Great Britain -- History -- Poetry; Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Sources
hee was entertained of the king a while, and at last with such
poore helpe as hee procured there of duke _Rainer_ and other,
hee came into _England_ againe, and encreased such a power in
king _Henrie’s_ name, that as the lord _Typtofte_ sayd in his
tragedy, king _Edward_ vnable to abide him, was faine to flie
ouer the washes in _Lincolnshire_ to get a ship to saile out
of his kingdome to his brother in lawe the duke of _Burgoine_.
So was king _Henry_ restored againe to his[1116] kingdome. All
these despites and troubles the earle wrought against king
_Edward_. But _Henry_ was so infortunate that ere halfe a yeare
was expired, king _Edward_ came backe againe, and enprisoned him
and gaue the earle a fielde, wherein hee slewe both him and his
brother. I haue recounted thus much before hand for the better
opening of the story, which, if it should haue beene spoken in
his tragedy, would rather haue made a volume then a pamphlete.
For I entend onely to say in the tragedy, what I haue noted in
the earle of _Warwicke’s_ person, wishing that these other noble
men, whome I haue by the way touched, should not bee forgotten.
And therefore imagine that you see this earle lying with his
brother in _Paule’s_ church[1117] in his coate armoure, with such
a face and countinaunce as he beareth in portraiture ouer the
dore in _Paule’s_, at the going down to _Iesus_ chappell from the
south end of the quier stayres, and saying as followeth.”]
How Sir _Richard Neuill_ Earle of Warwicke,
and his brother _Iohn_, Lord Marquise
_Montacute_, through their too
much boldnesse were slaine at
Barnet, the 14 of Aprill,
Anno 1471.[1118]
1.
Among the heauy heape of happy knightes,
Whome fortune stald vpon her staylesse stage,
Oft hoyst on hie, oft pight in wretched plights,
Behold mee, _Baldwine_, _a per se_ of my age,
Lord _Richard Neuill_, earle by maryage
Of _Warwicke_ duchy, of _Sarum_ by discent,
Which erst my father through his mariage hent.
2.
Wouldst thou beholde false fortune in her kinde?
Note well my selfe, so shalt thou see her naked:
Full faire before, but too too foule behinde,
Most drowsy still whan most shee seemes awaked:
My fame and shame her shift full oft hath shaked,
By enterchaunge, alow, and vp aloft,
The lysard like, that chaungeth hew full oft.
3.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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