The first parte of the Mirour for magistrates containing the falles of the first infortunate princes of this lande: from the comming of Brute to the incarnation of our sauiour and redemer Iesu Christe.

Elstride the concubine of Locrinus myserably drowned by Gwendoline his vvyfe, declares her presumption, lewde life and infortunate fall. She suffered be∣fore Christe. 1064.

ANd must I needes my selfe resite my fall Poore woman I: must I declare my fate: Must I the first saue three amongste vs all, Shew how I thrise, fell from my Princely 〈◊〉〈◊〉 And from the loftye seate on which I sate; If needes I must, then well content I will: Lest here my place in vaine I seeme to fill.

〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 Locrinus loude, 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 daughter came frō Germaines land: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of beauty many Princes moude, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for grace, and fauour at my hand. Which bruite once blowne abrond in euery land, One Humber king of Hunnes with al his traine: To come to mee, a suiter was full faine.

What neede I tell, the giftes to mee he gaue, Or shew his suite or promise he me plight, Sith wel you know a Prince nede nothing craue: May nigh 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ech thing as twere his right. For as the fowle before the Eagles sight Euen so me fall, submit and yeld vs still, At Prince his call, obeysaunt to his will.

And for that time the Hunnes full mighty were, And did increase, by martiall feates of warre: Therefore our Germaine kings agaste did beare, Them greater fauour then was neede by farre, My father durst not Humbers hest debarre, Nor I my selfe, I rather was content: In hope of crowne with Humber to consent.

Two Princely Dames with me came then away, He bragde to wiune these country partes all three, We Ladies rather was this Priuce his pray: Because he promist that we Queenes should bee. We came to coste these country coasts to see, Sith he on whom our hope did wholy stande: Was drownd, namde Humber waters, lost the lande.

For as you heard before when he 〈◊〉〈◊〉, He had wonne all because he won a part: Straight way he was againe thereof deposde, Constrainde to flye, and swim for life poore 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Loe here the cause, of all my douleful smarte, This noble king with whom I came to raigne: Was 〈◊〉〈◊〉, & drownde vnto my greuous paine.

Then were his souldiers taken, slaine or spoilde, And wel were they, that could make suite for life: Was neuer such an armye sooner foilde: O wofull warre, that flowste in floudes of strife! And carst not whom thou cutste with cruell knife! Or had not Venus fraught my face with hewe, I had no longer liude, my forme to rewe.

For as I came a captine with the reste, My countenaunce did shewe as braue as Sunne: Ech one that sawe my natiue hewe were preste, To yelde themselues by beames of beauty won: My fame straight blowne to gaze on mee they ron, And said I paste eche worldly wight as farre: As Phoebus 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the morning starre.

Like as you see in darkes if light appeare, Straight way to thatech man directes his eye: Euen so amongst my captiue mates that were: When I did speake, or make my plaints with cry, Theu all on mee they stared by and by: Bemoning of my fates, and fortune soe. As they had bin partakers of my woe.

My fourme did praise my plea, my sighes they suide, My teares entiste their hartes some ruth to take: My sobbes in sight, a seemely hewe reneude: My wringing hands, wan suiters shift to make: My sober southes did cause them for my sake: Mee to commende, vnto their noble kinge, Who wilde they should me into presence bringe.

Which when I came in cordes as captiue bounde, O King (quoth I) whose power we feele to strong: O worthy wighte, whose Fame to skyes doth sounde: Do pitie me, that neuer wishte the wronge: Release mee one thy captiues all amonge: Which from my frends, by fraude am brought away, A Prince his daughter, drounde in deepe decaye.

Now as thou art a Prince thy selfe of might, And maist do more then I do dare desire: Let me (O Kinge) finde fauour in thy sight, Asswage somewhat thy deadly wrath and ire: No part of manhode tis for to require: A Ladyes death thee neuer did offende, Sith that thy foe, hath brought her to this ende.

