Poetry Codex

Tudor & Elizabethan

John Higgins

fl. 1570–1602

John Higgins revised and extended A Mirror for Magistrates, the Tudor collection of verse “tragedies” in which fallen princes and nobles speak their own downfall. His First Part of the Mirror (1574, enlarged in later editions) carries the story back to the legendary kings of Britain and the Roman emperors, and begins with his own verse Induction.

The poems here are taken from Joseph Haslewood’s 1815 reprint, which follows the 1587 text of Part I collated with the editions of 1575 and 1610. Each legend is given with the Lenvoy that Higgins prints after it. One further legend, the death of Sir Nicholas Burdet, is credited to Higgins in the contents of Part III.

Poems (42)

  1. The Author’s Induction
  2. The Fall of King Albanact, Slain by King Humber
  3. The Fall of Humber, King of the Huns, Drowned in the Humber
  4. The Fall of King Locrinus, Slain in Battle by His Wife Queen Guendoline
  5. The Fall of Queen Elstride, Drowned by Queen Guendoline
  6. The Fall of the Lady Sabrine, Drowned by Queen Guendoline
  7. The Fall of King Madan, Slain by Wolves
  8. The Fall of King Malin, Slain by His Brother Mempricius
  9. The Fall of King Mempricius, Devoured by Wolves
  10. The Fall of King Bladud, Who Took on Him to Fly
  11. The Fall of Queen Cordila, Who in Despair Slew Herself
  12. The Fall of King Morgan of Albany, Slain at Glamorgan
  13. The Fall of King Iago, Who Died of the Lethargy
  14. The Fall of King Forrex, Slain by His Brother Porrex
  15. The Fall of King Porrex, Slain by His Mother and Her Maidens
  16. The Fall of King Pinnar, Slain by Mulmucius Donwallo
  17. The Fall of King Stater of Scotland, Slain by Mulmucius Donwallo
  18. The Fall of King Rudacke of Wales, Slain by Mulmucius Donwallo
  19. The Fall of King Brennus, Who Slew Himself at the Siege of Delphos
  20. The Fall of King Kimarus, Devoured by Wild Beasts
  21. The Fall of King Morindus, Devoured by a Monster
  22. The Fall of King Emerianus, Deposed for His Tyranny
  23. The Fall of King Chirinnus, Given to Drunkenness
  24. The Fall of King Varianus, Given to the Lusts of the Flesh
  25. The Fall of Duke Nennius, Death-Wounded by Julius Caesar
  26. The Fall of the Lord Irenglas, Slain by the Lord Elimine
  27. The Fall of Julius Caesar, Slain in the Senate House
  28. The Fall of Tiberius Nero, Emperor of Rome, Poisoned by Caligula
  29. The Fall of Caligula, Emperor of Rome, Slain by Cherea and Others
  30. The Fall of Guiderius, King of Britain, Slain by a Roman
  31. The Fall of Laelius Hamo, the Roman Captain
  32. The Fall of Claudius, Emperor of Rome, Poisoned by His Wife Agrippina
  33. The Fall of the Emperor Nero, Who Wickedly Lived and Slew Himself
  34. The Fall of Galba, Emperor of Rome, Slain by the Soldiers
  35. The Fall of Otho, Emperor of Rome, Who Slew Himself
  36. The Fall of Vitellius, Emperor of Rome, and His Unfortunate End
  37. The Fall of Londricus the Pict, Slain by King Marius of Britain
  38. The Fall of Severus, Emperor of Rome, Slain at York
  39. The Fall of Fulgentius the Scythian, Slain at the Siege of York
  40. The Fall of Geta, Slain in His Mother’s Arms by His Brother Antonine
  41. The Fall of Caracalla, Emperor of Rome, Slain by One of His Servants
  42. The Fall of Sir Nicholas Burdet, Chief Butler of Normandy, Slain at Pontoise

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