of this our most noble and vertuous Queene, and dedicate then to your honours wyth this Preface.

*

Since whych time, although I have bene called to an other trade of lyfe, yet my good Lorde Stafforde hath not ceased to call upon me to publyshe so much & as I had gotten at other mens hands, so that, through his Lordshyppes earnest meanes I have nowe also set furth an other parte, † conteynyng as little of myne owne, as the fyrst part doth of other mens. Which, in the name of al the authors, I humbly dedicate to your honours, instantly wishyng, that it may so like and delite your myndes, that your cheareful receyving thereof, maye encourage wurthy wittes to enterpryse and perfourme the rest. Which as soone as may procure, I entende through God's leave, and your favourable allowaunce, to publyshe with al expedicion. In the meane whyle my Lords and Gods, (for so I may call you) I moste humbly bese che your honours favourablye to accepte this rude Myrrour, and diligentlie to read and consider it. And although you shall fynde in it, that sum have for theyr vertue bene envyed and murdered, yet cease not you to be vertuous, but do your offices to the uttermoste; sup

h

y Dedicated. z Omit "then."

The said.

b Wanted such help as before. d Add thereof."

f As much as I could obtaine at the hands of my frends.
i Office.

g Worke.

Brought unto misery.
k Add embrace Vertue, and."

* He was an ecclesiastic, and schoolmaster. This new trade probably relates to the latter.

I have never seen the first edition of 1559-but by this it seems clear, notwithstanding Warton's insinuation, that the Contents of the Second Part, which include Sackville's Induction and Legend, were not inserted in that first edition.

pres

pres sinne' boldly,' bothe in your selves and other, soo shal God (whose officers you are) either so maintayne you, that no malice shall prevayle; or if it do, it shall be for your good, and to your eternall glory both here and in heaven, whych I beseche God you maye both covet and attayn. Amen.

m

Yours most humble,

WILLIAM BALDWIN."

A BRIEFE MEMORIALL OF SUNDRIE UNFORTUNATE ENGLISHMEN.

Willyam Baldwin to the Reader.

r

Whan the Printer had purposed with himselfe to printe Lidgate's booke° of the Fall of Princes, and had made pryvye thereto, many both honourable and worshipfull, he was counsailed by dyvers of them to procure to have the storye contynewed from where as Bochas left, unto this present time, chiefly of such as Fortune had dalyed with here in this ylande: which might be as a myrrour for al mens as well nobles as others, to shewet the slyppery deceytes of the waveryng lady, and the due rewarde of al kind of vices. Which advyse lyked him so well, that he requyred me to take paines therin: but because it was a matter passyng my wit and skyll, and more thankles than gaineful to

meddle in, I refused utterly" to undertake it, except I might have the helpey of such, as in wit were apte, in learnyng allowed, and in judgemente and estymacyon able to wield and furnysh so weighty an enterpryse, thinkyng even so to shift my handes. But he earnest and diligent in his affayres, procured Athlas to set under his shoulder: for shortly after divers learned men, whose manye giftes nede fewe prayses, consented to take upon them part of the travayle. And when certaine of them to the number of seven, were through a general assent at an appoynted time and place gathered together to devise thereupon, I resorted unto them, bearing with me the booke of Bochas, translated by Dan Lidgate, for the better observation of his order: which although we liked wel, yet would it not cumly serve, seeing that both Bochas and Lidgate were dead, neither were there any alive that meddled with like argument, to whom the unfortunate might make their mone.

3

To make therfore a state mete for the matter, they all agreed that I should usurpe Bochas rowme, and the wretched princes complayne unto me: and toke upon themselves, every man for his part, to be sundry personages, and in their behalfes to bewail unto me their grevousd chaunces, heavye destinies, and wofull misfortunes.

"Add" alone."

v Without the help.

* Omit "even."

w Discharge the weight of sutch a burden.

y Add "me an."

z Laye the burden upon my shoulders, which I would not have undertaken

but that.

Bringing.

b Did not myslike.
d Sundry.

• Conveniently.

This

This done, we opened such bookes of Cronicles as we had there present, and Maister Ferrers, after he had found where Bochas left, which was about the ende of King Edward the Thirdes raigne, to begin the matter, sayd thus:

e

I marvayle what Bochas meaneth to forget, among his miserable princes, such as wer of our nacyon, whos numbre is as great, as their adventures wonderfull: for to let passe all, both Britons, Danes, and Saxons, and to cum to the last conquest, what a sorte are they, and sum even in his owne time? As for example, King Rychard the fyrst, slayne with a quarle, in his chyefe prosperitie; also King John his brother, as sum saye poysoned are not their histories rufull and of rare example? But as it should appeare, he being an Italien, minded most the Roman and Italicke story, or els perhaps he wanted our countrey chronicles. It wer therfore a goodly and a notable matter to search and

Add "quoth he."

f Add" also in the time of Bochas himselfe, or not much before. As for example William Rufus the seconde Kinge of Englande after the Conquest, eyther by malice or misadventure, slayne hunting in the New Forest, by Walter Tirrell with the shot of an arrow. Robert Duke of Normandy, eldest sonne to William Conquerour deprived of his inheritaunce of England, by Henry his youngest brother, having both his eyes put out, and after myserably imprisoned in Cardiffe Castel, whereas hee died. The most lamentable case of William, Rychard and Mary, children of the sayde Henry the first called Beauclerke, drowned upon the sea by the negligence of drunken mariners, and Kinge Rychard the fyrst slaine with a quarel in his chief prosperitie. The most unnaturall murther of Artur Duke of Britayne, right heyre of Englande, by King Jhon his uncle, with the death of Isabell his sister by famyne. The myserable ende of the sayd King Jhon their uncle by surfet, or, as some write, poysoned by a Monke of the Abbey of Swinsted in Lyncolnshire."

% Bochas.

h The knowlege of ours.

discourse

aiscourse our whole story from the first beginning of the inhabiting of the yle. But seeing the printers minde is to have us folowe where Lydgate left, we wil leave that great labour to other that may intend it, and (as blinde bayard is alway boldest) I will begyn at the time of Richard the second, a time as unfortunate as the ruler therein. And forasmuch, frend Baldwyn, as it shall be your charge to note" and pen orderlye the whole proces, I wil so far as my memorye and judgemente serveth, sumwhat furthur you in the truth of the storye. And therefore omittinge the ruffle made by Jacke Strawe and his meyney, and the murder of manye notable men which thereby happened, for Jacke (as ye knowe) was but a poor prynce, I will begin with a notable example which within a while after ensued. And although he be no great prynce, yet sythens he had a princely office, I wil take upon me the miserable person of Syr Robert Tresilian chiefe Justyce of England, and of other which suffered wyth him: therby to warne all of his authorityes and profession, to take hedet of wrong judgementes, misconstruynge of lawcs, or wresting the same to serve the prince's turnes, which rightfully brought theym to a miserable ende, which they may justly la

ment in maner ensuing.*

i Supply.

* (As one being bold fyrst to break the Ise.)

m As troublesome to the people as unlucky to the prince.

I reign.

P With.

9 The person at whome I beginne, was no kinge nor prince.
His fellowes learned in the Law, that were plagued with him.
t Beware.

s Their calling.

This is printed at length by Warton, Hist. Po. III. 217, because he says it is not easily to be found; but I find it also in the edition of 1578.

Here