The kinge againe remembers Daniells storie

and such admitts of, as becomes his glorie.1

Yet all they doe is to resolve this doubt

that Fortune’s wheele is quicklie turn’de aboute.

Monntgomory2 ledd this dance of greatnes firste

55

but wiselie fearinge with the same to burste,

He gave it over, & with true reclayme

tooke out a shafte at honestie to ayme.

For when the frye of Scotts had turn’de their capps

to goulden bonnetts,3 and outfac’de mishapps

60

with outward bravery by makeinge knights

and grewe to Courte it in the statelie sightes,

Then with the rest some English had the grace

in the kinges chamber to receave a place:4

But some have blamed Fortune for his sake

65

that he the time of Fortune did not take.5

I might have nam’de Lorde Cobham,6 litle Gray,7

Raleighe,8 and others, who contriv’de the waye

of Essex fall–:9 For after all those smiles

See, see, howe Fortunes hate, their trust beguiles

70

They as delinquents by the law are founde

and in the tower caste upon good grounde,

And in the Tower dye: but Raleighs fate

makes us amased, him unfortunate.

For after fowerteene yeares, release he had,10

75

but see, his libertie prov’de too too badd.

For in a voyage all his hopes miscarried

and Gondomars complaint11 him stranglie married

to ougsome12 death whereby he lost his head,13

bewailed of his foes that sawe him dead.

80

Thus Contraries doe still resolve this doubte

that Fortune’s wheele is quicklie turnde aboute.

Northumberland?14 Northumberland was greate,

by native excellence, and honors seate

And yet the kinge, from whom greatnes doth flowe

85

most willinglie him greater made then soe.

For first he sitts at that high sacred table15

where, to advise the Councell, he is able.

Then of East Marches is Lorde Waden16 still

tho nowe the kingdome feares noe forraine ill.

90

In the third place, he many places guides

Haveinge the Cuntrey at Commande besides.

And last of all the Captaine of the bande

of Pentioners,17 before the kinge doth stande

But somethinge blocked upp his hansome walke

95

and men at randon durste against him talke.

Till in the tower he as prisoner lyes18

and many yeares greate affliccion tryes:

Yet out att last he comes,19 confyn’de to places

where he must nowe expecte more princelie graces.

100

K1ii

Quick links to other poems within this section

Select page here K0. Introduction K1i. Some would complaine K1ii. K1iii. K1iv. K1v. K1vi. K1vii. K1viii. K1ix. K1x. K2. Bridewell I come

¹   The kinge...glorie: probably an allusion to Daniel 1, in which King Nebuchadnezzar, having conquered Israel, commands that the most handsome and talented youths of the nobility be brought to his court. Daniel is one of these, and after being educated in court ways he and his Israelite companions prove to be the wisest and best informed among the courtiers. <back>

²   Monntgomory: Philip Herbert, Earl of Montgomery, one of James’s early favourites. <back>

³   turn’de...bonnetts: cf. the charges of sartorial transformation in “Well met Jockie whether away”. <back>

⁴   in the kinges...place: Herbert became a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber in 1603. <back>

⁵   the time...take: while the poet tries to represent his career as a failure, Herbert in fact remained in favour throughout James’s reign (though he was never as prominent as some subsequent favourites). <back>

⁶   Lorde Cobham: Henry Brooke, Lord Cobham, implicated in the 1603 “Main” or “Cobham’s” Plot to overthrow James and place Arabella Stuart on the throne. <back>

⁷   Gray: Thomas Grey, involved in the 1603 “Bye” or “Priest’s” Plot against James. <back>

⁸   Raleighe: Sir Walter Ralegh, arrested with Brooke in 1603 for suspected conspiracy. <back>

⁹   others...Essex fall: while Brooke, Grey and Ralegh all opposed Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, the poem gestures here towards a wider conspiracy (see Section A). <back>

¹⁰   For after...release he had: Ralegh was eventually released in 1616. <back>

¹¹   Gondomars complaint: Don Diego Sarmiento, Count of Gondomar, the powerful Spanish ambassador in London, reputedly obtained James’s promise that if Ralegh attacked Spaniards on his final voyage to America, James would ensure his execution. <back>

¹²   ougsome: ugly. <back>

¹³   lost his head: Ralegh was executed in 1618 (for poems on his death, see Section I). <back>

¹⁴   Northumberland: Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland. <back>

¹⁵   that high sacred table: i.e. the Privy Council. <back>

¹⁶   Waden: i.e. “warden”. <back>

¹⁷   Captaine...Pentioners: Percy was made a privy councillor and Captain of the Band of Gentlemen Pensioners in 1603. <back>

¹⁸   Till...lyes: though he protested his innocence, Percy was implicated in the Gunpowder Plot, tried in the Star Chamber in 1606, fined £30,000 and imprisoned indefinitely in the Tower. <back>

¹⁹   Yet out...he comes: Henry Percy was released from the Tower in 1621. <back>