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The Death of Queen Jane

No: 170; variant: 170A

  1. QUEEN JANE was in labour full six weeks and more, And the women were weary, and fain would give oer: 'O women, O women, as women ye be, Rip open my two sides, and save my baby!'
  2. 'O royal Queen Jane, that thing may not be; We'll send for King Henry to come unto thee.' King Henry came to her, and sate on her bed: 'What ails my dear lady, her eyes look so red?'
  3. 'O royal King Henry, do one thing for me: Rip open my two sides, and save my baby!' 'O royal Queen Jane, that thing will not do; If I lose your fair body, I'll lose your baby too.'
  4. She wept and she waild, and she wrung her hands sore; O the flour of England must flurish no more! She wept and she waild till she fell in a swoond, They opend her two sides, and the baby was found.
  5. The baby was christened with joy and much mirth, Whilst poor Queen Jane's body lay cold under earth: There was ringing and singing and mourning all day, The princess Eliz[abeth] went weeping away.
  6. The trumpets in mourning so sadly did sound, And the pikes and the muskets did trail on the ground. . . . . . . . .