ROBERTE. Oure woes alyche, alyche our dome shal bee. Peace fledde, disorder sheweth her dark rode, And thorow ayre doth flie, yn garments steyned with bloude. ECLOGUE THE SECOND. SPRYTES of the bleste, the pious Nygelle sed, To ken syke large a flete, syke fyne, syke breme. The banner giesters on the beme of daie; Sprytes of the bleste, and everich seyncte ydedde, spere. The jynynge shieldes doe shemre and moke Sprytes of the bleste, and everyche seyncte ydedde, Mr. Bryant has a curious remark upon this word. "It is here said to be derived from gron, a fen, and fer, a corruption of fire. Hence we may perceive that it is taken for a common ignis fatuus; the same which the country people style a Will of the wisp and Jack-a-lantern. On this account the expositor has been induced to derive it from gron a fen. But there is nothing in an ignis fatuus which agrees with the description here given. This meteor, the ignis fatuus, is represented as a vague, playful and innocent light, in which there is nothing terrible or alarming. Besides a gronfire is plainly a ground-fire from gron and The water slughornes wythe a swotye cleme Conteke the dynnynge ayre, and reche the skies. Sprytes of the bleste, on gouldyn trones astedde, Poure owte yer pleasaunce onn mie fadres hedde. The gule depeyncted oares from the black tyde, Decorn with fonnes rare, doe shemrynge ryse; Upswalynge doe heic shewe ynne drierie pryde, Lyche gore red estells in the eve merk skyes; The nome-depeyneted shields, the speres aryse, Alyche talle roshes on the water syde; [flyes; Alenge from bark to bark the bryghte sheenen, solum. See Olai Verelii Lexicon Sueo. Gothic. Sweft-herv'd delyghtes doe on the water glyde. grunt. B. grond. See Lye's Etymolog. Ang. MoreIt was expressed A. S. grund. solum. fundum. Al. Sprytes of the bleste, and everich seynete ydedde, Poure owte youre pleasaunce on mie fadres hedde. something is alluded to, which was of a very fearover from the comparison it is evident, that The Sarasen lokes owte: he docthe feere, ful nature, and of an uncommon appearance. That Englondes brondeous sonnes do cotte the Whatever it may have been, we find it again waie. [there, referred to, though in different termsLyke honted bockes, theye reineth here and Ouknowlachynge inne whatte place to obaie. terton did not attend to the difference between casting out, and casting up, i. e. casting up figures in calculation. That the latter was Skinner's meaning may be collected from his next article. "Calked for calculated. Ch, the Frankeleynes tale." It is probable too, I think, that in both articles Skinner refers, by mistake, to a line of the Frankeleins Tale, which in the common editions stands thus:-" Full subtelly he had calked al this," where calked is a mere misprint for calculed, the reading of the MSS. Tyrwhitt. 4 Alone is never used for only; solus for unicus ; seul for unique. The distinction I believe subsists in most languages. If the learned persons do not yet apprehend it, I would advise them in the following passage of Shakspeare, "Ah! no-it is my only son"-to substitute my son alone, and to judge for themselves whether the difference in the idea suggested arises merely from the different position of the words. Tyrwhitt. 5 When I will wear a garment all of blood, And stain my favours in a bloody mask, Shakspeare, Henry IV. p. 1. Lyche a battently low mie swerde shall brend. Goddwyn. 