Strange Histories, or, Songes and Sonets, of Kings, Princes, Dukes, Lordes, Ladyes, Knights, and Gentlemen Very pleasant either to be read or songe: and a most excellent warning for all estates [by Thomas Deloney] |
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The Dutchesse of Suffolkes calamitie.
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 | Strange Histories, or, Songes and Sonets, of Kings, Princes, Dukes, Lordes, Ladyes, Knights, and Gentlemen |  |
The Dutchesse of Suffolkes calamitie.
When
God had taken for our sinne,
that prudent Prince K. Edward away
Then bloudy Bonner did begin
his raging mallice to bewray:
All those that did the Gospell professe,
He persecuted more or lesse.
that prudent Prince K. Edward away
Then bloudy Bonner did begin
his raging mallice to bewray:
All those that did the Gospell professe,
He persecuted more or lesse.
Thus when the Lord on vs did lower,
many in Pryson did he throw:
Tormenting them in Lollards tower,
whereby they might the trueth forgoe:
Then Crammer, Ridley, and the rest
Were burnt in fire that Christ profest.
many in Pryson did he throw:
Tormenting them in Lollards tower,
whereby they might the trueth forgoe:
Then Crammer, Ridley, and the rest
Were burnt in fire that Christ profest.
Smithfield was then with Faggots fild,
and many places more beside:
At Couentry was Sanders kild.
At Glocester eke good Hooper dyde,
And to escape this bloudy day,
Beyond-seas many fled away.
and many places more beside:
At Couentry was Sanders kild.
At Glocester eke good Hooper dyde,
And to escape this bloudy day,
Beyond-seas many fled away.
Among the rest that sought reliefe,
and for their faith in daunger stood:
Lady Elizabeth was chiefe
King Henries daughter of royall blood,
Which in the Tower prisoner did lie,
Looking each day when she should die.
and for their faith in daunger stood:
Lady Elizabeth was chiefe
King Henries daughter of royall blood,
Which in the Tower prisoner did lie,
Looking each day when she should die.
The Dutchesse of Suffolke seeing this,
whose life likewise the Tyrant sought:
Who in the hope of heauenly blisse,
which in Gods word her comfort wrought,
For feare of death was faine to flie:
And leaue her house most secretly.
whose life likewise the Tyrant sought:
Who in the hope of heauenly blisse,
which in Gods word her comfort wrought,
For feare of death was faine to flie:
And leaue her house most secretly.
That for the loue of Christ alone,
her lands and goods she left behind:
Seeking still for that pretious stone,
the worde of trueth, so rare to find.
She with her nurse, her husband and child,
In poore array their sights beguild.
her lands and goods she left behind:
Seeking still for that pretious stone,
the worde of trueth, so rare to find.
She with her nurse, her husband and child,
In poore array their sights beguild.
Thus through London they past along,
each one did passe a seuerall streete:
Thus all vnknowne, escaping wrong,
at Billings gate they all did meete,
Like people poore in Grauesend Barge,
They simply went with all their charge.
each one did passe a seuerall streete:
Thus all vnknowne, escaping wrong,
at Billings gate they all did meete,
Like people poore in Grauesend Barge,
They simply went with all their charge.
And all along from Grauesend towne,
with easie iourneyes on foote they went,
Unto the Sea-coast they came downe,
to passe the Seas was their intent:
And God prouided so that day,
That they tooke Shippe and sayld away.
with easie iourneyes on foote they went,
Unto the Sea-coast they came downe,
to passe the Seas was their intent:
And God prouided so that day,
That they tooke Shippe and sayld away.
And with a prosperous gale of wind,
in Flanders safe they did ariue.
This was to their great ease of minde,
which from their hearts much woe did driue:
And so with thanks to God on hie,
They tooke their way to Germanie.
in Flanders safe they did ariue.
This was to their great ease of minde,
which from their hearts much woe did driue:
And so with thanks to God on hie,
They tooke their way to Germanie.
Thus as they traueld thus disguisde,
vpon the high way sodainely:
By cruell Theeues they were surprisde,
assaulting their small companie:
And all their treasure and their store,
They tooke away and beate them sore.
vpon the high way sodainely:
By cruell Theeues they were surprisde,
assaulting their small companie:
And all their treasure and their store,
They tooke away and beate them sore.
The Nurse in middest of their fight,
laid downe the Childe vpon the ground:
She ran away out of their sight,
and neuer after that was found:
Then did the Dutchesse make great mone,
With her good husband all alone.
laid downe the Childe vpon the ground:
She ran away out of their sight,
and neuer after that was found:
Then did the Dutchesse make great mone,
With her good husband all alone.
The Theeues had there their horses kilde,
and all their money quite had tooke:
The pritty Babie almost spild,
was by their Nurse likewise forsooke:
And they farre from their friends did stand,
All succourlesse in a strange land.
and all their money quite had tooke:
The pritty Babie almost spild,
was by their Nurse likewise forsooke:
And they farre from their friends did stand,
All succourlesse in a strange land.
The skies likewise began to scowle,
it hayld and raind in pittious sort:
The way was long and wonderous foule,
then may I now full well report:
Their griefe and sorrow was not small,
When this vnhappy chaunce did fall.
it hayld and raind in pittious sort:
The way was long and wonderous foule,
then may I now full well report:
Their griefe and sorrow was not small,
When this vnhappy chaunce did fall.
