A Metrical History of England Or, Recollections, in Rhyme, Of some of the most prominent Features in our National Chronology, from the Landing of Julius Caesar to the Commencement of the Regency, in 1812. In Two Volumes ... By Thomas Dibdin |
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HOUSE of TUDOR,
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 | A Metrical History of England |  |
36
HOUSE of TUDOR,
AND UNION OF THE FAMILIES OF YORK AND LANCASTER.
38
“Proud, dark, suspicious, brooding o'er his gold.”
Thomson.
Thomson.
“We will unite the White Rose with the Red.”
—“There grows
“In my most ill-composed affection, such
“A staunchless avarice, that, were I a King,
“I should cut off the nobles for their lands.
Shakespeare.
“In my most ill-composed affection, such
“A staunchless avarice, that, were I a King,
“I should cut off the nobles for their lands.
Shakespeare.
“Of a noble race was Shenkin.”
Welch Ballads.
Welch Ballads.
HENRY THE SEVENTH.
In metre most unpolished,
Than which, not the times were ruder,
My muse shall sing,
We gained a King
From the house of Owen Tudor.
Than which, not the times were ruder,
My muse shall sing,
We gained a King
From the house of Owen Tudor.
Who woo'd the beauteous widow,
Of fighting fifth King Harry;
And she from a crown
Stepp'd kindly down
A simple 'squire to marry.
Of fighting fifth King Harry;
And she from a crown
Stepp'd kindly down
A simple 'squire to marry.
39
Their grandson Hal an heirship,
From John of Gaunt pretended,
But some said nay,
'Till he won the day,
And there the question ended,
From John of Gaunt pretended,
But some said nay,
'Till he won the day,
And there the question ended,
Dick
lost his crown in battle,
And Vict'ry deigned to place it
On Henry's head,
Who smiling said,
Qui Capit ille facit.
And Vict'ry deigned to place it
On Henry's head,
Who smiling said,
Qui Capit ille facit.
Eliza then he wedded,
For the Queen her mother brought her
The fight to see,
In hopes that he
Who won might take her daughter.
For the Queen her mother brought her
The fight to see,
In hopes that he
Who won might take her daughter.
'Till the battle fierce subsided,
Poor Bess was afraid to look up;
But Dick once dead,
She rais'd her head,
And the Conqueror she took up.
Poor Bess was afraid to look up;
But Dick once dead,
She rais'd her head,
And the Conqueror she took up.
40
With royal condescension,
He call'd her best of creatures;
And in gold, red, and blue,
For her guard drest a crew
Of the first enrolled Beef-Eaters,
He call'd her best of creatures;
And in gold, red, and blue,
For her guard drest a crew
Of the first enrolled Beef-Eaters,
Yet he met great opposition,
From Madge of York, and her kin;
Who, it's known very well,
Induced to rebel
Lambert Simnel, and Warbeck Perkin.
From Madge of York, and her kin;
Who, it's known very well,
Induced to rebel
Lambert Simnel, and Warbeck Perkin.
The first as Earl of Warwick,
To rule the land unable,
The King him took,
To learn from his cook,
How to rule the roast at table.
To rule the land unable,
The King him took,
To learn from his cook,
How to rule the roast at table.
Next Perkin thought the title
Of York wou'd him sit well on,
Got a royal wife,
Then lost his life,
For they hang'd him like a felon.
Of York wou'd him sit well on,
41
Then lost his life,
For they hang'd him like a felon.
Two Lawyers
chiefly governed,
In each finance transaction,
And the people squeez'd,
'Till much displeased,
They call'd for satisfaction.
In each finance transaction,
And the people squeez'd,
'Till much displeased,
They call'd for satisfaction.
Then Cornwall folks revolted,
And the north too, tired of taxes,
Essay'd the field,
But, forced to yield,
Made work for ropes and axes,
And the north too, tired of taxes,
Essay'd the field,
But, forced to yield,
Made work for ropes and axes,
42
The Prince of Wales, young Arthur,
Soon after wedlock dying,
By the King's next son,
His spouse was won,
Who had cause to rue complying.
Soon after wedlock dying,
By the King's next son,
His spouse was won,
Who had cause to rue complying.
When Henry's reign was ended,
The crown to his son bequeathing;
He left more gold,
In sums untold,
Than any monarch breathing.
The crown to his son bequeathing;
He left more gold,
In sums untold,
Than any monarch breathing.
In this reign, by our Court rejected,
Columbus sailed from Cadiz,
And found, they say,
America,
By which Spain's fortune made is.
Columbus sailed from Cadiz,
And found, they say,
America,
By which Spain's fortune made is.
Empson and Dudley serious plagues were thought,
The sweating sickness also did prevail;
And tho' per bushel wheat but six-pence brought,
Much discontent did thro' the land prevail.
The sweating sickness also did prevail;
And tho' per bushel wheat but six-pence brought,
Much discontent did thro' the land prevail.
Margaret of York, Duchess Dowager of Burgundy, and Sister of Edward the Fourth, a sworn enemy to the House of Lancaster.
James of Scotland gave him in marriage the Lady Catherine Gordon, Daughter of the Earl of Huntley, and Kins-woman to the King. After the defeat of her husband, to whom she was much attached, King Henry treated her with respect, gave her a pension, and introduced her to his Queen.—Sir James Cradock obtained the Widow's hand.
“James back'd the cause of that weak Prince
“Warbeck, that Flemish counterfeit,
“Who on the gibbet paid the cheat.”
“Warbeck, that Flemish counterfeit,
“Who on the gibbet paid the cheat.”
Walter Scott.
43
Poetic Specimens of Henry the Seventh's Reign
[Upon this horse, black and hideous, Death am I who fiercely doth sitte]
Upon this horse, black and hideous, Death am I who fiercely doth sitte;
There is no fairness, but sight tedious, all gay colours I do hitte;
My horse runneth by dales and hilles,
And many he smiteth dede and killes.
There is no fairness, but sight tedious, all gay colours I do hitte;
My horse runneth by dales and hilles,
And many he smiteth dede and killes.
In my trap I take some every way, by Towns and Castles I take my rent:
I will not respite an hour of a day, before me they must be present;
I flea all with my mortal knife,
And, of duetye, I take the life.
I will not respite an hour of a day, before me they must be present;
I flea all with my mortal knife,
And, of duetye, I take the life.
Hell knoweth well my killing, I slepe never, but wake and warke,
It followeth me ever, running, with my darte I slea week and starke;
A great number it hath of me
Paradise hath not the fourth part.
It followeth me ever, running, with my darte I slea week and starke;
A great number it hath of me
Paradise hath not the fourth part.
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[Who pleyethe on the harpe, he sholde pleye trewe]
[_]
The following is from a M.S. of this reign, which treats of the method of acquiring the science of Music.
Who syngythe a songe, let hys voyce be tunáble;
Who wrestythe the clavycorde, mystunynge eschewe;
Who blowthe a trompét, let ys winde be measuràble;
For instromentes themselves be firmè and stable,
And of trowthè woldè trowthè, to every man's songe,
Tune them then trewly, for in them is no wronge.
| A Metrical History of England | |