a cleane complexion cléere
They haue on Hill, that for hard liuing toyle.
With Ewe and Lambe, with Goates and Kids they play,
In greatest toyles, to rub out wearie day:
And when to house, and home good fellowes drawe,
The lads can laugh, at turning of a strawe.
No ayre so pure, and wholesome as the Hill,
Both man and beast, delights to be thereon:
In heate or cold, it kéepes one nature still,
Trim neate and drye, and gay to go vpon.
A place most fit, for pastime and good sport,
To which wyld Stagge, and Bucke doth still resort:
To crye of Hounds, the Mountayne ecco yéelds,
A grace to Uale, a beautie to the feelds.
It stands for world, as though a watch it were,
A stately gard, to keepe greene meddowe myld:
The Poets fayne, on shoulders it doth heare
The Heauens hye, but there they are beguyld.
The maker first, of Mountayne and of Uale,
Made Hill a wall, to clip about the Dale:
A strong defence, for néedfull fruit and Corne,
That els by blast, might quickly be forlorne.
If boystrous wynds, were not withstood by strength,
Repulst by force, and driuen backward too,
They would destroy, our earthly ioyes at length,
And through their rage, they would much mischiefe doo.
God sawe what smart, and griefe the earth would byde
By sturdie stormes, and pearcing tempests pryde:
So Mountaynes made, to saue the lower soyle,
For feare the earth, should suffer shamefull spoyle.
How could weake leaues, and blossomes hang on tree,
If boystring wynds, should braunches dayly beate:
[Page]How could poore soules, in Cottage quiet bee,
If higher grounds, did not defend their seate.
Who buylds his bower, right vnder foote of hill,
Hath little cold, and weather warme at will:
Thus proue I here, the Mountaine frendeth all,
Stands stiffe gaynst stormes, like stéele or brazen wall.
You may compare, a King to Mountayne hye,
Whose princely power, can byde both bront and shocke
Of bitter blast, or Thunderbolt from Skye,
His Fortresse stands, vpon so firme a Rocke.
A Prince helps all, and doth so strongly sit,
That none can harme, by fraude, by force nor wit.
The weake must leane, where strength doth most remayne,
The Mountayne great, commaunds the little Playne.
As Mountayne is, a noble stately thing,
Thrust full of stones, and Rocks as hard as stéele:
A péereles peece, comparde vnto a King,
Who sits full fast, on top of Fortunes whéele:
So is the Dale, a place of suttle ayre,
A den of drosse, oft tymes more foule then fayre:
A durtie Soyle, where water long doth byde,
Yet ritch withall, it cannot be denyde.
But wealth mars wit, and weares out vertue cleane,
An eating worme, a Cancker past recure:
A trebble loude, but not a merrie meane,
That Musick makes, but rather iarres procure:
A stirrer vp, of strife and leaud debate,
The ground of warre, that stayneth euery state
With giftes and bribes, that gréedie glutton feedes
And filles the gut, whereon great treason breedes.
Wealth fosters pride, and heaues vp haughtie hart,
Makes wit oreweene, and man beléeue to farre:
[Page]Enfects the mynd, with vice in euery part,
That quickly sets, the sences all at warre.
In Ualley ritch, these mischiefes nourisht are,
God planted peace, on Mountayne poore and bare:
By sweat of browes, the people liues on Hill,
Not sleight of brayne, ne craft nor cunning skill.
Where dwels disdayne, discord or dubble waies,
But where ritch Cubs, and currish Karles are found?
Where is more loue, who hath more happie daies,
Then those poore hynds, that digges and delues the ground.
Perhaps you say, so hard the Rocks may bée,
Ne Corne nor grasse, nor plough thereon you see:
Yet loe the Lord, such blessing there doth giue,
That swéet content, with Oten Cakes can liue.
Sowre Whey and Curds, can yéeld a sugred tast,
Where swéete Martchpane, as yet was neuer knowne▪
When emptie gorge, hath bole of Milke embrast,
And Chéese and bread, hath dayly of his owne,
He craues no feast, nor seekes no banquets fine,
He can disgest, his dinner without wine:
So toyles out life, and likes full[?] well this trade,
Not fearing death, because his count is made.
