Poems: by Michaell Draiton Esquire

Notes of the Chronicle Historie.

Great Henry sought to accomplish his desire, Armed, &c.

HEnry the fift, making claime to the Crowne of France, first sought by Armes to subdue the French, and after sought by marriage to confirme what he got by conquest, the heate and fu∣rie of which inuasion, is alluded to the sixion of Semele in Ouid: which by the crafty perswasion of Iuno, requested Ioue to come vnto her, as he was wont to come vnto his wife Iuno, who at her request hee yeelding vnto, destroyed her in a tempest.

Incamp'd at Melans in wars hote alarmes, First, &c.

Neere vnto Melans, vpon the Riuer of Scyne, was the appoin¦ted place of parley, betweene the two Kings of England and France, to which place, Isabell the Qucene of France, and the Duke of Burgoyne, brought the yong Princesse Katherine, where King Henry first saw her.

And on my temples set a double Crowne.

Henry the fift and Queene Katherine, were taken as King and Queene of France, and during the life of Charles the French king, Henry was called King of England, and heire of France, and after the death of Henry the fift, Henry the sixt his sonne, then being ve∣ry yong, was crowned at Paris, as true and lawfull King of Eng∣land and France.

At Troy in Champaine he did first enioy.

Troy in Champaine, was the place where that victorious king Henry the fift married the Ptincesse Katherine, in the presence of the chiefe nobilitie of the Realmes of England and France.

Nor these great tules vainely will I bring, Wife, daughter, mother, &c.

Few Queenes of England or France, were euer more princely alied then this Queene, as it hath beene noted by Historiogra∣phers.

Nor thinke so Tudor that this loue of mine, Should wrong the Gaunt-borne, &c.

Noting the discent of Henry her husband, from Iohn Duke of Lancaster, the fourth sonne of Edward the third, which Duke Iohn was sirnamed Gaunt, of the Cittie of Gaunt in Flanders, where he was borne.

Nor stirre the English blood, the Sunne and Moone, Trepine, &c.

Alluding the greatnes of the English line, to Phoebus and Phoe∣be, fained to be the children of Latona, whose heauenly kind might seorne to be ioyned with any earthly progenie: yet withall, boa∣sting the blood of France, as not inferior to theirs. And with this allusion followeth on the historie of the strife betwixt Iuno and the race of Cadmus, whose issue was afflicted by the wrath of heauen. The children of Niobe slaine, for which the wofull mo∣ther

became a rocke, gushing forth continually a sountaine of teares.

And Iohn and Longshanks issue, both affied,

Lheellin or Leolin ap Iorweth, married Ioane, daughter to king Iohn, a most beautifull Lady. Some Authors affirme that she was base borne, Lhewellin ap Gryfith, married Ellenor, daughter to Si∣mon Montfort, Earle of Leicester, and Cosin to Edward Long-shankes, both which Lhewellins were Princes of Wales.

Of Camilot and all her Pentecosts, A Nephewes roome, &c.

Camilot, the antient Pallace of King Arthur, to which place all the Knightes of that famous order yeerely repaired at Penti∣cost, according to the law of the Table, and most of the famous home-borne Knights were of that Country, as to this day is perceiued by their antient monuments.

When bloody Rutus sought your vtter sacke.

Noting the ill successe which that William Rufus bad in two voyages he made into Wales; in which a number of his chiefe Nobilitie were slaine.

And oft returnde with glorious victorie.

Noting the diuers sundry incursions that the Welchmen made into England, in the time of Rufus, Iohn, Henry the second, and Longshankes.