Cant. VIII.

Of the Lord _Matreuers_ and Sir _Thomas Gurney_, being banished.

_The Argument_.

The dolefull lamentation of the lord _Matreuers_ and Sir _Thomas_ _Gurney_, being banished the Realme.

Or to the tune of light of loue.

Alas that euer that day we did see,

that false smiling fortune so fickle should bee:

Our miseries are many our woes without end,

to purchase vs fauour we both did offend.

Our deedes haue deserued both sorrow and shame,

but woe worth the persons procured the same:

Alacke, and alacke, with griefe we may crie,

that euer we forced king _Edward_ to die.

The Bishop of _Hereford_ ill may he fare,

he wrote vs a letter for subtiltie rare:

To kill princely _Edward_, feare not it is good,

thus much by his letter we then vnderstood.

But curst be the time that we tooke it in hand,

to follow such counsell and wicked command:

Alacke, and alacke, with griefe we may crie,

that euer we forced King _Edward_ to die.

Forgiue vs sweet Sauiour that damnable deed,

which causeth with sorrow our harts for to bleed:

And taking compassion vpon our distresse,

put far from thy presence our great wickednesse.

With teares all be dewed for mercie we crie,

and doe not the penitent mercie denie.

Alacke, and alacke, with griefe we may say,

that euer we made king _Edward_ away.

For this haue we lost both our goods and our lands,

our Castles and towers, so stately that stands:

Our Ladies and babies are turnd out of doore,

like comfortlesse catiues both naked and poore.

Both friendlesse and fatherlesse do they complaine,

for gon are their comforts yt should them maintaine:

Alacke, and alacke, and alas may we crie,

that euer we forced king _Edward_ to die.

And while they go wringing their hands vp & down:

in seeking for succour from towne vnto towne:

All wrapped in wretchednesse doe we remaine,

tormented, perplexed in dolour and paine.

Despised, disdained and banished quite,

the coasts of our countrie so sweete to our sight.

Alacke, and alacke, and alas may we crie,

that euer we forced king _Edward_ to die.

Then farwel faire _England_ wherin we were borne,

our friends & our kindred which holds vs in scorn:

Our honours and dignities quite haue we lost,

both profitt and pleasure our fortune haue crost.

Our Parkes and our Chases, our mansions so faire,

our Iems and our Iewels most precious & rare:

Alacke, and alacke, and alas may we crie,

that euer we forced king _Edward_ to die.

Then farwell deare Ladies and most louing wiues,

might we mend your miseries wt losse of our liues,

Then our silly children which begs on your hand,

in griefe and calamitie long should not stand,

Nor yet in their Countrie dispised should bee,

that lately was honoured of euerie degree:

Alacke, and alacke, and alas we may crie,

that euer we forced king _Edward_ to die.

In Countries vnknowne we range too and fro,

cloying mens eares with report of our woe:

Our food is wild beries, greene bankes is our bed,

the trees serue for houses to couer our head.

Browne bread to our taste is most daintie & sweete,

our drinke is cold water tooke vp at our feete:

Alacke and alacke and alas may we crie,

that euer we forced king _Edward_ to die.

Thus hauing long wandred in hunger and cold,

dispising liues safetie most desperate bold:

Sir T. _Gurney_ toward _England_ doth goe,

for loue of his Ladie distressed with woe.

Saying how happie and blessed were I,

to see my sweete children and wife ear I die.

Alacke, and alacke, and alas may we say,

that euer we made king _Edward_ away.

But three yeares after his wofull excile,

behold how false fortune his thoghts doth begile:

Comming toward _England_ was tooke by the way,

& least that he should the chief murderers bewray,

Commandement was sent by one called _Lea_,

he should be beheaded forthwith on the sea:

Alacke, and alacke, and alas did he crie,

that euer we forced king _Edward_ to die.

Thus was Sir _Thomas_ dispatched of life,

in comming to visite his sorrowfull wife:

Who was cut off from his wished desire,

which he in his heart so much did require.

And neuer his Lady againe did he see,

nor his poore children in their miserie:

Alacke, and alacke, and alas did he crie,

that euer we forced king _Edward_ to die.

The Lord _Matreuers_ the storie doth tell,

in _Germanie_ after long time he did dwell:

In secret manner for feare to be seene,

by any persons that fauoured the Queene:

And there at last in great miserie,

he ended his life most penitently.

Alacke, and alacke, and alas did they say,

that euer we made king _Edward_ away.