Poems: by Michaell Draiton Esquire

Mary the French Queene, to Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolke.

The Argument.

Mary, the daughter of that renowned Prince King Henry the seauenth being very yong at her fathers death, after by her brother King Henry the eight, was giuen in marriage to Lewes King of France, being a man olde and decrepit: This faire and beautiful Lady, long afore had pla∣••••••her affection on Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolke, a braue and couragious yong Gentleman, and an especiall fauorite of the King her brother, and a man raised vp by him. King Lewes, the husband of this beautifull Queene, liued not long after he was married; and Charles Brandon hauing commission from the King to bring her backe into England, but being delaied by some sinister meanes, the French Queene writeth this Epistle, to hasten the Duke forward on his intended voyage to France.

SVch health from heauen my selfe may wish to mee. Such health from France, Queene Mary sends to thee. Brandon, how long mak'st thou excuse to stay, And know'st how ill we women brooke delay? If one poore channell thus can part vs two, Tell me (vnkinde) what would an Ocean do?

Leander had an Hellespont to swim, Yet this from Hero could not hinder him? His barke (poore soule) his breast, his armes, his oares, But thou a ship, to land thee on our shores; And opposite to famous Kent doth lie, The pleasant fields of flowrie Picardie, VVhere our faire Callice, walled in her sands, In kenning of the cliffie Douer stands. Heere is no Beldame Nurse to powt or lower, VVhen wantoning, we reuell in my Tower; Nor neede I top my Turret with a light, To guide thee to me, as thou swim'st by night; Comparde with me, wert thou but halfe so kinde, Thy sighs should stuffe thy sailes, though wanting wind; But thy breast is becalmd, thy sighs be slacke, And mine too stiffe, and blow thy broad sailes backe. But thou wilt say, that I should blame the flood, Because the winde so full against thee stood; Nay, blame it not it did so roughly blow, For it did chide thee, for thou, wast so slow; For it came not to keepe thee in the Bay, But came from me to bid thee come away. But that thou vainely lett'st occasion slide, Thou mightst haue wafted hether with the tide. If when thou com'st, I knit mine angry brow, Blame me not Brandon, thou hast broke thy vow; Yet if I meant to frowne, I might be dombe, For this may make thee stand in doubt to come: Nay come sweete Charles, haue care thy ship to guide, Come my sweete hart, in faith I will not chide. VVhenas my brother and his louely Queene

In sad attire for my depart were seene, The vtmost date expired of my stay, when I from Douer did depart away, Thou know'st what woe I suffered for thy sake, How oft I fain'd of thee my leaue to take; God and thou know'st with what a heauie hart I tooke my farewell when I should depart; And being ship'd, gaue signall with my hand, Vp to the Cliffe, where I did see thee stand, Nor could reframe in all the peoples view, But cried to thee, sweete Charles adiew, adiew. Looke how a little infant that hath lost, The things wherewith it was delighted most, weary with seeking, to some corner creepes, And there (poore soule) it sits it downe and weepes; And when the Nurse would faine content the mind, Yet still it mournes for that it cannot find: Thus in my carefull Cabin did I lie, whenas the ship out of the roade did flie. Think'st thou my loue was faithfull vnto thee, vvhen yong Castile to England su'd for mee? Be iudge thy selfe, if it were not of power, vvhen I refus'd an Empire for my dovver. To Englands Court, when once report did bring, How thou in Fraunce didst reuell with the king, vvhen he in triumph of his victorie, Vnder a rich imbrodered Canapie, E〈…〉〈…〉d proud Tournay, which did trembling stand, To••eg for mercie at his conquering hand; To heare of his enderements, how I ioy'd? But see, this calme vvas suddenly destroy'd.

