When king _Henry_[538] this victory had wonne, Destroyde the _Percyes_, put theyr power to flight, Hee did apoynt prince _Henry_, his eldest sonne, With all his power to meete mee if hee might: But I discomfyt, through my partner’s fight, Had not the heart to meete him face to face, But fled away, and hee pursued the chase. 30. Now, _Baldwine_, marke, for I, calde prince of _Wales_, And made beleeue I should bee hee in deede, Was made to fly among the hilles and dales, Where all my men forsooke mee at my neede: Who trusteth loyterers seelde hath lucky[539] speede: And when the captayne’s courage doth him fayle, His souldier’s hearts a litle thing may quayle. 31. And so prince _Henry_ chased mee, that loe, I found no place wherein I might abide: For as the dogges pursue the seely doe, The brache behinde, the houndes on euery side, So traste they mee among the mountaynes wide: Whereby I found I was the hartles hare, And not the beast colprophet[540] did declare. 32. And at the last: like as the litle roach, Must eyther[541] be eate, or leape vpon the shore, When as the hungry pickerell doth approch, And there finde death which it escapt before: So double death assaulted mee so sore, That eyther I must vnto mine enmy yeelde, Or starue for hunger in the barrayn feelde. 33. Here shame and payne a while were at a strife, Payne bade[542] mee yeelde, shame bad mee rather fast: The one bad spare, the other bad spend my life, But shame (shame haue it) ouercame at last: Then hunger gnew,[543] that doth the stone wall brast, And made mee eat both grauel, durt and mud, And last of all, my dung, my flesh, and bloud.[544] 34. This was mine end too horrible to heare, Yet good enough for a[545] life that was so ill,[546] Whereby, O _Baldwine_, warne all men to beare Theyr youth such loue, to bring them vp in skill,[547] Bid princes fly colprophet’s[548] lying byll,[549] And not presume to climb aboue theyr states:[550] For they bee faultes that foyle men, not theyr fates. Th. Ph.[551]