---

“The dispairinge Complainte of wretched Rawleigh for his Trecheries wrought against the worthy Essex”

To whome shall cursed I my Case complaine

to move some Pitty of my wretched state

For though no other comforte doth remaine

yet pitty would my greife extenuate

For I towards God and man my selfe abused

5

and therefore am of God and man refused.

To heaven I dare not lifte my wretched eies

nor aske God pardon for my wretched deedes

For I his word and service did despise

esteeminge them of no more worth then weedes1

10

For which most vile conceytes these woes proceedes

For now I find and finding feare to rue

There is a God who is both just and true

And unto man I likewise am afraide

To make Complainte of this my gnawinge greife

15

Lest they (as well they may) should me upbraid

With scorne and pride which in mee were most reefe2

And therefore man will yeelde me no releife

Thus wretched I which everie man did scorne

Am now my selfe of every man forlorne.

20

What shall I doe in this perplexed plighte

Fearinge to move or God or man for grace

shall I to heavenly Saintes my woes recite

And hope that they will moane my wretched Case

O no it is theire office and theire place

25

To judge such giultie sinfull soules as I

And therfore no releife may come thereby

Yet one there is of that Celestiall sorte

whoe sure I thinke would pitty my distresse

For when he lived heere in earthly Porte

30

He was the Patterne of all gentlenesse

Ah but gainst him I greatlie did transgresse

Then Traytor vile how canst thou hope for grace

From him whom thou by Treason didst displace

O yes I know his virtues heere were such

35

he did abhorre to beare revenginge minde

and beinge there they better are by much

Because he lives remote from fleshie kinde

In perfecte joy to blessed Saintes assignde

A Worthy Essex but for feare of shame

40

I would invoke thy honorable name

But ere I can expect Commiseracion

I must intreate forgivenes hartilie

And ere forgivenes can have Confirmacion

I must Confesse how I have injurde thee

45

For it with Reason rightly doth agree

That such a wrongfull wicked wretch as I

Should first confesse and then for pardon cry

Wherefore I will my Clogged conscience Cleere

by true confession of my Treachery

50

That God and Angells Saintes & men may heare

how I thine honor wrongd most shamefullie

which on my selfe is lighted suddenly

For these my due deserts now falne on mee

plainly declares my Treason wrought gainst thee

55

For when thy soveraigne3 did thee well respecte

As well thou didst deserve to be respected

I then with falshood did thy truth infecte

wherby her princelie judgment was infected

and thou by her most causleslie rejected

60

Then I which on occasion did attend

omitted naught which might thee more offend

For then with open throate I did not spare

To taxe the4 virtues most reproachfullie

Thy valour was Ambition I would sweare

65

Thy curteous Bounty hope of Soveraigntie

Thy Justice malice and extremetie

And thy religious zeale I ofte would call

Dissimulation to deceave withall

Thus with detraction did I first assaile thee

70

Whoe did effect what shee did undertake

Then Envy wrought that nothinge might availe thee

Thou5 Truth thy just Apologie6 did make

Then framed Treason brought thee to the stake

Thus to assaile thee with these furies fell

75

I pawnd my soule to fetch them out of hell

I also had assistance in this worke

whose helping handes were in as deepe as mine

though some of them aloofe now slylie lurke

as if their Consciences were sole divine

80

yet in a league with mee they did combine

Thee to destroy by Treasons pollicy

which wee effected to our infamy7

But some of my Confederates in this Acte

whose dates of mischeife did with mine expire

85

are fallen with me in this pretended facte8

prepard to pay our due deserved hier

now if it were not sin I would desier

That all which wrought with me in thy disgrace

Might stand with me in this my wretched case

90

But what should I neede doubt or stand in feare

That they shall scape revenge more cleere then I

Since he9 whoe hath entrapt me in this snare

Can Traverse them in their owne pollicy

and will no doubt when he due time doth see

95

For he will punish every Trecherous case

either in this or in a worser place

And therefore though they florish for a tyme

in Grace Authoritie and honors greate10

which may perswade them they may easilie Climbe

100

upp to the highest stepp of fortunes seate

yet is there one whoe can their hopes defeate

For when they thinke themselves in highst respect

Then suddenlie he can them soone dejecte

