**During the Saxon heptarchy, the kingdom of Northumberland (confifling of northern counties, befides part of Scotland) was for a long time divided into two leffer fovereignties, viz. Deira (called here Diria) which contained the fouthern parts, and Bernicia, comprehending those which lay nerth. XXV. CORIN's FATE. Only the three firft ftanzas of this fong are ancient; these are extracted from a small quarto MS. in the Editor's pofJeffion, written in the time of 2. Elizabeth. As they feemed to want application, this has been attempted by a modern band. ORIN, most unhappie swaine, COR Whither wilt thou drive thy flocke ? Little foode is on the plaine ; Full of danger is the rocke: Wolfes and beares doe kepe the woodes ; Forefts tangled are with brakes: 5 Meadowes fubject are to floodes; Moores are full of miry lakes. Yet Yet to fhun all plaine, and hill, Forest, moore, and meadow-ground, Hunger will as furely kill : How may then reliefe be found? Such is hapless Corins fate : Since my waywarde love begunne, Equall doubts begett debate 10 15 What to feeke, and what to fhunne. Spare to fpeke, and fpare to fpeed; Yet her fight augments my paine. What may then poor Corin doe? For to linger thus in woe Is the lover's fharpest hell. 20 XXVI. JANE XXVI. JANE SHORE. Though fo many vulgar errers have prevailed concerning this celebrated courtezan, no character in hiftory has been more perfectly handed down to us. We bave her portrait drawn by two masterly pens; the one has delineated the features of her perfon. the other thofe of her character and story. Sir Thomas More drew from the life, and Drayton has copied an original picture of her. The reader will pardon the length of the quotations. as they ferve to correct many popular mistakes relating to her catastrophe. The first is from Sir Thomas MORE's hifiory of Rich. III. written in 1513, about thirty years after the death of Edw. IV. 66 66 66 "Now then by and by, as it wer for anger, not for covetife, the protector fent into the house of Shores wife (for her husband dwelled not with her) and fpoiled her of al that 66 ever he had, (above the value of 2 or 3 thousand marks) "and fent her body to prifon. And when he had a while laide unto her, for the maner fake. that she went about to bewitch him, and that he was of counfel with the lord chamberlein to defroy him: in conclufion when that no colour could faften upon thefe matters, then he layd heinously to her charge "the thing that berfelfe could not deny, that al the world wift was true, and that natheles every man laughed at to here "it then fo fodainly fo highly taken, that he was naught of her body. And for thys caufe (as a goodly continent "prince, clene and fautlefs of himself, fent cute of heaven into "this vicious world for the amendment of mens maners) he "caufed the bishop of London to put her to open pennance, go 66 (6 ing before the craffe in procefion upon a fonday with a taper 66 66 her And "in her hand. In which he went in countenance and pace "demure fo womanly; and albeit she was out of al array "Save her kyrtle only, yet went fhe fo fair and lovely, namelye, while the wondering of the people cafte a comly rud in "her chekes (of which he before had most mile) that her great shame wan her much praise among thofe that were more amorous of her body, then curious of her foule. many good folke alfo, that hated her living, and glad wer "to fe fin corrected, yet pittied thei more penance then re"joiced therin, when thei confi ired that the protector pro"cured it more of a corrupt intent, then any virtuous affeccion. "This woman was born in London, worshipfully frended, "boneftly brought up, and very wel maryed, faving fome"what to fomne; her husbande an honeft citizen, yonge, and goodly, and of good fubftance. But forafmuche as they were coupled ere he wer wel ripe, he not very fervently "loved, for whom he never longed. Which was bappely "the thinge, that the more eafily made her encline unto the king's appetite, when he required her. Howbeit the refpect "of his royaltie, the hope of gay apparel, eafe, plefure, and "other wanton welth, was able foone to perfe a foft tender "hearte. But when the king had abused her, anon her bufband (as he was an honest man, and one that could his good, not prefuming to touch a kinges concubine) left her up to him al together. When the king died, the lord "chamberlen [Haftings] toke her * : which in the kinges daies, albeit he was fore enamoured upon her, yet he forbare " her, .、 66 *After the death of Haflings, she was kept by the marquis of Dorfet, Jon to Edward IV's queen. In Rymer's Foedera is a proclamation of Richard's, dated at Leicester, Oct. 2, 1483, wherein a reward of 1000 marks in money, or 100 a year in land is offered for taking" Thomas late marquis of Dorfet," who, "not having the fear of God, nor the fal "vation of his own foul, before his eyes, has damnably debauched and "defiled many maids, widows, and wives, and LIVED IN ACTUAL 66 ADULTERY WITH THE WIFE OF SHORE." Buckingham was at that time in rebellion, but as Dorfet was not with him, Richard could not accufe him of treafon, and therefore made a handle of these pretended debaucheries to get him apprehended. Vide Rym. Ead tam. xij. pag. 204 "her, either for reverence, or for a certain frendly faithful 66 ness. "Proper he was, and faire: nothing in her body that you "wold have changed, but if you would have wished her "Somewhat higher. Thus Jay thei that knew her in her youthe. Albeit fome that NOW SEE HER (FOR YET SHE "LIVETH) deme her never to have bene wel visaged. "Whole jugement feemeth me fomewhat like, as though men Should geffe the bewty of one longe before departed, by her "Scalpe taken out of the charnel house; for now is the old, "lene, withered, and dried up, nothing left but ryvilde skin, "and hard bone. And yet being even fuch, whofo wel ad"vife her vifage, might geffe and devife which partes how filled. wold make it a fair face. 46 66 "Yet delited not men fo much in her bewty, as in her plea"fant behaviour. For a proper wit had she, and could both "rede wel and write; mery in company, redy and quick of "aunfwer, neither mute nor ful of bable; fometime taunting "without difpleafure, and not without difport. The king "would fay, That he bad three concubines, which in three "divers properties diverfly excelled. One the merieft, an"other the wilieft, the thirde the holiest harlot in his realme, as one whom no man could get out of the church lightly to any place, but it wer to his bed. The other two wer "fomwhat greater perfonages, and natheles of their humilite "content to be nameles, and to forbere the praife of those properties; but the merieft was the Shoris wife, in whom the "king therfore toke Special pleafure. For many he had, "but her he loved, whofe favour, to fai the trouth (for finne it wer to belie the devil) he never abufed to any mans hurt, but to many a mans comfort and relief. Where "the king toke difpleafure, he would mitigate and appease "his mind: where men were out of favour, she wold bring them in his grace: for many, that had highly offended, Shee obtained pardon of great forfeitures the gate men "remiffion: and finally in many weighty futes fhe flode many men in gret fcde, either for none or very fmal rewardes, "and thofe rather gay than rich either for that he was 66 86 66 66 con |