Internet Shakespeare Editions

About this text

  • Title: A Mirror for Magistrates
  • Editors: Rosemary Gaby, Andrew Griffin

  • Copyright Queen's Men Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Authors: William Baldwin, John Higgins
    Editors: Rosemary Gaby, Andrew Griffin
    Not Peer Reviewed

    A Mirror for Magistrates

    The Percies deemed it meeter for the king
    To have redeemed their cousin Mortimer,
    Who in his quarrel all his power did bring
    To fight with me, that took him prisoner,
    145Than of their prey to rob his soldier,
    And therefore willed him see some mean were found,
    To quit forth him whom I kept vilely bound.
    Because the king misliked their request,
    They came them selves and did accord with me,
    150Complaining how the kingdom was oppressed,
    By Henryʼs rule, wherefore we did agree
    To put him down, and part the realm in three:
    The North part theirs, Wales wholly to be mine
    The rest to rest to the Earl of Marchʼs line.
    155And for to set us hereon more agog
    A prophet came (a vengeance take them all)
    Affirming Henry to be Gogmagog
    Whom Merlin doth a mouldwarp ever call,
    Accursed of god, that must be brought in thrall
    160By a wolf, a dragon, and a lion strong,
    Which should divide his kingdom them among.
    This crafty dreamer made us three such beasts
    To think we were these foresaid beasts indeed,
    And for that cause our badges and our crests
    165We searched out, which scarcely well agreed,
    Howbeit the heralds ready at such a need,
    Drew down such issues from old ancestors,
    As proved these ensigns to be surely ours.
    Ye crafty Welshmen, wherefore do you mock
    170The noble men thus with your feigned rhymes?
    Ye noble men why fly you not the flock
    Of such as have seduced so many times?
    False prophecies are plagues for diverse crimes
    Which god doth let the devilish sort devise
    175To trouble such as are not godly wise.