man vnto the deuill But he will giue me leaue to take that paine My selfe but yet I hope to find some friends That will not faile to bring them to their ends And at the last he did find out a mate No man a monster of some tygers kind Hoping to raise by crueltie his state When he perceiu'd King Richards bloudy mind Voide of all grace possest with villanie Offerd himselfe to worke their tragedie But now prepare your eares to heare the sound Of saddest woe and extreame crueltie Was euer such a bloudy butcher found That euer dared act such tyrannie As was this traitor Terrill was his name That gaue consent to worke his Princes bane A strict command the King by Terrill sent To Brackenbury charging him thereby That all the keyes he should incontinent Deliuer vp to Terrill willingly For that one night he did the King obay Yeeld the keyes and sadly went his way Night being come that shrowdeth many a sinne From eyes of men but not from sight of God He knowes the thoughts before the deeds begin And will reuenge and punish with his rod Without respect of persons all alike The mightiest King he will in iustice stâ—ike Into the Tower by secret dores that night Terrill with such as were wrought to his will Forrest and Dighton entered by slight Into their chamber resolute to kill The sleeping Princes who being voide of feare Did litle thinke their deaths had bene so neare And when the Princes both within one bed Together slept embracing one the other Those cruell villaines by the diuell led The litle brethren in their beds did smother Thus from the sleepe that nature forc'd them to They neuer wak'd to tell who wrought their wo. Whether in water or in sacred ground They cast or laid the bodies murthered It 's yet vnknowne the place was neuer found But in their beds they thus were smothered O neuer villaines acted such a deed The thought wherof doth make my soule to bleed This murther done this most detested fact Being once performed by that damned crew Vpon the litle Princes Terrill packt And like some fury to the Court he slew The maner how vnto the King to tell And euery accident as it befell They had no wounds by which it might appeare That violently so their blouds were shed But as by natures course they perisht were And that their bodies being scarcely dead Vnder a paire of stayres within the Tower Were cast a prey for Serpents to deuoure The bloudy King was pleased with the deed But did dislike the basenesse of the place Where they had cast the bodies and with speed Terror of conscience or some sparke of grace Did worke remorse in him and therefore he Gaue charge their bodies should remoued be But whither where or to what place assign'd No history doth to this age relate A Priest some say their bodies there did find And mou'd with pitie did commiserate Such royall babes of life and Crowne bereft Should in so vile a filthy place be left And did remoue them where he thought more fit And sacred place for princely obsequies Which reu'rent deed deserueth to be writ In golden letters that posterities May learne of him that Christians ought to haue A decent place to lay their dead in graue Then if a generall regard be had Of those that die although they be but such Whose births were base whose liues were thought but bad The honor due to Princes is so much As gods on earth they honor'd ought to be Of all estates of high or low degree When I had heard of this extremest ill Griefe stopt my speech sorrowes opprest my heart I was enforc'd although against my will From all delights and pleasures to depart Nothing was left but sorrow griefe and care Thus all my hope was turnd to sad despaire Let neuer heauens yeeld such a chearfull smile That may yeeld comfort to that damned soule That did not feare to do a deed so vile Let hellish furies all their names inrole In that blacke book which to augment their paine As record of their deeds doth still remaine Let vgliest shape of most abhorred deuill Fire-spitting fiends in that infernall lake Dayly torment them that deuisde this euill Or gaue consent or the least part did take To murther him that was their lawfull King And crop his flower whilst it was in the spring To breake the branch that did but newly bud Nay more then so to plucke vp by the roote The springing plant next of the royall bloud Though this to tell my griefe is litle boote And all in vaine I do my woes repleate Because in me all sorrowes are compleate Yet needs I must nature enforceth me I was their mother they the royall seed Of my deare Lord whom yet me thinkes I see Vrging reuenge for this most wicked deed And shall not I with him still beare a part In prayer in woe in ioy or griefe of heart O needs I must and euer gladly will Follow his ghost with seruiceable loue And euermore be prest and ready still With sighes and teares t' importune mightie loue To grant the prayers of my beloued King For his desires were iust in euery thing If more I speake then well be cometh me In curious eye and eare if I too farre Forget my selfe let this my answer be He was my glorious Sun no twinkling starre They that on earth do beare the Scepter royall To them their subiects hearts ought to be loyall Then if a subiect must adore his King If he that is the King of Kings command Faith dutie loue