Wasting the countrey with sworde and with fire, Ouerturning townes, high castles and towers, Like _Mars_ god of warre, enflamed with ire, I forced the _Frenchmen_ t’abandon theyr bowres: Where euer wee matcht[265] I wanne at all howres, In such wise visiting both city and village, That alway my souldiers were laden with pillage. 9. With honour and triomph was my returne, Was none more ioyous than yong king _Richarde_: Who minding more highly my state to adorne, With _Glocester_ dukedome did mee rewarde: And after in mariage I was prefarde, To a daughter of _Bohun_, an earle honourable, By whome I was of _England_ high constable. 10. Thus hoysed so high on fortune’s wheele,[266] As one on a stage attending a play, Seeth not on which side the scaffolde doth reele, Till timbre and poales and all fly away: So fared it by mee: for day by day, As honour encreased I looked still higher, Not seeing the daunger of my fond desire. 11. For fortune’s floude thus running with[267] full streame, And I a duke discended of great kinges,[268] Constable of _England_, chiefe officer of[269] the realme, Abused with desperaunce[270] in these vayne thinges, I went without feete, and flewe without winges, Presuming so farre vpon my high estate, That dreade set apart, my prince I would mate. 12. For where as all[271] kinges haue counsayle of theyr choyse, To whom they refer the rule of theyr land, With certayne familiers in whome to reioyce, For pleasure or profite, as the case shall stand, I not bearing this, would needes take in hand, Maugre his will, those persons to disgrace, And such as I thought fit to settle[272] in theyr place.[273] 13. But as an old booke sayeth, who so[274] will assay Aboute the cat’s necke to hang on any[275] bell, Had first neede to cut the cat’s clawes away, Least if the cat bee curst, and[276] not tamed well, She haply[277] with her nayles may clawe him to the fell: So putting on[278] the bell about the cat’s necke, By being to busy I caught a cruell checke.[279] 14. Reade well the sentence of the rat of renowne,[280] Which _Pierce_ the plowman describes in his dreame,[281] And who so hath wit the sence to expowne,[282] Shall finde that to bridell[283] the prince of a reame, Is euen (as who sayth) to striue with the streame: Note this all subiects, and construe it well, And busie not your braines about[284] the cat’s bell. 15.