Hastings I am, whose hastned death who knewe, My life with prayse, my death with playnt pursue: With others fearing least my headles name Bee wrongd, by partiall bruite of flattering fame: Cleauing my tombe the way my fame forewent, Though bared of loynes[1296] which body and fortune lent Earst my prowde vaunt: present, present to thee My honour, fall, and forced destenye.[1297] 2. Ne feare to stayne thy credit by my tale: In _Læthe’s_ floud, long since, in _Stygian_ vale Selfe loue I dreint:[1298] what time hath fynde for true, And ceaseth not, though stale, still to renue, Recount I wil: whereof bee this the[1299] proofe, That blase I will my prayse, and my reproofe: Wee naked ghostes are but the very man, Ne of our selues more than wee ought, wee scan. 3. But doubt distract’th[1300] mee, if I should consent To yeelde mine honourde name, a martyrde saynt: Yf martyrdome rest in the miser’s life Through torments wrongly reft by fatall knyfe, How fortune’s nursling I, and dearest babe, Ought there to stoope, none may mee well perswade: For how may miser martyrdome betyde, To whome in cradell fortune was affyde? 4. See how this grosest ayre infect’th[1301] mee since, Forgote haue I, of loyalty to my prince, My happy meede is, martyr to bee named? And what the heauens embrace, the world aye blamed: For mens vniustice wreak’d but God’s iust ire, And by wrong end, turnd wreake to iustice hire: O iudgements iust, by vniustice iustice dealt, Who doubts[1302] of mee may learne, the truth who felt. 5. So therefore as my fall may many stay: As well the prince, from violent headlong sway Of noble peeres, from honour’s throne to dust, As nobles lesse in tyckle[1303] state to trust: Shonning those sinnes, that shake the golden leaues Perforce from boughs, ere nature bare the greaues: So, what my life profest, my death here teacheth, And, as with word, so with example preacheth.[1304] 6. The hilly heauens, and valey earth belowe[1305] Yet ring his fame, whose deedes so great did grow; _Edward_ the fourth yee know, vnnamde I meane, Whose noble nature to mee so[1306] did leane That I his staffe was, I his only ioy, And euen what _Pandare_ was to him of _Troy_, Which mou’d him first to creat[1307] mee chamberlayne, To serue his sweetes, to my most sower payne. 7.