of all in euery thing To be performd if firme his act shall stand Why then much more should I that was his wife Performe my dutie in and after life For after life the ghost hath libertie Of ioyes or griefe to beare a feeling part And though some women through infirmitie Their frailtie or their ficklenesse of heart When death once seizeth on their dearest friend Their former loues are quickly at an end Yet what of that my thoughts were pitcht on hie I lou'd no meaner person then a King Then with his life why should my fancies die Why should succeeding ages after sing To my reproch that I that was a Queene In baser choice to sport was euer seene Richard the third rightly cald th' vsurper Requited those that were his trustie friends With sodaine death and his deuice to further Plotted vntruths to bring them to their ends Then wheÌ„ they thought their fortunes were at hiest Then was their woe their fall and death the niest But good or bad this tyrant being King Who so he hated or did stand in doubt Would not consent to him in euery thing To take their liues all wayes he cast about By sodaine action or surmisde pretence Without their heads he sent them packing thence In this extreame alas what way was left For wretched me but to despaire and die Of hope and hap of friends and all bereft
surprisde King Edwards tent neare Wolney where the King Litle suspecting what his foe deuisde Securely slept but then oh piteous thing Hearing a noise he cald vnto his guard But they were slaine and he was clapt in ward And thence from Warwicke in the night conueyed To Midlam Castle where he did remaine There in the Bishops charge a while he stayed Vntill he did for want of aire complaine And by that meanes had leaue for pleasure sake To hawke or hunt the change of aire to take Which being once obtaind King Edward thought It was the high way to his libertie Plotting how this and that might best be wrought And not procure his keepers iealousie Ought to mistrust t is hard for to deuise A secret slight to circumuent the wise Whether the Bishop of himselfe did giue So large a scope vnto the captiue King Or Warwicks conscience inwardly did grieue That he had done so trecherous a thing And therefore will'd the Bishop let him haue What libertie soeuer he did craue I le not dispute how it did come to passe Though many thinke that Warwicke did consent To set him free but be it as it was All doubts to cleare the King did soone preuent The fury of his foes with heedfull care To tread the path that might escape the snare And by good fortune it did happen so Sir William Stanley with a troupe of men Met with the King as he to hunt did go It was in vaine to argue where or when He should be redeliuered for decree Had cleare resolu'd to set King Edward free And those that had the charge of his returne Vnto whose care the Bishop did commit The guarding of the King were loth to spurne Against the pricke accounting it no wit To offer force where such attempts were vaine Which rash resistance might procure their paine Determinately therefore they agreed With swiftest speed vnto their Lord to tell How euilly their sport that day did speed Which newes they knew would nothing please him well But well or ill there was no remedie The King was gone past their recouerie To Lancaster where then Lord Hastings lay The King made thither with all speed he might From thence assur'd of friends he tooke his way To London whence although his cause was right He was enforc'd to Lin to shape his course Of raging seas t' abide good hap or worse To Burgondie with wind and saile he plide There to recouer forces helpe and aide Of that great Duke now marke what did betide The boisterous waues and aduerse winds delayd His direct course the Easterlings at sea Thought to haue made K. Edwards ship their prey His ship being small with helpe of saile did beare Such forewind speed that in despite of foe It ranne so neare the shore at Alquemare Their ships drew deeper that they could not go So neare the towne but were compeld to ride At ancor there attending the next tide In the meane time Lord Gronture gouernor In humblest maner welcomed the King And charg'd the Easterlings to touch no shore Commanding them not to attempt the thing That to the English might offensiue be Thus was the King from dangerous foes set free But when the rumor through the land was blowne That Edward was inforc'd to flie the land And that the certaintie thereof was knowne O in what desperate state did all they stand That were his friends but vnto me his wife No hope was left of safetie friends or life Now to the hardest censure I appeale What world of woes opprest my soule with griefe How could I hide my sorrowes or conceale My horror for no hope of my reliefe On any side I no way could descrie But gloomy death and endlesse miserie Which sad prospect did threaten hard euent To wretched me of all good hap forsaken Despaire attended me no way I went But by sad thoughts my thoughts were ouertaken Pale death my master was and at my helme Stood terror all my ioyes to ouerwhelme In this red sea which was not nauigable My weather-beaten barke was runne aground I thought to find some place auaileable Where I might strike my saile and not be drownd The sanctuary a most