University of Virginia Library

The incidents in this, and the other ballad of St. George and the Dragon, are chiefly taken from the old story-book of the Seven Champions of Christendome; which, tho' now the play-thing of children, was once in high repute. Bp. Hall in his satires, published in 1597, ranks

“St. George's sorell, and his cross of blood”

among the most popular stories of his time: and an ingenious critic thinks that Spencer himself did not disdain to borrow hints from it ; tho' I much doubt whether this popular romance were written so early as the Faery Queen.

The author of this book of the Seven Champions was one Richard Johnson, who lived in the reigns of Elizabeth

and James, as we collect from his other publications: viz.—“The nine worthies of London: 1592. 4to.—“The pleasant walks of Moor-fields: 1607. 4to.—“A crown garland of Goulden Roses, gathered, &c. 1612. 8vo.—“The life and death of Rob. Cecill, E. of Salisbury: 1612. 4to.—“The hist. of Tom of Lincoln, 4to.” is also by R. J. who likewise reprinted “Don Flores of Greece, 4to.”

The Seven Champions, tho' written in a wild inflated style, contains some strong Gothic painting; which seems, for the most art, copied from the metrical romances of former ages. At least the story of St. George and the fair Sabra, is taken almost verbatim from the old poetical legend of “Syr Bevis of Hampton.”

This very antique poem was in great fame in Chaucer's time, [see above pag. 100.] and so continued till the introduction of printing, when it ran thro' several editions; two of which are in black letter, 4to, “imprinted by Wyllyam “Copland” without date; containing great variations.

As a specimen of the poetic powers of this very old rhimist, and as a proof how closely the author of the Seven Champions has followed him, take a description of the dragon slain by sir Bevis.

“—Whan the dragon, that foule is,

Sign. K. iv.

Sir Bevis's dragon is evidently the parent of that in the Seven Champions, see Chap. III. viz. “The dragon no sooner had a sight of him [St. George] but he gave such a terrible peal, as though it had thundered in the elements. . . . . Betwixt his shoulders and his tail were fifty feet in distance, his scales glistering as bright as silver, but far more hard than brass; his belly of the colour of gold, but bigger than a tun. Thus weltered he from his den, &c. . . . . The champion . . . gave the dragon such a thrust with his spear, that it shivered in a thousand pieces: whereat the furious dragon so fiercely smote him with his venomous tail, that down fell man and horse; in which fall two of St. Georges ribs were sore bruised, &c.—At length . . . St. George smote the dragon under the wing where it was tender without scale, whereby his good sword Ascalon with an easie passage went to the very hilt through both the dragon's heart, liver, bone and blood—Then St. George—cut off the dragon's head and pitcht it upon the truncheon of a spear, &c.”

The History of the Seven Champions being written just before the decline of books of chivalry was never, I believe, translated into any foreign language: But “Le Roman de Beuves of Hantonne,” was published at Paris in 1502, 4to. Let. Gothique.

The learned Selden tells us that about the time of the Norman invasion was Bevis famous with the title of Earl of Southampton, whose residence was at Dunction in Wiltshire; but observes that the monkish enlargements of his story, have made his very existence doubted. See Notes on Poly-Olbion, Song III.

As for the martial History of St. George, it is given up as entirely apocryphal. The equestrian figure, worn by the knights of the garter, has been understood to be an emblem of the christian warrior, in his spiritual armour, vanquishing the old serpent. But a learned writer has lately shewn that it is neither more nor less, than a charm or amulet borrowed from some eastern heretics; which having been originally worn as a protection from the malignity of the air, at length was considered as a preservative from wounds, and a means to insure victory in battle. For it seems the ancient orientals represented the sun by a man on horseback; the sun's rays by a spear; and any noxious exhalation by a serpent.

It cannot be denied, but that a great part of the following ballad is modern: for which reason it would have been thrown to the end of the volume, had not its subject procured it a place here.

The following ballad is given (with some corrections) from two ancient black-letter copies in the Pepys Collection: one of which is in 12 mo, the other in folio.

This excellent song is ancient: but we could only give it from modern copies.

—seems to be composed (not without improvements) out of two ancient English ones, printed in the former part of this volume. See book I. ballad XV. and book II. ballad IV.—If this had been the original, the authors of these two ballads would hardly have adopted two such different stories: besides, this contains enlargements not to be found in either of the others. It is given with some corrections, from a MS. copy transmitted from Scotland.

This little beautiful sonnet is reprinted from a small volume of “Poems by Thomas Carew, Esq; one of the gentlemen of the privie-chamber, and fewer in ordinary to his majesty (Charles I). Lond. 1640.” This elegant, and almost-forgotten writer, whose poems deserve to be revived, died in the prime of his age, in 1639.

In the original follows a third stanza, which not being of general application, nor of equal merit, I have ventured to omit.

The subject of this ballad is sufficiently popular from the modern play which is founded upon it. This was written by George Lillo a jeweller of London, and first acted about 1730.—As for the ballad, it was printed at least as early as the middle of the last century.