Who sleepes so sound, as he that hath no Shéepe,
Nor heard of Beasts, to pastor and to feede?
Who feares the Woolfe, but he who Lambes doth kéepe,
And many an hower, is forst to watch in deede.
Though gold be gay, and cordyall in his kynd,
The losse of wealth, grypes long a greedie mynd.
Poore Mountayne folke, possesse not such great store,
But when its gon, they care not much therefore.
❧Of Yale a little to be spoken of.
The names of the Riuers of Denbighshire. Keeriock parts Shropshere & Dēbighshere, before Chirk. Dee at newe Bridge, and Thlangothlen.
Aleyn in the valley of Yale. Clanweddock in the fayre vale of Dufrin Cloyd.
Cloyd receiues Clanweddock and Elwye by Saint Asse. Istrade[?] by Denbigh. Raihad comes to the Vo [...] ney.
Keynthleth comes into Rayhad.
Small Ualleys there, saue where the Brookes do ron:
So many Springs, that sield that soyle is drye:
Good Tursfe and Peate, on mossie ground is won,
Wherewith good fires, is made for man most meete,
That burneth cléere, and yéelds a sauour swéete
To those which haue, no nose for dayntie smell,
The finer sort, were best in Court to dwell.
This Soyle is cold, and subiect vnto winde,
Hard duskie Rocks, all couered ore full dim:
Where if winde blowe, ye shall foule weather finde,
And thinke you feele, the bitter blasts full brim.
But though cold bytes, the face and outward skin,
The stomacke loe, is thereby warm'd within.
For still more meate, the Mountayne men disgest,
Then in the playne, you finde among the best.
Here is hard waies, as earth and Mountayne yéelds,
Some softnesse too, as tract of foote hath made:
But to the Dames, for walke no pleasant feelds,
Nor no great woods, to shroud them in the shade.
Yet Sheepe and Goates, are plentie here in place,
And good welsh Nagges, that are of kindest race:
With goodly nowt, both fat and bigge with bone,
That on hard Rocks, and Mountayne feedes alone.
Of Wrythen now, I treate as reason is,
But lisence craue, to talke on such a Seate:
Excuse my skill, where pen or muse doth mis,
Where knowledge fayles, the cunning is not great.
[Page]But ere I write, a verse vpon that Soyle,
I will crye out, of Tyme that all doth spoyle:
As age weares youth, and youth giues age the place,
So Tyme weares world, and doth old works disgrace.
A discourse of Tyme.
O Tract of Tyme, that all consumes to dust,
We hold thee not, for thou art bald behinde:
The fayrest Sword, or mettall thou wilt rust,
And brightest things, bring quickly out of minde.
The trimmest Towers, and Castles great and gay,
In processe long, at length thou doest decay:
The brauest house, and princely buildings rare,
Thou wasts and weares, and leaues the walles but bare.
O Cancker vyle, that creepes in hardest mold,
The Marble stone, or Flint thy force shall feele:
Thou hast a power, to pearce and eate the gold,
Fling downe the strong, and make the stout to reele.
O wasting worme, that eates swéete kernels all,
And makes the Nut, to dust and powder fall:
O glutton great, that feedes on each mans store,
And yet thy selfe, no better art therefore.
Tyme all consumes, and helps it selfe no whit,
As fire by flame, burnes coales to sinders small:
Tyme steales in man, much like an Agew fit,
That weares the face, the flesh the skinne and all.
O wretched rust, that wilt not scoured bée,
O dreadfull Tyme, the world is feard of thée:
Thou flingest flat, the highest Tree that growes,
And tryumph makes, on pompe and paynted showes.
But most of all, my muse doth blame thee now,
For throwing downe, a rare and goodly Seate:
[Page]By Wrythen Towne, a noble Castle throwe,
That in tyme past, had many a lodging greate,
And Towers most fayre, that long a buylding was,
Where now God wot, there growes nothing but grasse:
The stones lye waste, the walles seemes but a shell
Of little worth, where once a Prince might dwell.
Of Wrythen, both the Castle and the Towne.
The Castle of Wrythen is yet outwardly a marueilous faire and large princely place.
