Wi' that saim speir, O pierce my heart! And put me out o' pain. 180 Since nothing bot Gill Morice' head Thy jelous rage could quell, Let that saim hand now tak hir life That neir to thee did ill. **This little pathetic tale suggested the plot of the tragedy of Douglas. Since it was first printed, the Editor has been assured that the foregoing ballad is still current in many parts of Scotland, where the hero is universally known by the name of Child Maurice, pronounced by the common people Cheild or Cheeld, which occasioned the mistake. It may be proper to mention, that other copies read ver. 110, thus: "Shot frae the golden sun." And ver, 116, as follows: "His een like azure sheene." END OF THE SEVENTH BOOK. BOOK VIII. I. The Legend of Sir Guy contains a short summary of the exploits of this famous champion, as recorded in the old story-books, and is commonly entitled, "A pleasant song of the valiant deeds of chivalry atchieved by that noble knight Sir Guy of Warwick, who, for the love of fair Phelis, became a hermit, and died in a cave of craggy rocke, a mile distant from Warwick." The history of Sir Guy, though now very properly resigned to children, was once admired by all readers of wit and taste: for taste and wit had once their childhood. Although of English growth, it was early a favourite with other nations: it appeared in French in 1525, and is alluded to in the old Spanish romance of Tirante el Blanco, which, it is believed, was written not long after the year 1430.-See advertisement to the French translation, 2 vols. 12mo. The original whence all these stories are extracted, is a very ancient romance in old English verse, which is quoted by Chaucer as a celebrated piece even in his time, (viz., "Men speken of romances of price, Of Horne childe and Ippotis, R. of Thop.) and was usually sung to the harp at Christmas dinners and bridals, as we learn from Puttenham's Art of Poetry, 4to, 1589. This ancient romance is not wholly lost. An imperfect copy in black-letter, "Imprynted at London-for Wylliam Copland," in 34 sheets, 4to, without date, is still preserved among Mr. Garrick's collection of old plays. As a specimen of the poetry of this antique rhymer, take his description of the dragon mentioned in verse 105 of the following ballad: "A messenger came to the king. Syr king, he sayd, lysten me now, By twenty myle rounde aboute, That sleath men and beastes downe. Rugged as a rough fole; His bodye from the navill upwarde All that he toucheth he sleath dead downc. That is no man that bare him might. Ywis of none never heard ye." Sir William Dugdale is of opinion that the story of Guy is not wholly apocryphal, though he acknowledges the monks have sounded out his praises too hyperbolically. In particular, he gives the duel fought with the Danish Champion as a real historical truth, and fixes the date of it in the year 926, ætat. Guy 67.-See his Warwickshire. The following is written upon the same plan as ballad v. book vii., but which is the original, and which the copy, cannot be decided. This song is ancient, as may be inferred from the idiom preserved in the margin, ver. 94, 102: and was once popular, as app ars from Fletcher's Knight of the Burning Pestle, act ii., sc. ult. It is here published from an ancient MS. copy in the Editor's old folio volume collated with two printed ones, one of which is in blackletter in the Pepys Collection. WAS ever knight for ladyes sake Soe tost in love, as I, Sir Guy, She gave me leave myself to try, 5 The valiant knight with sheeld and speare, Ere that her love shee wold grant me; Which made mee venture far and neare. Then proved I a baron bold, That in those dayes in England was, Ver. 9, The proud sir Guy. P.C. In deeds of armes the doughtyest knight 10 An English man I was by birthe: In faith of Christ a christyan true : The wicked lawes of infidells I sought by prowesse to subdue. "Nine' hundred twenty yeere and odde Sometime I was of Warwicke erle, A ladyes love did me constraine To seeke strange ventures in my youth; To win me fame by feates of armes In strange and sundry heathen lands; Right dangerous conquests with my hands. The emperours daughter of Almaine, To helpe the emperour in his right, And heathen pagans, manye a man; And slew the souldans cozen deere, Who had to name doughtye Coldràn. Eskeldered, a famous knight, To death likewise I did pursue; And Elmayne, King of Tyre, alsoe, Most terrible in fight to viewe. I went into the souldans hoast, Being thither on embassage sent, And brought his head awaye with mee; I having slaine him in his tent. V. 17, Two hundred. MS. and P.C. |