THere sprang from that ancient and Noble House of the Cl [...]ffords, a beauti­ful Damsel, named Ro­samond, Daughter to the Lord Walter Cliffords: Her incomparable Beauty was couched in her Name: she was Natures Master­piece, and one of the fairest Roses that ever flourished in the Garden of Earth. This fair Lady, as she grew in years, so did she grow in favour, each year adding a moity to her perfection, who having attained some ripeness of years, her Beauty was the whole discourse of the Country & City; Fame did carry the Name of Rosamond upon her nimble wings into many forreign places, whereby she was not only the pub­lique [Page] and common Discourse of our English Nation, but even the Table talk of remote Countries, and forreign people: Her modesty was s [...]ch that she sought by all means to allay that far spread rumor of her Beauty, by a retired Life; but the more she thought to extinguish and quench that [...]p [...]rt, by sequestring her self from the eyes of Men, the more [...]e was spoken of, and the farther was her praises blown; at length her Name began to bloom in Court, inso­much that there was scarce any Courtier that did not eccho forth her praises. She was so honoured among the attendants of the King, that whatsoever subject they talk­ed of, and in what praise soever they delivered it, they thought their discourse not full, ex­cept the closure of it was still of Rosamond; so that Rosamonds beauty which was here­tofore but Chamber-talk in the Court, and was but privately whispered in peoples ears, now began to be noon-talk, and openly spoken of, insomuch that the King took notice of her unseen, though not unheard of Beauty; being desirous to behold that Creature, whose unl mitted and sounded praises the whole world rung of.

THe Kings unquiet thoughts would not suff [...]r him to rest, till he had been made an eye witness of Rosamonds beauty: after some time passed, he beheld her whole Countenance he had so long desired to see: and casting his eyes upon her incomparable favour, he perceived that those Encomiums which in his hearing had been bestowed on her, were but as the Gloomy Morning to the Lightsom Day, and came as far short of expressing her Comliness, as the sable night doth the glorious Noontide, or the blackish Smoak to the glittering Flame: neither could he be satisfied onely with the view of this beau [...]iful Creature, but still his boyling breast was vexed with unlawful and lustful thoughts; desiring that there might be some more Familiarity and acquaintance between them: His thoughts slept not long, but many snares were by him laid to intrap her, and many [Page] sorts er [...]cted so parted her unstained purity: many persons did he set at work soliciting her to [...]ield to his unchast desires: which solicitations were as Darts cast against a brazen Wall, and could not enter: which when the King perceived, the next opportu­nity that presented her self unto his view, he delivers his mind to her himself, manifest­ing his love to her, who refusing all denials, and with gracious p [...]omises and inticing speeches, left her nor till he had gotten her favour, and made her promise to fulfill his will.

AFter the King had for some time en­joyed the Company of his late-giued Lady, Elenor his Queen hearing that her Lord did too too much frequent the company of his loose Damsel, and percei­ving his affection to be altred, and estranged from her, that was his Lawful Queen, and to be fired on the beauty of another, used all the means that a Womans wit, sharpened with Malice, could invent, to [Page] untye the fast knit hands of their affections: which malice of the Queen towards this Lady, the King soon perceived, and fear­ing that which afterwards happened, lest his dear Rose should come to any untimely Death, erected for her Labyrinth, wi [...]hin his own Palace at Woodstock in Oxford­shire, a place under ground most curiously wrought, having many turnings, windings and broos belonging to it, that it was im­possible, being once entred, to find the way out of it, without the guidance of a Clew of Thread. The charge of this place wherein this Paramour was inclosed, he committed to Sir Thomas Vaughn, Knight, his sure and trusty friend.

ALL this while the Queens malice was kindled, but now it began to shew it self, and break into flames, she had as many Windows and devices in her heart to procure the overthrow and de­struction of Rosamond, as Woodstocks Bower for her safety, which Devices are [Page]

all set going; and the better to effect and bring this Plot to pass, she sets the Son against the Father, who by her means and instigation, raised an Army against him, intending to ring the Diadem from his Fathers head. Whilst the King is forced by his Rebellious Son, to hast to Nor­manday, and to ab [...]e [...]t himself from the company of his Rosamond. His Queen posts to Woodstock, and beholding the [Page] Bower wherein Rosamond was kept, assay­ed to enter: and having before-hand recei­ved some notice of the clew of thread, takes it in her hand, and by its guidance is di­rected to the center of the Labyrinth, where she found Rosamond sitting as the Sun within that little world. Fair Rosamond when she beheld the ghastly visage and mea­gure Countenance of the jealous Queen, confest her fault, and craved pardon for her offences; but all in vain, for nothing could appease her fury, nor quench her thirst, but the blood of Rosamond, who was by her in that place deprived of life by a Cup of Poy­son, for depriving her of the favour of her King. She was buried at Godstow in Oxfordshire, where she had a stat [...]ly Mo­nument raised▪ with this following Epitaph on it, which was demolished by a certain Bishop of that Diocess not thinking fit so ill a Liver should have so fair a Tomb in so Sacred a place.

THus you may see the fickle and un­constant state of those that are In­habitants [Page] in this unsettled decayed world, though they are received into the favour of Princes, and are made Companions with them in Nightly Sleeps; yet all this is presently forgotten, and when once their frail and mortal bodies fall upon the earth, all their Pomp and Honour perisheth, and is buried with them. Rosamond, she that was so highly exalted in her Princes favor, one small drop of Poyson lays her as low as the Earth, and she that was the onely Flower and Rose to please and delight the smell of a King, in comparison of whom, his rich Pomanders and costly Odors were unsavory; yet now of her remains nothing good, only an ill noysom odour to all Po­sterity, according unto her Epitaph which was Ingraven on her Tomb at Godstow, where she was most sumptuously Interred.