sacred place I fled vnto hoping to find some grace Such grace I meane as to a wretched soule Yeelds comfort in extremes neare drownd in griefe There willingly my selfe I did inrole ' Mongst miserable soules voide of reliefe But that the reuerence of that holy place Was a protection to them in that case And in that place I had not long remaind But to the world Edward the fift I brought Where like a poore mans child I not disdaind To haue him Christned though so meane a thought Did nothing fit the mind of any Queene Who chuseth least of ils we wise esteeme The poorest man whose labour gets his pay Whose court a cottage is doth at such time More cost bestow on such a solemne day Then I had meanes to giue that child of mine The Gossips and chiefe credit of the troope Were th'Abbot Prior and the Lady Scroope Where was my cloth of state my canopie Ladies of honor to attend my will Where my rich hangings of rare tapestrie The stateliest banquets that deuice or skill Could set before vs where the songs of mirth To tell the world we ioyd a Princes birth My state and grace of all the world neglected Onely a naked name of Queene then left me My nearest friends arrested or suspected With traitors blot from which they were as free As new borne babes yet were they ouerthrowne Was euer such a cruell tyrant knowne The troope of gallants that once fawn'd on me My fortune-followers now they all are gone My pompe and complements for my degree Are vanisht cleane and I am cast vpon The rocke whereon alas I was vndone Before my prime of pleasure was begun O all was gone and I my selfe deiected From Court and Crowne to fatall miserie Of Lord nor Lady graced nor respected But headlong throwne into aduersitie Oh let no creature liue secure of state For Kings themselues are subiects vnto fate Let meane mens wiues imagine what it is To want things fitting them in such a case I of all princely ornaments did misse Was glad of such as seruile were and base Thus fortunes wheele some vp some downe doth tosse And I enforc'd perforce did beare this crosse O that I had a world of willing eares That patiently would heare my sorrowes told And in this sad discourse to lend me teares When they the map of my mishaps behold But ô the world shrowds in obliuion Their name and fame that to the earth are gone My King was fled my friends themselues did shrowd Vnder the couert of my enemies The new made gouerner insolent and proud Hatefull to me and all my progenie Ten thousand deaths yea trebled mischiefe fall Vpon his head that sowrd my sweet with gall Nay more then so that wrongd not onely me But to their King were instruments
of ill Cursed and odious let such traitors be That howsoeuer to effect their will Regardlesse of all wrong against all right Dares to take armes against their King to fight So long too long with small or no regard I in that sanctuary did remaine Vntill at length for certaine truth I heard That princely Edward with a martiall traine At Rauensprugh neare Humber head was landed With many a gallant warlikly attended Which how it ioyd my soule no tongue can tell Then vnto God I did deuoutly pray To cast all Edwards foes as low as hell And giue to him a safe victorious day That he in triumph with hearts ioy might see His litle sonne presented him by me Whether my prayers were effectuall Or Edwards valor which the world renown'd But all his foes got such a heauie fall That he with victory againe was crown'd And many slaine the rest that reattempted Rebellious factions they such faults repented Warwicke and others of that traiterous faction Being slaine and ouerthrowne a iust reward For them that dealt in such rebellious action Their peacocks plumes were pluckt their brauerie mard Victorious Edward by the helpe of heauen Reign'd after this of yeares iust eleuen But then ô then for seldome good things last Fates enuious of earthly creatures good With swiftest speed and with a heedlesse haste Cruell in action glut themselues in bloud Of any one that cometh next to hand All men perforce within their furie stand But Atropos the cruelst of the three That spins and winds and cuts our threed of life As one inchanted seeing did not see When she did cut the threed that bred such strife For by his too soone death my woes began And tragicke fall of many a mightie man My forepast sorrowes might be termed ioyes And all my griefes were ioyes compard to this King Edward dide with him dide all my ioyes And I was banisht from all earthly blisse To the sad tortures of an earthly hell The least of all my woes no tongue can tell Seuen royall children to this King I bare Edward the fift by treason murthered Richard his brother had a deadly share For they were both together smothered Fiue daughters by this King I also had Wose fortunes some were good and others bad When palefac'd death had seiz'd vpon my King My Lord my loue the hope of all my ioy And by that stroake had blemisht euery thing That might preserue and keepe me from annoy The Nobles droopt the common people mournd And all my hopes to sad despaire were turnd Some sparke of future good I hop'd to see Since to the Crowne my sonne by due descent Was heire apparent but what state so free But trust in treason brings to hard euent Vsurping Richard such a