It is here given from three old printed copies, which exhibit a strange intermixture of Roman and black letter. It is also collated with another copy in the Ashmole collection at Oxford, which is thus intitled, “An excellent ballad of George Barnwell, an apprentice of London, who . . . thrice robbed his master and murdered his vncle in Ludlow. The tune is “The Merchant.”

This tragical narrative seems to relate a real fact; but when it happened I have not been able to discover.

These beautiful Stanzas were written by George Wither, of whom some account was given in the former part of this Volume; see the song intitled, The Shepherds Resolution, p. 190. In our first Edition only a small Fragment of this Sonnet had been recovered, but we are now able to give it more perfect and intire by the insertion of five additional Stanzas: These are extracted from Wither's Pastoral Poem, The Mistress of Philarete; of which this Song makes a part. There were two or three other Stanzas, but as they appeared to be of inferior merit, were not adopted.

The subject of this ballad is taken from a folio collection of tragical stories, intitled “The theatre of God's judgments, by Dr. Beard and Dr. Taylor, 1642. Pt. 2. p. 89.—The text is given (with some corrections) from two copies; one of them in black letter in the Pepys collection. In this every stanza is accompanied with the following distich by way of burden,

From a Manuscript copy communicated to the Editor.

The ladies are indebted for the following notable documents to the Pepys collection, where the original is preserved in black-letter, and is intitled, “A looking-glass for ladies, or a mirrour for married women. Tune Queen Dido, or Troy town.”

By Col. Richard Lovelace: from the volume of his poems intitled, “Lucasta, Lond. 1649.” 12mo. The elegance of this writer's manner would be more admired, if it had somewhat more of simplicity.

It would be in vain to put off this ballad for ancient, nor yet is it altogether modern. The original is an old MS poem in the Editor's possession; which being in a wretched corrupt state, the subject was thought worthy of some embellishments.

The old story-book of Valentine and Orson (which suggested the plan of this tale, but it is not strictly followed in it) was originally a translation from the French, being one of their earliest attempts at romance.

The circumstance of the bridge of bells is taken from the old metrical legend of Sir Bevis, and has also been copied in the Seven Champions. The original lines are,

Sign. E. iv.

This humorous song (as a former Editor has well observed) is to old metrical romances and ballads of chivalry, what Don Quixote is to prose narratives of that kind:—a lively satire on their extravagant fictions. But altho' the satire is thus general; the subject of this ballad seems local and peculiar; so that many of the finest strokes of humour are lost for want of our knowing the particular facts

to which they allude. These we have in vain endeavoured to recover; and are therefore obliged to acquiesce in the common account; namely, that this ballad alludes to a contest at law between an overgrown Yorkshire attorney and a neighbouring gentleman. The former, it seems, had stript three orphans of their inheritance, and by his incroachments and rapaciousness was become a nusance to the whole country; when the latter generously espoused the cause of the oppressed, and gained a complete victory over his antagonist, who with meer spite and vexation broke his heart.

In handling this subject the Author has brought in most of the common incidents which occur in Romance. The description of the dragon —his outrages—the people flying to the knight for succour—his care in chusing his armour—his being drest for fight by a young damsel—and most of the circumstances of the battle and victory (allowing for the burlesque turn given to them) are what occur in every book of chivalry whether in prose or verse.

If any one piece, more than other, is more particularly levelled at, it seems to be the old rhiming legend of sir Bevis. There a Dragon is attacked from a Well in a manner not very remote from this of the ballad:

This seems to be meant by the Dragon of Wantley's stink, ver. 110. As the politick knight's creeping out, and attacking the dragon, &c. seems evidently to allude to the following,

Sign. M. jv. L. j. &c.

After all, perhaps the writer of this ballad was acquainted with the above incidents only thro' the medium of Spenser, who has assumed most of them in his Faery Queen. At least some particulars in the description of the Dragon, &c. seem evidently borrowed from the latter, See Book 1. Canto 11. where the Dragon's “two wynges like sayls—huge long tayl—with stings—his cruel-rending clawes—and yron teeth—his breath of smothering smoke and sulphur”—and the duration of the fight for upwards of two days, bear a great resemblance to passages in the following ballad; though it must be confessed that these particulars are common to all old writers of Romance.

The following ballad appears to have been written late in the last century; at least we have met with none but modern copies: the text is given from one in Roman letter in the Pepys collection, collated with two or three others.

Since the first Edition was printed off, the Editor has been favoured with some curious particulars relating to the foregoing Song, which are here given in the words of the Relater.

“In Yorkshire, six miles from Rotherham, is a village, called Wortley, the seat of the late Wortley Montague, Esq; About a mile from this village is a lodge, called Warncliff Lodge, but vulgarly called Wantley: here lies the scene of the Song. I was there above forty years ago; and it being a woody, rocky place, my friend made me clamber over rocks and stones, not telling me to what end, till I came to a sort of a cave; then asked my opinion of the place, and pointing to one end, says, Here lay the Dragon killed by Moor of Moor-hall: here lay his head; here lay his tail; and the stones we came over on the hill, are those he could not crack; and yon white house you see half a mile off, is Moor-hall. I had dined at the lodge, and knew the man's name was Matthew, who was a keeper to Mr. Wortley, and, as he endeavoured to persuade me, was the same Matthew mentioned in the Song: In the house is the picture of the Dragon and Moor of Moor-hall, and near it a Well, which, says he, is the Well described in the Ballad.”

