---

The Kinge and his wyfe the Parliament

are parted both in discontent,

the cause I can not knowe:

Fooles say, the fates brought it about

knaves say, the husband is too stout

5

some say, the wyfes a shrewe.

Unto the later I give noe name,

But it is just they beare the blame,

they shall be styled mad:

for who but such would thinke a spouse,

10

that hath as many wits as browes,

would ere prove halfe soe bad.

fault with the fates let noe man fynd,

Let none dare say the kinges unkynd,

he scornes to be soe poore:

15

Unles the Parliament his wyfe,

hath given him any cause of stryfe

by playinge of the whore:

Which sure she hath if it be true,

that she of late hath had to doe,

20

with Englands wanton Duke:1

But as I better call to mind

she did quite in another kinde

solace his curled peruke.2

Soe as if either deserves blame

25

t’is he who sought to sinke his fame,

by rape committed on her:

for he did stryve with all his might,

To robbe her of her antient right,

and that is this wyves honor:

30

But it is well, he of his dede did fayle,

and that she ne’re turnd up her tayle,3

to him unles to kisse:

As shee will do to all his faction,

Who were the cause of this distraction,

35

That hindred once our blisse.

An art sprunge from a blacker seed,

then that which he powred in that weed

Whom we call Guido Faux:4

Who if he fiered had his vessell,

40

of Sulphure standeinge on beare tressell,

in his sepulchrall walkes:

Could not have soe disperst our state,

Nor opened Spayne soe wyde a gate,

as hath his gracelesse grace:

45

for till time comes which is at hand,

that all speake Spanish in our land,

We are bound to curse his face.

And yet I guesse we neede not doe it,

for France hath sent one to undoe it

50

her Countryman the Pox:5

A hungry Mounsieur that will eate,

his joyntes past cure of any sweate,

that Poes6 great art unlockes.

But yet as longe as they can laste

55

Say what you will, his foote is fast,

the kinge will nere rebuke him:7

but love him dearely, for in case,

hee would withdraw from him his grace,

he knowes he must unduke him.

60

Which he may not unlesse he make

him lower by the head,8 and shake

the reste of that lewd faction:

A thinge to which they’le ne’re consent,

however parliaments are bent

65

to purge that putrifaction.

What cares the kinge to urge the house9

for’s people, what cares he a lowse

For kingdomes transitory:

Don Fredericke10 he may have these

70

But hee’le to heaven & take [word missing] ease

to joyne in lastinge glory.

Meane tyme hee’le give them to his minion,11

a pretty toy, his whole dominion

will serve his wife for pynns.

75

Then Turner, Eliot, and Digges,12

Shall scourged be like whirlegigges

and suffer for their dinns.

But those that with the Duke combinde

shall from base mettle be refinde

80

to shine like rotten wood13

At midnight in a darkesome night,

noe devill shall appeare soe bright

in shape of angel good.

Then shall the effiminate Holland Count,14

vile worme, all Englands Lords surmount,

85

then the Nothumberlands girle

Shall cease repininge that she stoopt

to wed a man whose fortunes droopt

the brave Carlelian Earle.15

For he an Embassage shall goe

90

if he but prevent our foe,

of findeinge money here:

Or els when all the land is sack’d,

perhaps our bodyes might be rack’d

95

to tell them where it were.

To these if Carlton16 goe not next,

how with his wife17 will he be vext,

her tongue will never lye,

But that were strange for in good sooth

100

I never knew that it tould truth

since first I did her spye.

But see her I must needs confesse

I never did, nor can, unlesse

her visage she uncase

105

which buried is in payntinge18 white

and red for shee’s a modest wight

as loath to shewe her face.

Then Ragles Lord,19 and Wimbleton,

and Dorsette,20 with his nimble tongue,

110

May looke without a bribe,

To have in Court the cheifest graces,

and in the state the highest places

next the Villerian tribe.

But now my story is too longe,

115

& therefore here Ile end my songe

with prayinge for our kinge

God graunt him life & with his wyfe

graunt he may never have more strife,

she is a pretty thinge.

