Compare 1577 edition: 1 Now when king Richard had thus with glorious promises, and flattering words, pleased and appeased the mutable mind of queene Elizabeth, which knew nothing lesse than that he most intended; he caused all his brothers daughters to be conueied into his palace with solemne receiuing: as though with his new familiar and louing interteinment they should forget, and in their minds blot out the old committed iniurie, and late executed tyrannie. Now nothing was contrarie and against his diuelish purpose, but that his mansion was not void of his wife, which thing he in any wise adiudged necessarie to be doon [...]. But there was one thing that so much feared and staied him from committing this abhominable mur|ther, bicause (as you haue heard before) he began to counterfet the image of a good and well disposed per|son: and therefore he was afeard least the sudden death of his wife once openlie knowne, he should loose the good and credible opinion which the people had of him, without anie desert, conceiued and repor|ted.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 But in conclusion, euill counsell preuailed in a wit latelie minded to mischeefe, and turned from all goodnesse. So that his vn [...]ratious desire ouercame EEBO page image 751 his honest feare. And first to enter into the gates of his imagined enterprise, he absteined both from the bed and companie of his wife.A lo [...]ged cõ|plaine of king Richard a|gainst his wi [...] t [...] be rid of h [...]r. Then he complained to diuerse noble men of the realme, of the infortu|nate sterilitie and barennesse of his wife, bicause she brought foorth no fruit and generation of hir bo|die. And in especiall he recounted to Thomas Rothe|ram archbishop of Yorke (whome latelie he had deli|uered out of ward and captiuitie) these impediments of his queene, and diuerse other, thinking that he would reueale to hir all these things, trusting the se|quele hereof to take due effect, that she hearing this grudge of hir husband, & taking therefore an inward thought, would not long liue in this world.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 Of this the bishop gathered (which well knew the complexion and vsage of the king) that the quéenes daies were short, and that he declared to certeine of his secret freends. After this he procured a common rumor (but he would not haue the author knowne) to be published and spred abroad among the common people,A rumor spred abroad o [...] the qu [...]enes death a [...] the procurement of king Ri|chard. that the quéene was dead; to the intent that she taking some conceit of this strange fame, should fall into some sudden sicknesse or gréeuous maladie: and to prooue if afterwards she should fortune by that or anie other waies to lease hir life, whether the people would impute hir death to the thought or sick|nesse, or thereof would laie the blame to him. Now when the quéene heard tell that so horrible a rumor of hir death was sprung amongst the communaltie, she sore suspected and iudged the world to be almost at an end with hir. And in that sorowfull agonie she with lamentable countenance and sorowfull cheare, repaired to the presence of the king hir husband, de|manding of him what it should meane, that he had iudged hir worthie to die.