Who worketh his will, and shunneth wisedome’s sawes,
In snares of woe, ere hee bee ware, shall light.][462]
G. F.[463]
[When hee had[464] ended this so woefull a tragedy,[465] and to all princes a right worthy[466] instruction, wee paused:[467] hauing passed through a miserable time full of piteous tragedies. And seeing the raigne of Henry the fourth ensued, a man[468] more wary[469] and prosperous in his doings, although not vntroubled with warres both of outforth and inward enemies, wee began to searche what peeres[470] were fallen therein, whereof the nombre was not small: and yet because theyr examples were not much to be noted for our purpose, we passed ouer al the maskers (of whom king Richard’s brother was chief) which were all slayn and put to death for theyr trayterous attempt. And finding Owen Glendour next, one of fortune’s owne whelpes, and the Percies his confederates, I thought them vnmeete to be ouerpassed, and[471] therefore sayd thus to the sylent company: “What my maisters is euery man at once in a browne study? hath no man affection to any of these stories? you minde so much some other belike, that these doe not moue you: and to say the[472] truth, there is no speciall cause why they should.[473]How be it Owen Glendour, because he was one of fortune’s owne darlings, and affected to bee prince[474] of Wales, although to his owne mischiefe and destruction, rather then he should bee forgotten, I wil take vpon mee (by your fauour) to say somewhat in his personne:[475] which[476] Owen comming out of the wilde mountaynes of Wales like the image of death in all poyntes (his harte onely excepted) as a ghost forpined with extreame famine, cold, and hunger, may lament his great misfortune after[477] this manner.”][478]
How Owen Glendour seduced by false prophesies, tooke vpon him to bee Prince of Wales, and was by Henry Prince[479] of England chased[480] to the mountaynes, where hee miserably died for lack of foode.[481] Anno 1401.[482]
1.
I pray thee, Baldwine, sith thou doest entende
To shewe the fall[483] of such as climbe to hie,
Remember mee, whose miserable end
May teach a man his vicious life to flye,[484]