3

[13. XXI] 13. Sir Isenbras, (or as it is in the MS. copies, Sir Isumbras) 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. 1. p. 283. It is preserved in MS. in the Library of Caius Coll. Camb. 5 Class A. 9. (2.) and also in the Cotton Library, Cal. A. 12. (f. 128.) This is extremely different from the printed copy. E. g. God pat made both erpe and hevene.

14. Emarè, a very curious and ancient Romance, is preserved in the same Vol. of the Cotton Library, f. 69. It is 10 in stan. of 6 lines, and begins thus,

Jesu þat ys kyng in trone.

15. Chevelere assigne, or, The Knight of the swan, preserved in the Cotton Library has been already described in Vol. 2. p. 263. as hath also

16. The Sege of Jelam, (or Jerusalem) which seems to have been written after the other, and may not improperly be classed among the Romances: as may also the following which is preserved in the same Volume: viz.

15

17. Owaine Myles, (fol. 90.) giving an account of the 20 wonders of St. Patrick's Purgatoru. This is a translation into verse of the story related in Mat. Paris's Hist. - It is in distichs beginning thus,

God þat ys so full of myght.

In the same Manuscript are one or two other narrative 25 poems, which might be reckoned among the Romances, but being rather religious Legends, I shall barely mention them; as, Tundale, f. 17. Trentale Sci Gregorii. f. 84. Jerome. f. 133. Eustache. f. 136.

[18. XXII] 18. Octavian imperator, an ancient Romance of 30 Chivalry is in the same vol. of the Cotton Library, f. 20. Notwithstanding the name, this old poem has nothing in common with the history of the Roman Emperors. It is in a very peculiar kind of Stanza, whereof 1, 2, 3, & 5, rhime together, as do 4. and 6. It begins

*

Ihesu þat was with spere ystonge. In the public Library at Camb. is a poem with the same title, that begins very differently,

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

35

10

Lyttyll and mykyll, olde and yonge.

19. Eglamour of Artas (or Artoys) is preserved in the same Vol. with the foregoing both in the Cotton Library, and public Library at Camb. It is also in the Editor's

5 folio MS. p. 295. where it is divided into 6 Parts. A printed Copy is in the Bodleian Library, C. 39. Art. Seld. And among Mr. Garrick's old plays, K. vol. x. It is in distichs, and begins

Ihesu Crist of heven kyng.

20. Syr Triamore (in stan. of 6 Lines) is preserved in MS. in the Editor's folio Volume, p. 210. and in the public Library at Camb. (690. §. 29. Vid. Cat. MSS. p. 394.) Two printed Copies are extant in the Bodleian Library, and among Mr. Garrick's plays in the same volumes with 15 the last article. Both the Editor's MS. and the printed

20

Copies begin

Nowe Jesu Chryste our heven kynge.

The Cambridge Copy, thus,

Heven blys that all shall wynne.

[21. XXIII] 21. Sir Degree (Degare, or Degore, which last seems the true title) in 5 Parts, in distichs, is preserved in the Editor's folio MS. p. 371. and in the public Library at Camb. (ubi supra.) - A printed Copy is in the Bod. Library, C. 39. Art. Seld. And among Mr. Garrick's plays 25 K. vol. ix. The Editor's MS. and the printed Copies begin Lordings, and you wyl holde you styl.

The Cambridge MS. has it

Lystenyth, lordyngis, gente and fre.

22. Ipomydon, (or Chylde Ipomydon) is preserved among 30 the Harl. MSS. 2252. (44,) It is in distichs and begins, Mekely, lordyngis, gentylle and fre.

In the Library of Lincoln Cathedral. Kk. 3. 10. is an old imperfect printed Copy, wanting the whole first sheet A. 23. The Squyr of Lowe degre, is one of those burlesqued 35 by Chaucer in his R. of Thopas Mr. Garrick has a printed Copy of this, among his old plays, K. Vol. 1x. It begins

*

* See Mr. Warton's Observat. Vol. I. p. 139. note.

It was a squyer of lowe degre,

That loved the kings daughter of Hungre.

24. Historye of K. Richard Cure [Cœur] de lyon. [Impr. W. de Worde, 1528. 4to.] is preserved in the Bodleian Library, C. 39. Art. Selden. A large Extract from this 5 Romance has been given already above p. (leerer Raum 1. X-XII). Richard was the peculiar patron of Chivalry, and therefore was a favourite with the old Minstrels. See Warton's Observ. V. 1. p. 29. V. 2. p. 40.

