For vertuous life a gentleman doth make[508] Of her possessour all bee hee poore as _Iob_, Yea though no name of elders hee can take,[509] For proofe take _Merlin_ fathered by an hob:[510] But who so sets his minde to spoyle and rob, Although hee come by due discent from _Brute_, Hee is a chorle, vngentle, vile, and brute. 9. Well, thus did I for want of better wit, Because my parents naughtely brought mee vp: For gentlemen (they sayd) was nought so fyt, As to attast by bold attempts the cup Of conquest’s wine, whereof I thought to sup: And therefore bent my selfe to rob and ryue, And whome I could of landes and goodes depriue. 10. For[511] _Henry_ the fourth did then vsurpe the crowne, Despoyled the king, with _Mortimer_ the heyre: For which his subiects sought to put him downe, And I, while fortune offered mee so fayre, Did what I might his honour to appayre: And tooke on mee to bee the prince of _Walles_, Entiste thereto by prophesies and tales.[512] 11. For which, such idle[513] as wayt vpon the spoyle, From euery part of _Walles_ vnto mee drewe: For loytering youth vntaught in any toyle, Are ready aye, all mischiefe to ensue: Through helpe of these so great my glory grewe, That I defied my king through lofty hart, And made sharpe warre on all that tooke his part. 12. See lucke, I tooke lord _Raynold Gray of Rythen_, And him enforst my daughter to espouse, And so vnraunsomed I[514] held him still; and sythen In _Wigmore_ land through battayle rigorous, I caught the right heyre of the crowned house, The earle of _March_, sir _Edmund Mortimer_, And in a dungeon kept him prisoner. 13. Than all the marches longing vnto _Wales_, By _Syuerne_ west, I did inuade and burne: Destroyed the townes in mountaynes, and in vales, And rich in spoyles had[515] homeward[516] safe returne: Was none so bolde durst once agaynst mee spurne: Thus prosperously doth fortune forward call, Those whome shee mindes to geue the sorest fall. 14. Whan fame had brought these tidings to the king, (Although the _Scots_ than vexed him right sore) A mighty army against[517] mee hee did bring: Whereof the _French_ king being warned afore, Who mortall hate against king _Henry_ bore, To greeue our foe hee quickely to mee sent Twelue thousand _Frenchmen_, armed to warre and bent. 15.