1London: Thomas Marshe, 1574.
2How the Queen Cordila in despair slew herself: the year before Christ, 800.
11If any woeful wight have cause to wail her woe,
2Or griefs are past do prick us Princes, tell our fall:
33Myself likewise must needes constrained eke do so,
44And show my like misfortunes and mishaps withal.
55Should I keep close my heavy haps and thrall,
66Then did I wrong: I wronged myself and thee,
77Which of my facts a witness true mayest be.
288A woman yet must blush when bashful is the case,
99Though truth bid tell the tale and story as it fell,
1010But sith that I mislike not audience, time, nor place,
1111Therefore, I cannot keep my woes in counsel well.
1212Not greater ease of heart then griefs to tell,
1313It vaunteth all the dolors of our mind,
1414Our careful hearts thereby great comfort find.
31515For why to tell that may recounted be again,
1616And tell it as our eares may compass ease,
1717That is the salve and medicine of our pain,
1818Which cureth corsies all and sores of our disease:
1919It doth our pinching pangs and pains appease,
2020It pleads the part of an assurèd friend,
2121And tells the trade, like vices to amend.
42222Therefore if I more willing be to tell my fall,
2323With my mishaps to ease my burdened breast and mind,
2424Some others haply may avoid and shun the thrall,
2525And thereby for distress more aid and comfort find.
2626They keeping measure, whereas I declined,
2727May be as prompt to fly like bruit and blame
2828As I to tell, or thou to write the same.
52929Wherefore if thou wilt afterwards record
3030What Queen Cordila tells to ease her inward smart,
3131I will recite my story tragical each word,
3232To thee that giv'st an ear, and ready art.
3333But lest I set the horse behind the cart,
3434I mind to tell each thing in order, so
3535As thou may'st see and show whence sprang my woe.
63636My grandsire Bladud hight, that found the baths by skill,
3737A feathered king that practiced high to soar,
3838Whereby he felt the fall, God wot against his will,
3939And never went, rode, reigned, nor spake, nor flew no more.
4040After whose death my father Leir therefore
4141Was chosen king, by right apparent heir,
4242Which after built the town of Leircèstere.
74343He had three daughters, first and eldest hight Gonerell,
4444Next after her his younger Ragan was begot:
4545The third and last was I the youngest, named Cordell.
4646Us all our father Leir did love too well God wot,
4747But minding her that loved him best to note,
4848Because he had no son t'enjoy his land,
4949He thought to guerdon most where favour most he found.
85050What though I youngest were, yet me judged more wise
5151Than either Gonerell, or Ragan more of age,
5252And fairer far, wherefore my sisters did despise
5353My grace and gifts, and sought my wreck to wage.
5454But yet though vice on virtue die with rage,
5555It cannot keep her underneath to drown,
5656For still she sits above, and reaps renown.
95757My father thought to wed us unto princely peers,
5858And unto them and theirs divide and part the land.
5959For both my sisters first he called (as first their years
6060Required) their minds, and love, and favor t'understand.
6161Quod he, "All doubts of duty to aband',
6262I must assay your friendly faiths to prove:
6363My daughters, tell me how you do me love."
106464Which when they answered him they loved their father more
6565Than they themselves did love, or any worldly wight:
6666He praised them, and said he would therefore
6767The loving kindness they deserved in fine requite.
6868So found my sisters favour in his sight,
6969By flattery fair they won their father's heart,
7070Which after turned him and me to smart.
117171But not content with this, he asked me likewise
7272If I did not him love and honor well.
7373"No cause," quod I, "there is I should your grace despise,
7474For nature so doth bind and duty me compel,
7575To love you, as I ought my father, well.
7676Yet shortly I may chance, if Fortune will,
7777To find in heart to bear another more good will."
127878Thus much I said of nuptial loves that ment
7979Not minding once of hatred vile or ire:
8080And partly taxing them, for which intent
8181They set my father's heart on wrathful fire.
8282"She never shall to any part aspire
8383Of this my realm," quod he, "amongst you twain,
8484But shall without all dowry aye remain."
