FORTVNES FASHION Pourtrayed in the troubles of the Ladie Elizabeth Gray wife to EDWARD the fourth Written by Tho. Sampson ANCHORA SPEI LONDON Printed for William Iones and are to be sold at his shop at White-crosse streete end by the Church 1613. TO HIS MANY WAIES INDEERED FRIEND Mr. Henry Pilkington of Gadsby in the Countie of Leicester Gentleman SIR this Tragicall history being no fiction but a true relation of the many troubles of a distressed Queene I offer to your patronage for two especiall causes the one for the long continued loue betweene vs the other for that I know your name is a sufficient protection for it and me against the many find-faults that this age is pestered with who themselues being not able or too idle to do any thing worth the reading yet are composed of such a snarling substance that nothing can escape their eye or eare without a scoffe how euer it displeaseth such I care not if it content you I haue my desire not doubting but when you are wearied with more serious studies you will at some times peruse this And so I leaue you to liue happily Your assured friend THO. SAMPSON The Argument for the better vnderstanding of the Readers WHen Henry the sixt king of that name in England was by the Earle of Warwicke and others thought vnmeete to gouerne the kingdome and Edward the fourth claimed the Crowne in a battell neare to Saint Albans Henry the sixt was taken prisoner in the 39 yeare of his reigne Anno Dom. 1461. All king Henries forces were slaine or put to flight amongst whom was slain on king Henries part one Sir Iohn Gray husband of this Lady Elizabeth Gray of whose troubles this historie now discourseth This Lady was after maried to king Edward the fourth she was daughter to the Lady Iaquet daughter to Peter Earle of Saint Paul neece to the Lord Lewis of Leutzenbrugh which Lady Iaquet was first married to Iohn Duke of Bedford and Regent of France and afterward she was married to Sir Richard Woodvile Lord Riuers by whom she had this Lady Elizabeth and others When king Edward was setled in his kingdome and had imprisoned Henry the sixt in the Tower of London the Earle of Warwicke was sent into France to intreate a marriage betweene King Edward the fourth and the Lady Bona daughter to Lewis Duke of Sauoy and sister to the Lady Carlot then wife to the French King in whose Court this Lady Bona then was which motion was well liked of by the French King and all things sorted to the Earle of Warwicks desire But in the meane time while these things were working in France King Edward going to his Mannor of Grafton in the countie of Northampton in the time of the Kings remaining there this Lady Gray was an humble suter to the King that she might haue her Ioynter giuen her which because her husband was slaine on King Henries part was since his death detained from her King Edward liked her so well that after many amorous discourses she was married to him at Grafton where first he fancied her The Kings mother and many of the Nobilitie did dislike of this mariage because she was a widow and his subiect This King was married to this Lady Gray before the Earle of Warwicke was returned from France which some say who will talke much and know little was the cause of the warres afterwards betweene the King and the Earle But the Earles hatred against the King was for another cause as in the Chronicles you may reade What troubles and griefe happened to this Queene in the time of her husband the Kings life and after his death you may imagine You see her newly risen out of her graue and in the extremity of her griefe speaking as followeth The troubles of the Ladie Elizabeth Gray wife to Edward the fourth SOmetime I was vnhappie was that time Wherein I liu'd and neuer tasted ioyes That did not wither ere they were in prime Honors are such vncertaine fading toyes I was king Edwards wife a wofull Queene As in this history may plaine be seene O had my loue in my first choice remaind How happie had I bene from griefe how free Of wofull haps I neuer had complaind But that must needs be that the fates decree The Cottage seated in the dale below Stands safe when highest towers do ouerthrow My youth was blest in loue with equall choice The matter fit prepared for loues fier In which while I consum'd nere did my voice Nor thoughts consent to wish my fortunes higher Thus in the valley whil'st my loue did rest My loue though lowly none more highly blest But fatall powers with vnreuersd decree Whom hecatombs of prayers may not perswade To adde one minute to the blisse they see Or spare one day what but a day was made Their course is fixt and cannot be preuented They best abide their might that are contented Whose power in me distressed erst was knowne When Edward fourth of name obtaind the Crowne And put sixt Henry from his regall throne Raising himselfe by casting others downe Greedy Ambition endlesse in desiring On others ruine foundeth her aspiring There first began the groundworke of my woe There lost I him that had my prime of loue And then the prime of sorrowes I did know In prime of ioy which did more sorrowes moue The daintiest palate with exactest skill Distasts the relish of the bitter pill There was my husband slaine on Henries part Then was I left a widow desolate Yet once againe loue chose another dart Whose golden head I thought would raise my fate King Edwards loue I meane but what ensude The Crowne I gain'd I euer after rewde To Witchwood forrest when this King did go For his delight to hunt the fearfull Deere He went to Grafton thence my second woe Did spring it was my hap then to be there Attendant on my mother in which space I was an humble Suter to his Grace That he would please to pitie my estate That I might haue my Ioynter giuen me Seeing my hopes were then so ruinate That I was like to taste of miserie Such was my case except it were relieued At my complaint he very much was grieued And mou'd with pitie did commiserate My cause my selfe he seem'd to fancie then With gracious words lamenting my estate Bad me take comfort ô the wiles of men He courted me and I at last did yeeld My honor sau'd that he should win the field A King to woo his subiect in such sort As no dishonor by his loue might rise Blame me not then if to that princely port I was contented to be led as prize Where honor grac'd with regall maiestie Was Pilot to my ship in ieopardie Though long he sude I granted at the last To be his wife such shew of honest loue His princely heart did seeme to haue embrac'd I was content the nuptiall sports to proue No wanton lust did harbour in my thought
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
