Page:History of the life and death of fair Rosamond.pdf/22

( 22 ) ty friends, who arrived at the Bower, eſſayed to enter, which was ſtifly denied by Sir Thomas, her unele, on which a fierce combat enſued, and his guard being killed by the queen's party, they ſeized on the clew of thread and preſented it to the queen, who by its guidance, was directed by it to the centre of the labyrinth, where the found Roſamond, ſitting as the ſun within the little world.

It cannot be expreſſed the amazement and confuſion fair Roſamond was in when the beheld the queen, and immediately fell down on her knees, confeſs'd her fault and implored her pardon for a crime ſhe was conſtrained to act; and at laſt ſhe humbly beſought her in compaſſion of the infant that ſtruggled in her womb, ſe might live, though in a dungeon, til ſhe was delivered But all in vain, the jealouſy of the enraged queer could not be appeaſed, the gave her the choice either to drink the cup of poiſon ſhe had prepared for her, or die by the ſword. Fair Roſamond finding the could have no pity, choſe the poiſon and drank it up, which ſoon put an end to he life; whom the queen cauſed to be buried privately with the reſt that were ſlain, and ſo departed, rejoicing in the ſucceſs of her revenge a her rival, but little conſidered the miſery it woul pull on her own head.