When Charles of Castile there to banquet came, With him his sister that ambitious dame, Sauoyes prowd dutchesle, knowing how long she, By her ••oue sought to win my loue from me; Fearing my absence might thy vowes acquite, To change thy Mary for a Margarite, When in king Henries tent of cloth of gold, She often did thee in her armes enfold; vvhere you were feasted more deliciously, Than Cleopatra did Marke Anthony, Where sports all day did entertaine your sight, And then in maskes you passde away the night; But thou wilt say, tis proper vnto vs, That we by nature all are iealous. I must confesse tis oft found in our sex, But who not loue, not any thing suspects: True loue dooth looke with pale suspitious eie, Take away loue, if you take iealousie. Turwin and Turney when King Henry tooke, For this great change who then did euer looke? When Maximilian to those warres addrest, Ware Englands Crosle on his imperiall breast, And in our armie let his Eagle flie, That viewd our ensignes with a wondring eie. Little thought I when Bullen first was wonne, VVedlocke should end, what angry warre begunn•• From which I vow, I yet am free in thought, But this alone by Wolseis wit was wrought. To his aduise the King gaue free consent, That will I, nill I, I must be content. My virgins right, my state could not aduance,

But now enriched with the dower of France; Then, but poore Suffolkes Dutchesse had I beene, Now, the great Dowager, the most Christian Qucent. But I perceiue where all thy griefe doth lie, Lewes of France had my virginitie; He had indeede but shall I tell thee what, Beleeue me Brandon he had scarcely that; Good feeble King he could not do much harme, But age must needes haue something that is warme; Small drops (God knowes) do quench that hea••lesse fire, When all the strength is onely in desire. And I could tell (if modesly might tell) There's somewhat else that pleaseth louers well, To rest his cheeke, vpon my softer cheeke, Was all he had, and more he did not seeke. So might the little babie clip the nurse, And it content, she neuer awhit the worse; Then thinke this Brandon, if that makes thee frowne, For may denhead, he on my head set a Crowne, who would exchange a kingdome for a kisse? Hard were the hart that would not yeeld him this; And time yet halfe so swiftly doth not passe, Not full fiue months yet elder than I was. When thou to Fraunce conducted was by fame, With many knights which from all countries came, Installed at Saint Dennis in my throne, Where Lewes held my coronation; Where the prowd Dolphin, for thy valour sake, Chose thee at tilt his princely part to take; Whenas the staues vpon thy caske did light, Grieued there with, I turnd away my sight;

And spake alowd, when I my selfe forgot, T'is my swee••e Charles my Brandon, hurt him not: But when I fearde the King perceiued this, Good seely man, I pleasde him with a kisse; And to extoll his valiant sonne began. That Europe neuer bred a brauer man; And when (poore King) he simply praised thee, Of all the rest I ask'd which thou shouldst bee? Thus I with him dissembled for thy sake, Open confession now amends must make. Whilst this old King vpon a pallet lies, And onely holds a combat with mine eyes; Mine eyes from his, by thy sight stolne away, Which might too wel their Mistres thoughts bewray. But when I saw thy prowd vnconquered Launce, To beare the prize from all the flower of France, To see what pleasure did my soule imbrace, Might easily be discerned in my face. Looke as the dew vpon a damaske Rose, How through that liquide pearle his blushing showes, And when the sost aire breathes vpon his top, From the sweet leaues falles easily drop by drop; Thus by my cheeke, distilling from mine eyes, One teare for ioy, anothers roome supplies. Before mine eie (like touch) thy shape did proue, Mine eie condemn'd my too too partiall loue; But since by others I the same doe ••rie, My loue condemnes my too too partiall eie. The pretious stone most beautifull and rare, When with it selfe we onely doe compare, Wee deeme all other of that kinde to be,

As excellent as that we onely see; But when we iudge of that with others by, Too credulous we doe condemne our eie, Which then appeares more orient and more bright, As from their dimnesse borrowing great light. Alansoon, a fine timbered man, and tall, Yet wants the shape thou arte adornd withall; Vandon, good carriage, and a pleasing eie, Yet hath not Suffolkes princely maiestie; Couragious Burbon a sweete manly face, But yet he wants my Brandons courtly grace. Prowd Longauile, our Court iudgde had no peere, A man scarce made (was thoght) whilst thou wast here. County S. Paule, brau'st man at armes in Fraunce, Would yeeld himselfe a Squire to beare thy launce; Galleas and Bounearme, matchlesse for their might, Vnder thy towring blade haue cowcht in fight. If with our loue, my brother angry be, Ile say to please him, I first fancied thee. And but to frame my liking to his minde, Neuer to thee had I beene halfe so kinde. Worthy my loue the vulgar iudge no man, Except a Yorkist, or Lancastrian: Nor thinke that my affection should be set, But in the line of great Plantaginet. I passe not what the idle Commons say, I pray thee Charles make haste and come away. To thee whats England, if I be not there? Or what to me is Fraunce, if thou not here? Thy absence makes me angry for a while, But at thy presence I must needsly smile,