Wittnesse my selfe who thought my selfe as sure

105

as any one of my associates all

But now I finde Treason cannot endure

Insultinge Pride shall likewise have a fall

For such Offences doe for vengeance call

And he which is the Remedier of Wronge

110

hath said his vengeance shall not tarry longe

Which by experience I have found most true

For in the selfe same kinde that I offended

He justlie hath repaied to me my due

his justice therefore needes must be commended

115

which hath it selfe so equallie extended

usinge the meanes of my owne fowle offence

to give to mee a righteous recompence

For as by letters I procurde thy bane

which of a Perjurde villaine I did buy

120

who for Commoditie had stolne the same

From her to whom thou sentst them faithfullie

Conteyninge nought but Truth and Modestie

Yet I which knew they would me much infest

did spare no cost till I had them possest11

125

So I through Letters of Contrary kinde

to those of thine am now adjudgde my meede12

For when all other promises did faile

me to offend in this pretended deede

my Opposites more stricklie did proceede

130

And then a letter did gainst me produce13

For which my cunninge lackes a cleane excuse

And thus as I by letters thee offended

by letters now my owne offence was provd

vile Traytor I that ill gainst thee intended

135

who for desert I rather should have lovd

Pride Spight and Mischeife thee unto me movd

And now methinks Dispayre doth me surprise

setting thy wronge before my wretched eyes

For when I heard my selfe exclaimde upon

140

by him whose mouth most mastive14 like revilde thee

Then thought I how I laughing stood by one

Whose rancorde harte brake out and much defild thee

and still wee laught to thinke how wee beguild thee

I then did praise the Barkers mouth for spendinge

145

But now he hath me plagugd for then offendinge15

And now I find it doth my Conscience gall

that wee subbornd a Judas to betray thee

who told thee when the Councell did thee call

that I and Cobham by the way would stay thee

150

advising thee therfor at home to stay thee

And thus by fraude we forcde thee to offend

by disobeyinge when the Lordes did send16

It likewise now doth greive me though too late

that wee procurde the Prince thee to imploy17

155

whilst in thy absence wee might worke thy hate

by urginge: thou didst purpose to annoy

thy lovinge Countrey and thy Prince destroy

And more to feare her with that foule intent

we raysed force thy Comminge to prevent18

160

But well we knew thy meaninge was not such

though wee pretended so thee to abuse

hopinge thereby we might encrease so much

thy soverainges hate that wee should quite refuse

to heare thee speake with truth this to excuse

165

And sure were wee should our purpose gaine

if from her presence shee would thee restraine

When falsly thus wee had the Queene possest

with this Conceite that thou hadst plotted Treason

we likewise then our pollicies addrest

170

To traine the over19 by some subtill reason

wherof our Consultacions were not geason20

For I have herd though here it may seeme grosse

holies the Church where Sathan beares the Crosse

Then did we blowe abroad the Prince is dead

175

thinking therby to further our intente

for then we hopte thou sure wouldst gather head

and come with speede invasion to prevente

For wee before of cunninge purpose sent

That Spanish expedition was in hand

180

the which we know thou stronglie wouldst withstand

But here our expectacion somwhat faded

because thou didst not come when wee expected

nor in that manner as wee had perswaded

thou mentst to come when first thou wast detected

185

Yet wee so wrought that quite thou wast rejected

And eke restrained of thy libertie

the which we labourd most incessantlie21

Now when wee thus our wishes had obtained

we left noe time nor mischeife to devise

190

for then false articles wee forgd & fayned

wherewith we dimbd22 thy soverainges Princelie eies

and then did everie one against thee rise

Like as a single hound by Curres23 orematched

once beinge downe of every Curre is snatched

195

Then for Starchamber24 did wee worke apace

pretendinge thou shouldst present there appeare

and there by order answere face to face

such articles as should concerne thee neare

but this was never ment the case is cleare

200

For well we knew if thou shouldst there have spoken

our knott of Treachery might have bin broken

But wee a farr more cleerer shifte devised

then that thou shouldst have answered our objection

For we procurde thy faults to be surmisde

205

thou being absent (o vile lawes infection)

