God hates[613] rigour though it furder right, For sinne is sinne, how euer it bee vsed: And therefore suffereth shame and death to light, To punishe vice, though it bee well abused: Who furdereth right is not thereby excused, If through the same hee doe some other wrong: To euery vice due guerdon doth belong. 12. What preach I now, I am a man of warre, And that my body[614] I dare say doth professe, Of cured woundes beset with many a skarre, My broken jaw vnheald can say no lesse: O fortune, fortune, cause of all distresse, My father had great cause thy fraud to curse But much more I, abused ten times worse. 13. Thou neuer flatteredst him in all thy[615] life, But mee thou dandledst like thy[616] darling deare: Thy giftes I found in euery corner rife, Where euer[617] I went I met thy smiling cheare: Which was not for a day or for a yeare, But through the raygne of three right worthy kinges, I found thee forward in all kinde of thinges. 14. The while king _Henry_ conquered in _Fraunce_ I sued the warres and still found victory, In all assaultes, so happy was my chaunce, Holdes yeelde or won did make my enemies sory: Dame _Prudence_ eke augmented so my glory, That in all treaties euer I was one, Whan weyghty matters were agreed vpon. 15. But when this king this mighty conquerour, Through death vnripe was both his realmes bereft, His seely infant did receiue his power, Poore litle babe full yong in cradell left, Where crowne and scepter hurt him with the heft, Whose worthy vncles had the gouernaunce, The one at home, the other abroad in _Fraunce_. 16. And I which was in peace and warre well skilled,[618] With both these rulers greately was esteemed: Bare rule at home as often as they willed, And fought in _Fraunce_ whan they it needefull deemed, And euery where so good my seruice seemed, That _English_ men to mee great loue did beare, Our foes the _French_, my force fulfilled with feare. 17. I alwayes thought it fitly for a prince, And such as haue the regiment of realmes, His subiecte’s hartes with mildnes to conuince, With justice mixt, auoyding all extreames: For like as _Phœbus_ with his cherefull beames, Doth freshly force the fragrant flowres to florish, So ruler’s mildnes subiect’s loue doth norish.[619] 18.