| James and Mary Ford, eds. Every Day in the Year. 1902. | | | | May 19 | | Lament of Anne Boleyn on the Eve of Her Execution | | By Anne Boleyn (c.1500–1536) |
| | | | Second wife of Henry VIII. She was beheaded on May 19, 1536. |
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DEFILED is my name full sore, | |
| Through cruel spite and false report, | |
| That I may say, for evermore, | |
| Farewell my joy! adieu comfort! | |
| For wrongfully ye judge of me, | 5 |
| Unto my fame a mortal wound; | |
| Say what ye list, it will not be, | |
| Ye seek for that cannot be found. | |
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| O death! rock me on sleep! | |
| Bring me a quiet rest; | 10 |
| Let pass my very guiltless ghost | |
| Out of my careful breast; | |
| Toll on the passing bell, | |
| Ring out the doleful knell, | |
| Let the sound my death tell, | 15 |
| For I must die, | |
| There is no remedy, | |
| For now I die. | |
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| My pains who can express? | |
| Alas! they are so strong | 20 |
| My dolour will not suffer strength | |
| My life for to prolong. | |
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| Alone in prison strong, | |
| I wail my destiny, | |
| No worth this cruel hap that I | 25 |
| Should taste this misery. | |
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| Farewell my pleasures past, | |
| Welcome my present pain; | |
| I feel my torments so increase, | |
| That life cannot remain. | 30 |
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| Cease now the passing bell, | |
| Rung is my doleful knell, | |
| For the sound my death doth tell; | |
| Death doth draw nigh. | |
| Sound my end dolefully, | 35 |
| For now I die. | | | |
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