At the great minster window sat
The king in mickle state,
To see Charles Bawdin go along
To his most welcome fate.
Soon as the sledde drew nigh enough,
That Edward he might hear,
The brave Sir Charles he did stand up,
And thus his words declare:
'Thou seest me, Edward! traitor vile!
Exposed to infamy;
But be assurèd, disloyal man,
I'm greater now than thee.
'By foul proceedings, murder, blood,
Thou wearest now a crown;
And hast appointed me to die
By power not thine own.
'Thou thinkest I shall die to-day;
I have been dead till now,
And soon shall live to wear a crown
For aye upon my brow;
'Whilst thou, perhaps, for some few years,
Shalt rule this fickle land,
To let them know how wide the rule
'Twixt king and tyrant hand.
'Thy power unjust, thou traitor slave!
Shall fall on thy own head'—
From out of hearing of the king
Departed then the sledde.
King Edward's soul rushed to his face,
He turned his head away,
And to his brother Gloucester
He thus did speak and say:
'To him that so-much-dreaded death
No ghastly terrors bring;
Behold the man! he spake the truth;
He's greater than a king!'
'So let him die!' Duke Richard said;
'And may each one our foes
Bend down their necks to bloody axe,
And feed the carrion crows.'