〈◊〉 Ditty upon the death of ROBERT DEVEREUX, late Earl of Essex, who was beheaded in the Tower of London, on Ashwensday in the Morning.  
To the tune of Welladay.  

〈…〉 pride is gone  
〈…〉 ●●ay,  
〈…〉 sigh & groan  
  

〈…〉 ●ore,  
,  
  

〈…〉 him still  
〈…〉 ●ntly,  
〈…〉 ●● of ill,  
〈…〉 twne:  
〈…〉 ●oule ●●end  
〈…〉 e'er hath end  
〈…〉 ●e virtue's friend  
.   

〈…〉 pass  
〈…〉 ●ntly:  
〈…〉 was   

〈…〉 ●s seen,  
〈…〉 Queen,  
〈…〉 endome been   

〈…〉 at home,  
〈…〉 ●ntly,  
〈…〉 was none,   

〈…〉 ●ine,  
〈…〉 name  
〈…〉 ●ame,   

〈…〉 ●le  
 
〈…〉 ●aile,   

〈…〉 ●e,  
 
〈…〉 ●e,   

That first began the strife,  
And caused him to lose his life,  
And others did the like,  
As well as he.   

Yet her Princely Majesty  
graciously, graciously,  
Hath pardon given free  
to many of them:  
●e hath released them quite,  
●nd given them their right,  
●hey may pray both day and night  
God to defend her.   

Shro●e tuesday in the night,  
welladay, welladay,  
With a heavy hearted spirit  
as it is said:  
The leistenant of the Tower  
Who kept him in his power,  
At ten a clock that hour,  
To him did come.   

And said unto him there,  
mournefully, mournfully  
My Lord you must prepare,  
to die to morrow:  
Gods will be done quoth he,  
Yet shall you strangely see,  
God strong in me to be,  
Though I am weak.   

I pray you pray for me  
welladay, welladay,  
That God may strengthen me,  
against that hour:  
Then straightway did he call  
The Guard under the wall,  
And did entreat them all  
For him to pray.   

For to morrow is the day,  
welladay welladay,  
That I the debt must pay,  
which I do owe:  
It is my life I mean,  
which I must pay my Queen,  
Even so hath justice given,  
That I must do.   

In the morning was be brought  
welladay welladay:  
Where a Scaffold was set up,  
within the Tower:  
Many Lords were present then,  
With other Gentlemen,  
Which were apppointed then  
To see him dye.   

You noble Lords quoth he  
welladay welladay,  
That must the witness be,  
of this my death:  
know I never loved papistry  
But did It still defy,  
And Essex thus did dye,  
Here in this place.   

I have a sinner been  
welladay welladay:  
Yet never wronged my Queen  
in all mylife,  
My God I did offend,  
which grieves me at my end,  
May all the rest amend,  
I do forgive them.   

To the state I ne'er meant ill  
welladay, welladay,  
neither wished the commons ill,  
in all my life:  
But loved all with my heart,  
And always took their part  
Whereas there was desert,  
In any place.   

Then mildly did he crave  
mournefully mournefully,  
He might that favour have  
private to pray:  
He than prayed heartily,  
And with great fervency,  
To God that sits on high,  
For to receive him.   

And then he prayed again  
mournfully mournfully,  
God to preserve his Queen  
from all her foes:  
And send her long to reign,  
True justice to maintain,  
And not to let proud Spain,  
Once to offend her.   

His gown he slipped of then  
welladay welladay,  
And put off his hat and band  
and hung it by,  
Praying still continually,  
To God that sits on high,  
That he might patiently,  
There suffer death.   

My headesman that must be,  
than said he cheerfully,  
Let him come here to me,  
That I may him see:  
Who kneeled to him then,  
Art thou (quoth he) the man,  
Which art appointed now,  
my life to free?   

Yes my Lord did he say  
welladay, welladay,  
Forgive me I you pray  
for this your death:  
I hear do thee forgive,  
And may true justice live,  
No foul crime to forgive,  
Within their place.   

than he kneeled down again,  
mournefully mournfully,  
And was required by some  
there standing by:  
To forgive his enemies.  
Before death closed his eyes  
which he did in hearty wise,  
Thanking them for it.   

