Then paffed I the feas to Greece

To helpe the emperour in his right; Against the mightye fouldans hoafte Of puiffant Perfians for to fight.

Where I did flay of Sarazens,

And heathen pagans, manye a man; And flew the fouldans cozen deare,

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Who had to name doughtye Coldràn.

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Efkeldered a famous knight

To death likewise I did pursue: And Elmayne king of Tyre alfoe, Moft terrible in fight to viewe.

I went into the fouldans hoaft,

Being thither on embaffage fent,

And brought his head awaye with mee,
I having flaine him in his tent.

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There was a dragon in that land

Moft fiercelye mett me by the way

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As hee a lyon did pursue,

Which I myfelf did alfoe flay.

Then foon I paft the feas from Greece,

And came to Pavye land aright: Where I the duke of Pavye killd,

His hainous treafon to requite.

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To

To England then I came with speede,
To wedd faire Phelis ladye bright:
For love of whome I travelled farr

To try my manhood and my might.

But when I had efpoufed her,

I ftayd with her but fortye dayes, Ere that I left this ladye faire,

And went from her beyond the feas.

All cladd in gray, in pilgrime fort,
My voyage from her I did take
Unto the bleffed Holy-land,

For Jefus Chrift my Saviours fake.

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65

And here with Colbronde fell I fought:

An ugly gyant, which the Danes

Had for their champion hither brought.

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I over

I overcame him in the feild,

And flewe him foone right valliantlye; Wherebye this land I did redeeme

From Danish tribute utterlye.

And afterwards I offered upp
The ufe of weapons folemnlye
At Winchester, whereas I fought,
In fight of manye farr and nye.

But first,' neare Winfor, I did flaye
A bore of paffing might and ftrength;

Whofe like in England never was

For hugeneffe both in bredth, and length.

Some of his bones in Warwicke yet,
Within the caftle there doe lye :
One of his fheild-bones to this day
Hangs in the citye of Coventrye.

On Dunfmore heath I alfoe flewe

A monftrous wyld and cruell beast, Calld the Dun-cow of Dunfmore heath; Which manye people had oppreft.

Some of her bones in Warwicke yett

Still for a monument doe lye;

Which unto every lookers viewe

As wonderous ftrange, they may efpye.

Ver. 94. 102. doth lye. MS.

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90

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100

A dragon

A dragon in Northumberland,

I alfoe did in fight destroye,

Which did bothe man and beast oppresse,
And all the countrye fore annoye.

At length to Warwicke I did come,

Like pilgrime poore and was not knowne ;

And there I livd a hermites life

A mile and more out of the towne.

Where with
my hands I hewed a house
Out of a craggy rocke of ftone;
And lived like a palmer poore

Within that cave myself alone :

And dailye came to begg my bread
Of Phelis at my castle gate;
Not knowne unto my loving wife,
Who dailye mourned for her mate.

Till at the laft I fell fore ficke,

Yea ficke foe fore that I muft die;

I fent to her a ringe of golde,

By which the knewe me prefentlye.

Then shee repairing to the cave

Before that I gave up the ghoft;

Herfelf closd up my dying eyes:

My Phelis faire, whom I lovd moft.

Thus dreadful death did me arrest,

To bring my corpes unto the grave;
And like a palmer dyed I,

Wherby I fought my foule to fave.

My body that endured this toyle,

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Though now it be confumed to mold;

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My ftatue faire engraven in ftone,
In Warwicke ftill you may behold.

II.

GUY AND AMARAN T.

Though the following is not fo properly a fong, as a regular poem, yet as the Editor found it in his ancient folio manufcript among the old ballads, he was willing it should ftill accompany them; and as it is not altogether devoid of merit, fuch a small deviation from his plan may be pardoned.

Although this piece feems not imperfect, there is reafon to believe that it is only a part of a much larger poem, which contained the whole hiftory of fir Guy: for upon comparing it with the common story book 12mo, we find the latter to be nothing more than this poem reduced to profe: which is only effected by now and then altering the rhyme, and throwing cut Jome ferv of the poetical ornaments. The difguife is fo flight that it is an eafy matter to pick complete ftanzas in any page of that book.

The author of this poem has fhorn fome invention. Though he took the fubject from the old romance quoted before, be has adorned it efresh, and made the fory intirely his own.

GUY