When last of me his leaue my Brandon tooke, He sware an oath, (and made my lips the booke) He would make hast, which now thou doo'st denie: Thou art forsworne, ô wilfull periuricl Sooner would I with greater sinnes dispence, Then by entreatie pardon this offence. But yet I thinke, if I should come to shriue thee, Great were the fault that I should not forgiue thee; Yet wert thou heere, I should reuenged bee, But it should be with too much louing thee. I, that is all that thou shalt feare to tast, I pray thee Brandon come, sweete Charles make hast.

Notes of the Chronicle-Historie.

The vtmost date expired of my stay, When I for Douer did depart away.

KIng Henry the 8. with the Queene and Nobles, in the 6. yeare of his raigne, in the moneth of September, brought this La∣die to Douer, where she tooke shipping for Fraunce.

Think'st thou my loue was faithfull vnto thee, When yong Castile to England su'd for me.

It was agreed and concluded betwixt Henry the seuenth, and Philip King of Castile, sonne to Maximilian the Emperour, that Charles eldest sonne of the said Philip, should marry the Ladie Mary, daughter to King Henry, when they came to age: which agreement was afterward in the eight yeare of Henry the eight annihilated.

When he in triumph of his victorie, Vnder a rich embrodered Canapie, Entred proud Turney which did trembling stand. &c.

Henry the 8. after the long siege of Turnay, which was deliue∣red to him vpon composition, entred the Citie in triumph, vnder a Canapie of cloth of gold, borne by foure of the chiefe and most noble Cittizens; the king himselfe mounted vpou a gallant cour∣ser barbed with the Armes of England, France and Ireland.

When Charles of Castile there to banquet came, With him his sister; that ambitious Dame. Sauoys prowd Dutches,

The King being at Turnay, there came to him the Prince of Castile, and the Lady Margaret Dutches of Sanoy his sister, to whom King Henry gaus great entertainment.

Sauoys proud Dutches, knowing how long shee By her loue sought to win my loue from mee.

At this time there was speech of a marriage to be concluded, betweene Charles Brandron then Lord L••ste, and the Dutches of Sauoy, the Lord L••s••e being highly fauoured, and exceedingly be∣loued of the Dutches.

When in King Henries Tent of cloth of gold,

The King caused a rich Tent of cloth of gold to bee erected, where he feasted the Prince of Castile, and the Dutches, and en∣tertained them with sumptuous maskes and banquets during their aboad.

When Maximillian to those wars addrest Were Englands Crosse on his imperiall breast.

Maximillian the Emperour with all his souldiers, which serued vnder king Henry, wore the Crosse of S. George with the Rose on their breasts.

And in our Armie let his Eagle flie.

The blacke Eagle is the badge imperiall, which here is vsed for the displaying of his ensigne or standard.

And had his pay from Henries treasurie.

Henry the 8. at his wars in France, retained the Emperor & al his souldiers in wages, which serued vnder him during those warres,

But this alone by Wolseys wit was wrought,

Thomas Wolsey, the kings Almoner, then Bishop of Lincolne, a man of great authoritie with the king, and afterward Cardinall, was the chiefe cause that the Lady Mary was married to the old

French King, with whom the French had dealt vnder-hand to befriend him in that match.

When the proud Dolphin for thy valour sake, Chose thee at tilt his Princely part to take.

Frauncis Duke of Valoyes, and Dolphin of Fraunce, at the ma∣riage of the Lady Mary, in honour thereof proclaimed a Iusts, where he chose the Duke of Suffolke, and the Marques Dorset for his aydes, at all martiall exercises.

Galeas, and Bounarme, matchlesse for their might,

This Countie Galeas at the Iusts ran a course with a speare, which was at the head fiue inches square on euery side, and at the But nine inches square, wherby he shewed his wōdrous force and strength. This Bounarme, a Gentleman of Fraunce, at the same time came into the field armed at all poyntes with tenne Speares about him: in each stirrop three, vnder each thigh one, one vnder his left arme, and one in his hand, and putting his horse to the careere, neuer stopped him till he had broken eue∣rie staffe.

Hall.