Back to Poem                                                             by: Tracy L. Havill

A Lamentation of Queen Elizabeth

O ye that put your trust and confidence

    In worldly joy and frail prosperity,

That so live here as ye should never hence,

    Remember death and look here upon me.

    Ensample I think there may no better be.

        Your self wot well that in this realm was I

        Your queen but late, and lo now here I lie.

Was I not born of old worthy lineage?

   Was not my mother queen, my father king?

Was I not a king’s fere in marriage?

   Had I not plenty of every pleasant thing?

   Merciful God, this is a strange reckoning:

     Riches, honour, wealth and ancestry

     Hath me forsaken, and lo now here I lie.

If worship might have kept me, I had not gone.

   If wit might have me saved, I needed not fear.

If money might have holp, I lacked none.

   But O good God what vaileth all this gear?

   When death is come, thy mighty messenger,

      Obey we must, there is no remedy;

      Me hath he summoned, and lo here I lie.

Yet was I late promised otherwise,

    This year to live in wealth and delice.

Lo whereto cometh they blandishing promise,

   O false astrology and divinatrice,

   Of God’s secrets making thy self so wise!

      How true is for this year thy prophecy!

      The year yet lasteth, and lo now here I lie.

O brittle wealth, aye full of bitterness,

    Thy single pleasure doubled is with pain.

Account my sorrow first and my distress,

    In sundry wise, and reckon there again

   The joy that I have had, and I dare sayn,

       For all my honour, endured yet have I

      More woe than wealth, and lo now here I lie.

Where are our castles now, where are our towers?

   Goodly Richmond, soon art thou gone from me;

At Westminster that costly work of yours,

   Mine own dear lord, now shall I never see.

   Almighty God vouchsafe to grant that ye

       For you and your children well may edify.

       My palace builded is, and lo now here I lie.

Adieu, mine own dear spouse, my worthy lord.

   The faithful love that did us both combine

In marriage and peaceable concord

   Into your hands here I clean resign

   To be bestowed upon your children and mine.

      Erst were you father, and now must ye supply

     The mother’s part also, for lo now here I lie.

Farewell, my daughter lady Margaret.

   God wot full oft it grieved hath my mind

That ye should go where we should seldom meet.

   Now am I gone, and have left you behind.

   O mortal folk, that we be very blind;

      That we least fear, full oft it is most night:

      From you depart I first, and lo now here I lie.

Farewell, madame, my lord’s worthy mother,

   Comfort your son, and be ye of good cheer.

Take all a worth, for it will be no nother.

  Farewell, my daughter Katherine late the fere

  To prince Arthur, mine own child so dear.

     It booteth not for me to weep or cry;

     Pray for my soul, for lo now here I lie.

Adieu, Lord Henry, my loving son, adieu.

   Our Lord increase your honour and estate.

Adieu, my daughter Mary, bright of hue.

   God make you virtuous, wise, and fortunate.

   Adieu, sweet heart, my little daughter Kate;

     Thou shalt, sweet babe, such is thy destiny,

Lady Cecily, Anne, and Katherine,

   Farewell my well-beloved sisters three;

O Lady Bridget, other sister mine,

    Lo here the end of worldly vanity.

    Now well are ye that earthly folly flee,

      And heavenly things love and magnify.

      Farewell and pray for me, for lo now here I lie.

Adieu my lords, adieu ladies all,

   Adieu my faithful servants every chone.

Adieu my commons whom I never shall

   See in this world, where fore to Thee alone,

   Immortal God verily three and one,

      I me commend Thy infinite mercy

      Show to Thy servant, for lo now here I lie.