Three precious teares of blood, flowing from the wounded harts of three great French ladies In memory, of the vertues, complaint of the losse, and execration of the murther, of that thrice-worthy monarch, Henry the Great. Now shed againe in English. To three of the most excellent among the excellentest ladies of this little world, and of the greatest.

TO THE RIGHT HO∣NORABLE, THE VICOVN∣TESSE OF CRAN∣BORNE.

MADAME.

HErein appeares both the scant∣nes of my power, hauing no∣thing of mine owne to present whom I respect; And the plen∣teousnes of my desire, rather borowing of others then be wanting to the duties of a fer∣uent affection, neuer so well witnessed but by giuing. But these English verses are already yours by so ma∣ny reasons, as without to much wrong I cannot a∣lienate them to another. First, they be mine, and I yours; Mine I say, by free gift, and there is no better title for propriety. Then, they be made at my request, and by such a one, whose worthines makes him yours indeede, yea, of good vse too; where alas I am yours but in vow and idle thought, without ac∣ceptation: I confesse it to my shame, and the further from enuy, the nearer to sorrow. Moreouer, since the rare life, and rarest death of so great a King, writ∣ten

by a Man, was tendered to your Noble Husband; me thought the complaint for his losse, penned by a Woman, could be no where so well directed as to his deere Wife: Finally, that honor of womankinde (the more feelingly mourning, because besides the general interest, she was very neere in blood to that deceased Monarch) being a faire, young, and most ex∣cellent Lady, of one of the most ancient and Prince∣ly houses, not of Fraunce only, but of all the world, claimes to the full as many qualities, in whomsoeuer her admirable workes must be presented vnto. All which finding no where els in one only subiect, to∣gether; nor all, so plentifully, nor euery one, in so high a degree; I must needes dedicate them to you, though otherwise (both by desire, vow and affection to all those you most neerely belong vnto, and to your selfe) I were not already,

Your Honours Most humble and most to be commanded seruant. Δ