Christianity in a Cardinall, to shed the bloud which hee ought to defend? What profession is thys, to assayle the innocent by the hygh way side, and to reue them of lyfe in place to punish Theeues and Murderers? O Lord God thou art iust, and dost al things in equity, I see wel that I haue trespassed against thy maiesty in some more notoryous crime than in marriage: I most humbly therefore beseech thee to haue compassion on mee, and to pardon myne offences, accepting the confession, and repentaunce of mee thine humble seruaunt for satisfaction of my sinnes, which it pleased thee to washe away in the precious bloud of thy sonne our Sauiour, that being so purified, I may appeare at the holy banket in thy glorious kingdome.” When shee had thus finished hir prayer, two or three of the ministers which had taken hir besides Forly, came in, and said vnto hir: “Now Madame make ready your selfe to goe to God, for beholde your houre is come.” “Praysed be that God” (sayd she) “for the wealth and woe that it pleaseth hym to send vs. But I beseech you my friendes to haue pitty vppon these lyttle Babes and innocent creatures: let them not feele the smarte whych I am assured my Brethren beare agaynste their Poore vnhappy Father.” “Well well, madame,” sayd they, “we wil conuey them to sutch place as they shal not want.” “I also recommend vnto you” (quod she) “this pore imprisoned mayden, and entreate hir well, in consideration of hir good service done to the infortunate Duchesse of Malfi.” As she had ended those words, the two Ruffians did put a coarde about her neck, and strangled hir. The mayden seeing the pitious Tragedy commensed vpon hir maystresse, cried out a maine, cursing the cruell malice of those tormenters, and besought God to be witnesse of the same, and crying out vpon his diuine Maiesty, she humbly praied unto him to bend hys iudgement agaynst them which causelesse (being no Magistrates,) had killed so innocent creatures. “Reason it is” (sayd one of the Tyrants) “that thou be partaker of thy maystresse innocency, sith thou hast bene so faythfull a Minister, and messenger of hir fleshly follies.” And sodaynly caught hir by the hayre of the head, and in steade of a Carcanet placed a roape about her necke. “How nowe” (quoth shee,) “is this the promised fayth you made vnto my lady?” But those words flew into the Ayre wyth hir Soule, in company of the myserable Duchesse. And now hearken the most sorowfull scene of all the Tragedy. The little Chyldren which had seene all this furious game executed vpon their mother and hir mayde, as nature prouoked them, or as some presage of their myshap might leade them thereunto, kneeled vpon their knees before those Tyrants, and embracinge their Legges, wayled in sutch wyse, as I thinke that any other, except a pitilesse heart spoyled of all humanity, would haue had compassion. And impossible it was for them, to vnfolde the embracementes of those innocent creatures, whych seemed to foreiudge their death