Although too deare I haue my pleasure bought When it was bruted that the King affected And would without the liking of his Lords Espouse me seeing that he not respected Their discontent nor smooth intreating words But like a loyall and a royall King Would still make good his vowes in euery thing Then they deuisde against me to obiect My widowhood ô that was chiefly it Wherewith they thought me fouly to detect Alledging it was rare and farre vnfit A King should fancie such a one as I That was a widow and in pouertie But all in vaine they sought him to disswade He gaue his word and constantly did stand Vnto the oathes betwixt vs firmly made With interchange of hearts and gift of hand He did desire our marriage day to see And I did wish that time as much as he When the Kings mother thought it was in vaine To vse perswasions to her sonne the King A precontract she spared not to faine That he had made his honor so to bring Into reproch supposing that the way From marriage a while to cause him stay But then the King those cauils did disproue And we at Grafton married were with speed And there with holy rites did seale our loue Which God and man allow as sacred deed There were we ioyn'd in holy mariage state Which during life should be inuiolate Whether the King did keepe his plighted faith To me as marriage strictly doth require Or if it be that he it broken hath Which I to know or proue do not desire I liu'd and lou'd him in such duteous sort As let my life and actions make report Before the Earle made his returne from France Richard Neuil then Earle of Warwicke Being sent to treate a mariage for the King With Lady Bona time brought forth this chance The King was married which some say did bring The fall and ruine of King Edwards seed The vulgar peoples saying is no creed How dares a subiect contradict his King Must subiects wils limit their Princes loue It 's more then vaine yea a presumptuous thing Inferiors should such bold commanders proue To tie Kings thoughts to fancie none but them That please their subiects ô aspiring men What though things sorted to the Earles desire And Lewis Duke of Sauoy was content To grant as much as Warwicke did require Must princely Edward suffer banishment Or be obedient to his subiects frowne Or hazard all the glorie of a Crowne It was not this that causd the Earle rebell Nor was it conscience of King Henries right Another cause some histories do tell Enraged Warwicke and did cause him fight Against his King yet Kings can giue no cause Sufficient motiues for the breach of lawes O neuer let succeeding ages heare Vnto the staine of his nobilitie The wauering faith that Warwicke then did beare Constant in nothing but vnconstancie First fauouring one then changed to the other Faithfull to none although he were his brother Yet will I giue him being dead his due For sure it is a sinne to wrong the dead Though to his King he was vnkind vntrue His valour was by vanitie misled Who so him pleasd to raise vnto the Crowne And when he list by force to cast them downe A valiant Knight and fortunate in warre Vlysses-like for prudent policie Yet this did all his other vertues marre And was a blot to his posteritie That right or wrong he car'd not how it was But as he would so things should come to passe O no another fire the world doth know Betwixt the King and Warwicke kindled was Which I by no meanes to the world will show It was too much if so it was alas That such a blot should blemish such a King That was so royall else in euery thing I le nere beleeue that euer Edwards mind Would passe the limits of true honors name Although in histories you there may find Some things set downe that might empaire his fame I was his wife he lou'd me as I thought I paid his loue with dutie as I ought The next yeare after that we married were At Westminster I then was crowned Queene Attended there by many a noble Peere In such rare sort as at such times are seene My father and my friends he did aduance To greater place but more vnhappie chance And in this yeare into the world I brought A daughter which combin'd King Edwards loue In double knot with mine for sure t is thought The pleasingst ioy that man and wife do proue When of their honest loues such fruite they see As farre beyond all other treasures be But oh what pleasure euer lasteth long Some enuious fate maligning that our blisse Should long continue with iniurious wrong Did ouerthrow our mirth and forc'd vs misse The path that would haue led vs on to ioy And made vs tread the maze of all annoy To sowre our sweet lo what mishap befell An insurrection in Northamptonshire Robin of Redsdale cursed impe of hell Who like some furie with his hel-bred fire Enrag'd the madnes of the rebels so They like distracted men to Grafton go Where by the force of boisterous cursed hand My father then Earle Riuers they did take My brother Sir Iohn Woodvile did withstand The rebels force but oh he was too weake Farre ouermatch'd was sonne and fathers force For without law or iustice or remorse They in Northampton each did lose his head Nor Iudge nor Iurie had them ouerthrowne With cruell rigor was their sentence read It nothing booted them to make their mone Thus an oblation to that furious faction Their blouds were made ô most detested action Malicious Warwicke in a shew of loue Wrapt his displeasure at his Soueraignes match And gained leaue for health fresh aire to proue When Serpent-like he time and meanes did watch To plucke King Edward from his throne inuested That so the seeds of ciuill warre detested And subtilly with faire alluring words Did draw the hearts of all he could perswade Not to obey but to resist with swords Their lawfull King against the oath they made And so misled the people to attempt That which with losse of liues they did repent See here the fickle minds the common sort Of people beare that not respecting right Nor iust succession onely by report And light beliefe of others bend their might Hazard their liues and lands pollute their fame With shamefull blot of traitors hatefull name I grant my state was meane yet not so base Iustly to be reputed odious Nor did I spring from such a seruile race As might moue VVarwicke to be trecherous Vnto his King for oft it hath bene seene As meane a Lady hath bene made a Queene But when vile rancor boyld in Warwicks brest He gladly tooke the simplest shew of cause To leuie armes and neuer would giue rest Vnto his thoughts vntill against all lawes He raisd an armie gainst King Edwards force And by ill fortune gaue the King the worse For in the night he sodainly
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
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