25. The following I have not seen, but I believe they 10 may all be referred to the Class of Romances.

[The XXIV] The Knight of Courtesy and the Lady of Faguel (Bodl. Lib. C. 39. Art. Seld. a printed Copy.) This Mr. Warton thinks is the Story of Coucy's Heart, related in Fauchet, and in Howel's Letters [V. 1. S. 6. L. 20. See 15 Wart. Obs. V. 2. p. 40.] The Editor has seen a very beautiful old ballad on this subject in French.

26. The four following are all preserved in the MS so often referred to in the public Library at Camb. (690. Appendix to Bp. More's MSS. in Cat. MSS. Tom. 2. p. 394.) 20 viz. The Erle of Tholouse. (No. 27.) beginning

Jesus Chryste in Trynyte.

27. Roberd Kynge of Cysyll (or Sicily) shewing the fall of Pride. Of this there is also a Copy among the Harl. MSS. 1703. (3.) The Camb. MS. begins

Princis that be prowde in prese.

28. Le bone Florence of Rome, beginning thus

As ferre as men ride or gone.

29. Dioclesian the Emp. beginning

Sum tyme ther was a noble man.

30. The two knightly brothers Amys and Amelion (among the Harl. MSS. 2386. §. 42.) I suppose to be an old Romance of Chivalry; as also the fragment of the Lady Belesant, the Duke of Lombardy's fair daughter, mentioned in the same article. See the Catalog. Vol. 2.

25

30

35

THE BOY

I.

THE BOY AND THE MANTLE,

Is printed verbatim from the old MS described in the Preface. The Editor believes it more ancient, than it will 5 appear to be at first sight; the transcriber of that manuscript having reduced the orthography and style in many instances to the standard of his own times.

The incidents of the MANTLE and the KNIFE have not, that I can recollect, been borrowed from any other writer. 10 The former of these evidently suggested to Spenser his conceit of FLORIMEL'S GIRDLE. B. IV. C. 5. St. 3.

That girdle gave the virtue of chaste love

And wivehood true to all that did it beare;
But whosoever contrarie doth prove,

Might not the same about her middle weare,
But it would loose or else asunder teare.

So it happened tho the false Florimel, st. 16, when
Being brought, about her middle small
They thought to gird, as best it her became,
But by no means they could it thereto frame,
For ever as they fastned. it, it loos'd
And fell away, as feeling secret blame, &c.
That all men wondred at the uncouth sight

And each one thought as to their fancies came.
But she herself did think it done for spight,
And touched was with secret wrath and shame
Therewith, as thing deviz'd her to defame:
Then many other ladies likewise tride
About their tender loynes to knit the same,
But it would not on none of them abide,

But when they thought it fast, eftsoones it was untide.
Thereat all knights gan laugh and ladies lowre,

Till that at last the gentle Amoret

[Like- 2] Likewise assayed to prove that girdle's powre.
And having it about her middle set

Did find it fit withouten breach or let,

Whereat the rest gan greatly to envie.
But Florimel exceedingly did fret
And snatching from her hand, &c.

Voi

B

As for the trial of the HORNE, it is not peculiar to our Poet: It occurs in the old romance, intitled Morte Arthur, which was translated out of French in the time of K. Edw. IV. and first printed anno 1484. From this romance Ariosto borrowed his tale of the Enchanted Cup, C. 42. &c. See 5 Mr. Warton's Observations on the Faerie Queen, 8 vo. 1753.

The story of the HORN in Morte Arthur varies a good deal from this of our Poet, as the reader will judge from the following extract. "By the way they met with a knight "that was sent from Morgan le Faye to king Arthur, and 10 "this knight had a fair horne all garnished with gold, and "the horne had such a virtue that there might no ladye or "gentlewoman drinke of that horne, but if she were true to "her husband: and if shee were false she should spill all "the drinke, and if shee were true unto her lorde, shee 15 "might drink peaceably: and because of queene Guenever "and in despite of Sir Launcelot du Lake, this horne was "sent unto king Arthur." This horn is intercepted and brought unto another king named Marke, who is not a whit more fortunate than the British hero, for he makes “his queene 20 'drinke thereof and an hundred ladies moe, and there were "but foure ladies of all those that drank cleane" of which number the said queen, proves not to be one. [Book II. chap. 22. Ed. 1632.]

In other respects the two stories are so different, that we 25 have just reason to suppose this Ballad was written before that romance was translated into English.

As for queen Guènever, she is here represented no otherwise, than as we find her in old histories and romances. Holinshed observes, that "she was evil reported of, as noted 30 "of incontinence and breach of faith to hir husband." Vol. 1.

p. 93.

SUCH READERS, AS HAVE ΝΟ RELISH FOR PURE ANTIQUITY, WILL FIND A MORE MODERN COPY OF THIS BALLAD AT THE END OF THE VOLUME.

[IN 3] IN the third day of may,
To Carleile did come

A kind curteous child,
That cold much of wisdome.

35