When, after that, she languish'd sore145
Full twenty days in pain,
At last confess'd the lady's blood
Her guilty hand had slain:
And likewise, how that by a fryar
She had a base-born child;150
Whose sinful lusts and wickedness
Her marriage bed defil'd.
Thus have you heard the fall of pride,
A just reward of sin;
For those who will forswear themselves,155
God's vengeance daily win.
Beware of pride, ye courtly dames,
Both wives and maidens all;
Bear this imprinted on your mind,
That pride must have a fall.160
THE DUCHESS OF SUFFOLK'S CALAMITY.
From Strange Histories, p. 17 (Percy Society, vol. iii). Other copies, with variations, are in The Crown-Garland of Golden Roses, Part II. p. 20 (Percy Society, vol. xv.), and A Collection of Old Ballads, iii. 91. The editor of Strange Histories informs us that a play on the same subject as the ballad was written by Thomas Drew, or Drue, early in the reign of James I., and printed in 1631, under the title of The Duchess of Suffolk, her Life. He remarks further that both play and ballad was founded upon the nar
rative of Fox, anno 1558 [Acts and Monuments, iii. 926, ed. 1641]; but the differences between Fox's account and the story which follows are altogether too great for this supposition to be true.
Katharine, daughter of Lord Willoughby of Eresby, was first married to Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, and after his death to Richard Bertie, Esq., with whom she was forced to fly from persecution in 1553, taking refuge first in the Low Countries, and afterwards in Poland.
When God had taken for our sinne
That prudent prince, King Edward, away,
Then bloudy Bonner did begin
His raging mallice to bewray;
All those that did the Gospell professe5
He persecuted more or lesse.
Thus, when the Lord on us did lower,
Many in pryson did he throw,
Tormenting them in [Lollards tower],
Whereby they might the trueth forgoe:10
Then Cranmer, Ridley, and the rest,
Were burnt in fire, that Christ profest.