The infamovs end of the Lord _Tiptoft_ Earle of Worcester, for cruelly executing his Prince’s butcherly commaundementes, An. 1470.[1090] 1. The glorious man is not so loth to lurke, As the infamous glad to lye vnknowen: Which makes mee, _Baldwine_, disalow thy worke, Where prince’s faultes so openly be blowen: I speake not this alonly for mine owne, Which were my prince’s (if that they were any) But for my peeres, in nombre very many. 2. Or might report vprightly vse her tong, It would lesse greue vs to augment the matter, But suer I am thou shalt be forst among, To frayne the truth the liuing for to flatter, And otherwhiles in poyntes vnknowen to smatter: For time neuer was, nor neuer[1091] I thinke shalbe That truth vnshent should speake in all thinges free. 3. This doth appeare (I dare say) by my story, Which diuers writers diuersly declare: But story writers ought for neyther glory, Feare, nor fauour, truth of thinges to spare? But still it fares as alway it did fare, Affections, feare, or doubts that dayly brue, Doe cause that stories neuer can be true.[1092] 4. Unfruitfull _Fabian_ followed the face Of tyme and dedes, but let the causes slip: Which _Hall_ hath added, but with double grace,[1093] For feare I thinke lest trouble might him trip: “For this or that,” sayeth he, “he felt the whip:” Thus[1094] story wryters leaue the causes out, Or so rehearse them as they were in dout.[1095] 5. But seing causes are the chiefest thinges That should be noted of the story wryters, That men may learne what endes all causes bringes, They be vnworthy the[1096] name of chroniclers That leaue them cleane out of theyr registers, Or doubtfully report them: for the fruite Of reading storyes standeth in the suite. 6. And therefore, _Baldwine_, eyther speake vpright[1097] Of our affayres, or touch them not at all: As for my selfe I way all thinges so light, That nought I passe how men report my fall: The truth whereof yet playnly shew I shall, That thou mayst write and others thereby rede, What thinges I did whereof they should take heede. 7. Thou hast heard of[1098] _Tiptoft’s_ earles of _Worcester_, I am that lord that liu’d in _Edwarde’s_ days The fourth, and was his friend and counsaylour, And butcher to, as common rumor sayes: But people’s voyce is neyther shame nor prayse, For whom they would aliue deuoure to day, To morow dead they will[1099] worship what they may. 8.