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Seventh Henryes Counsayle was of great renowne

That joynd the white & red rose1 in the crowne

And th’eight Henryes Counsayle weare no babies

That supprest popery & put downe the Abbeyes2

But King James his counsayle wins the prise

5

For they make wise men mad, & mad men wise.

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Source. V&A MS D25.F.39, fol. 82v

B21

Quick links to other poems within this section

Select page here B0. Introduction B1. Nevil for the protestant B2. The Great Archpapist B3. Come all you Farmers B4. Watt I wot well B5. Wilye watt, wilie B6. Water thy plaints B7. To whome shall cursed B8. I speake to such B9. As Cats over houses B10. Who doubts of Providence B11. The prelats Pope B12. A Romane right B13. The Divell men say B14. Here lyes the Lady B15. Heere lye’s a Lord B16. Immodest death B17. Here Lyes Dick B18. Here lieth one who B19. Heer lye’s my Lord’s B20. Bancroft Was for Playes B21. Seventh Henryes

¹   joynd the white & red rose: Henry VII’s 1486 marriage to Elizabeth of York united the warring Houses of Lancaster (the red rose) and York (the white). The Tudor badge was a pink rose that blended red and white. <back>

²   And th’eight Henryes...put downe the Abbeyes: allusion to Henry VIII’s break with the Church of Rome and his enforced dissolution of the monasteries during the 1530s. <back>