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"Her snowie necke with blewish veines

Stood bolt upright upon

Her portly shoulders: beating balles

Her veined breasts, anon

"Adde more to beautie. Wand-like was

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"And more, her long and limber armes Had white and azure wrists;

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"A quiet minde, a patient moode,
And not disdaining any;

Not gybing, gadding, gawdy: and
Sweete faculties had many.

"A nimph, no tong, no heart, no eie
Might praise, might wish, might see;
For life, for love, for forme more good,
More worth, more faire than shee.

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"But now-what now ?-deare heart, how now?

What ailest thou to weepe?"

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The damsell wept, and he was woe,

And both did silence keepe.

"I graunt," quoth she, "it was too much
That you did love so much;

But whom your former could not move,
Your second love doth touch.

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1i. e. emblazon beauty's coat. Ed. 1597, 1602, 1612, read coote.

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2 During the Saxon heptarchy, the kingdom of Northumberland (consisting of six northern counties, besides part of Scotland) was for a long time divided into two lesser sovereignties, viz. Deira (called here Diria) which contained the southern parts, and Bernicia, comprehending those which lay north.

XXV.
Corin's Fate.

Only the three first stanzas of this song are ancient: these are extracted from a small quarto MS. in the Editor's possession, written in the time of Queen Elizabeth. As they seemed to want application, this has been attempted by a modern hand.

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Though so many vulgar errors have prevailed concerning this celebrated courtesan, no character in history has been more perfectly handed down to us. We have her portrait drawn by two masterly pens; the one has delineated the features of her person, the other those of her character and story. Sir Thomas More drew from the life, and Drayton has copied an original picture of her. The reader will pardon the length of the quotations, as they serve to correct many

popular mistakes relating to her catastrophe. The first is from Sir Thomas More's history of Richard III, written in 1513, about thirty years after the death of Edward IV.

"Now then by and by, as it wer for anger, not for covetise, the protector sent into the house of Shore's wife (for her husband dwelled not with her) and spoiled her of al that ever she had, (above the value of two or three thousand marks,) and sent her body to prison. And when he had a while laide unto her, for the manner sake, that she went about to bewitch him, and that she was of counsel with the lord chamberlein to destroy him: in conclusion, when that no colour could fasten upon these matters, then he layd heinously to her charge the thing that herselfe could not deny, that al the world wist was true, and that natheles every man laughed at to here it then so sodainly so highly taken,-that she was naught of her body. And for thys cause, (as a goodly continent prince, clene and faultless of himself, sent oute of heaven into this vicious world for the amendment of mens maners,) he caused the bishop of London to put her to open pennance, going before the crosse in procession upon a sonday with a taper in her hand. In which she went in countenance and pace demure so womanly; and albeit she was out of al array save her kyrtle only, yet went she so fair and lovely, namelye, while the wondering of the people caste a comly rud in her chekes, (of which she before had most misse,) that her great shame wan her much praise among those that were more amorous of her body, then curious of her soule. And many good folke also, that hated her living, and glad wer to se sin corrected, yet pittied thei more her penance then rejoiced therin, when thei considred that the protector procured it more of a corrupt intent, then any virtuous affection.

"This woman was born in London, worshipfully frended, honestly brought up, and very wel maryed, saving somewhat to soone; her husbande an honest citizen, yonge, and goodly, and of good substance. But forasmuche as they were coupled ere he wer wel ripe, she not very fervently loved, for whom she never longed. Which was happely the thinge that the more easily made her encline unto the king's appetite, when Le required her. Howbeit the respect of his royaltie, the hope of gay apparel, ease, plesure, and other wanton welth, was able soone to perse a soft tender hearte. But when the king had abused her, anon her husband (as he was an honest man, and one that could his good, not presuming to touch a kinges concubine) left her up to him al together. When the king died, the lord chamberlen [Hastings] toke her:' which in the kinges daies, albeit he was sore

After the death of Hastings she was kept by the Marquis of Dorset, son to Edward IV.'s queen. In Rymer's Fœdera is a proclamation of Richard's dated at Leicester, October 23, 1483, wherein a reward of 1000 marks in money, or 100 a-year in land, is offered for taking "Thomas late marquis of Dorset," who, "not having the fear of God, nor the salvation of his own soul, before his eyes, has damnably debauched and defiled many maids, widows, and wives, and lived in actual adultery with the wife of Shore."-Buckingham was at that time in rebellion, but as Dorset was not

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