The lamentable fall of Queene Elnor, vvho for her pride and vvickednesse, by Gods Iudgment, sunke into the ground at Charing crosse, and rose vp againe at Queene hiue.
To the tune of, Gentle and Curteous.
WHen Edward was in England King
the first of all that name:
Proud Elnor he made his Queene,
a stately Spanish dame.
Whose wicked life and sinfull pride,
through England did excell:
To daintie Dames and gallant Maides
this Queene was knowne full well.
She was the first that did inuent
in Coaches braue to ride:
She was the first that brought this land
The deadly sinne of pride.
No English Taylors heere could serue
to make her rich attire:
But sent for Taylors into Spaine,
to feede her vaine desire.
They brought in fashions strange and new
with golden garments bright:
The Farthingales, and mighty Ruffes,
with Gownes of rare delight.
[...] Dames in Spanish pride,
[...] [...]ery where,
[...] [...]ke Women then,
[...] [...]s of haire.
[...] maide & wife,
[...]Spaine:
[...] [...]ylors then,
[...]
[...]dispite,
[...] [...]nglish-men.
[...] [...]estures clad, as brau [...] [...]o see
[...] any Spaniard then.
She crau'd the King that euery man
that wore long lockes of haire,
Might then be cut and powled all,
or shauen very neare.
Whereat the King did seeme content,
and soone thereto agreed:
And first commaunded that his owne,
should then be cut with speed.
And after that to please his Queene,
proclaymed through the land,
That euery man that wore long haire,
[...]hould powle him out of hand.
[...] [...]et this Spaniard not content,
[...] [...]omen bore a spight:
[...] [...]n requested of the King
[...] all law and right:
[...] [...]y woman-kind should haue,
[...] [...]reast cut away:
[...] [...]urning Irons sear'd
[...] [...]aunch and stay.
[...] then perceiuing well
[...] [...]o women-kind.
Deuised soone by pollicie
to turne her bloody minde.
He sent for burning Irons straight,
all sparkling hot to see:
And sayd, O Queene, come on thy way
I will begin with thee.
Which wordes did much displease the Queene
that penance to begin:
But aske him pardon on her knees,
who gaue her grace therein:
But afterward she chaunst to passe
along braue London streetes:
Whereas the Maior of Londons wife,
in stately sort she meetes.
With musicke, mirth, and melodie,
vnto the Church that went:
To giue God thanks that to L. Maior
a noble Sonne had sent.
It grieued much this spitefull Queene
to see that any one
Should so exceede in mirth and ioy,
except her selfe alone:
For which she after did deuise,
within her bloody minde,
And practisde still most secretly
to kill the Lady kinde.
Vnto Lord Maior of London then
she sent her letters straight:
To send his Lady to the Court,
vpon her Grace to waight.
But when the London Lady came,
before proude Elnors face:
She stript her from her rich array,
and kept her vile and bace.
She sent her into Wales with speede,
and kept her secret there:
And vsde her still more crueller
then euer man did heare:
she made her wash, she made her startch
she made her drudge alway:
She made her nurse vp children small,
and labour night and day.
But this contented not the Queene,
but shew'd her more despight:
She bound this Lady to a post
at twelue a clocke at nyght:
And as poore Lady she stood bound
the Queene in angrie mood,
Did set two Snakes vnto her breasts,
that suckt away her blood.
Thus died the Maior of Londons wif
most greeuous for to heare:
Which made the Spaniard grow more proud
as after shall appeare.
The Wheate that dayly made her bred
was boulted twentie tunes,
The food that fed this stately Dame,
was boylde in costly wines.
The water that did spring from ground
she would not touch at all,
But washt her handes with dew of deauen,
that on sweete Roses fall:
She bath'd her body many times,
in fountaines filde with milke,
And euery day did change attire,
in costly median silke.
But comming then to London backe,
within her Coach of golde:
A tempest strange within the skies,
this Queene did there behold.
Out of which storme she could not goe,
but there remain'd a space,
Foure horses could not stirre her coach
a foote out of that place.
A iudgement surely sent from heauen
for she doing guiltlesse blood,
Vpon the sinfull Queene that slew
the London Lady good:
King Edward then, as wisedome wild
accusde her for that deede:
But she demed and wisht that God
would send his wrath with speede.
If that vpon so vile a thing,
her hart did euer thinke,
She wisht the ground might open wid [...]
and therein she might sinke:
With that at Charing crosse she sunke
into the ground aliue,
And after rose with lyfe againe
in Londan at Queene hiue.
Where after that she languisht sore
full twentie dayes in paine:
At last confest the Ladies blood,
her guiltie handes did staine.
And likewise how that by a Fryer
she had a base borne childe,
Whose sinfull lust and wickednes
her mariage bed defilde.
Thus haue you heard the fall of pride,
a iust reward of sinne:
For those that wil forsweare thēselue [...]
Gods vengeance dayly winne.
Beware of Pride you London dames,
both wiues and maydens all,
Beare this imprinted in your minde,
that Pride will haue a fall.
FINIS.
Printed at London for William Blackwall.