That they would rememher him  
welladay, welladay;  
That he might forgive all them, leave  
that had him wronged:  
Now my Lords I take my,  
sweet Christ my soul receive  
Now when you will prepare,  
For I am ready.   

He laid his head on the bl●ck  
welloday welladay:  
But his doublet did let th●e struck  
some there did say:  
what must be done (quoth he)  
Shall be done presently,  
Then his doublet off put he,  
and laid down again.   

Then his headesman did his part  
cruelly, cruelly,  
He was never seen to start,  
For all the blows:  
His soul it is at rest,  
in heaven among the blessed,  
Where God send us to rest,  
〈◊〉 it shall please him.   
Finnis.   

LONDON. Printed by Edward-Allde.   

A lamentable new Ballad upon the Earl of Essex death.  
To the tune of the Kings last Good-night.  
 

ALL you that cry, O hone O hone  
come now and sing, O Lord with me,  
For why our jewel is from us gone,  
the valiant Knight of Chivalry:  
Of rich and poor beloved was he,  
in time an honourable Knight,  
When by our Laws condemned to dye,  
and lately took his last Good night.   

Count him not like to Saint nor Campion,  
(those traitorous men) or Babington,  
Nor like the Earl of Westmoreland,  
by whom a number were undone:  
He never yet hurt mother's son,  
his quarrel still maintained the right:  
Which makes 't tears my cheeks down run:  
when I think on his last Good-night.   

The Portugese's can witness be,  
his Dagger at Lisbon gate he flung,  
And like a knight of Chivalry,  
his chain upon the gate he hung:  
Would God that he would thither come,  
to fetch them both in order right:  
Which thing was by his honour done,  
yet lately took his last Good-night.   

The Frenchmen they can testify,  
the towns of Gourney he took in:  
And marched to Roan immediately,  
not caring for his foes a pin.  
With bullets than he pierced their skin,  
and made them flee far from his sight:  
He at that time did credit win,  
and now hath ta'en his last Good-night.   

And stately Cales can witness well:  
even by his Proclamation right,  
He did command them all straightly,  
to have a care of Infant's lives:  
That none should ravish maid nor wife,  
Which was against their order right:  
Therefore they prayed for his long life,  
which lately took his last Good-night.   

Would God he had ne'er Ireland known,  
nor set his feet on Flanders ground:  
Then might we well enjoyed our own,  
where now our jewel will not be found.  
Which makes our woes still to abound,  
trickling with salt tears in my sight:  
To hear his name in our ears to found,  
Lord Devereux took his last Goodnight.   

Ash-wednesday that dismal day,  
when he came forth of his Chamber door,  
Upon the Scaffold there he saw,  
his headsman standing him before.  
The Nobles all they did deplore,  
shedding their salt tears in his sight:  
He said, farewell to rich and poor,  
at his good morrow and good-night.   

Farewell Elizabeth my gracious Queen,  
God bless thee and thy counsel all:  
Farewell my Knights of Chivalry,  
farewell my soldiers stout and tall:  
Farewell the Commons great and small,  
into the hands of men I light:  
My life shall make amends for all,  
for Essex bids the world good-night.   

Farewell dear wife and children three,  
farewell my young and tender son,  
Comfort yourselves mourn not for me,  
although your fall be now begun:  
My time is come the glass is run,  
comfort yourselves in former light,  
Seeing by my fall you are undone,  
your Father bids the world Good-night.   

Derrick thou know'st at Cales I saved  
thy life, lost for a rape there done,  
Which thou thyself canst testify,  
thine own hand three and twenty hung:  
But now thou féest my time is come,  
by chance into thy hands I light.  
Strike out thy blow that I may know,  
thou Essex lov'dst at his good-night.   

When England counted me a Papist,  
the works of Papists I defy,  
I ne'er worshipped Saint, nor Angel in heaven,  
nor to the Virgin Mary I,  
But to Christ which for my sins did dye,  
trickling with sad tears in his sight:  
Spreading my arms to God on high,  
Lord jesus, receive my soul this night.   
FINIS.   

Imprinted at London by E. A.