The end and Confession of John Felton who suffered in Paul's Churcheyeard in London, the viii of August, for high Treason. 1570.  
Each man desires to have report,  
of news both strange and rare:  
And covits for to know those things,  
whereby they may be ware.  
For to avoid those doings great,  
that might on them befall:  
For by example are they taught to do,  
and what they shall  
Receive for their malicious minds,  
and wicked Treasons great:  
As now of late it hath been seen  
through justice judgements seat.  
That holds the sword to do the right,  
and strike where blows should fall:  
And punish for their wicked lives,  
each one whom she doth call.  
The poor, the rich, the learned, the wise  
the beggar and the snudge:  
The King sometime too hath it felt,  
aswell as hath the drudge.  
Wherefore be laws decreed and made  
but for to punish those,  
That will not by their Prince be rewld  
but seems to be their foes.  
As now is seen by Felton lo,  
that lately here did die,  
In Paul's Churchyard he left his life,  
on gallows tall and high.  
Who from the prison where he lay,  
was drawn on Hardell there:  
For good example of all such,  
that they might take the fear.  
For to beware of such like fact,  
as well in word as deed:  
Lest they for their like hire at last  
no better like to speed.  
* Now mark his end and what I shall  
report here of his death:  
For why these ears of mine did here,  
and eyes while that his breath  
Remained in his wicked corpse,  
which stubbornly did die:  
As one me thought something best reached  
through Treason's cruelty.  
His Gown of Grograin he put of,  
which on his back he had:  
And eke his Doublet which was made  
of Satin somewhat sad.  
Into his Shirt he then was stripped,  
and up the Ladder he  
Did mount, for to receive that death,  
that each man there might see.  
These words he spoke, and said aloud  
my Masters all and some:  
One thing I have to say to you,  
now that I here am come.  
That is, I pray you all with me  
bear record what I say:  
I here protest before you all  
, this present dieing day,  
That I was never Traitor sure,  
nor Treason to my Queen  
Did never do, nor never thought,  
that ever hath been seen.  
And for the fact wherefore I die,  
I can it not deny:  
But at the Gate where as the Bull  
was hanged, there was I,  
In company, on more with me,  
did hang it up together:  
And though in place, I had not been,  
it had not scaped ever.  
From hanging up, for suredly,  
for that same present day:  
It had been hanged, in that place,  
though I had been away.  
Then said the Shreve, unto him,  
O Felton do remember:  
That thou hast been, a Traitor great  
and to the Queen offender.  
And surely thou moste Traitorously,  
and stubbornly hast thou sought,  
The best thou couldst to go about,  
thy Prince to bring to naught.  
And eke the Realm and all the rest,  
as much as in thee lay,  
Thou soughst by thy Traitorous heart,  
to bring unto decay.  
Therefore call unto God the Lord,  
and pray him from thy heart:  
That he receive thy soul to rest,  
when thou from hence shalt part.  
Well so I do, and here I crave,  
you all good people pray  
For me, that ready is to die,  
and then began to say,  
Into thy hands, O Lord my God,  
I yield my Soul and Breath:  
For thou hast me redeemed, I say,  
with thy most precious death.  
In manus tuas Domine,  
and so the rest he said,  
The Hangman then did throw him of,  
and so his breath was staid.  
He hanged there upon the Tree,  
and in a little space:  
They cut him down incontinent,  
that justice might take place.  
Where as he quartered should be,  
according to the Law:  
And to the judgement that he had,  
to make those stand in awe.  
That be of his affinity:  
and surely there be some,  
That thinks that he deserved not death  
in all that he hath done.  
He then dismembered was strait way,  
when he had ended that:  
His Belly ripped open wide,  
his Bowels all he got.  
And to the fire he strait them threw,  
which ready there was made:  
And there consumed all to dust,  
as is the fires trade.  
His Head cut of, the Hangman then,  
did take it up in hand:  
And up aloft he did it show,  
to all that there did stand.  
And then his body in Four parts,  
was quartered in that place:  
Moore pity that his Traitorous heart,  
could take no better grace.  
And thus he had his just desert,  
as well he had deserved:  
I would the rest that not reputes,  
were likewise also served.  
Beware you Papists all beware,  
be true unto your Queen:  
Let not your Traitorous hearts be bend  
as here tofore hath been.  
Stand not against the living God,  
spurn not against his Law:  
Kick not against the Prick I say,  
but have him still in awe.  
Be not ashamed to torn in time,  
set shamefastness aside:  
Not shame it is to turn to God,  
though you have gone far wide,  
The farther you have gone astray,  
and wicked ways hath led,  
The ernester you should return,  
from that most wicked Bed,  
Wherein you lay a sleep long while,  
forgetting of his grace:  
Now call therefore unto the Lord,  
to set you in that place,  
Where you may have eternal rest,  
and live in heaven high:  
And rest in Abraham's bosom too,  
when that you needs must die.  
And for that grace that God may give,  
as I have said before:  
I humbly pray continually,  
both now and evermore.  
Our Prince, our Queen Elizabeth,  
a happy state to have:  
Let us all prey with one accord,  
her noble grace to save.  
And her to keep from all her foes,  
and shield eternally:  
From wicked wights that go about,  
to seek continually:  
Her whole decay: the Lord defend,  
her noble royal heart:  
From yielding to those Foes of hers,  
that daily plays their part.  
For to be reeve her of her right,  
and of her stately Crown:  
All those (I say) that so doth seek,  
God shortly throw them down.  
Thus here I end, and once again,  
the living God I pray:  
Our noble Queen Elizabeth,  
preserve both night and day.  
(qd) F. G.  
FINIS.   

¶ Imprinted at London, in Fleetstreet, by William How: for William Pickering: and are to be sold at his shop at S. Magnus' corner.