and Censured as wee have given direction

for wee so wrought thy Prince by subtle sawes

that what we wild25 was of more force then lawes

The yce was broken then wee grew more bold

210

In Course of violence forward to proceede

For then all offices which thou didst hold

wee purgde thee of as wee before decreede26

therby more discontent in thee to breede

Thus when wee had occasion stirde to Ire

215

wee gave thee scope that we might kindle fire

But when we saw occasion nought prevailed

with furious blast the fier to inflame

but as the more she wrought the more shee failed

because coole Patience still the heate orecame

220

For juyce of Herbegrace27 was on the same

wee then another Strategem devised

by which thou wast most cunninglie surprised

And this was sly and subtle subbornation

with promises of very large extent

225

which gaind us one with thee in estimacion

and in thy private favour resident

of him we made our working instrument

Thee to perswade to gaine thy former grace

by usinge meanes thy hinderers to displace28

230

But when hee told us thou wast well contented

to live a private life remote from care

the modell of a projecte we invented

wherin he might his love to thee declare

by givinge helpe thy state for to repaire

235

To which when he had gotten thy consent

we had our purpose and our whole intent

For then wee doubted not to pricke thee on

by subtle force of forged instigation

which wee alreadie had resolvde upon

240

to stirre thee upp to secret consultation

For resolution and determination

For meanes and times of present execution

Lo thus wee wrought thy utter desolution

Yet this my true detestable confession

245

Is but the abstracte of my villany

for I have wrought more trecherous transgression

against thy Honnour Truth and Loyaltie

Then now I can recall to memory

For which with sighes all desperate of releife

250

I cry for pardon to asswage my greife

And as for this offence I now intended29

I doe not doubt but I shall favour finde

but what can my estate be thereby mended

For still I shall retaine a guilty minde

255

From which I can no place of refuge finde

For every man will kill me with his eie

and therfore twere more ease for me to dye

For I such Terrour in my Conscience feele

by thought of my most execrable deedes

260

that though my hart obdurate be as steele

yet when I thinke thereon it quakes and bleedes

such piercing passions from them still proceedes

Ah: since I have confessed now the truth

Forgive me then and pitty this my ruth30

265

But if thou wilt not deigne to pitty mee

then must I ever pittilesse remaine

for all that live laugh at my misery

except some few and they I thinke doe faine

fearinge I should their falshood vile explaine

270

Thus like a Cursed Caitiffe31 did I live

and now my cursed case doth no man greive

---

Source. Bodleian MS Ashmole 36-37, fols. 11r-14r

Other known sources. BL Add. MS 15226, fol. 6v

B7

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   For I his word...worth then weedes: allusion to the charge of atheism levelled at Ralegh and his circle in the 1590s and revived by the prosecutors at Ralegh’s treason trial in 1603. <back>

²   reefe: i.e. rife. <back>

³   thy soveraigne: Elizabeth I. <back>

⁴   the: probable scribal error; read “thy”. <back>

⁵   Thou: probable scribal error; read “though”. <back>

⁶   thy just Apologie: allusion to Essex’s Apologie, a 1598 letter to Anthony Bacon that was circulating in manuscript by 1599, appeared in a rapidly-suppressed printed edition in 1600, and was printed again in 1603. <back>

