A Myrroure For Magistrates
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Introductory notes
A MYRROURE
For Magistrates.
Wherein may be seen by
example of other, with howe gre-
uous plages vices are punished: and
howe frayle and unstable worldly
prosperitie is founde, even of
those, whom Fortune see
meth most highly
to favour.
Foelix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum,
Anno. 1559.
LONDINI,
In aedibus Thomae Marshe.
PUBLISHED BY Thomae Marshe
1559
1.
WHan he had ended this so wofull a tragedy, and to all Princes a ryght wurthy instruction, we paused: having passed through a miserable time full of piteous tragedyes. And seing the reyne of Henry the fourth ensued, a man more ware & prosperous in hys doynges although not untroubled with warres both of outforth and inward enemies, we began to serch what Piers were fallen therin, wherof the number was not small: and yet because their examples were not much to be noted for our purpose, we passed over all the Maskers (of whom King Richardes brother was chiefe) which were all slayne and put to death for theyr trayterous attempt. And finding Owen Glendour next, one of fortunes owne whelpes, and the Percyes his confederates, I thought them unmete to be over passed, and therfore sayde thus to the silent cumpany: what my maysters is every man at [Page]once in a browne study, hath no man affeccion to any of these storyes? you minde so much sum other belyke, that these do not move you: And to say the troth there is no speciall cause why they should. Howbeit Owen Glendour because he was one of fortunes darlinges, rather than he should be forgotten, I wil tel his tale for him under the privilege of Martine Hundred: whych Owen cumming out of the wilde mountaynes like the Image of death in all poyntes (his dart onely excepted) so sore hath famine and hunger consumed hym, may lament his folly after thys maner.
2.
WHan starved Owen had ended his hungry exhortacion, it was well inough liked. Howbeit one found a dout wurth the moving, & that concerning this title, erle of March: for as it appereth, there wer .iii. men of .iii divers nacions together in one time entitled by that honour: Fyrst sir Edmund Mortimer, whom Owen kept in prison, an Englishman: the second the lord George of Dunbar a valiante Scot. banished out of his countrey, & well estemed of Henry the fowerth: the third lord James of Burbon a frenchman, sent by the french king to helpe Owen Glendour. These thre men had this title all at once, which caused him to aske how it was true that every one of these could be Earle of Marche? Wherto was aunswered, that every countrey hath Marches belonging unto them, and those so large, that they were Earledomes, & the lordes therof intituled therby, so that Lord Edmund Mortimer was Earle of Marche in Englande, lord James of Burbon of the marches of Fraunce, and Lord George of Dunbar erle of the marches in Scotland. For otherwise nether could have interest in others title. Thys doubt thus dissolved mayster Ferrers sayde: If no man have affeccion to the Percies, let us pas the times both of Henry the fowerth & the fifte, and cum to Henrye the syxte: in whose time fortune (as she doth in the minoritie of princes) bare a great stroke among the nobles. And yet in Henry the fourths time are examples which I would wish Baldwin that you should not forget, as the conspiracie made by the bishop of Yorke, and the lorde Mowbray sonne of him whom you late treated of: prycked forward by the earle of Northumberland, father to sir Henry Hotspur, who fled himselfe, but his partners were apprehended and put to death, with Baynton and Blinkinsops, which could not see theyr duty to theyr King, but tooke part with Percy that banished Rebell. As he was proceding, he was desired to stay by one whych had pondered the story of the Percies, who briefly sayd. To thende Baldwin that you may know what to say of the Percyes, whose story is not all out of my memory, (and it is a notable story) I wyll take upon me the person of lord Henry earle of Northumberland, father of Henrye Hotspur, in whose behalfe thys may be sayd.