THis Castle stands, on Rocke much like red Bricke,The Dykes are cut, with toole through stonie Cragge:
The Towers are hye, the walles are large and thicke,
The worke it selfe, would shake a Subiects bagge,
If he were bent, to buyld the like agayne:
It rests on mount, and lookes ore wood and Playne:
It had great store, of Chambers finely wrought,
That tyme alone, to great decay hath brought.
It shewes within, by dubble walles and waies,
A déepe deuice, did first erect the same:
It makes our world, to thinke on elders daies,
Because the worke, was formde in such a frame.
One tower or wall, the other answers right,
As though at call, each thing should please the sight:
The Rocke wrought round, where euery tower doth stand,
Set foorth full fine, by head by hart and hand.
There is a Poole here abouts that hath in it[?] a kynd of fish that no other water can shewe.
And fast hard by, runnes Cloyd a Riuer swift,In winter tyme, that swelles and spreads the feeld:
That water sure, hath such a secret gift,
And such rare Fish, in season due doth yéeld,
As is most straunge: let men of knowledge now
Of such hid cause, search out the nature throwe:
A Poole there is, through which this Cloyd doth passe,
Where is a Fish, that some a Whiting call:
Where neuer yet, no Sammon taken was,
Yet hath good store, of other Fishes all
Aboue that Poole, and so beneath that flood
Are Sammons caught, and many a Fish full good:
But in the same, there will no Sammon bée,
And néere that Poole, you shall no Whiting see.
I haue left out,
A Riuer called Aleyn, in the valley of Yale.
a Riuer and a Uale,And both of them, are fayre and worthie note:
Who will them seeke, shall finde them still in Yale,
They beare such fame, they may not be forgot.
The Riuer runnes, a myle right vnder ground,
And where it springs, the issue doth abound:
And into Dée, this water doth dissend,
So loseth name, and therein makes an end.
Good ground likewise,
The valley of Yale.
this Ualley seemes to bee,And many a man, of wealth is dwelling there:
On Mountayne top, the Ualley shall you see
All ouer greene, with goodly Meddowes feare.
This Ualley hath, a noble neighbour néere,
Wherein the Towne, of Wrythen doth appéere:
Which Towne stands well, and wants no pleasant ayre,
The noble Soyle, and Countrey is so fayre.
A Church there is, in Wrythen at this day,
Wherein Lord Gray,
The Earle of Kent lyes here.
that once was Earle of Kent,In Tombe of stone, amid the Chauncell lay:
But since remou'd, as worldly matters went,
And in a wall, so layd as now he lyes
Right hand of Quéere,
An Anckres in King Henrie the fourths tyme buryed here.
full playne before your eyes:An Anckres too, that nere that wall did dwell,
With trim wrought worke, in wall is buryed well.
Now to the Uale, of worthie Dyffrin Cloyd,
My muse must passe, a Soyle most ritch and gay:
This noble Seate, that neuer none anoyd,
The pleasant vale of Diffrin Cloyd.
That sawe the same, and rode or went that way:The vewe thereof, so much contents the mynd,
The ayre therein, so wholesome and so kynd:
The beautie such, the breadth and length likewise,
Makes glad the hart, and pleaseth each mans eyes.
This Uale doth reach, so farre in vewe of man,
As he farre of, may see the Seas in déede:
And who a while, for pleasure trauayle can
Throughout this Uale, and thereof take good héede,
He shall delight, to see a Soyle so fine,
For ground and grasse, a passing plot deuine.
And if the troth, thereof a man may tell,
This Uale alone, doth all the rest excell.
The Vale throughly described.
As it belowe, a wondrous beautie showes,The Hilles aboue, doth grace it trebble fold:
On euery side, as farre as Ualley goes,
A border bigge, of Hilles ye shall behold:
They kéepe the Uale, in such a quiet sort,
That birds and beasts, for succour there resort:
Yea flocks of foule, and heards of beasts sometyme,
Drawes there from storme, when tempests are in pryme.
Thrée Riuers run, amid the bottome heere,
Three Riuers in this Vale.
Istrade, and Cloyd, Clanweddock (loe) the third:The noyse of streames, in Sommer morning cléere,
A naturall secret touched.
