[When I had read this, one sayd: “It was very darke, and hard to bee vnderstoode: except it were diligently and very leasurely considered.” “I like it the better,” sayd[1484] another, “for that shall cause it to bee oftner read, and the better remembred. Considering also that it is written for the learned (for such all magistrates are, or should bee) it cannot be to hard, so long as it is sound and learnedly written.” Then sayd the reader: “The next here whome I finde miserable are king _Edward’s_ two sonnes, cruelly murdered in the tower of _London_: haue you their tragedy?” “No, surely,” sayd[1484] I, “The lord _Vaulx_ vndertoke to pen it, but what hee hath done therein I am not certayne, and therefore I let it passe till I knowe farder. I haue here the duke of _Buckingham_, king _Richard’s_ chiefe instrument, written by maister _Thomas Sackuille_.” “Read it we pray you,” sayd they. “With a good will,” quoth[1484] I, “but first you shall heare his Preface or Induction.” “Hath hee made a preface,” sayd[1484] one, “what meaneth hee thereby, seeing none other hath vsed the like order?” “I will tell you the cause thereof,” sayd[1484] I, “which is this: after that hee vnderstoode that some of the counsayl would not suffer the booke to bee printed in such order as wee had agreede and determined, hee purposed to[1485] haue gotten at my handes all the tragedies that were before the duke of _Buckingham’s_, which hee would haue preserued in one volume. And from that time backward, euen to the time of _William_ the Conquerour, he determined to continue and perfect all the story him selfe, in such order as _Lydgate_ (following _Bochas_) had already vsed. And therefore to make a meete induction into the matter, hee deuised this poesie: which (in my iudgement) is so well penned, that I would not haue any verse thereof left out of our volume. Now that you knowe the cause and meaning of his doing, you shall also heare what hee hath done. His induction beginneth thus.”][1486] THE INDVCTION.[1487] 1. The wrathfull winter proching[1488] on apace, With blustering blasts had all ybarde the treene, And olde _Saturnus_ with his frosty face With chilling cold had pearst the tender greene: The mantles rent, wherein enwrapped beene The gladsom groues that now lay ouerthrowne, The tapets torne, and euery blome downe blowne.[1489] 2. The soyle, that erst so seemly was to seene, Was all despoyled of her beauties hewe: And soote-fresh flowers (wherewith the sommer’s queene Had clad the earth) now _Boreas’_ blasts downe blewe: And small foules, flocking, in theyr song did rewe The winter’s wrath, wherewith ech thing defaste, In woefull wise bewayld the sommer past. 3.