O morall _Senec_, true finde I thy saying, That neither kinne,[558] riches, strength, or fauour, Are free from fortune, but are aye decaying: No worldly welth is ought saue doubtfull labour, Man’s life in earth is like vnto a tabour, Which nowe to myrth doth mildly men prouoke And straight to warre, with a more sturdy stroke. 2. All this full true I _Percy_ finde by proofe, Which whilom was earle of _Northumberland_: And therefore, _Baldwine_, for my pier’s[559] behoofe, To note men’s falles sith thou hast tane in hand, I would thou should my state well vnderstand: For fewe kinges were more than I redouted,[560] Whom double fortune lifted vp and louted. 3. As for my kinne their noblenesse is knowen, My valiaunt acts were[561] folly for to prayse, Where through the _Scots_[562] so oft were ouerthrowen, That who but I was doubted in my dayes: And that king _Richarde_ found at all assayes, For neuer _Scots_[563] rebelled in his raigne, But through my force were eyther caught or slayne. 4. A brother I had was earle of _Worcester_, Alwayes in office and fauour[564] with the king, And by my wife dame _Elinor Mortimer_, A sonne I had[565] which so the _Scots_[566] did sting, That being yong, and but a very spring, _Henry Hotspur_ they gaue him vnto name,[567] And though I say it, hee did deserue the same. 5. Wee three triumphed in king _Richard’s_ time, Till fortune ought both him and vs a spite: But chiefly mee, whome clerely from[568] any crime, My king did banishe from his fauour quite, Proclayming mee a trayterous knight:[569] Where through false slaunder forced mee to bee, That which before I did most deadly flee. 6. Let men beware how they true folke defame, Or threaten on them the blame of vices nought, For infamy breedeth wrath, wreke followeth shame: Eke open slannder often times hath brought That to effect, that erst was neuer thought: To bee misdeemed men suffer in a sort, But none can beare the griefe of misreport. 7. Because my king did shame mee wrongfully, I hated him and in deede[570] became his foe: And while hee did at warre in _Ireland_ lye, I did conspire to turne his weale to woe: And through the duke of _Yorke_ and other moe, All royall power from him wee quickely tooke, And gaue the same to _Henry Bolenbroke_. 8.