The chirp and charme, and chaunt of euery birdThat passeth there, a second Heauen is:
No hellish sound, more like an earthly blis:
A Musick sweete, that through our eares shall creepe,
By secret arte, and lull a man a sleepe.
The Castle of Cargoorley in Denbighshiere,
CArgoorley comes, right now to passe my pen,
With ragged walles,
Thomas Salesburie of Lleweni. Robert Salesburie of Bachenbid. Foulk Lloyd of Houllan. Piers Holland of Kynmel. Piers Owen of Abergele. Edward Theleall of Beren. William Wyn of Llamuaire. Elis Price of Spitty. Iohn Middleton.
yea all to rent and torne:As though it had[?], bin neuer knowne to men,
Or carelesse left, as wretched thing forlorne:
Like begger bare, as naked as my nayle,
It lyes along, whose wracke doth none bewayle.
But if she knewe, to whom it doth pertayne,
What royalties, and honors doth remayne
Unto that Seate, it should repayred bee,
For further cause, then common people see.
But sondrie things, that are full farre from sight,
Are out of mynd, and cleane forgot in fine:
So such as haue, thereto but little right,
Possesse the same, by leauell and by line,
Or els by hap, or suite as often falles:
But what of that, Cargoorleys rotten walles
Can neuer bring, his better in dispute,
That hath perchaunce, bin got by hap or sute:
So rest good muse, and speake no further heere,
Least by these words, some hidden thoughts appeere.
Kings giue and take, so tyme still rouleth on,
Good Subiects serue, for somewhat more or lesse:
And when we see, our fathers old are gon,
Of tyme to come, we haue a greater gesse.
First how to gayne, by present tyme and state,
Then what may fall, by futer tyme and date:
Tyme past growes cold, and so the world lukewarme
Doth helpe it selfe, by Castle, house or Farme:
That reach is good, that rule my frends God send,
Which well begin, and makes a vertuous end.
ODenbigh now, appeare thy turne is next,
I néede no glose, nor shade to set thée out:
For if my pen, doe followe playnest text,
And passe next way, and goe nothing about,
Thou shalt be knowne, as worthie well thou art,
The noblest Soyle, that is in any part:
And for thy Seate, and Castle doe compare,
With any one, of Wales what ere they are.
This Castle stands, on top of Rocke most hye,
The strongest Castle & seate that euer man beheld.
A mightie Cragge, as hard as flint or stéele:A massie mount, whose stones so deepe doth lye,
That no deuice, may well the bottome feele.
The Rocke discends, beneath the auncient Towne,
About the which, a stately wall goes downe,
With buyldings great, and posternes to the same,
That goes through Rocke, to giue it greater fame.
I want good words, and reasons apt therefore,
It selfe shall shewe, the substance of my tale:
But yet my pen, must tell here somewhat more,
Of Castles praise, as I haue spoke of Uale.
Marke wel the situation and buylding of the same.
A strength of state, ten tymes as strong as fayre,Yet fayre and fine, with dubble walles full thicke,
Like tarres trim, to take the open ayre,
Made of Fréestone, and not of burned Bricke:
No buylding there, but such as man might say,
The worke thereof, would last till Iudgement day.
The Seate so sure, not subiect to a Hill,
Nor yet to Myne, nor force of Cannon blast:
Within that house, may people walke at will,
And stand full safe, till daunger all be past.
If Cannon rorde, or barkt against the wall,
Frends there may say, a figge for enemies all:
Fiue men within, may kéepe out numbers greate,
(In furious sort) that shall approach that Seate.
Who stands on Rocke, and lookes right downe alone,
Shall thinke belowe, a man is but a child:
I sought my selfe, from top to fling a stone
With full mayne force,
A practise by the Author proued.
and yet I was beguyid.If such a height, the mightie Rocke be than,
Ne force nor sleight, nor stout attempt of man,
Can win the Fort, if house be furnisht throw,
The troth whereof, let world be witnesse now.
It is great payne, from foote of Rocke to clyme
To Castle wall, and it is greater toyle
On Rocke to goe, yea any step sometyme
Uprightly yet, without a faule or foyle.
And as this Seate, and Castle strongly stands,
Past winning sure, with engin sword or hands:
So lookes it ore, the Countrey farre or neere,
And shines like Torch, and Lanterne of the Sheere.
