Poems: by Michaell Draiton Esquire

¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie.

THis Epistle of Edward to Shores wife, and of hers to him, being of vnlawfull affection, ministreth small occasion of historicall notes, for had he mentioned the many battels betwixt the Lan∣castrian faction and him, or other warlike daungers, it had beene more like to Plautus boasting Souldier then a kingly Courtier. Notwithstanding, it shall not be amisse to annexe a line or two.

From English Edward to the fairest faire,

Edward the fourth was by nature very chiualrous, and very a∣morous, applying his sweet & amiable aspect to attaine his wan∣ton appetite the rather, which was so well knowne to Lewes the French king, who at their interuiew inuited him to Paris, that as Comineus reports, being taken at his word, hee notwithstanding brake off the matter, fearing the Parisian Dames with their witty conuersation, would detaine him longer then should bee for his benefit, by which means Edwad was disapointed of his iorny: and albeit Princes whilst they liue, haue nothing in them but what is admirable; yet we need not mistrust the flatterie of the Court in those times: fot certain it is, that his shape was excellent, his haire drew neare to a black, making his faces fauor to seeme more de∣lectable. Though the smalnes of his eies full of a shining moisture, as it tooke away some comelinesse; so it argued much sharpnes of vnderstanding, and cruelty mingled togither. And indeed George Buccanan (that imperious Scot) chargeth him and other Princes

of those times, with affectation of tyranny, as Richard the third manifestly did.

When first attracted by thy heauenly eyes,

Edwards intemperate desires, with which he was wholy ouer-come, how tragically they in his of-spring were punished, is vni∣uersally knowne. A mirrour representing their ouersight; that ra∣ther leaue their children what to possesse, then what to imitate.

How seely is the Polander and Dane; To bring vs Cristall from the frozen maine.

Alluding to their opinions, who imagin Cristall to be a kind of Ice, and therefore it is likely, they who come from the frozen parts, should bring great store of that transparent stone, which is thought to be congealed with extreame colde. Whether Cristall be Ice, or some other liquor, I omit to dispute, yet by the exam∣ples of Amber and Corall, there may be such an induration; for Solinus out of Plinie mentioneth, that in the Northerly Region, a yellow jelly is taken vp out of the sea at two tides, which he cals Succinum, we Amber; so likewise, out of the Ligusticke deepe, a part of the Meridian Sea, a greenish stalk is gathered, which hard∣ned in the ayre, becomes to be Corrall, either white, or red. Am∣ber notwithstanding is thought to drop out of trees, as appeares by Martials Epigram.

Et latet, & lucet Phaethonide condita gutta, Vt vidcatur apis nectare clausa suo, Dignum tantorum pretium tulit ille laborum, Credibile est ipsam sic voluisse mors.

To behold a Bee inclosed in Electrum, is not so rare as that a boyes throat should be cut with the fal of an Ice-sicle, the which Epigram is excellent, the 18. li. 4 He cals it Phaethontis G••tta, be∣cause of that fable which Ouid rehearseth, concerning the Heliades or Phaetons sisters, metamorphosed into those trees, whose Gum is Amber, where flies alighting, are often times tralucently im∣prisoned.