For death at last with such vnkinde constraint Did force my soule from th’house of her vnrest, That neuer prince had cause of more complaint: Nature’s vnkindest children will detest My death’s vnkindnesse, and the flintest brest Wil learne t’expire sad sighes with sorrow’s breath, To heare me tell the manner of my death. 57. From thence, where in grim darknesse I did dwell, I forth was fetch’t, and by my foes that been First stript I was, and then (O woe to tell) My wombe was opened with a rasor keene, With paine of which downe sinking, I did weene That then my gasping ghost would haue expir’d The breath of life, which I so oft desir’d. 58. But after grieuous groane, when as my sprite With feeling sense reuiued was againe, My sterne tormentors, seeming to delite In this their bloodie game, while I in vaine Did beg dispatch of my tormenting paine, With vnremorsefull hands againe began T’inflict more woes on me most woefull man. 59. At that smart wound, which in my wombe they made, One of my intrailes ends they forth did take, Which, out alas, (that ere it should be said Of any prince) they fasten to a stake, And with sharpe needles (yet my ghost doth quake To thinke on it) my tender sides they wound About the stake to make me go around. 60. With painfull wounds they wound me in each part, When still I stood to ease me of such woe, Yet worse then painfull wounds increast my smart As oft as I about the stake did go, Then in this pitious plight, what should I do? Death’s touch I felt: yet by my foes made blind, The readie way to death I could not find. 61. At length my soule vnable to withstand Th’afflictions of my foes, in heart made stout With torment of my wounds, I hand in hand Went on with death that deadly stake about, Vntill my bowels being winded out, With death I fell, and in that fall did find An end of woe, an end of griefe of mind. 62. Men light of credence warned be by me, To deeme no profer’d friendship firme and sure, Till truth haue triall made, for flatterie Makes fained loue the fittest cloake t’obscure Falsehood from truth, which practise puts in vre, Of which that henceforth I a Mirrour bee, My storie told, I leaue it vnto thee. THE TREACHEROVS _Life and infamous Death of Godwin_, Earle of Kent. THE ARGUMENT.