Book VIII, Chapter 41

SOme say their falling out was through two haughtie womens strife,
The Admiralls Queene Bigama & Lord Protectors wife:
These (for what glorie enuies not one woman in an other?)
Began a brawle that ended in the blood of either Brother.
Tis thought the Earle of Warwick threw close fewell to this fire,
And nourisht it to cut off them, that so he might aspire:
For when the one had lost his head, he forthwith tooke in hand
To forge the Lord Protector false vnto the King and Land:
Who, though he tryed by his Peeres of treason was acquited,
Yeat also of a Statute new he being then indighted,
Was hardly found a Felon, and too stricktly sentenc'st so:
For meanest fault is high offence vrg'd of a mightie Foe:
The King thus lost his Vncles both, to his no little woe.

Now Warwick was become a Duke, feared of high and lowe,
Full little thinking that himselfe the next to Blocke should goe:
The two Prince-loyall Semers erst made let vnto his lust,
But now remayned none whose faith or force he did mistrust.
The Orphant King fell sicke (but here suspend what some suspect)
The new Duke of Northumberland meane while did all direct.
It was contriu'd King Edward from his Sisters gaue the Crowne,
Their Fathers Former Act and Will by wrested law put downe:
The Sisters Daughters Daughter of Eight Henry, Ladie Iane,
Was publisht heire apparant, and that right from Mary tane,
And from Elizabeth, though both collatrally preceed her:
And when by ful Confedracie the Crowne-right was decreed her,
And Gylford Dudly fourth-borne Sonne vnto Northumberland
Had married her, and nothing seem'd the Plot-forme to withstand,
King Edward (entred seauenteene yeares of age, & seauen of Raigne)
Departed to that endles rest his vertuous life did gaine.
The Councel then conuent. But who wil think, perhaps, that one
Should alter All, to alter true Discents vnto a Throne?
[…]ane, Suffolks Daughter, Gylfords wife (One worthie such estate
For righteous and religious life, who nerethelesse should wate
Her Intrest after others Two, The younger of which twaine
Did match, yea Mate her vertues) was proclamed Queene to raigne,
And in the tower of London hild Estate and princely Traine.
Meane while fled Mary, doubting lesse her Scepters losse than life:
But sildome fayles a rightfull cause that comes to open strife:
The Commons knew our either Law prefer'd a Sisters Right
Before a Cosens, and fot it did many fadge to fight.

Northumberland with Armes pursu'd the Ladie Mary, and
Obseru'd directions from the Peeres: who when they vnderstand
Of Maries strength of flocking Friends, on sudden came to pas
That they proclamed Mary Queene, and Iane her Prisner was:
And well was he, that late did seeme a Foe, might first salute
The Queene, and all vnto the Duke did their Amis impute.
For, soothly, more the Peeres did feare than fauour alway,
Who, though he seem'd as forward now in Maries cause as thay,
Yeat was he taken and in-towr'd, and lost his head for this:
A Warrior braue. But than his Sier, himselfe, one Sonne of his,
Like rare Politians seldome liu'de: who in three seuerall Raignes
Successiuely did shew them such, though losse did proue their gaines.

THe Duke thus dead, Suffolke, Lord Gray, Lord Gylford, Lady Iane,
Weare executed: But we blanch the rest excepting twaine,
That is, Lord Gylford and his wife, yong and lesse worthy blame,
Because the Dukes their Fathers, all the Councell, all of name,
Yea and King Edwards Pattents seald for them, not they, did frame
What so was done in this, yeat they must perish for the same.
Who higher then this Couple late? and who more wretched now?
Of more then much remayned nought, nor law did life allow.
Vnhappie Youths, not for they die, but for the mutuall greefe
Of him for her, of her for him, which tortur'd them in cheefe.
Come was the day, the tragicke day, wherein they both should die,
When Either, passing to their end, ech other did espie,
Shee in her lodging, waiting death prepared her that day,
And he in being lead thereto he Lodging in his way.
Assending and dissending Signes then fly and fall apace,
And each bemones the other more than mindes their priuate cace.
Their E[…]es, that looked Loue ere while, now looke their last adew,
And staine their faces, faultles ere this dismall enter-vew:
Their Eares, earst listning ioies, are deafe, vnles to sighes profound:
Their tongs, earst talking ioies, those looks & sighes did now cōfound:
What parts soere of them had felt or tasted ioyes ere this,
Wheare senceles now of any ioy, saue hope of heauenly blis.
Whilst Either thus for Earthly Pompe no longer time did looke,
He passeth to the fatall Blocke, she praying on her booke:
Wence (hauing made a godly end) he was return'd, whilst Shee
Prepard for like, and of her Lord the senceles Tronke did see:
A sight more deathful than her death that should consort him straite,
And for the which her feareles eies did euery moment waite.
She vnabashed, mounting now the Skaffold, theare attends
The fatall Stroke-and vnto God her better parte commends:
And as she liu'd a vertuous life so vertuously she ends.