Sometime the Dutchesse bore the child,
as wet as euer she could be:
And when the Lady kind and mild
was wearie, then the Child bore hee:
And thus they one another easde,
and with their fortunes were well pleasde:
as wet as euer she could be:
And when the Lady kind and mild
was wearie, then the Child bore hee:
And thus they one another easde,
and with their fortunes were well pleasde:
And after many wearied steppes
all wet-shod both in durt and myre:
After much griefe their hearts yet leapes,
for labour doth some rest require:
A Towne before them they did see,
But lodgd therein they could not bee.
all wet-shod both in durt and myre:
After much griefe their hearts yet leapes,
for labour doth some rest require:
A Towne before them they did see,
But lodgd therein they could not bee.
From house to house they both did goe,
seeking where they that night might lie:
But want of money was their woe,
and still the Babe with cold did crie:
With capp and knee they courtsey make,
But none on them would pittie take.
seeking where they that night might lie:
But want of money was their woe,
and still the Babe with cold did crie:
With capp and knee they courtsey make,
But none on them would pittie take.
Loe heere a Princesse of great blood,
did pray a Peasant for reliefe:
With teares bedewed as she stood:
yet few or none regardes her griefe.
Her speech they could not vnderstand,
But gaue her a pennie in her hand.
did pray a Peasant for reliefe:
With teares bedewed as she stood:
yet few or none regardes her griefe.
Her speech they could not vnderstand,
But gaue her a pennie in her hand.
When all in vaine the paines was spent,
and that they could not house-roome get,
Into a Church-porch then they went,
to stand out of the raine and wet:
Then said the Dutchesse to her deare,
O that we had some fier heere.
and that they could not house-roome get,
Into a Church-porch then they went,
to stand out of the raine and wet:
Then said the Dutchesse to her deare,
O that we had some fier heere.
Then did her Husband so prouide,
that fire and coales he got with speede:
She sate downe by the fiers side,
to dresse her daughter that had neede:
And while she drest it in her lapp,
Her Husband made the Infant papp.
that fire and coales he got with speede:
She sate downe by the fiers side,
to dresse her daughter that had neede:
And while she drest it in her lapp,
Her Husband made the Infant papp.
Anone the Sexton thither came,
and finding them there by the fire,
The drunken knaue all voyde of shame,
to driue them out was his desire:
And spurning forth this noble Dame,
Her husbands wrath it did inflame.
and finding them there by the fire,
The drunken knaue all voyde of shame,
to driue them out was his desire:
And spurning forth this noble Dame,
Her husbands wrath it did inflame.
And all in furie as he stood,
he wroung the church-keies out of his hand
And strooke him so, that all of blood
his head ran downe where he did stand,
Wherefore the Sexton presently;
For helpe and ayde aloude did cry.
he wroung the church-keies out of his hand
And strooke him so, that all of blood
his head ran downe where he did stand,
Wherefore the Sexton presently;
For helpe and ayde aloude did cry.
Then came the Officers in hast,
and tooke the Dutchesse and her child,
And with her husband thus they past,
like Lambes beset with Tygers wild:
And to the Gouernour were they brought
Who vnderstood them not in ought.
and tooke the Dutchesse and her child,
And with her husband thus they past,
like Lambes beset with Tygers wild:
And to the Gouernour were they brought
Who vnderstood them not in ought.
Then Maister Bartue braue and bold,
in Latine made a gallant speech,
Which all their miserie did vnfold,
and their high fauour did beseech:
With that a Doctor sitting by,
Did know the Dutchesse presently.
in Latine made a gallant speech,
Which all their miserie did vnfold,
and their high fauour did beseech:
With that a Doctor sitting by,
Did know the Dutchesse presently.
And therevpon arising straight,
with minde abashed at this sight,
Unto them all that there did waight,
he thus brake forth in wordes a right:
Behold within your sight quoth hee,
A Princesse of most high degree.
with minde abashed at this sight,
Unto them all that there did waight,
he thus brake forth in wordes a right:
Behold within your sight quoth hee,
A Princesse of most high degree.
With that the Gouernour and the rest,
were all amazde the same to heare,
And welcommed these new come guestes,
with reuerence great and princely cheare
And afterward conueyd they were
Unto their friend Prince Cassemere.
were all amazde the same to heare,
And welcommed these new come guestes,
with reuerence great and princely cheare
And afterward conueyd they were
Unto their friend Prince Cassemere.
A Sonne she had in Germanie,
Peregrine Bartue cald by name:
Surnamde the good Lord Willobie,
of courage great and worthie fame:
Her daughter young, which with her went
Was afterward Countesse of Kent.
Peregrine Bartue cald by name:
Surnamde the good Lord Willobie,
of courage great and worthie fame:
Her daughter young, which with her went
Was afterward Countesse of Kent.
For when Queene Mary was deceast,
the Dutchesse home returnde againe:
Who was of sorrow quite releast
by Queene Elizabeths happie raigne:
For whose life and prosperitie:
We may prayse God continually.
the Dutchesse home returnde againe:
Who was of sorrow quite releast
by Queene Elizabeths happie raigne:
For whose life and prosperitie:
We may prayse God continually.
FINIS.
| Strange Histories, or, Songes and Sonets, of Kings, Princes, Dukes, Lordes, Ladyes, Knights, and Gentlemen | |