Classic Poem

When : as the K ing of England dyed,
Edward the fourth by name,
he left 2 sonnes of tender yeeres
for to succeed the same.

then Rich ard , duke of Glouster,
desiring Kingly sway,
desired by treason how to make
his brothers sonnes away

betwixt them they Layd downe their plott,
& straight together went
to Stony Stratford, where they mett
the K ing incontinent.

the sweete young K ing did entertaine
his vnckle Louinglye,
not thinkinge of their vile intent,
nor of their trecherye.

& then the duke of Buck[i]ngham,
to sett abroach this thinge,
he began a quarrell for the noncte
w i th them tha t kept the Kinge

& then they did arrest Lord Gray,
the Brother to the Queene;
her other brother, the Lo rd R IUERS ,
in durance as they had beene.

S i r Tho mas Vaughan then Likewise
did there and then arrest;
soe was the K ing of all his ffreinds
suddenly dispossest.

in breeffe, these Noblemen were sent
to Pontfracte Castle soone,
where the, [in] short time afterwards,
to death was eche man doone.

then forth they brought they K ing alone,
towards London w i th great speed,
vsing their p er swasions full ffalselye
not to Mislike tha t deede.

& when to London tha t they came,
ffor him they had p re pared
the Bishopps pallace ffor the nonct,
but saflye vnder guard.

& then duke Rich ard takes vpon him
the keeping of the King,
naming himselfe Lo rd p ro tectore,
his wished ends to bringe;

desiring how then in his mind
to gett the other brothers too,
the w hi ch the Cardinall vndertooke
ffull Cuningly to doo.

& then the Cardinall in great hast
vnto the Queene doth come;
vsing his p er swasions ffull ffalselye,
then he gott her other sonne.

then they both in ffull great hast
vnto the tower were sent,
where they liued but short space,
ffor death did them p re vent.

then Duke Rich ard , hauing ffound this meanes
to worke these 2 princes death,
p ro cured one of I AMES T IRRELLS hired men
ffull soone to stopp their breath:

Iames Dighton & Miles fforrest both,
these 2 vile wicked men,
these 2 were made the instruments
to worke this murder then.

these princes being asleepe in bedd,
lyinge arme in arme,
not thinking of their vile entents
nor thinking any harme,

these villaines, in the ffetherbedd
did wrapp them up in hast,
& w i th the clothes soe smothered them
till liffe and breath was past.

& then they both were buryed,
where no man yett doth know.
but marke how god, in his iudgment iust,
did his right reuengment showe!

for betwixt those D UKES w i thin short space
such a discord there was bredd,
as Buckingham to please the K ing
was fforcet to loose his head.

& then Rich ard in his Kinglye seate
no ease nor rest cold ffind,
the murthering of his nephews did
so sore molest his minde.

he neuer cold haue quiett sleepe,
his liffe itt stood in ffeare,
his hand was on his dagger straight,
tha t no man might come him neere.

but att the Last Erle Richmond came
w i th such a puissant band,
tha t this ffalse King [he] was inforced
in his defence to stande.

then meeting him att Bosworth ffelld,
they fought w i th harts full faine;
yett ffor shedding of these princes blood,
god caused King Rich ard to be slaine

& being dead, vpon a horsse
all naked he was borne,
his fflesh [all] cutt & mangled,
his haire all rent and torne

& then Erle Richmond worthelye,
ffor this his deede of ffame,
of England hee was crowned K ing ,
Henery the 7 by name,

of whom most royall lines did springe,
tha t ffamous King of might,
Henery the 8, our noble deeds
our chronicles doe well recyte.

when tha t hee dyed, hee left his Land & crowne
to Edward his sweete sonne,
whose gracyous raigne all England may rue
his time soe soone is come

& then his Sister Marye came,
next princesse of this Land;
but in her time blind ignorance
against gods truth did stand,

w hi ch caused many a mans blood,
to be shedd in ruefull case;
then god did England once regard,
& turned all these stormes to grace.

ffor then the other sister came,
Elizabeth our Late Queene,
& shee released her peoples harts
ffrom greeffe & eirrou[r]s cleane.

& then the mightye Iames did come,
of king H ENER ys royall race;
whose happy dayes our Lo rd p re serue,
grant him Long time & space!