Compare 1587 edition: 1 Suſpicious perſons are racked.Many were apprehended and had to the rack, but yet could not be founde that would confeſſe it. The Queene was voyde of all ſuſpition, as ſhe that had bene taken for a woman at all times of great temperancie. But yet when ſhee hearde that a number of innocent perſons were tormen|ted without deſart, ſore lamenting (as ſhoulde appeare) theyr miſerable caſe, ſhe came haſtily in|to the Iudgement hall,The Queene confeſſed the murther. and getting hir aloft vpõ the bench, there in the preſence of al the company, ſhe had theſe or the like wordes vnto the whole aſſembly. I knowe not good people, I knowe not what God moueth me, or what diuine re|uengement vexeth me with ſundry thoughts and cogitations, that of all this daye and morning preceeding, I haue had neither reſt in bodie nor minde. And verely when I hearde that cer|taine guiltleſſe perſons were cruelly tormented here in your preſence, had not wrath giuen place, party vnto modeſtie, whereof I muſt confeſſe there is left but a ſmall portiõ in me, I had forth|with rid my ſelf out of the way. The kings death was mine act. Conſcience conſtrayneth me (ſet|ting apart mine owne ſafegarde) to confeſſe the truth, leaſt the guiltleſſe ſhoulde wrongfully pe|riſhe: Therefore vnderſtande yee for truth, that none of them whome ye haue examined are pri|uie to the offence. I verily am ſhe, that with theſe wicked handes haue ſtrangled this night laſt paſt Ferguſe, about whoſe death I ſee you in trouble, moued ſo to do with two as ſharpe pricks as may reſt in a woman, to wit, Impatient forbearing of carnall luſt, and yrefull wrath. Ferguſe by his continuall vſing of concubines, kept from me the due debt that the huſbande oweth to the wife: whereupon when there was no hope to reconcile him with often aduertiſementes, vehement force of anger ryſing in my heart, droue mee to doe ſo wicked a deed. I thought lieffer therefore to diſ|patch the Adulterer, then (being deſtitute of my huſbande, and defrauded of all Queenely honor) to liue ſtill ſubiect vnto the perpetuall iniuries of ſuch lewde women as hee kept and vſed in my ſteade.She giueth hir owne ſentence Looſe ye therefore thoſe that be accuſed of the kings death, and as for me ye ſhall not neede to proceede agaynſt me as guiltie of the crime by order of law, for I that was ſo bolde to commit ſo heynous an act, will accordingly do execution vpon my ſelfe euen here incontinently in preſence of you all: what honour is due to the deade, looke you to that.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 Hauing thus made an ende of hir tale,The Queene taketh execu [...] of hir ſelfe. ſhee plucked forth a knife which ſhe had hid vnder hir gowne, and ſtroke hirſelfe to the heart with the ſame falling deade vpon it downe to the grounde.