plot laid downe To work their deaths and gain himself the Crown Such fearfull thoughts my senses so did fright That some mishap I feared would befall To the yong King sad visions in the night So troubled me I could not sleepe at all Deuouring beasts but most of all the Boare My tender child me thought with tusks did goare From Ludlow towards London the yong King Did go to haue his right the royall Crowne Litle suspecting trechery would spring Nor that his vnkle Gloc'ster would put downe The lawfull King the sonne of his owne brother But tyrannie regards ne one ne other To heape more sorrowes on my wounded heart My brother the Lord Riuers was arrested Sir Richard Gray and Vaughan bare a part As guiltie of the fact which they detested Whilst in Northampton in their Inne they stayed Vnwares alas they guiltlesse were betrayed The keyes of all the doores were safely kept By those that sought to worke their ouerthrow Whilst they nothing misdoubting soundly slept Litle suspecting vndeserued woe Would light on thē that to their Prince were loyal But truth by treason tript nere comes to triall Gloc'ster and Buckingham hauing effected Their bloudy plots gainst such as were my friends A warrant was with speed by them directed To bring those prisoners to vntimely ends And from Northampton vnto Ponfret they Like lambes to slaughter led were sent away Sir Richard Ratcliffe hauing the commission To him directed that by such a day He should be carefull with all expedition Those innocents most bloudily to slay He acted it without due course of lawes Or asking why or what should be the cause The cruell Dukes then poasted with all speed To Stony stratford where the King then lay The King alas not knowing of this deed Said Where 's my vnkle what doth cause him stay Gloc'ster replide my kinred traitors were As by due proofe his Maiestie should heare Saying they had conspir'd to rule the State To ouerthrow the Nobles of the land To rule the King and giue him the checke mate All the Nobilitie in great feare did stand Of them that had of late bene too much grac'd And now high time they should be all displac'd And that the Lord Gray brother to the King And with the King in presence at that time Might well be charged with the selfe same thing Thus did they plot the fall of me and mine The King replide that iustly he might sweare His brother Gray was innocent and cleare And with those words teares trickled from his eies But though that sight was pitifull to see It nought reclaimd them from their cruelties What sadder signe of griefe could euer be Then that a King whose word should be a law With teares should plead as though he stood in aw My father and my brethren murthered In this might well be seene the future hap Of ill presaged fortune furthered By those two bloudie Dukes that sought to wrap In sad despaire and death me and my friends And bring vs quickly to vntimely ends When I had heard of this vnlookt for lot This vndeserued crueltie inflicted Vpon my brother who without all spot Had cleare remaind and could not be conuicted Of any one conceiued thought of ill Against his King in heart in mind or will Vnto the Sanctuary then I fled My friends and children I did take with me To scape their hands that sought our blouds to shed Cleare out of hope that euer I should see My son receiue the Crowne my feare prou'd true Which shortly after I had cause to rue The litle King was brought vnto the Tower As surest place of safetie for his person Accursed be that day and fatall hower That ere he entred there for his subuersion Was by the Dukes in cruell fashion wrought When least of death alas he had a thought And to cut off Edwards posteritie From sitting in their Fathers regall seate My yonger sonne with me in Sanctuarie They plotted how they might by false deceit Take him from me that to augment my paine Euen at one instant they might both be slaine Which to effect the Cardinall was sent To deale with me to get my second sonne Into their hands which deed I now repent I thought
full litle that they would haue done In action or in thought the smallest thing That any way might preiudice their King The Cardinall alledg'd the Kings desire To haue his brother in his companie And that it kindled had the Nobles ire That I should doubt or be in iealousie Of them that were the rulers of the land And were allide to them in natures band I not denide but that I thought it fit For brethren then in their minoritie To be together if that were onely it That caused them of the nobilitie To wish to haue my sonne sent to his brother That they might sport and play one with another My trembling heart did inwardly so quake That I did feare as then I knew not what My inward thoughts enforc'd my ioynts to shake As fearing this and then misdoubting that But what to feare alas I could not tell But that my sonne was sickly and not well I told the Card'nall that not long before A dangerous sicknesse had afflicted him And that cold aire would aggrauate it more And therefore I being nearest of his kin Was fittest yet to keepe him there with me For then his mother who could dearer be And to the Card'nall I with teares did say Recall to mind my Lord the grace and loue The King my husband gaue you many yeares As by experience