7. Libeaux (Libeaus, or, Lybius) Difconius is preferved in the Editor's folio MS. (pag. 317.) where the first stanza is,

Jefus Chrift chriften kinge,

And his mother that fweete thinge,

Helpe them at their neede,

That will liften to my tale,

Of a Knight I will you tell,

A doughtye man of deede.

An older copy is preferved in the Cotton Library [Calig. A. 2. fol. 40.] but containing fuch innumerable variations, that it is apparently a different tranflation of fome old French original, which will account for the title of Le Beaux Defconus, or The Fair Unknown, The first line is,

Jefu Chrift our Savyour.

As for Pleindamour, or Blandamoure, no Romance with this title has been discovered; but as the word Blaundemere occurs in the Romance of Libius Difconius, in the Editor's folio MS. p. 319, he thought the name of Blandamoure (which was in all the editions of Chaucer he had then seen) might have fome reference to this. But Pleindamour, the name reitored by Mr. Tyrwhitt, is more remote.

8. Le Morte Arthure is among the Harl. MSS. 2252, $49. This is judged to be a tranflation from the French; Mr. Wanley thinks it no older than_the_time of Hen. vii. but it feems to be quoted in Syr Bevis, (Sign. K. ij. b.) It begins,

Lordinges, that are leffe and deare,

In the Library of Bennet Coll. Cambridge, No. 351, is a MS. intitled in the Catalogue Ada Arthuris Metrico Anglicano, but I know not its contents.

9. In the Editor's folio MS. are many Songs and Romances about King Arthur and his Knights, fome of which are very imperfect, as K. Arthur and the king of Cornwall, (pag. 24.) in stanzas of 4 lines, beginning, 'Come here,' my cozen Gawaine so gay.

The Turke and Gawain (p. 38.), in stanzas of 6 lines, beginning thus:

Liften lords great and small *.

but these are so imperfect that I do not make distinct articles of them. See alfo in this Volume, Book I. 'No. I. II. IV. V.

In the fame MS. p. 203, is the Greene Knight, in 2 Parts, relating a curious adventure of Sir Gawain, in stanzas of 6 lines, beginning thus:

Lift: wen Arthur he was k:

10. The Carle of Carlile is another romantic tale about Sir Gawain, in the fame MS. p. 448, in diftichs:

Liften: to me a litle stond.

In all these old poems the fame fet of knights are always reprefented with the fame manners and characters; which feem to have been as well known, and as diftinctly marked among our anceflors, as Homer's Heroes were among the Greeks: for, as UlyJes is always represented crafty, Achilles irafcible, and Ajax rough; fo Sir

*In the former editions, after the above, followed mention of a fragment in the fame MS. intitled, Sir Lionel, in diftichs (p. 32.); but this being only a short ballad, and not relating to K. Arthur, is here omitted.

VOL. III.

c 7

Gawain

Gawain is ever courteous and gentle, Sir Kay rugged and difobliging, &c. "Sir Gawain with his olde curtefie" is mentioned by Chaucer as noted to a proverb, in his Squire's Tale. Canterb. Tales, Vol. II. p. 104.

11. Syr Launfal, an excellent old Romance concerning another of K. Arthur's Knights, is preferved in the Cotton Library, Calig. A. 2. f. 33. This is a tranflation from the French (f), made by one Thomas Cheftre, who is fuppofed to have lived in the reign of Hen. vi. [See Tanner's Biblioth.] It is in ftanzas of 6 lines, and begins,

Be douzty Artours dawes.

The above was afterwards altered by fome Minstrel into the Romance of Sir Lamberwell, in 3 Parts, under which title it was more generally known (g). This is in the Editor's folio MS. p. 60, beginning thus:

Doughty in king Arthures dayes.

12. Eger and Grime, in 6 Parts (in the Editor's folio MS. p. 124), is a well invented tale of chivalry, scarce inferior to any of Ariofto's. This which was inadvertently omitted in the former editions of this lift, is in diftichs, and begins thus:

It fell fometimes in the Land of Beame.

13. The Romance of Merline, in 9 Parts (preferved in the fame folio MS. p. 145.), gives a curious account of the birth, parentage, and juvenile adventures of this famous British Prophet. In this poem the Saxons are called Sarazens; and the thrusting the rebel angels

(f) The French Original is preferved among the Harl. MSS. No. 978, 112, Lanval.

(g) See Lancham's Letter concern. Q. Eliz. entertainment at Killingworth, 1575, 12mo. p. 34.

out

out of Heaven is attributed to "oure Lady." It is in diftichs, and begins thus:

He that made with his hand.

There is an old Romance Of Arthour and of Merlin, in the Edinburgh MS. of old English Poems: I know not whether it has any thing in common with this last mentioned. It is in the volume numbered XXIII, and extends through 55 leaves. The two first lines are, Jefu Crift, heven king

Al ous graunt gode ending.

14. 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. I. Book III. No. VIII. It is preferved in MS. in the Library of Caius Coll. Camb. Clafs A. 9. (2.) and alfo in the Cotton Library, Calig. A. 12. (f. 128.) This is extremely different from the printed copy, E. g.

God Pat made both erpe and hevene.

15. Emarè, a very curious and ancient Romance, is preferved in the fame Vol. of the Cotton Library, f. 69. It is in ftanzas of 6 lines, and begins thus:

Jefu þat ys kyng in trone.

16. Chevelere affigne, or, The Knight of the Swan, preferved in the Cotton Library, has been already defcribed in Vol. II. ESSAY on P. Plowman's Metre, &c. as hath alfo

17. The Sege of Férlam, (or Jerufalem) which feems to have been written after the other, and may not im

properly

properly be claffed among the Romances; as may also the following, which is preferved in the fame volume:

viz.

18. Owaine Myles, (fol. 90.) giving an account of the wonders of St. Patrick's Purgatory. This is a tranflation into verfe of the story related in Mat. Paris's Hift. (fub Ann. 1153.)-It is in diftichs beginning thus:

God Pat ys fo full of myght.

In the fame Manufcript are three or four other narrative poems, which might be reckoned among the Romances, but being rather religious Legends, I fhall barely mention them; as, Tundale, f. 17. Trentale Sci Gregorii, f. 84. Jerome, f. 133. Euftache, f. 136.

19. Octavian imperator, an ancient Romance of Chivalry, is in the fame vol. of the Cotton Library, f. 20.-Notwithstanding the name, this old poem has nothing in common with the hiftory of the Roman Emperors. It is in a very peculiar kind of Stanza, whereof 1, 2, 3, & 5, rhyme together, as do the 4 and 6. It begins thus:

Thefu Pat was with spere yftonge.

In the public Library at Cambridge (b), is a poem with the fame title, that begins very differently:

Lyttyll and mykyll, olde and yonge.

20. Eglamour of Artas (or Artoys) is preserved in the fame Vol. with the foregoing, both in the Cotton Library, and public Library at Cambridge. It is alfo in the Editor's folio MS. p. 295, where it is divided into

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