50. Now what have we similar by which these descriptions can be explained? Nothing that I am apprised of, now a days. But I think that there were of old some phenomena, mentioned by the more early historians of this country, which will illustrate the point greatly. In the Saxon Chronicle we read, that in the year 1032, there were earthquakes in many parts of this kingdom; and that a sad mortality ensued; and what is very particular, there were seen fires of an uncommon appearance, such as were never seen before. They broke out of the earth in different places and did a great deal of mischieft. Simeon Dunelmensis takes notice of earthquakes happening, and of a like fire appearing a few years after, anno 1048. He speaks of it as breaking out in Derbyshire and Shaketh alofe his honde, and seene afarre. Armoure on armouredynn, shielde upon shielde; Ne dethe of thosandes can the warr assuage, Botte falleynge nombers sable all the feelde, Sprytes of the bleste, and everych seynete ydedde, Syke sunnys wayne wyth amayl'd beames doe Poure owte youre pleasaunce on mie fadres hedde. barr The blaunchie mone or estells to gev lyghte. Sprytes of the bleste, and evrich seyncte ydedde, Poure owte your pleasaunce on mie fadres hedde. Distraughte affraie, wythe lockes of blodde-red die, Terroure, emburled yn the thonders rage, Deathe, lynked to dismaie, dothe ugsomme flie, Enchafynge echone champyonne war to wage. Speres bevyle' speres; swerdes upon swerdes engage; some neighbouring counties, and being of an alarining nature; and he concludes with saying, "villas et segetes multas ustulavit." Hist. Ang. Script. Decem. p. 183. It is recorded by John Brompton nearly in the same manner. He mentions the mortality which then prevailed; and the mischief which was done by these fires. Ibid. p. 939. l. 48. The like phenomenon is said to have appeared in the next century, according to Holinshead, as well as other writers. He mentions in the reign of Henry the First, that there were earthquakes similar to the former; and that fires came out of the earth with great violence, which could not by water, nor by any means be subdued. V. 2. p. 44. Fires of this nature must have had a very formidable appearance. And it was not any fenny meteor, but undoubtedly these groundfires, to which the poet alluded. It is remarkable that the first appearance of them was anno 1032, and the second, if not a continuation of the same phenomenon, was anno 1048; both in the days of earl Godwin, from whom the tragedy has its name. So that the comparison there made, agrees very well with the times, and with the event by which they were distinguished. The last instance of such fires, was not indeed in the days of king Richardt, who is the person concerned in the Second Eclogue, yet not so far removed, but that there might have been persons living by whom they were seen. The memory of them could not have been soon effaced. Hence it was natural for persons, who were treating of those times, to introduce those circumstances, which so particularly marked them. For the justice of these comparisons was very apparent in those days: which fitness and propriety is lost if they are introduced at a later season, and by another hand. It is from such remote and secret references that I am induced to think that some of these poems are of a greater antiquity than has generally been attributed to them. As to the person who has attempted to explain them, it is manifest that he proceeded merely by surmise and conjecture. He was not acquainted with the latent purport of these references; and the conclusion which necessarily follows, is, I think, very plain, * See an account of a similar phenomenon in Germany mentioned by Tacitus. They happened anno 1155, in the last year of Henry the First. See Polydore Virgil, p. 195. The foemen fal arounde; the cross reles hye; Steyned ynne goere, the harte of warre ys seen; Kynge Rycharde, thorough everyche trope doth flie, And beereth meynte of Turkes onto the greene; Bie hymm the floure of Asies menn is sleene; The waylynge mone doth fade before hys sonne; Bie hymm hys knyghtes bee formed to actions deene, Doeynge syke marvels, strongers be aston. Sprytes of the bleste, and everych seyncte ydedde, Poure owte youre pleasaunce on mie fadres hedde. The fyghte is wonne; kynge Rycharde master The Englonde bannerr kisseth the bie ayre; [is; Full of pure joie the armie is iwys, And everych one haveth it onne