“He dyde, and after him his brother dyde,
His brother prince, his brother noble peere, 240
That whilste he lived was of none envyde,
And dead is now, as living, counted deare;
Deare unto all that true affection beare,
But unto thee most deare, O dearest Dame,
His noble spouse and paragon of fame. 245

“He, whilest he lived, happie was through thee,
And, being dead, is happie now much more;
Living, that lincked chaunst with thee to bee,
And dead, because him dead thou dost adore
As living, and thy lost deare love deplore. 250
So whilst that thou, faire flower of chastitie,
Dost live, by thee thy lord shall never die.

“Thy lord shall never die, the whiles this verse
Shall live, and surely it shall live for ever: 
For ever it shall live, and shall rehearse 255
His worthie praise, and vertues dying never,
Though death his soule doo from his bodie sever: 
And thou thy selfe herein shalt also live;
Such grace the heavens doo to my verses give.

“Ne shall his sister, ne thy father, die; 260
Thy father, that good earle of rare renowne,
And noble patrone of weake povertie;
Whose great good deeds, in countrey and in towne. 
Have purchast him in heaven an happie crowne: 
Where he now liveth in eternall blis, 265
And left his sonne t’ensue those steps of his.

“He, noble bud, his grandsires livelie hayre,
Under the shadow of thy countenaunce
Now ginnes to shoote up fast, and flourish fayre
In learned artes, and goodlie governaunce, 270
That him to highest honour shall advaunce. 
Brave impe* of Bedford, grow apace in bountie,
And count of wisedome more than of thy countie!
  [* Impe, graft, scion.]

“Ne may I let thy husbands sister die,
That goodly ladie, sith she eke did spring 275
Out of this stocke and famous familie
Whose praises I to future age doo sing;
And foorth out of her happie womb did bring
The sacred brood of learning and all honour;
In whom the heavens powrde all their gifts upon her.

“Most gentle spirite breathed from above, 281
Out of the bosome of the Makers blis,
In whom all bountie and all vertuous love
Appeared in their native propertis,
And did enrich that noble breast of his 285
With treasure passing all this worldes worth,
Worthie of heaven it selfe, which brought it forth: 

“His blessed spirite, full of power divine
And influence of all celestiall grace,
Loathing this sinfull earth and earthlie slime, 290
Fled backe too soonc unto his native place;
Too soone for all that did his love embrace,
Too soone for all this wretched world, whom he
Robd of all right and true nobilitie.