Smithfield was then with faggots fild,
And many places more beside;
At Coventry was Sanders kild,15
At Glocester eke good Hooper dyde;
And to escape this bloudy day,
Beyond-seas many fled away.
Among the rest that sought reliefe
And for their faith in daunger stood,20
Lady Elizabeth was chiefe,
King Henries daughter of royall blood;
Which in the Tower prisoner did lie,
Looking each day when she should die.
The Dutchesse of Suffolke, seeing this,25
Whose life likewise the tyrant sought,
Who in the hope of heavenly blisse
[Within God's word her comfort wrought,]
For feare of death was faine to flie,
And leave her house most secretly.30
That for the love of Christ alone,
Her lands and goods she left behind,
Seeking still for that pretious stone,
The worde of trueth, so rare to find:
She with her nurse, her husband, and child,35
In poor array their sights beguild.
Thus through London they passed along,
Each one did passe a severall streete;
Thus all unknowne, escaping wrong,
At Billings-gate they all did meete:40
Like people poore, in Gravesend barge,
They simply went with all their charge.
And all along from Gravesend towne
With easie journeyes on foote they went;
Unto the sea-coast they came downe,45
To passe the seas was their intent;
And God provided so that day,
That they tooke shippe and sayld away.
And with a prosperous gale of wind
In Flanders safe they did arive;50
This was to their great ease of minde,
Which from their hearts much woe did drive;
And so with thanks to God on hie,
They tooke their way to Germanie.
Thus as they traveld, thus disguisde,55
Upon the high way sodainely
By cruell theeves they were surprisde,
Assaulting their small companie;
And all their treasure and their store
They tooke away, and beate them sore.60