I'll neir forget the dreiry day On which the zouth was flain.* The foregoing ballad is faid to have furnished the plot to the tragedy of DOUGLAS. It may be proper to mention that other copies read ver. 110. thus "Shot frae the golden fun." And ver. 116. as follows "His een like azure Sheene." THE END OF THE FIRST BOOK. -contains a fhort fummary of the exploits of this famous champion, as recorded in the old story books; and is commonly intitled, "A pleafant fong of the valiant deeds "of chivalry atchieved by that noble knight fir Guy of "Warwick, who, for the love of fair Phelis, became a VOL. I. H 4 « hermit, "hermit, and dyed in a cave of craggy rocke, a mile diftant from Warwick." The hiftory of fir Guy, the now very properly refigned to children, was once admired by all readers of wit and taste: for tafte and wit had once their childhood. Tho' of English growth, it was early a favourite with other nations: it appeared in French in 1525 and is alluded to the old Spanish romance Tirante el blanco, which it is believed was written not long after the year 1430. See advertisement to the French tranflation, 2 vols. 12mo.. The original whence all thefe ftories is extracted is a very ancient romance in old English verje, which is quoted by Chaucer as a celebrated piece even in his time, (viz. "Men Speken of romances of price, Of Horne childe and Ippctis, R. of Thop.) and was ufually jung to the harp at Christmas dinners and brideales, as we learn from Puttenham's art of poetry, 4to. 1589. 66 This ancient romance is not wholly loft. An imperfect copy in black letter," Imprynted at London ---- for Wylliam Copland." in 34 feets 4to. without date, is fill preferved among Mr. Garrick's collection of old plays. As a specimen of the poetry of this antique rhymer, take his defcription of the dragon mentioned in ver. 105 of the following ballad, "A menger came to the king. Syr king, he fayd, lyften me now, "His bodye from the navill upwarde "His neck is great as any fummere ; "He renneth as fwifte as any distrere; "All that he toucheth he fleath dead downe. The accurate Dugdale is of opinion that the ftory of Guy is not wholly apocryphal, tho' he acknowledges the monks have founded out his praifes too hyperbolically. In particular, he gives the duel fought with the Danish champion as a real historical truth, and fixes the date of it in the year 929, Etat. Guy, 70. See his Warwickshire. The following is written upon the fame plan, as ballad V. Book I. but which is the original and which the copy, cannot be decided. This fong is ancient, as may be inferred from the idiom preferved in the margin, ver. 94. 102: and was once popular, as appears from Fletcher's Knight of the burning pestle, act. 2. fc. ult. Printed from an ancient MS copy in the Editor's old folio volume, collated with two printed ones, one of which is in black letter in the Pepys collection. W A S ever knight for ladyes fake Soe toft in love, as I fir Guy For Phelis fayre, that lady bright As ever man beheld with eye? Shee gave me leave myfelf to try, The valiant knight with fheeld and speare, Which made mee venture far and neare. 5 Then Then proved I a baron bold, In deeds of armes the doughtyeft knight An English man I was by birthe: I fought by proweffe to fubdue. Nine' hundred twenty yeere and odde After our Saviour Christ his birthe, When king Athèlftone wore the crowne, I lived heere upon the earthe. Sometime I was of Warwicke erle, And, as I fayd, of very truthe A ladyes love did me constraine To feeke strange ventures in my youthe. Ver.9.The proud fir Guy. P. Ver.17.Two hundred. MS and P. |