his bayre; Agayne to Englonde comme, and worschepped there, Twyghte into lovynge armes, and feasted eft; In everych eyne aredynge nete of wyere, Of all remembrance of past peyne berefte. Sprytes of the bleste, and everych seyncte ydedde, Syke pleasures powre upon mie fadres hedde. Syke Nigel sed, whan from the bluie sea The upswol sayle dyd daunce before his eyne; Swefte as the wishe, hee toe the beeche dyd flee, And founde his fadre steppeynge from the bryne. [loove, Lette thyssen menne, who haveth sprite of Bethyncke untoe hemselves how mote the meetynge proove. ECLOGUE THE THIRD, MANNE. WOMANNE. SIR ROGERRE. WOULDST thou kenn Nature in her better parte? Goe, serche the logges and bordels' of the hynde; Giff theie have anie, itte ys roughe-made arte, Inne hem you see the blakied' forme of kynde. Now shield with shield, with helmet helmet clos'd, To armour armour, lance to lance oppos'd.. Spears lean on spears, on targets targets throng, Helms stuck to helms, and man drove man along. Pope's Homer. The idea of breaking, which quite foreign from bevyle, might perhaps have been suggested by the following passage in Kersey: "Bevile (in heraldry) broken or open, like a bevel, or carpenter's rule." Tyrwhitt. 4 Thyssen. This word is not to be found in any other writer: thisom or thisen is used by the colliers about Bristol. Bordel, in very old French signifies a cottage, and bordelier, a cottager. Chaucer uses the first for a brothel, and the second for a keeper of such a house. • To explain this strange word, blake, as occurring Æ. 178. Whaine Autumpne blake and sonne-brente doe appere. And again 407. Blake stondeth future doome, and joie doth mee alyse, is explained open, exposed; and blakied is made the participle from an imaginary verb, to blukie, signifying to open. 3 Mr. Tyrwhitt says, "the only passage, I believe, in which these eight letters are to be found together in the same order, is in Chaucer, C. Tales, v. 9492. "And alderfirst he bade hem all a bone." This the dean of Exeter considers as authority, arguing that the words in Chaucer should be connected: but all is there evidently an adjective connected with the pronoun hem. I ryse wyth the sonne, Lyche hym to dryve the wayne, And eere mie wurche is don I synge a songe or twayne. I followe the plough-tayle, Wythe a longe jubb of ale. Botte of the maydens, oh! I daunce the beste heiedeygnes, SYR ROGERRE. Has thou ne seene a tree uponne a hylle, Whose unliste braunces rechen far toe syghte; Whan fuired unwers doe the Heaven fvile, Itte shaketh deere yn dole and moke affryghte Whylest the congeon flowrette abessie dyght, Stondethe unhurte, unquaced bie the storme: Syke is a picte of lyffe: the manne of myghte Is tempest-chaft, hys woe greate as bys forme; Thieselfe a flowrette of a small accounte, Wouldst harder felle the wynde, as hygher thee dydste mounte. Evidently from the French abaisser, but cor rupt y and indeed unintelligibly formed. It is used by no other writer. Tyrwhitt. 1 Ruddeborne, rudborne (in Saxon, red-water); a river near Saint Albans, famous for the battles there fought between the houses of Lancaster and York. a Unauthorized. The imitative verb crool, or something like it, is said to have denoted the sound made by the dove. 3 Mr. Bowles has introduced this line in his Monody, written at Matlock. Whilst hush'd, and by the mace of ruin rent, 4 The breezy call of incense-breathing morn, The swallow twittering from her straw-built shed, The cock's shrill clarion, or the echoing horn, No more shall rouse them from their lowly bed. Gray. VOL. XV. Thenne (botte the seynctes forbydde !) gif to a spryte [traughte Syrr Rychardes forme ys lyped, I'll holde dysHys bledeynge claie-colde corse, and die eche daie yun thoughte. ELINOURE. Ah woe bementynge wordes; what wordes can shewe! Thou limed ryver, on thie linche maie bleede Champyons, whose bloude wylle wythe thie waterres flowe, [deede! And Rudborne