Beneath the Line, to lend of light a share.
For then with us the days more darkish are,
More short, cold, moist, and stormy, cloudy, clit,
For sadness more than mirths or pleasures fit.

Devising then what Books were best to read,
Both for that time, and sentence grave also,
For conference of friend to stand in stead,
When I my faithful friend was parted fro;
I gat me strait the Printers shops unto,
To seek some Work of price I surely ment,
That might alone my careful mind content.

And then he declareth how there he found the first part of this Mirrour
for Magistrates, which yet took beginning from the time of King
_Richard_ the Second; But he knowing many Examples of famous persons
before _William_ the Conquerour, which were wholly omitted, he set upon
the Work, and beginning from _Brute_, continued it to _Aurelius
Bassianus Caracalla_ Emperour of _Rome_, about the year of Christ 209.
shewing in his Writings a great deal of Wisdom and Learning. He
flourished about the beginning of the Reign of Queen _Elizabeth_.

* * * * *




_ABRAHAM FRAUNCE_.