But let me rather safely be conuaide. O gracious king, once home before I dye: Or let me on thy Queene, be wayting maide. If it may please thy royal maiestye: Or let me raunsome paye, for libertye: But if thou minde reuenge of vnwrought ill, Why spare you Britaynes this my corps to kill:

With that the king: good Lady fayre what iste Thou canst desire or aske, but must obtaine? Eke would to God with all my hart I wiste, Best waye to ease thee of thy wofull paine: But if thou wilt do here with mee remaine, If not content, conductours shalt thou haue, To bring thee home, and what thou els wilt craue.

As for my Queene, as yet I none possesse, Therefore thou rather maiste voutchsafe to take That place thy selfe: then waite on her I gesse, Whose beautye with thy face no match can make: The Gods denye that I thy heste forsake, I saue thy life, eke God forbid that I, Should euer cause so fayre a Ladye dye.

O King (quoth I) the Gods preserue thy grace, The heauens requite thy mercy shewde to mee, And all the starres, direct thy regall race In happye course, long length of yeares to see: The earth with fertile fruites inriche so thee: That thou maist still like Justice her dispose, And euer more treade downe thy deadly foes.

The noble king commaunded to vnbinde, Mine armes, and let mee lewce, and free at will, And afterward such fauour did I finde That as his Queene I was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 still: And I enioyde all pleasures at my 〈◊〉〈◊〉: So that they quite had quenched out my thrall, And I forgate my former fortunes all.

Thus lo by fauoure I obtainde my suite, So had my beauty set his brest on fire, That I could make Locrinus euen as muite, Or pleasaunt as my causes did require: And when I knewe he could no way retyre: I praide he would his fauour so extende, As I might not be blamed in the ende.

For if (quoth I) you take me as your owne, And eke my loue to you haue constant beene: Then let your loue like wise againe be showne, And wed me as you said your spouse and Queene: If since in mee misliking you haue seene: Then best depart betime before defame, Begin to take from Elstride her good name.

No wauering hart (said he) Locrinus beares, No sayned flatery shall thy fayth deface: Thy beauty, birth, fame, vertue, age and yeares Constraine mee both, thee and thy hestes imbrace: I must of force, giue thy requestes a place, For as they do with reason good consent, Euen so I graunt thee all thy whole inteut.

Then was the time appointed and the day, In which I should be wedded to this kinge, But in this case, his counsaile causde a staye, And sought out meanes at discord vs to bringe: Eke Corinaeus claimde a former thing, A precontract was made and full accorde, Betweene his daughter, and my soueraigne Lorde.

And yet the King did giue me comfort still, He said he could not so forsake my loue, Yet euermore would beare me all good will: As both my beauty and desertes did moue: But still the ende doth who is fauty proue, His counsaile at the last did him constraine To marry her, vnto my 〈◊〉〈◊〉 paine.

At which I coulde not but with hate repine, It 〈◊〉〈◊〉 mee, his mate that should haue beene, To liue in bate, a prince his concubine That euer had such hope to be his Queene. The steppes of state are full of wo and teene, For when wee thincke we haue atainde the throne: Then straight our pōpe & pride is quite orethrone.

Lotwise I fell from hope of Princely crowne, First when vnhappy Humber lost his life, And next I laide my peacockes pride adowne, When as I could not be Locrinus wife: But oft they say the thirde doth ende the strife, Which I haue proude: therefore the sequel ve me The thirde payes home, this prouerbe is to true.

This kinge could not refraine his former minde, But vsde me still, and I my doubtfull yeares Did linger on, I knew no shift to finde, But past the time full oft with mourning teares. A concubine is neuer voyde of feares, For if the wyfe her at aduauntage take: In radge reuenge with death she seekes to make.

Likewise I wiste if once I sought to flye, Or to entreate the kinge depart I might, Then would he straight be discontent with mee, Yea if I were pursued vpon the flight, Or came deflourde into my parents sighte: I should be taken, kept perforce, or slaine: Or in my country liue in great disdaine.