streeme be Rudborne streeme inHaste, gentle Juga, tryppe ytte oere the meade, To knowe, or wheder we muste waile agayne, Or wythe oure fallen knyghtes be menged onne the plain. So sayinge, lyke twa levyn-blasted trees, Or twayne of cloudes that holdeth stormie rayne; Theie moved gentle oere the dewie mees, To where Seyncte Albons holie shrynes remayne. [were slayne, There dyd theye fynde that bothe their knyghtes Distraughte theie wandered to swollen Rudbornes syde, [and dyde. Yelled theyre lethalle knelle, sonke ynn the waves, THE PARLYAMENTE OF SPRYTES. [From Barrett's History of Bristol. The original in Chatterton's hand-writing is in the British Museum. It was among the most early communications of Chatterton to Mr. Barrett.] A MOST MERRIE ENTYRLUDE, Plaied bie the Carmelyte Freeres at Mastre Canynges hys greete howse, before Mastre Canynges and Byshoppe Carpenterre', on dedicatynge the chyrche of Oure Ladie of Redclefte, hight the Parlyamente of Sprytes. Wroten bie T. Rowleie and J. Iscamme". Entroductyon bie Queen Mabbe. Whan from the erthe the sonnes hulstred, I John Carpenter, bishop of Worcester, who in conjunction with Mr. Canynge, founded the abbey at Westbury. 2 John Iscam, according to Rowley, was a canon of the monastery of Saint Augustine in Bristol. He wrote a dramatic piece called The Pleasaunt Dyscorses of Lamyngeton; also at the desire of Mr. Canynge (Rowley being then collecting of drawings for Mr. Canynge) he translated a Latin piece called Miles Brystolli into English metre, The place of his birth is not known. 3 Straughte, stretched. I think this line is borrowed from a much better one of Rowley's, viz. Like kynge cuppes brasteynge wyth the mornynge dew. The reason why I think Iscam guilty of the plagiary is, that the Songe to Ella, from whence the above line is taken, was wrote when Rowley was in London collecting of drawings for Mr. Canynge to build the church, and Ischam CC Then ryse the sprytes ugsome and rou, As ys goode Canynge hys chyrche of stone, To Johannes Carpenterre Byshoppe of Worcesterre. To you goode Byshoppe, I address mie saie, The sainctes ynne stones so netelie caryelled, [terre. The rampynge lyon, felle tygere, The bocke that skyppes from place to place, Before mee througbe the greene woode I dyd chace. For rearynge Babelle of greete fame, Mie name and renome shaalle lyven for aie: Genst whych the clowdes dothe not fyghte, Onne whych the starres doe sytte to appearynge: O where ys the manne that buylded the same, Fayn woulde I chaunge wyth hym mie name, Whan toe theyre caves aeterne abeste, Then menne besprenged alle abroade, And chaunte owte masses to oure Vyrgyne. Learned as Beauclerke, as the Confessour sprunge, Tho boddie weak thie soule for ever younge. Thou knowest welle thie conscience free from Thie soule her rode no sable batements have; Ne starvvynge preestes ycrase thie nyghtlie reste. Here then to thee let me for one and alle Spryte of Nymrodde speaketh. Soon as the morne but newlie wake, On herre corse dyd dew droppes shake, But now the Worde of Godde is come, Thys chyrche whych Canynge he dyd reer, From vowrynge grave, Ande puryfye them heaven were 9. Sprytes of Elle, Bythrycke, Fytz-hardynge, Frampton, Gauntes, Segowen, Lanyngeton, Knyghtes Templars, and Byrtonne. (Bie Rowleie.) Spryte of Bythrycke speeketh. 7 Olyphaunt, elephant. So an ancient anonymous author: The olyphaunt of beastes is For hee alwaie dothe eat Lyttle store of meat. 8 Abeste, according to Rowley, humbled or brought down. And Rowleie saies "thie pryde wrote the above a little before the finishing of the wylle be abeste." Entroductyon to the Entyr church. 5" Other than you," &c. Carpenter dedicated the church, as appears by a poem written by Rowley. Rode, complection. I take the meaning of this line to be, "The complection of my soul is free from the black marks of sin." lude of the Apostate. 9 Heaven were, heavenward, so Rowley: |