⁷   I also had assistance...infamy: this stanza may refer to the actions of, among others, Robert Cecil. Cecil was in the process of becoming James I’s chief minister and was instrumental in Ralegh’s fall. <back>

⁸   some of my Confederates...pretended facte: the key figure who was alleged to have conspired with Ralegh against Essex and who then fell with Ralegh as a result of the Bye and Main Plots was Henry Brooke, Lord Cobham. <back>

⁹   he: i.e. God. <back>

¹⁰   though they florish...honors greate: of all Essex’s enemies, these lines best fit Robert Cecil. <back>

¹¹   For as by letters...had them possest: this stanza probably refers to the letters written by Essex to his wife, Frances, and purloined by a disgruntled former servant, John Daniell. Daniell apparently doctored the letters to make them more incriminating and then tried to blackmail the Countess of Essex by claiming that Ralegh and Cobham had offered to pay £3000 for them. Essex cited the case at his trial as an example of his enemies’ vicious smear campaign against him. Daniell was eventually tried in Star Chamber in June 1601. <back>

¹²   meede: reward. <back>

¹³   And then a letter...produce: perhaps a reference to the letter from Cobham used by the prosecution against Ralegh in his treason trial. <back>

¹⁴   mastive: i.e. mastiff; a dog. <back>

¹⁵   For when I heard...then offendinge: the general meaning of this stanza is clear enough: the same men who once joined him in attacking Essex, have now attacked Ralegh. The sense of the poem implies this might refer to the Crown’s most strident prosecutor at both treason trials, Sir Edward Coke. <back>

¹⁶   And now I find...Lordes did send: on 7 February 1601, the Privy Council summoned Essex to appear before it. The Earl refused, claiming he was ill. The poet implies here that Ralegh had persuaded one of Essex’s friends to lure him into this dangerous act of contempt for royal authority by convincing the Earl that Ralegh and Cobham would attack him on his way to the Council. The identity of the “Judas” here is unclear, but it may be Sir Ferdinando Gorges. <back>

¹⁷   wee procurde the Prince...imploy: reference to Elizabeth I’s decision to send Essex to Ireland to quash Tyrone’s rebellion. Essex left London for Ireland in March 1599. <back>

¹⁸   And more to feare...thy Comminge to prevent: this couplet may refer to the military mobilization in the summer of 1599, triggered by incorrect reports that a new Spanish Armada was headed to England. <back>

¹⁹   To traine the over: allusion to a plot to trick Essex into returning from Ireland. <back>

²⁰   geason: uncommon, infrequent. <back>

²¹   But here our expectacion...most incessantlie: this stanza alludes to Essex’s unauthorized return from Ireland in September 1599 and his subsequent placement under house arrest at the beginning of October 1599. <back>

²²   dimbd: i.e. dimmed. <back>

²³   Curres: dogs; often with the implication of “low-born”. <back>

²⁴   Then for Starchamber: reference to the late November 1599 defence of the imprisonment of Essex by several Privy Councillors assembled in the court of Star Chamber. The implication, developed in this and the following stanza, is that the original plan was for Essex to be tried by that court, but that the plan was changed to facilitate a stage-managed series of denunciations of Essex in absentia. <back>

²⁵   wild: i.e. willed. <back>

²⁶   For then all offices...before decreede: Essex was stripped of office after a judicial verdict against him at a York House hearing in June 1600. <back>

²⁷   Herbegrace: herb-of-grace; the herb rue, symbolizing repentance. <back>

²⁸   And this was sly...to displace: the allegation introduced in this stanza, and developed in the following stanza, is that Ralegh and Cobham worked to incite Essex to open revolt by suborning one of his trusted friends—perhaps Sir Ferdinando Gorges—and using him to urge on the Earl. Essex rose in armed revolt on 8 February 1601. <back>

²⁹   this offence I now intended: reference to the alleged Main Plot. <back>

³⁰   ruth: sorrow. <back>

³¹   Caitiffe: wretch, villain. <back>