In such a plight, what might a woman doe, Was euer Lady fayre, in such a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 O wretched wight bewrapt in webbes of woe! That still in dread wast tost from place to place, And neuer foundest meane to ende thy race: But still in doubt of death, in carking care, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 liue a life deuoyde of all welfare.

The king perceiuing well my chaunged cheare, To case my hart withall deuisde deceats, By secrete wayes I came deuoyde of feare, In baultes, by cunning Masons crafty feats: Whereas wee safely from the Queene her threats, Perdy the King and I so vsde our arte, As after turnde vs both to paine and smarte.

By him I had my Sabrine small my childe, And after that his wife her father loste, I meane he dyed and she was straight exilde, And I made Queene vnto my care and coste: For she went downe to Cornevval straight in peste, And caused all her fathers men to ryse, With all the force, and strengthe they might deuyse.

My king and hirs, with me, gainst hir preparde An army strong: but when they came to fighte, Dame Guendoline did war at length to harde: And of our king vs both deposed quite, For from hir campe an arrowe sharpe did lighte Upon his breste, and made him leaue his breath: Lo thus this king came by vntimely death.

Then I to late, began in vayne to flye, And taken was presented to the queene, Who me behelde with cruell tigres eye, "O queene ({quod} she) that cause of warres haste bene "And deadly hate, the like was neuer seene: "Come on for these my bandes shall ridde thy life, "And take reuengement of our mortall strife.

"I longed long to bring thee to this baye, "And thou likewyse hast sought to sucke my bloud. "Nowe arte thou taken, in my spoyles a praye, "That causde my life full long in daunger stoode: "I wyll both teache thy selfe, and others good "To breake the bandes of faithfull wedlocke plight, "And giue thee that which thou deseruidste right.

"O harlote whore, why should I stay my handes: "O painted picture, shall thy lookes thee saue: "Nay bynde hir faste both hande and foote in bandes, "And let hir some straunge kinde of tormentes haue. "What strōpet stues, thinkste for thou seemist braue? "Dr for thy teares, or sighes, to scape my sight: "My selfe will rather banquishe thee by fight.

"Thou rather shouldste my vitall breath depriue, "Then euer scape if none were here but wee, "But now I will not file my handes to striue, "Dr else to touche so vile a drabe as shee. "Come on at once, and bring hir after mee, "With hande and feete as I commaunded bounde: "And let me see, hir here as Humber drounde.

A thousand things beside, she spake in rage, While that a caytife did with cordes me binde, No teares, nor subbes, nor sighes might ought aswage The gelous queene, or molifie hir mynde. Occasions still hir franticke head did finde, And when shee spake, hir cyes did leame as fire: Shee lookte as pale as chalke with wrathfull Ire.

Ne stoode she still but with hir handes on syde, Walkte vp and down, & ofte hir palmes she stroke. "My husbande nowe ({quod} she) had not thus dyde: "If such an harlote, whore he had not tooke, And there withall shee gaue me such a looke, "As made me quake, what lettes ({quod} she) my knife, "To ridde this whore my husbandes second wife: "His dead, I liue, and shall I saue hir life?

O queene ({quod} I) if pitie none remayne, But I be slayne or brounde as Humber was: Then take thy pleasure by my pinching paine, And let me hence as thou appointistc passe: But take some pity on my childe alasse, Thou knowste the infante made no faulte but hee, Thats dead and I therfore reuenge on mee.

"No basterds here shall liue to dispossesse "My sonne (she said) but sithe thou soughtiste fame: "I will prouide for hir a kingdome lesse, "Whiche shall hereafter euer haue hir name. "Thou knowste wherof the name of Humber came, "Euen so Sabrina, shall this streame be calde: "Sithe Sabrine me, as Humber Locrine thralde.

With that my childe was Sabrine brought in sight, And when she see me take in bandes to lie, Alasse (she cryde) what meanes this pitious plight, And downe she fell before the queene with crye, "O queene ({quod} she) let me more rather dye, "Then she thats giltlesse should, for why thy king "Did as his captiue, hir to lewdnes bring.

