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Reliques of Ancient English Poetry

consisting of Old Heroic Ballads, Songs, and other Pieces of our earlier Poets, (Chiefly of the Lyric kind.) Together with some few of later Date
Percy, Thomas (1729-1811)
  
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VOLUME THE FIRST.
  
[dedication]
  
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ANCIENT SONGS AND BALLADS, &c.
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BOOK I.
 I. 
I THE ANCIENT BALLAD OF CHEVY-CHASE.
 II. 
II. THE BATTLE OF OTTERBOURNE.
 III. 
III. THE JEW'S DAUGHTER,
 IV. 
IV. SIR CAULINE.
 V. 
V. EDWARD, EDWARD.
 VI. 
VI. KING ESTMERE.
 VII. 
VII. SIR PATRICK SPENCE,
 VIII. 
VIII. ROBIN HOOD AND GUY OF GISBORNE.
 IX. 
IX. AN ELEGY ON HENRY FOURTH EARL OF NORTHUMBERLAND.
 X. 
X. THE TOWER OF DOCTRINE.
 XI. 
XI. THE CHILD OF ELLE
 XII. 
XII. ADAM O' GORDON,
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BOOK II.
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I. ADAM BELL, CLYM OF THE CLOUGH, AND WILLIAM OF CLOUDESLY
 3. 
Part the Third.
 II. 
II. THE AGED LOVER RENOUNCETH LOVE.
 III. 
III. JEPHTHAH JUDGE OF ISRAEL.
 IV. 
IV. A SONG TO THE LUTE IN MUSICKE.
 V. 
V. KING COPHETUA AND THE BEGGAR-MAID
 VI. 
VI. TAKE THY OLD CLOAK ABOUT THEE
 VII. 
VII. WILLOW, WILLOW, WILLOW.
 VIII. 
VIII. SIR LANCELOT DU LAKE.
 IX. 
IX. CORYDON'S FAREWELL TO PHILLIS
 X. 
X. GERNUTUS THE JEW OF VENICE.
 XI. 
XI. THE PASSIONATE SHEPHERD TO HIS LOVE.
 XII. 
XII. TITUS ANDRONICUS'S COMPLAINT.
 XIII. 
XIII. TAKE THOSE LIPS AWAY.
 XIV. 
XIV. KING LEIR AND HIS THREE DAUGHTERS.
 XV. 
XV. YOUTH AND AGE
 XVI. 
XVI. THE FROLICKSOME DUKE, OR THE TINKER's GOOD FORTUNE.
 XVII. 
XVII. THE FRIAR OF ORDERS GRAY.
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BOOK III.
 I. 
I. THE MORE MODERN BALLAD OF CHEVY CHACE.
 II. 
II. DEATH'S FINAL CONQUEST.
 III. 
III. THE RISING IN THE NORTH.
 IV. 
IV. NORTHUMBERLAND BETRAYED BY DOUGLAS.
 V. 
V. MY MIND TO ME A KINGDOM IS.
 VI. 
VI. THE PATIENT COUNTESS.
 VII. 
VII. THE GOLDEN MEAN.
 VIII. 
VIII. DOWSABELL.
 IX. 
IX. THE FAREWELL TO LOVE
 X. 
X. ULYSSES AND THE SYREN
 XI. 
XI. CUPID'S PASTIME.
 XII. 
XII. THE CHARACTER OF A HAPPY LIFE.
 XIII. 
XIII. GILDEROY
 XIV. 
XIV. WINIFREDA.
 XV. 
XV. THE WITCH OF WOKEY
 XVI. 
XVI. BRYAN AND PEREENE,
 XVII. 
XVII. GENTLE RIVER, GENTLE RIVER.
 XVIII. 
XVIII. ALCANZOR AND ZAYDA,
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VOLUME THE SECOND.
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ANCIENT SONGS AND BALLADS, &c.
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BOOK I.
 I. 
I. RICHARD OF ALMAIGNE
  
