Notes. If in fact this verse was penned the week after Cecil’s death, we can date it quite precisely to late May or very early June 1612. Although many of the libels discuss the cause of Cecil’s death, this is the only one to note, correctly, that he suffered from scurvy, a disease that was responsible for some of the noxious symptoms that other libellers attributed to syphilis (Croft, “Reputation” 60-61).

Ah was there nott a time when one man swayed

And rulde both king and people topsye-turvye

Lett king and people now bee well apayde

He is gone, but how? he dide last week of the scurvye.

Source. BL MS Egerton 2230, fol. 33v

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