138585Then to Maglaurus Prince, with Albany, he gave
8686My sister Gonerell, the eldest of us all,
8787And eke my sister Ragan to Hinnine to have,
8888And for her dowry Camber and Cornwall.
8989These after him should have his kingdom all.
9090Between them both he gave it frank and free,
9191But nought at all he gave of dowry me.
149292At last it chanced a prince of France to hear my fame:
9393My beauty brave, my wit was blazed abroad each where.
9494My noble virtues praised me to my father's blame,
9595Who did for flattery me less friendly favour bear,
9696Which when this worthy prince, I say, did hear,
9797He sent ambassage liked me more than life
9898And soon obtained me to be his wife.
159999Prince Aganippus reaved me of my woe,
100100And that for virtue's sake, of dowries all the best.
101101So I contented was to France my father fro'
102102For to depart, and hoped t'enjoy some greater rest.
103103Where living well beloved, my joys increased:
104104I got more favour in that prince his sight
105105Than ever princess of a princely wight.
16106106But while that I these joys so well enjoyed in France,
107107My father Leir in Britain was unwieldy old.
108108Whereon his daughters more themselves aloft t'advance
109109Desired the realm to rule it as they would.
110110Their former love and friendship waxed cold,
111111Their husbands revels void of reason quite
112112Rose up, rebelled, bereft his crown and right,
17113113Caused him agree they might in parts equall
114114Divide the realm, and promised him a guard
115115Of sixty knights on him attending still at call.
116116But in six months such was his hap too hard,
117117That Gonerell of his retinue barred.
118118The half of them, she and her husband rest,
119119And scarce allowed the other half they left.
18120120Eke as in Albany lay he lamenting fates,
121121When as my sister so, sought all his utter spoil:
122122The meaner upstart courtiers thought themselves his mates,
123123His daughter him disdained and forced not his foil.
124124Then was he fain for succor his to toil
125125With half his train, to Cornwall there to lie
126126In greatest need, his Ragan's love to try.
19127127So when he came to Cornwall, she with joy
128128Received him, and Prince Maglaurus did the like.
129129There he abode a year, and lived without annoy,
130130But then they took all his retinue from him quite
131131Save only ten, and showed him daily spite.
132132Which he bewailed complaining durst not strive
133133Though in disdain they last allowed but five.
20134134What more despite could devilish beasts devise
135135Than joy their father's woeful days to see?
136136What vipers vile could so their King despise,
137137Or so unkind, so curst, to cruel be?
138138Fro' thence again he went to Albany,
139139Where they bereaved his servants all save one,
140140Bade him content himself with that, or none.
21141141Eke at what time he asked of them to have his guard
142142To guard his noble grace where so he went;
143143They called him "doting fool," all his requests debarred,
144144Demanding if with life he were not well content,
145145Then he too late his rigour did repent.
146146'Gainst me, my sisters fawning love that knew
147147Found flattery false, that seemed so fair in view.
22148148To make it short, to France he came at last to me,
149149And told me how my sisters evil their father used.
150150Then humbly I besought my noble king so free,
151151That he would aid my father thus by his abused.
152152Who not at all my humble he 'hest refused,
153153But sent to every coast of France for aid,
154154Whereby King Leir might home be well conveyed.
23155155The soldiers gathered from each quarter of the land
156156Come at length to know the noble prince's will,
157157Who did commit them unto captains every band.
158158And I likewise of love and reverent mere goodwill
159159Desired my lord, he would not take it ill
160160If I departed for a space withal,
161161To take a part, or ease my father's thrall.
24162162He granted my request, thence we arrived here,
163163And of our Britons came to aid likewise his right
164164Full many subjects, good and stout that were.
165165By martial feats, and force, by subjects sword and might,
166166The British kings were fain to yield to our right,
167167Which won, my father well this realm did guide
168168Three years in peace, and after that he died.
25169169Then I was crowned Queen this realm to hold . . .
King Leir