[note]
 II. 
II. ON THE DEATH OF K. EDWARD THE FIRST.
 III. 
III. AN ORIGINAL BALLAD BY CHAUCER.
 IV. 
IV. THE TURNAMENT OF TOTTENHAM:
 V. 
V. FOR THE VICTORY AT AGINCOURT.
 VI. 
VI. THE NOT-BROWNE MAYD.
 VII. 
VII. A BALET BY THE EARL RIVERS.
 VIII. 
VIII. CUPID'S ASSAULT: BY LORD VAUX.
 IX. 
IX. SIR ALDINGAR.
 X. 
X. THE GABERLUNZIE MAN.
 XI. 
XI. ON THOMAS LORD CROMWELL.
 XII. 
XII. HARPALUS.
 XIII. 
XIII. ROBIN AND MAKYNE.
 XIV. 
XIV. GENTLE HERDSMAN, TELL TO ME.
 XV. 
XV. K. EDWARD IV. AND TANNER OF TAMWORTH
 XVI. 
XVI. AS YE CAME FROM THE HOLY LAND.
 XVII. 
XVII. HARDYKNUTE.
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BOOK II.
 I. 
I. A BALLAD OF LUTHER, THE POPE, A CARDINAL, AND A HUSBANDMAN.
 II. 
II. JOHN ANDERSON MY JO.
 III. 
III. LITTLE JOHN NOBODY.
 IV. 
IV. Q. ELIZABETH'S VERSES, WHILE PRISONER AT WOODSTOCK,
 V. 
V. THE HEIR OF LINNE.
 VI. 
VI. GASCOIGNE'S PRAISE OF THE FAIR BRIDGES, AFTERWARDS LADY SANDES,
 VII. 
VII. FAIR ROSAMOND.
 VIII. 
VIII. QUEEN ELEANOR'S CONFESSION.
 IX. 
IX. THE STURDY ROCK.
 X. 
X. THE BEGGAR'S DAUGHTER OF BEDNALL-GREEN.
 XI. 
XI. FANCY AND DESIRE.
 XII. 
XII. SIR ANDREW BARTON.
 XIII. 
XIII. LADY ANNE BOTHWELL'S LAMENT.
 XIV. 
XIV. THE MURDER OF THE KING OF SCOTS.
 XV. 
XV. A SONNET BY Q. ELIZABETH.
 XVI. 
XVI. KING OF SCOTS AND ANDREW BROWNE.
 XVII. 
XVII. THE BONNY EARL OF MURRAY.
 XVIII. 
XVIII. YOUNG WATERS.
 XIX. 
XIX. MARY AMBREE.
 XX. 
XX. BRAVE LORD WILLOUGHBY.
 XXI. 
XXI. VICTORIOUS MEN OF EARTH.
 XXII. 
XXII. THE WINNING OF CALES.
 XXIII. 
XXIII. THE SPANISH LADY'S LOVE.
 XXIV. 
XXIV. ARGENTILE AND CURAN
 XXV. 
XXV. CORIN'S FATE.
 XXVI. 
XXVI. JANE SHORE.
 XXVII. 
XXVII. CORYDON'S DOLEFUL KNELL.
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BOOK III.
 I. 
I. THE COMPLAINT OF CONSCIENCE.
 II. 
II. PLAIN TRUTH, AND BLIND IGNORANCE.
 III. 
III. THE WANDERING JEW.
 IV. 
IV. THE LYE,
 V. 
V. VERSES BY KING JAMES I.
 VI. 
VI. K. JOHN AND THE ABBOT OF CANTERBURY.
 VII. 
VII. YOU MEANER BEAUTIES.
 VIII. 
VIII. THE OLD AND YOUNG COURTIER.
 IX. 
IX. SIR JOHN SUCKLING'S CAMPAIGNE.
 X. 
X. TO ALTHEA FROM PRISON.
 XI. 
XI. THE DOWNFALL OF CHARING-CROSS.
 XII. 
XII. LOYALTY CONFINED.
 XIII. 
XIII. VERSES BY K. CHARLES I.
 XIV. 
XIV. THE SALE OF REBELLIOUS HOUSHOLD-STUFF
 XV. 
XV. THE BAFFLED KNIGHT, OR LADY'S POLICY.
 XVI. 
XVI. WHY SO PALE?
 XVII. 
XVII. OLD TOM OF BEDLAM.
 XVIII. 
XVIII. THE DISTRACTED PURITAN,
 XIX. 
XIX. THE LUNATIC LOVER,
 XX. 
XX. THE LADY DISTRACTED WITH LOVE,
 XXI. 
XXI. THE DISTRACTED LOVER,
 XXII. 
XXII. THE FRANTIC LADY,
 XXIII. 
XXIII. LILLI BURLERO.
 XXIV. 
XXIV. THE BRAES OF YARROW,
 XXV. 
XXV. ADMIRAL HOSIER'S GHOST
 XXVI. 
XXVI. JEMMY DAWSON.
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VOLUME THE THIRD.
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ANCIENT SONGS AND BALLADS, &c.
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BOOK I. BALLADS ON KING ARTHUR, &c.
 I. 
I. THE BOY AND THE MANTLE.
 II. 
II. THE MARRIAGE OF SIR GAWAINE
 III. 
III. KING RYENCE'S CHALLENGE.
 IV. 
IV. KING ARTHUR's DEATH.
 V. 
V. THE LEGEND OF KING ARTHUR.
 VI. 
VI. A DYTTIE TO HEY DOWNE.
 VII. 
VII. GLASGERION.
 VIII. 
VIII. OLD SIR ROBIN OF PORTINGALE.
 IX. 
IX. CHILD WATERS.
 X. 
X. PHILLIDA AND CORYDON.
 XI. 
XI. LITTLE MUSGRAVE AND LADY BARNARD.
 XII. 
XII. THE EW-BUGHTS MARION.
 XIII. 
XIII. THE KNIGHT, AND SHEPHERD'S DAUGHTER.
