A web-based edition of early seventeenth-century political poetry from manuscript sources. It brings into the public domain over 350 poems, many of which have never before been published.

Oiii9 Heare lyes the Impostar Lambe


Notes. In the only known source, this poem on the murder of John Lambe is attributed to “E.K.”.


Heare lyes the Impostar1 Lambe

Ladie Wyssard2 brought him hither

hee’s gon to the devills Dambe

to stay, till his Loarde3 come ther.



Source. CCRO MS CR 63/2/19, fol. 60r

Oiii9






1   Impostar: some contemporaries feared Lambe possessed real occult or demonic powers; others believed him to be a fraud. <back>

2   Ladie Wyssard: perhaps a corruption of Lady Windsor. Lambe had been convicted in 1622 of bewitching Thomas, Lord Windsor, and rendering him sexually impotent. <back>

3   his Loarde: i.e. Buckingham. <back>