Surviving flies do curfes breathe, And maggots too at Cæsar : But George he fhav'd the dragon's beard, * And Afkelon was his razor. 400 St. George he was for England; St. Dennis was for France; Sing, Honi foit qui mal y penfe. *The name of St. George's fword. JOHN GRUBB, the facetious writer of the foregoing Song, makes a diftinguished figure among the Oxford wits Jo bumourously enumerated in the following diftich: Alma novem genuit célebres Rhedy cina poetas Bub, Stubb, Grubb, Crabb, Trap, Young, Carey, Tickel, Evans. Thefe were Bub Dodington (the late lord Melcombe), Dr. Stubbes, our poet GRUBB, Mr. Crabb, Dr. Trapp the poetry-profeffor, Dr. Edw. Young the author of NightThoughts, Walter Carey, Thomas Tickel, Efq; and Dr. Evans the epigrammatift. As for our poet GRUBB, all that we can learn further of him, is contained in a few extracts from the University Regifter, and from his epitaph. It appears from the former that he was matriculated in 1667, being the son of John Grubb, "de Acton Burnel in comitatu Salop. pauperis." He took bis degree of Bachelor of Arts, June 28, 1671: and became Mafter of Arts June 28, 1675. He was appointed Head Master of the Grammar School at Chrift Church: and afterwards chofen into the fame employment at Gloucefter, where he died in 1697, as appears from his monument in the church of St. Mary de Crypt in Gloucefter, which is infcribed with the following epitaph: H. S. E. This Balla!, which appeared in fome of the public news. papers in or before the year 1724, came from the pen of David Mallet, Efq; who in the edition of his poems, 3 vols. 1750, informs us that the plan was fuggefted by the four verfes quoted above in pag. 120, which he fuppofed to be the beginning of fome ballad now loft. " Thefe "Thefe lines, fays he, naked of ornament and fimple, as they 66 are, ftruck my fancy; and bringing fresh into my mind an "unhappy adventure much talked of formerly, gave birth "to the following poem, which was written many years ago." 66 The two introductory lines (and one or two others elfewhere) had originally more of the ballad fimplicity, viz. "When all was wrapt in dark midnight, "And all were fast asleep, &c. WAS at the filent folemn hour, When night and morning meet ; In glided Margaret's grimly ghost, When youth and years are flown: Her bloom was like the springing flower, That fips the filver dew; The rose was budded in her cheek, Juft opening to the view. 3 10 15 But But love had, like the canker worm, The rose grew pale, and left her cheek; "Awake! the cry'd, thy true love calls, "Come from her midnight grave; "Now let thy pity hear the maid, "Thy love refus'd to fave. "This is the dark and dreary hour, "When injur'd ghofts complain; "Now yawning graves give up their dead, "To haunt the faithless swain. "Bethink thee, William, of thy fault, "Thy pledge, and broken oath: 20 25 30 "And give me back my maiden vow, "And give me back my troth. "Why did you promife love to me, "And not that promise keep Why did you fwear mine eyes were bright, 35 "Yet leave thofe eyes to weep? "How could you fay my face was fair, "And yet that face forfake? "How could you win my virgin heart, "Yet leave that heart to break? 40 Why "Why did you fay my lip was fweet, "That face, alas! no more is fair; "Thefe lips no longer red: "Dark are my eyes, now clos'd in death, 66 And every charm is fled. "The hungry worm my fifter is ; "This winding-sheet I wear : 45 50% "And cold and weary lafts our night, "Till that last morn appear. "But hark! the cock has warn'd me hence! "A long and last adieu! "Come fee, falfe man, how low the lies, "Who dy'd for love of you." The lark fung loud; the morning smil❜d, With beams of rofy red: Pale William fhook in ev'ry limb, And raving left his bed. He hyed him to the fatal place, Where Margaret's body lay; And stretch'd him on the grass-green turf, That wrapt her breathlefs clay: |