 XIV. 
XIV. THE SHEPHERD'S ADDRESS TO HIS MUSE.
 XV. 
XV. LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ELLINOR.
 XVI. 
XVI. CUPID AND CAMPASPE.
 XVII. 
XVII. THE LADY TURNED SERVING-MAN
 XVIII. 
XVIII. GIL MORRICE.
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BOOK II.
 I. 
I. THE LEGEND OF SIR GUY
 II. 
II. GUY AND AMARANT.
 III. 
III. THE AULD GOOD-MAN.
 IV. 
IV. FAIR MARGARET AND SWEET WILLIAM.
 V. 
V. BARBARA ALLEN'S CRUELTY.
 VI. 
VI. SWEET WILLIAM'S GHOST.
 VII. 
VII. SIR JOHN GREHME AND BARBARA ALLAN.
 VIII. 
VIII. THE BAILIFF'S DAUGHTER OF ISLINGTON.
 IX. 
IX. THE WILLOW-TREE.
 X. 
X. THE LADY'S FALL
 XI. 
XI. WALY WALY, LOVE BE BONNY.
 XII. 
XII. THE WANTON WIFE OF BATH.
 XIII. 
XIII. DULCINA.
 XIV. 
XIV. THE LADY ISABELLA'S TRAGEDY.
 XV. 
XV. A HUE AND CRY AFTER CUPID.
 XVI. 
XVI. THE KING OF FRANCE'S DAUGHTER.
 XVII. 
XVII. THE SWEET NEGLECT.
 XVIII. 
XVIII. THE CHILDREN IN THE WOOD.
 XIX. 
XIX. A LOVER OF LATE.
 XX. 
XX. THE KING AND MILLER OF MANSFIELD.
 XXI. 
XXI. THE SHEPHERD'S RESOLUTION.
 XXII. 
XXII. THE WANDERING PRINCE OF TROY.
 XXIII. 
XXIII. THE WITCHES' SONG
 XXIV. 
XXIV. ROBIN GOOD-FELLOW
 XXV. 
XXV. THE FAIRY QUEEN.
 XXVI. 
XXVI. THE FAIRIES FAREWELL.
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BOOK III.
 I. 
I. THE BIRTH OF ST. GEORGE.
 II. 
II. ST. GEORGE AND THE DRAGON.
 III. 
III. LOVE WILL FIND OUT THE WAY.
 IV. 
IV. LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ANNET,
 V. 
V. UNFADING BEAUTY.
 VI. 
VI. GEORGE BARNWELL.
 VII. 
VII. THE STEDFAST SHEPHERD.
 VIII. 
VIII. THE SPANISH VIRGIN, OR EFFECTS OF JEALOUSY.
 IX. 
IX. JEALOUSY TYRANT OF THE MIND.
 X. 
X. CONSTANT PENELOPE.
 XI. 
XI. TO LUCASTA, ON GOING TO THE WARS.
 XII. 
XII. VALENTINE AND URSINE.
 XIII. 
XIII. THE DRAGON OF WANTLEY.
 XIV. 
XIV. ST. GEORGE FOR ENGLAND.
 XV. 
XV. ST. GEORGE FOR ENGLAND,
 XVI. 
XVI. LUCY AND COLIN
 XVII. 
XVII. MARGARET's GHOST.
 XVIII. 
XVIII. THE BOY AND THE MANTLE,

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II. DEATH'S FINAL CONQUEST.

[_]

These fine moral stanzas were originally intended for a solemn funeral song in a play of James Shirley's, intitled “The Contention of Ajax and Ulysses:” no date, 8vo.— Shirley flourished as a Dramatic writer early in the reign of Charles I: but he outlived the Restoration. His death happened Oct. 29. 1666. Æt. 72.

This little poem was written long after many of those that follow, but is inserted here as a kind of Dirge to the foregoing piece. It is said to have been a favourite Song with K. Charles II.

The glories of our blood and state
Are shadows, not substantial things;
There is no armour against fate:
Death lays his icy hands on kings:
Scepter and crown
Must tumble down,
269

And in the dust be equal made
With the poor crooked scythe and spade.
Some men with swords may reap the field,
And plant fresh laurels where they kill;
But their strong nerves at last must yield,
They tame but one another still.
Early or late
They stoop to fate,
And must give up their murmuring breath,
When they pale captives creep to death.
The garlands wither on your brow,
Then boast no more your mighty deeds,
Upon death's purple altar now
See where the victor victim bleeds:
All heads must come
To the cold tomb,
Only the actions of the just
Smell sweet, and blossom in the dust.
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