¶ A lamentation of the death of the most victorious Prince Henry the eight late King of this noble royaime of England.  

IF the river Phison and Euphrates,  
With Tigris and Gehon were in my head,  
which weeping Pliades, yet should I lack tears  
Worthily to bewail our king that is ded.  
Not his misfortune, for he (without dread)  
Is there, whence he would not come to be here  
Though all our lamenting might turn him to cheer.   

☞ But we, whom he loved, as the head his members,  
As parents their children defending us aye:  
Cannot have such abundance of tears,  
As may suffice, the truth for to say,  
The least part of our loss tustly to bewray,  
Such is the loss that a public weal hath,  
When their king is taken from them by death.   

☞ The child, without father or mother may be,  
And yet not default though it be but young.  
But a public weal did we never see:  
That without a king might continue long.  
For always the multitude willbe headstrong,  
And hath no less need of a governor,  
Then the great ship hath of a nauclere.   

☞ Consider therefore what great loss England  
Hath, by the death of Henry her king.  
In whose mighty hand no enemies might stand,  
So long as he was in this world living.  
yea, the Lord prospered him in all thing.  
Though divers did him, diversly assail:  
Yet could there none be able to prevail   

☞ His martial prows and civil policy,  
His sage wisdom and most politic wit:  
Brought such things to pass so easily,  
That men would scarcely have believed, it  
Had been possible such knots to unknit,  
Without great disturbance danger and peril.  
Yet could his wisdom undo them full well.   

☞ What blindness? what error? what superstition?  
What sturdy Idols? and what blasphemy?  
What fond disguisings and false religion?  
What divilysh doctrine, and Romyshe papry?  
Hath he extincted in this his country?  
And in how short time did he these things finysh:  
And all their contraries firmly stablish?   

☞ What livings for students hath he appointed:  
In Cambridge and Oxford, aye to endure?  
Besides the great number of colleges builded:  
Abroad in the country to maintain literature.  
And that each coast of preachers might be sure.  
Such care he took the truth for to advance  
And quit to abolish all ignorance.   

☞ He did not forget the impotent creatures,  
But for them also provision he made,  
Esteeming them no less than ghostly treasures,  
Of whose relief students should be glad.  
And therefore among them he caused to be had.  
In every of their colleges a place several,  
With all things needful to relieve them withal.   

☞ But to what purpose is it to rehearse.  
The manifold benefits received:  
Sith half of them worthily to express,  
If I thought myself able I were deceived.  
But seeing great plenty of them are perceived,  
Let us pray daily (as our duty is)  
That he at the last day may rise to bliss.   

☞ And as we have lived to him in subjection,  
For the time of his reign, so let us do now:  
To noble King Edward in succession,  
Desiring our Lord God his youth so to bow,  
That he may accomplish his father's vow,  
In setting abroad the truth more and more  
Commanding all men thereby to set store.   

☞ And you that erst have been stubborn and stiff,  
Resisting god's truth, relent, be not blind  
Still, but embrace ye your ghostly relyffe:  
For thereunto reason doth you bind,  
Sith you that should go before are so far behind,  
Go forward lustily, and be not slack.  
Setting your hand to the plough look no more back,   

☞ Set contention a part, as a thing vain,  
That you may embrace concord and unity.  
Let charity your affections restrain,  
And as we by nation and religion be  
But one body, so let us now study  
To be of one mind, and not to dissent,  
Then doubtless we shall have no cause to repent.   

☞ Let us, show charity each one to other,  
For that is the badge of Christ's elect:  
Who willeth us to be as brother and brother,  
And all our study hither to direct.  
That we may live worthy the Christian sect,  
Declaring with works what faith we profess,  
And that we detest all wickedness.   

☞ So doing no doubt this realm shall prosper,  
No less in the days of our noble young king:  
Then it hath done in the days of his father,  
Who studied always to set forth that thing  
That might be to our edifying  
In christian faith and true religion,  
abolishing all vain superstition.   

☞ That we may this do now let us pray,  
To him that is able to grant our request:  
And all contention aside let us lay,  
For concord and unity is ever best.  
And thereby are kingdoms always increase,  
Weak things made strong, & strong things maintained.  
Envy expelled, and friendship retained.   

☞ For noble King Edward pray we also.  
And for the nobles each in his degree,  
That they may aye condissent hereunto,  
And for the prelate's of the clergy,  
That they may also study an unity.  
Than all that is a miss God will amend,  
To whom be all honour world without end.   
Finis.   

¶ Imprinted at London in Pater noster row by John turk.  
Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.