His frends amazde at such a murder done, In fearefull flocks begin to shrinke away, And hee therat, with heapes of grief fordone, Hateth him selfe, wishing his later day: Now hee likewise perceiued in lyke stay, As is the wylde beast in the desert bred, Both dreading others and him selfe a dred. 23. Hee calles for death, and loathing lenger[1592] lyfe, Bent to his bane, refuseth kindely foode: And plungd in depth of death and dolour’s strife, Had queld him selfe, had not his frends withstoode: Loe, hee that thus hath shed the guiltles bloud, Though hee were king and kesar ouer all, Yet chose hee death to guerdon death withall. 24. This prince whose peere was neuer vnder sunne, Whose glistening fame the earth did ouerglyde, Which with his power welny the world had wonne, His bloudy handes himselfe could not abyde, But fully[1593] bent with famine to haue dyed, The worthy prince deemed in his regarde, That death for death could bee but iust rewarde. 25. Yet wee, that were so drowned in the depth Of deepe desire, to drinke the guiltlesse bloud, Like to the wolfe, with greedy lookes that lepth Into the snare, to feede on deadly foode, So wee delighted in the state wee stoode, Blinded so far in all our blinded trayne, That blinde wee sawe not our destruction playne. 26. Wee spared none whose life could ought forlet Our wicked purpose to his passe to come: Fowre worthy knights wee headed at _Pomfret_ Guiltlesse, God wote, withouten law or dome: My heart euen bleedes to tell you all and some, And how lord _Hastings_, when hee feared least, Dispiteously was murdred and opprest. 27. These rockes vpraught, that threatned most our wrecke, Wee seemde to saile much surer in the streame: And fortune faring as shee were at becke Layde in our lap the rule of all the realme: The nephues strait deposde were by the eame: And wee aduaunst to that wee bought full deare, Hee crowned king, and I his chiefest peare. 28. Thus hauing wonne our long desired pray, To make him king that hee might make mee chiefe, Downe throwe wee straith his seely nephues tway, From princes pompe, to woefull prisoners life: In hope that nowe stint was all furder strife: Sith hee was king, and I chiefe stroke did beare, Who ioyed but wee, yet who more cause to feare? 29.