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13. Sir Ifenbras, (or as it is in the MS. copies, Sir Ifumbras) is quoted in Chaucer's R. of Thop. v. 6. Among Mr. Garrick's old plays is a printed copy, of which an account has been already given, in Vol. 1. p. 283. It is preferved in MS. in the Library of Caius Coll. Camb. Class A. 9. (2.) and alfo in the Cotton Library, Cal. A. 12. (f. 128.) This is extremely different from the printed copy. E. g.

God þat made both erpe and hevene.

14. Emarè, a very cur ious and ancient Romance, is preferved in the fame Vol. of the Cotton Library, f. 69. It is in flan. of 6 lines, and begins thus,

Jefu þat ys kyng in trone,

15. Chevelere affigne, or, The Knight of the Swan, preferved in the Cotton Library has been already defcribed in Vol. 2. p. 263. as hath alfo

16. The Sege of Jerlam, (or Jerusalem) which feems to have been written after the other, and may not improperly be claffed among the Romances: as may also the following which is preferved in the fame Volume: viz.

17. Owaine Myles, (fol. 90.) giving an account of the wonders of St. Patrick's Purgatory. This is a tranflation into erfe of the ftory related in Mat. Paris's Hift.-It is in dif tichs beginning thus,

God þat ys fo full of myght.

In the fame Manufcript are one or two other narrative poems, which might be reckoned among the Romances, but being rather religious Legends, I shall barely mention them; as, Tundale, f. 17. Trentale Sci Gregorii. f. 84. Jerome. f133. Eustache. f. 136.

3

18.

18. Octavian imperator, an ancient Romance of Chivalry is in the fame vol. of the Cotton Library, f. 20.—Notwithflanding the name, this old poem has nothing in common with the biftory of the Roman Emperors. It is in a very peculiar kind of Stanza, whereof 1, 2, 3, & 5, rhime together, as do the 4, and 6. It begins

Ihefu þat was with fpere ystonge.

In the public Library at Camb. * is a poem with the fame title, that begins very differently,

Lyttyll and mykyll, olde and yonge.

19. Eglamour of Artas (or Artoys) is preserved in the fame Vol. with the foregoing both in the Cotton Library, and public Library at Camb. It is alfo in the Editor's folio MS. p. 295. where it is divided into 6 Parts.—A printed Copy is in the Bodleian Library, C. 39. Art. Seld. And among Mr. Garrick's old plays, K, vol. X. It is in diftichs, and begins

Thefu Crift of heven kyng.

zo. Syr Triamore (in flan. of 6 Lines) is preferved in MS. in the Editor's folio Volume, p. 210. and in the public Library at Camb. (690. §. 29. Vid. Cat. MSS. p. 394.)—Two printed Copies are extant in the Bodleian Library, and among Mr. Garrick's plays in the fame volumes with the last article. Both the Editor's MS. and the printed Copies begin

Nowe Jefu Chryfte our heven kynge.

The Cambridge Copy, thus,

Heven blys that all fhall wynne,

* No. 690. (30,) Vid. Oxon. Catalog, MSS, p. 394

21. Sir Degree (Degare, or Degore, which last seems the true title) in 5 Parts, in diflichs, is prefer-ved in the Editor's folio MS. p. 371, and in the public Library at Camb. (ubi fupra.)-A printed Copy is in the Bod. Library, C. 39. Art. Seld. And among Mr. Garrick's plays K. vol. IX. Editor's MS. and the printed Copies begin

Lordings, and you wyl holde you ftyl.

The Cambridge MS. has it

Lyftenyth, lordyngis, gente and fre.

The

22. Ipomydon, (or Chylde Ipomydon) is preferved among the Harl. MSS. 2252. (44) It is in diflicks and begins,

Mekely, lordyngis, gentylle and fre.

In the Library of Lincoln Cathedral. K k. 3. 10. is an old imperfect printed Copy, wanting the whole firft feet A.

23. The Squyr of Lowe degre, is one of those burlefqued by Chaucer in his R. of Thopas *—Mr. Garrick has a printed Copy of this, among his old plays, K. Vol. IX. It begins

It was a fquyer of lowe dégre,

That loved the kings daughter of Hungre.

24. Hiftorye of K. Richard Cure [Caur] de lyon. [Impr. W. de Worde, 1528. 410.] is preferved in the Bodleian Library, C. 39. Art. Selden. A large Extract from this Romance has been given already above p. Richard was the peculiar patron of Chivalry, and therefore was a favourite with the old Minstrels. See Warton's Obferv. V. 1. p. 29. V. 2. p. 40.

.

25. The following I have not feen, but I believe they may all be referred to the Clays of Romances.

* Sce Mr. Warton's Obfervat. Vol. I. p. 139. note.

The

The Knight of Courtefy and the Lady of Faguel (Bodl. Lib. C. 39. Art. Seld. a printed Copy.) This Mr. Warton thinks is the Story of Coucy's Heart, related in Fauchet, and in Howel's Letters. [V. 1. S. 6. L. 20. See Wart. Obs. V. 2. p. 40.] The Editor has feen a very beautiful old ballad on this fubject in French.

26. The four following are all preferved in the MS f. often referred to in the public Library at Camb. (690. Appendix to Bp. More's MSS. in Cat. MSS. Tom. 2. p. 394.) viz. The Erle of Tholoufe. (N. 27.) beginning

Jefu Chryfte in Trynyte.

27. Roberd Kynge of Cyfyll (or Sicily) fhewing the fall of Pride. Of this there is also a Copy among the Harl. MSS. 1703. (3.) The Camb. MS. begins

Princis that be prowde in prefe.

28. Le bone Florence of Rome, beginning thus

As ferre as men ride or gone.

29. Dioclefian the Emp. beginning

Sum tyme ther was a noble man.

30. The two knightly brothers Amys and Amelion (among the Harl. MSS. 2386. §. 42.) I suppose to be an old Romance of Chivalry; as alfo the fragment of the Lady Belefant, the Duke of Lombardy's fair daughter, mentioned in the fame article. See the Catalog. Vol. 2.

THE BOY

I.

THE BOY AND THE MANTLE,

--

· Is printed verbatim from the old MS defcribed in the Preface. The Editor believes it more ancient, than it will appear to be at first fight; the tranfcriber of that manuscript baving reduced the orthography and ftyle in many inftances to the ftandard of his own times.

The incidents of the MANTLE and the KNIFE have not, that I can recollect, been borrowed from any other writer. The former of thefe evidently fuggefted to Spenfer his conceit of FLORIMEL'S GIRDLE. B. iv. C. 5. St. 3.

That girdle gave the virtue of chafte love
And wivebood true to all that did it beare;
But whofoever contrarie doth prove,
Might not the fame about her middle were,
But it would loofe or else afunder teare.
So it happened to the falfe Florimel, ft. 16, when
Being brought, about her middle small
They thought to gird, as beft it her became,
But by no means they could it thereto frame,
For ever as they faftned it, it loos'd
And fell away, as feeling fecret blame, &c.
That all men wondred at the uncouth fight
And each one thought as to their fancies came.
But she herself did think it done for Spight,
And touched was with fecret wrath and shame
Therewith, as thing deviz'd her to defame:
Then many other ladies likewife tride
About their tender loynes to knit the fame,
But it would not on none of them abide,

But when they thought it faft, eftfoones it was unside.
Thereat all knights gan laugh and ladies lowre,

Till that at last the gentle Amoret

VOL. I.

B

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