Wherefore Denbigh,
A great glorie giuen to Denbigh.
thou bearst away the praise,Denbigh hath got, the garland of our daies:
Denbigh reapes fame, and lawde a thousand waies,
Denbigh my pen, vnto the Clowdes shall raise.
The Castle there, could I in order drawe,
It should surmount, now all that ere I sawe.
¶ Of Valey Crucis Thlangothlan, and the Castle Dynosebrane.
THE great desire, to see Denbigh at full,
Did drawe my muse, from other matter true:
But as that sight, my mynd away did pull
From former things, I should present to you.
So duetie bids, a writer to be playne,
And things left out, to call to mynd agayne:
Thlangothlan then, must yet come once in place,
For diuers notes, that giues this booke some grace.
The Abbey of Valey Crucis.
An Abbey nere, that Mountayne towne there is,Whose walles yet stand, and steeple too likewise:
But who that rides, to see the troth of this,
Shall thinke he mounts, on hilles vnto the Skyes.
For when one hill, behind your backe you see,
Another comes, two tymes as hye as hee:
And in one place, the Mountaynes stands so there,
In roundnesse such, as it a Cockpit were.
Their height is great, and full of narrowe waies,
And stéepe downe right, of force ye must descend:
Some houses are, buylt there but of late daies,
Full vnderneath, the monstrous Mountaynes end:
Amid them all, and those as man may gesse,
When rayne doth fall, doth stand in sore distresse:
For mightie streames, runnes ore both house and thatch,
When for their liues, poore men on Hilles must watch.
Beyond the same, and yet on Hill full hye,
Castle Dynosebraen[?].
A Castle stands, an old and ruynous thing:That haughtie house, was buylt in weathers eye,
A pretie pyle, and pleasure for a King.
A Fort, a Strength, a strong and stately Hold
It was at first, though now it is full old:
On Rocke alone, full farre from other Mount
It stands, which shewes, it was of great account.
Betwéene the Towne, and Abbey built it was,
A goodly bridge of stone here.
The Towne and the bridge with the vyolent Riuer before that Towne.
That vnderneath, a Bridge of stone doth passe,
And still on Rocke, the water runnes you see
A wondrous way, a thing full rare and straunge,
That Rocke cannot, the course of water chaunge:
For in the streame, huge stones and Rocks remayne,
That backward might, the flood of force constrayne.
From thence to Chirke, are Mountaynes all a rowe,
As though in ranke, and battaile Mountaynes stood:
And ouer them, the bitter winde doth blowe,
And whirles betwixt, the valley and the wood.
Chirke is a place, that parts another Sheere,
And as by Trench, and Mount doth well appeere:
It kept those bounds, from forrayne force and power,
That men might sléepe, in suretie euery hower.
Here Denbighshiere, departs from writers pen,
And Flintshiere now,
A little spoke of Fluntshiere.
comes brauely marching in,With Castles fine, with proper Townes and men,
Whereof in verse, my matter must begin:
Not for to fayne, and please the tender eares,
But to be playne,
The Author fell sicke here.
as worlds eye witnesse beares:Not by heresay, as fables are set out,
But by good proofe, of vewe to voyd a dout.
WHen Sommer swéete,
The writer takes here breath till a better season serues.
hath blowne ore Winters blast,And waies waxe hard, that now are soft and foule:
When calmie Skyes, sayth bitter stormes are past,
And Clowdes waxe cléere, that now doth lowre and skoule,
My muse I hope, shall be reuiu'de againe,
That now lyes dead, or rockt a sleepe with paine.
For labour long, hath wearied so the wit,
That studious head, a while in rest must sit:
But when the Spring, comes on with newe delite,
You shall from me, heare what my muse doth write.
Here endeth my first booke of the worthines of Wales: which being wel taken, wil encourage me to set forth another: in which work, not only the rest of the Shieres (that now are not written of) shalbe orderly put in print, but likewise all ye auncient Armes of Gentlemen there in general shalbe plainly described & set out, to the open vewe of the world, if God permit me life and health, towards the finishing of so great a labour.
FINIS.
Thomas Churchyard.