120

I meane the Parliament for she

When all trickes else quite helpeles be

may helpe her man to monye21

Soe he will heare her most just groanes

and chase from him those busy droanes

125

that eate up all the hony.

---

Source. Bodleian MS Eng. Poet. c.50, fols. 14r-15r

Oi10

Quick links to other poems within this section

Select page here O0. Introduction Oi1. The Parliament sitts Oi2. Oh honoured England Oi3. Our digby digd’e Oi4. The base on which Oi5. There was a man Oi6. There was a great fleete Oi7. There was a Munkye Oi8. Yee Spanyards Oi9. There was some policye Oi10. The Kinge and his wyfe Oi11. Why did the fond Oi12. Fower Cheyffe Justices Oi13. Justice of late hath Oi14. Ould Ned Cooke Oi15. Rex and Grex Oi16. Come heare, Lady Muses Oi17. There is a man Oii1. when the uncivill civill Oii2. It makes mee to muse Oii3. Great Buckinghame Oii4. In reading these Oii5. And wilt thou goe Oii6. Charles would yee Prevaile Oii7. Rejoice, brave English Oii8. Why was the varlett Oii9. One askte me Oii10. Oure crossrow’s turnd Oii11. The noblest brave Oii12. And art return’d againe Oii13. All you that will goe Oii14. As sick men feare Oiii1. O Admirall! Oiii2. The wisest King Oiii3. The warrlike King Oiii4. Excuse me Eliott Oiii5. Avaunt you giddie Oiii6. Here Dr Lambe Oiii7. If heav’n rejoyce Oiii8. For Lambe go ringe Oiii9. Heare lyes the Impostar Oiii10. Our state’s a Game Oiii11. When onely one doth Oiii12. Of Brittish Beasts Oiii13. To hunt the Doe Oiii14. The Parliament of late Oiii15. A thinge gott by candle

¹   Englands wanton Duke: George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham. <back>

²   peruke: wig. <back>

³   tayle: backside. <back>

⁴   Guido Faux: Guy Fawkes, leading conspirator in the Catholic Gunpowder Plot to blow up James I as he addressed parliament in November 1605. <back>

⁵   France hath sent...Countryman the Pox: syphilis was commonly referred to as “the French pox” or “the French”. <back>

⁶   Poes: Dr. Leonard Poe’s. Libellers writing at the death of Robert Cecil alleged that Poe had treated him for syphilis (see Section D). <back>

⁷   the kinge will nere rebuke him: Charles had made clear and public gestures of support for Buckingham during the 1626 Parliament. <back>

⁸   lower by the head: i.e. behead him. <back>

⁹   the house: i.e. the House of Commons. <back>

¹⁰   Don Fredericke: Charles’s brother-in-law, Frederick V, Elector Palatine. <back>

¹¹   minion: favourite; i.e. Buckingham. <back>

¹²   Turner, Eliot, and Digges: Dr. Samuel Turner, Sir John Eliot and Sir Dudley Digges, vocal advocates for Buckingham’s impeachment in the 1626 Parliament. <back>

¹³   to shine like rotten wood: a line probably stolen from Sir Walter Ralegh’s attack on the court in “The Lie” (“Goe soule the bodies guest”). <back>

¹⁴   Holland Count: Henry Rich, Viscount Kensington and Earl of Holland. <back>

¹⁵   Nothumberlands girle...Carlelian Earle: Lucy Percy, from one of the most ancient of English noble families, the Percies of Northumberland, had married the Scotsman James Hay, Earl of Carlisle. Hay was a notorious profligate, and it is possible the drooping “fortunes” here are financial ones. <back>

¹⁶   Carlton: Sir Dudley Carleton, ally of Buckingham, who was sent on an embassy to France in the late summer of 1626. <back>

¹⁷   his wife: Lady Anne Carleton. <back>

¹⁸   payntinge: cosmetics. <back>

¹⁹   Ragles Lord: Sir Edward Conway, Secretary of State, made Lord Conway of Ragley (Warwickshire) in 1625. <back>

²⁰   Dorsette: Edward Sackville, 4th Earl of Dorset. <back>

²¹   helpe her man to monye: parliament could supply the King with money through a grant of subsidies. <back>