Which when I same the kindnes of the childe, It burst my harte much more then dome of deathe: Poore little lam be with countinance how milde She pleaded still, and I for wante of breathe, With wofull teares, that laye hir feete beneathe Could not put forth a worde, our liues to saue, Or if therfore I might a kingdome haue.

Hir pitious plaintes, did somwhat death withdrawe For as she long behelde the queene with teares: "({quod} she) let me bane rigoure boyde of lawe, "In whome the signe of all thy wrath appeares, "And let me die my fathers face that beares: "Sithe be is dead, and we are boyde of staye, "Why should I thee, for life or mercy praye.

"My mother may to Germanye retourne, "Where she was borne, and if it please thy grace, "And I may well lye in my fathers tombe, "If thou wilt graunt his childe so good a place. "But if thou thinke my bloude is farre to bace, "Although I came by both of princly line: "Then let me haue what shroude thou wilt asigne.

With that the queene replide with milder there, And saide the childe was wonders wise and wittie: But yet shee would not hir reuenge forbeare, "For why ({quod} she) the prouerbe sayes that pitie, "Hath leudly loste full many a noble citie. "Then Elstride now prepare thy selfe therfore "To die, take leaue, but talke to me no more.

On this my leaue I tooke, and thus I sayde, Farewell my countrey, Germanye farewell, Ade we the place from whence I was conueyde, Farewell my father, and my frendes there dwell: My Humber drounde, as I shalbe farewell: Adew Locrinus dead, for thee I die, Would God my corps might by thy coffine lie.

Adew my pleasures paste, farewell, adew, Adew the cares, and sorowes I haue had, Farewell my frendes that earst for me did sue. Adew that were, to saue my life full glad: Farewell the fauning frendes, I lately bad, And thou my beauty cause of death farewell. As ofte as harte can thinke, or tonge can tell.

A dewe you heauens, my mortall eyes shall see No more your lightes, and Planetes all farewell, And chiefly Venus faire that paintedste mee, When Mercurie his tale to me did tell: Eke afterwardes when Mars with vs did dwell, And nowe at laste thou cruell Mars, adewe, Whose darte my life, and loue Locrinus sleme.

And must I nedes departe from thee my childe, If nedes I muste ten thousand times fare well, Poore little 〈◊〉〈◊〉, thy frendes are quite 〈◊〉〈◊〉: And much I feare thou shalt not long do well, But if they so with boyling rancoureswell: As thee to slea, which neuer wroughtiste ill, How can they staye, my haynid corps to hill.

With that my Sabrines slender armes imbraiste 〈◊〉〈◊〉 rounde, and would not let me so departe, "Let me ({quod} she) for hir the waters taste, "Or let vs both together ende our smarte: "Yea rather rippe you foorth my tender harte, "What should I liue? but they the childe withdrew, And mee, into the raging streame they threm.

So in the waters as I striude to swimme, And kepte my head aboue the waues for breath, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thought I same my childe, would venter in. "Which cride a mayne, O let me take like deathe, The waters straight had drawne me vnderne the, Where striuing vp at lengthe againe came I, And sawe my childe, aud cryde farewell I die.

Then as my strength was wasted, down I went, Eke so I plunged twice or thrice yet more: My breath departed nedes I must relent, The waters perst my mouth and eares so sore, And to the botome with such force me bore, That life, and breath, & minde, and sonce was gone: And I as dead, and colde as marble stone.

Lo thus you here the rare of all my life, And how I paste the pikes of paynefull we, Howe twise I thought to be a prince his wife: And twise was quite depriude mine honour fro: The third time queene, and felt foule ouerthro: Then warne all ladies, that how much more die. Then their degrees they clime: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 daungers nye.

Bid them beware, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bewty them abuse, Beware of pride, for haue a fall it muste: And will them fortunes flattery to refuse: Hir turning whelt, is boyde of stedy truste: Who reckes no meane, but leanith all to luste, Shall finde my wordes, as true as I them tell: Then did be ware, in time I wishe them well.