As the former song is in ridicule of the extravagant incidents in old ballads and metrical romances; so this is a burlesque of their style; particularly of the rambling transitions and wild accumulation of unconnected parts, so frequent in many of them.

This ballad is given from an old black-letter copy in the Pepys collection, “imprinted at London, 1612.” It is more ancient than many of the preceding; but we place it here for the sake of connecting it with the Second Part.

—was written by John Grubb, M. A. of Christ Church, Oxford. The occasion of its being composed is said to have been as follows. A set of gentlemen of the university had formed themselves into a Club, all the members of which were to be of the name of George: Their anniversary feast was to be held on St. George's day. Old Grubb of Christ Church solicited strongly to be admitted; but his name being unfortunately John, this disqualification was not without great difficulty dispensed with; and at last only upon this condition, that he would compose a song in honour of their Patron Saint, and would every year produce one or more new stanzas, to be sung on their annual festival. This gave birth to the following humorous performance, the several stanzas of which were the produce of many successive anniversaries.

All that we can learn further concerning this facetious writer is contained in a few extracts from the university Register; by which it appears that he was matriculated in 1667, aged 20 years, being the son of John Grubb “de Acton Burnel in Comitatu Salop. pauperis.” He took his degree of Batchelor of Arts, June 7, 1671; and became Master of Arts, June 28, 1675. He was still living in Oxford, when the following humorous Distich was written,

These were Bub Dodington (the late Lord Melcombe,) Dr. Stubbes, our Poet Grubb, Mr. Crabb, Dr. Trapp the Poetry Professor, Dr. Edw. Young the Poet, Walter Carey, Thomas Tickel, Esq; and Dr. Evans the Epigrammatist.

The Editor has never met with any two copies of the following ballad in which the stanzas were ranged alike, he has therefore thrown them into what seemed to him the most natural order. The verses were originally written in long lines as Alexandrines, but the narrowness of the page made it necessary to subdivide them.

In this second Edition the Reader will find many improvements, which the Editor received from an ingenious friend.

—was written by Thomas Tickel, Esq; the celebrated friend of Mr. Addison, and editor of his works. He was son of a Clergyman in the north of England, had his education at Queen's college Oxon, was under-secretary to Mr. Addison and Mr. Craggs, when successively secretaries of state; and was lastly (in June, 1724) appointed secretary to the Lords Justices in Ireland, which place he held till his death in 1740. He acquired Mr. Addison's patronage by a poem in praise of the opera of Rosamond written while he was at the University.

This Ballad, which appeared in some of the public newspapers in or before the year 1724, came from the pen of David Mallet, Esq; who in the edition of his poems, 3 vols. 1759, informs us that the plan was suggested by the four verses quoted above in pag. 119, which he supposed to be the beginning of some ballad now lost.

“These lines, says he, naked of ornament and simple, as they are, struck 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.”

The two introductory lines (and one or two others elsewhere) had originally more of the ballad simplicity, viz.

Mr. Warton, in his ingenious Observations on Spenser, has given his opinion that the fiction of the Boy and the Mantle is taken from an old French piece intitled Le court mantel quoted by M. de St. Palaye in his curious “Memoires sur l' ancienne Chevalerie,” Paris, 1759. 2 tom. 12mo. who tells us the story resembles that of Ariosto's inchanted cup. 'Tis possible our English poet may have taken the hint of this subject from that old French Romance, but he does not appear to have copied it in the manner of execution: to which (if one may judge from the specimen given in the Memoires) that of the ballad does not bear the least resemblance. After all 'tis most likely that all the old stories concerning K. Arthur are originally of British growth, and that what the French and other southern nations have of this kind were at first exported from this island. See Memoires de l' Acad. des Inscrip. tom. xx. p. 352.

The learned editor of the Specimens of Welch Poetry, 4to. informs me that the story of the Boy and the Mantle is taken from what is related in some of the old Welsh MSS. of Tegan Earfron, one of King Arthur's mistresses. She is said to have possessed a mantle that would not fit any immodest or incontinent woman; this (which, the old writers say, was reckoned among the curiosities of Britain) is frequently alluded to by the old Welsh Bards.

Carleile, so often mentioned in the Ballads of K. Arthur, the editor once thought might probably be a corruption of Caer-leon, an ancient British city on the river Uske in Monmouthshire, which was one of the places of K. Arthur's chief residence; but he is now convinced, that it is no other than Carlisle, in Cumberland; the Old English Minstrels, being most of them Northern Men, naturally represented the Hero of Romance as residing in the North: And many of the places mentioned in the Old Ballads are still to be found there: Thus Tearne-Wadling (vid. p. 12. note.) is the name of a Lake near Hesketh in Cumberland, on the road from Penrith to Carlisle. A Tradition still prevails in the neighbourhood, that an old Castle once stood at Tearne-Wadling, the remains of which are either now, or were not long since to be seen.