you did daily proue Requite that loue to his posteritie When most you thinke them in extremitie And as I here deliuer vnto you This litle Duke the brother to your King If you to him hereafter proue vntrue Rest most assur'd that such a hainous thing Shall euer be a blemish to your fame And vtterly extinguish your good name And though perhaps you thinke my words are vaine And that I vndertake a needlesse taske To giue aduice where I should entertaine Your sacred counsell and of you should aske What I should do in such a case as this Whereon depends the hope of all my blisse The sacred reuerence and the great esteeme I beare to you forbids me to mistrust Your loyaltie and yet you must not deeme My feare is causlesse my misdoubts vniust For many men to gaine themselues a Crowne Haue bene regardlesse whom they did cast downe But you vpon your soule do here protest You will defend to th' vtmost of your power My sonnes if any seeme them to molest Their yeares are yong yet springing is their flower Long may they liue increase of ioyes to see It fits them die that old and withered be I know you may and doubt not but you will Be a strong stay to the vnsure estate Of both my sonnes if any seeke to spill Their blouds you may in time preuent the hate And crueltie of such if you haue care With watchfull eye for to discerne the snare Since on your trust I do my hopes repose And all my future good doth now rely On the performance of your vowes and oathes Feare still the worst lest all too suddenly Their deaths be wrought ô let no foule corruption Make you consent to innocents destruction Yet since the King and Councell did require And sent for him I would not say them nay But gaue consent to that they did desire And to the Cardinall without longer stay My litle sonne I gaue and with a kisse Tooke leaue of him and of all earthly blisse Whole seas of teares did ouerflow my face Griefe stopt my tongue I could not speake at all The little child distild salt teares apace And on his mothers name he oft did call I was chiefe mourner he to beare a part Sent sighs and teares from his lamenting heart Richard the third When thus the Boare had seiz'd into his hand Them whom he thought were obiects in his way He did not long in doubtfull censure stand But fell to action without all delay Foreknowing well that he that acts an euill Must neither thinke on God nor feare the deuill And hauing found a meanes and instrument That dared speake vntruths in any thing One Doctor Shaw with scandalous intent Preach'd at Pauls crosse that my deceassed King A bastard was vnlawfully begotten What hel-hound would such infamie haue spoken And that the Duke then being but Protector He was the perfect picture of his father And therefore he was true and right successor Vnto the Crowne the hearers straight did gather The falshood of the words that he did teach And went their way wold not heare him preach And with his tongue the touchstone of defame He most vntruly there to them did say My children bastards were thus voide of shame He sought to worke the ruine and decay Of me and mine ô let his soule in hell For euermore in endlesse torments dwell And more then that if more then that may be Let those that liue of his posteritie Hatefull to all of high or low degree Leade odious liues in depth of miserie Where neither Sunne nor Moone may giue them light Loe this shall be my prayer day and night But whither wade I now I must not rage Though extreame griefe doth make my heart to vexe And passe decorum for a pensiue stage It 's but the imperfection of my sexe A woman hath no meanes to right her wrong But by the sharpe and bitternesse of tongue Which if too much I seeme herein to vse Condemne me not but passion that doth cause Me thus the bounds of mildnesse to refuse And vse my tongue the weapon of our lawes And scourge for them that wrongfully offend vs And onely refuge left for to defend vs. When this was bruted by this slandering Doctor And that with bastardie my bloud was tainted For he was fit to be the diuels Proctor Or tell a tale of Belsabub new painted By some magitian lately came from hell Such fained things he spared not to tell Then did vsurping Richard claime the Crowne And by the helpe of Buckingham he gaind The regall Seate not caring who went downe So he might hit the marke whereat he aimd The Crowne by bloud and tyrannie he won To friend or foe regardlesse what was done Yet though King Richard did desire to see The death of both my children whom he thought Did dim his title to the Crowne yet he Could not deuise by whom to haue it wrought The fact so odious was that neuer any Would vndertake it though he proued many New meanes to trie a letter was directed To him that was Lieutenant of the Tower One Brackenbury that as he respected King Richards fauour at the instant hower And sight thereof he then with speed should slay The two yong Princes without all delay Sir Robert Brackenbury hauing read The letter he did presently reply Their bloud should neuer by his meanes be shed Though for refusing he were sure to die Which answer when the King did heare he then Did deeply sweare there was no trust in men I see quoth he this world is full of euill Promotions soone forgotten fauors vaine I would haâ—e sent my