The lamentable fall of Queen Elenor, who for her Pride
and wickedness by Gods judgements sunk i[n]to the ground at Charing-Cross, and rose at
Queen hive.
To the tune of, Gentle and Courteous
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WHen Edward was in England King
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the first of all that name,
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Proud Elenor he made his Queen,
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a stately Spanish Dame.
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Whose wicked life and sinful pride,
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through England did excel,
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To dainty Dames and gallant Maids,
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this Queen was known full well.
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She was the first that did invent
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in Coaches brave to ride,
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She was the first that brought this Land
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to deadly sin of pride.
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No English Taylor here could serve
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to make her rich attire,
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But sent for Taylors into Spain
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to feed her vain desire.
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They brought in fashions strange and new
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with golden Garments bright,
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The Farthingale and mighty Ruffs,
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with Gowne of rich delight.
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Our London Dames in Spanish pride
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did flourish every where,
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Our Englishmen like women then,
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did wear long locks of hair.
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Both man and child, both maid and wife
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wery drownd in pride of Spain,
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And thought the Spanish Taylors then
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our English men did stain.
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Whereat the Queen did much despight
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to see our English men,
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In vestures clad as brave to see
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as any Spaniard then.
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She cravd the King that every man,
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that wore long locks of hair,
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Might then be cut and polled all
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or shaven very near.
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Whereat the King did seem content,
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and soon thereto agreed.
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And first commanded that his own
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should then be cut with speed.
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And after that to please his Queen
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proclaimed through the land,
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That every man that wore long hair,
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should poll him out of hand
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But yet this Spaniard not content,
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to women bore a spight,
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And then requested of the King
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against all Law and right.
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That every woman-kind should have
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their right brest cut away,
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And then with burning Irons seard,
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the blood to stanch and stay.
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King Edward then perceiving well
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her spight to women-kind,
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Devised soon by pollicy,
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to turn her bloody mind.
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He sent for burning Irons streight,
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all sparkling hot to see,
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And said O Queen come on thy way,
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I will begin with thee.
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Which words did much displease the Queen,
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that penance to begin,
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But askt him pardon on her knees,
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who gave her grace therein.
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BUt afterwards there chancd to passe
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along brave London streets,
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Whereas the Mayor of Londons wife
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in stately sort she meets.
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With musick, mirth and melody
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unto the Church they went
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To give God thanks that to the Lord Mayor
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a noble Son had send.
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It grieved much this spightful Queen
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to see that any one,
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Should so exceed in mirth and j[o]y,
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except her self alone:
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For which she after did devise,
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within her bloody mind.
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And practisd still most secretly,
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to kill that Lady kind.
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Unto the Mayor of London then
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she sent her Letters straight,
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To send his Lady to the Court,
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upon her grace to wait,
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But when the London Lady came
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before proud Elenors face,
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She stript her from her rich array,
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and kept her vile and bose.
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She sent her into Wal[e]s with speed,
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and kept her secret there,
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And usd her still most cruelly,
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that ever man did hear
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She made her wash, she made her starch,
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she made her drudge alway,
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She made her nurse up Children small,
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and labour night and day.
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But this contented not the Queen,
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but shewd her more despight.
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She bound this Lady to a Post,
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at twelve a clock at night.
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And as poor Lady she stood bound,
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the Queen in angry mood,
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Did set two Snakes unto her brest,
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that suckt away her blood.
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Thus dyd the Mayor of Londons wife
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most grievous for to hear,
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Which made the Spaniard grow more pro[ud]
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as after sha[l]l appear.
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The wheat that daily made her bread,
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was bolted twenty times,
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The food that fed this stately Dame,
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was boyld in costly wines.
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The water that did spring from ground
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she would not touch at all,
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But washt her hands with dew of heaven
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that on sweet Roses fall.
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She bathd her body many a time,
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in Fountains fild with milk.
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And every day did change attire,
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in costly Median silk.
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But coming then to London back
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within her Coach of gold,
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A tempest strange within the Skyes
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this Queen did there behold.
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Out of which storm she could not go,
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but there remaind a space.
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Four horses could not stir the Coach,
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a foot out of that place.
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A judgement lately sent from heaven
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for shedding guiltless blood,
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Upon this sinful Queen that slew
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the London Lady good.
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King Edward then as wisdome wild
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accusd her of that deed,
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But she denyd and wisht that God
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would send his wrath with speed.
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If that upon so vile a thing
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her heart did ever think,
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She wisht the ground might open wide
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and therein she might sink,
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With that at Chairing-Cross she sunk
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into the ground alive,
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And after rose with life again,
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in London at Queen-hive.
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When after that she languisht sore,
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full twenty dayes in pain,
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At last confest the Ladies blood,
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her guilty hands had slain,
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And likewise how that by a Fryar
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she had a base born child,
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Whose sinful lusts and wickedness,
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her marriage defild.
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Thus you have heard the fall of pride,
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a just reward of sin,
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For those that will forswear themselves,
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Gods vengeance daily win
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Beware of pride yee London Dames,
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both wives and maidens all,
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Bear this imprinted in your minds,
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that pride may have a fall.
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