All sore astonied stood the duke;

He stood as still, as still mote bee:
Then hastend backe to telle the kinge;

But he was gone from under the tree.

But to what place he cold not tell,

For never after hee did him spye:

But hee sawe a barge goe from the land,

175

And hee heard ladyes howle and crye.* 180

And whether the kinge were there, or not,
Hee never knewe, nor ever colde :

For from that sad and direfulle daye,
Hee never more was seene on molde.

Ver. 178. see MS.

*Not unlike that passage in Virgil: Summoque ulularunt vertice nympho.

LADIES was the word our old English writers used for NYMPHS: As in the following lines of an old song in the Editor's folio MS.

"When scorching Phoebus he did mount,
"Then Lady Venus went to hunt:

"To whom Diana did resort,

"With all the Ladyes of hills, and valleys,
"Of springs, and floodes, &c."

V.

THE LEGEND OF KING ARTHUR.

We have here a short summary of K. Arthur's History as given by Jeff. of Monmouth and the old Chronicles, with the addition of a few circumstances from the romance Morte Arthur.-The ancient chronicle of Ger. de Leew (quoted above in p. 68) seems to have been chiefly followed: upon the authority of which we have restored some of the names which were corrupted in the MS. and have transposed one stanza, which appeared to be misplaced, viz. that beginning at v. 49, which in the MS. followed v. 36.] Printed from the Editor's ancient folio Manuscript.

Or Brutus' blood, in Brittaine borne,
King Arthur I am to name;

Through Christendome, and Heathynesse,
Well knowne is my worthy fame.

In Jesus Christ I doe beleeve;
I am a christyan bore:

The Father, Sone, and Holy Gost
One God, I doe adore.

5

* Ver. 1. Bruite his. MS.

In the four hundred ninetieth yeere,

Over Brittaine I did rayne,
After my savior Christ his byrth:

What time I did maintaine

The fellowshipp of the table round,

10

Ver. 9. He began his reign A. D. 515, according to the Chronicles. V. 23. She is named Igerna in the old Chroni

cles.

Ver. 24. his, MS.

All Scotland then throughe manly feats
I conquered with my hand.

Ireland, Denmarke, Norway,
These countryes wan I all;
Iseland, Gotheland, and Swethland;

And made their kings my thrall.

35

I conquered all Gallya,

That now is called France;

And slew the hardye Froll in feild

40

My honor to advance.

And the ugly gyant Dynabus

Soe terrible to vewe,

That in Saint Barnards mount did lye,
By force of armes I slew:

And Lucyus the emperour of Rome

I brought to deadly wracke;
And a thousand more of noble knightes

For feare did turne their backe:

Five kinges of 'paynims' I did kill
Amidst that bloody strife;
Besides the Grecian emperour
Who alsoe lost his liffe.

Ver. 39. Froland field, MS. Froll, according to the Chronicles, was a Roman knight governor of Gaul.

Ver. 41. Danibus, MS.

Ver. 49. of Pavye, MS.

Whose carcasse I did send to Rome

Cladd poorlye on a beere ;
And afterward I past Mount-Joye
The next approaching yeere.

Then I came to Rome, where I was mett
Right as a conquerour,

And by all the cardinalls solempnelye

I was crowned an emperour.

One winter there I made abode :

Then word to mee was brought

Howe Mordred had oppressd the crowne:
What treason he had wrought

55

60

For there my nephew sir Gawaine dyed,

Being wounded in that sore,

The whiche sir Lancelot in fight

Had given him before.

75