The Death of Queen Jane
No: 170; variant: 170[I]
- Queen Jeanie was in labor for seven weeks in summer,
The women all being tired and quite gave her over:
'O women, dear women, if women you be,
Send for my mother to come and see me.'
- Her mother was sent for and instantly came,
Knelt down at the bedside where Queen Jeanie lay on:
'O mother, dear mother, if mother you be,
Send for my father to come and see me.'
- The father was sent for and instantly came,
Knelt down by the bedside where Queen Jeanie lay on:
'O father, dear father, if father you be,
Send for King Henry to come and see me.'
- King Henry was sent for and instantly came,
Knelt down by the bedside where Queen Jeanie lay on:
'O Henry, King Henry, if Henry you be,
Send for the doctor to come and see me.'
- The doctor was sent for and instantly came,
Knelt down by the bedside where Queen Jeanie lay on:
'O doctor, dear doctor, if doctor you be,
Open my left side and let the babe free.'
- Her left side was opened, the young prince was found:
'O doctor, dear doctor, lay me down on the ground.'
- Her bones were all broken and laid at her feet,
And they anointed her body with the ointment so sweet,
And ay as they weeped they wrung their hands sore,
For the fair flower of England will flourish no more.