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blies. The author of the Arte of English Poesie, speaking in relation to the society in which he moved, and he was one of Queen Elizabeth's gentleman-pensioners, at a time when the whole band consisted of men distinguished by birth and fortune, he says, "We ourselves have written for pleasure, a little brief romance, or historical ditty, in the English tongue, in short and long metre, and by breaches or divisions (i. e. fits), to be more commodiously sung to the harp, in places of assembly, where the company shall be desirous to hear of old adventures and valiances of noble knights in times past, as those of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, Sir Bevis of Southampton, and others like."

As we have before said, our little Garland singeth not of the "deeds of noble knights," nor of the loves and pains of "gentle dames." 'Tis but a collection of "diverse" scraps, gleaned from a variety of ancient Music Books both manu

script and printed; and although some pieces have been edited before, sometimes from the same original, it more frequently happens that our versions have been taken from new and in

dependent sources. We need scarcely make any apology or excuse for what we have done, as our labours tend neither "to good nor harm." Accept then, gentle reader, what we offer unto thee in kindness. It is but the amusement of a passing hour; and, in the words of old Fabyan, the citizen chronicler of London,

"Whoso him lyketh these verses to rede.
With favor I pray he'll them spell;

Let not the rudeness of them him lede
To disprove this rhyme doggerell."

3, Augustus Square,

Regent's Park.

E. F. R.

21

SONGS AND BALLADS.

I.

Song in Praise of Arthur, Prince of Wales.

A.D. 1501.

THE following Song is given from an ancient parchment book, consisting of early English songs in parts, in the possession of the editor. It was written and composed by "Maister Edmond Turges," and the MS. from which it is taken is in all probability the original. Another copy may be seen in the Fayrfax MS. (Add. MS. Brit. Mus. No. 5465.) Prince Arthur, the eldest son of Henry VII, died April 2d, 1502. Henry, his brother, was created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester in Parliament, by the girding on a sword, the putting a cap on his head, a gold ring on his finger, and a golden rod in his hand, 18th Feb. 1503. An. 1. 9 Henry VII." (See Sandford's Genealog. Hist.)

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A distinguishing mark of honour peculiar to the Prince of Wales consists of a plume of three ostrich feathers, with an

1 This person was probably a near relation to a minstrel of the same name. In the Act of Resumption, 28th Henry VI, there is a proviso in favour of John Turges, harpour with the Queen, for the reversion of an annuity of ten marks, after the death of Will. Langton, minstrel.

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ancient coronet, under which in a scroll is the well-known motto, "Ich Bien," "I serve; a device assumed by Edward the Black Prince after the famous battle of Cressy, in which he slew with his own hand John, king of Bohemia, the stipendiary of the king of France, in whose wars he was then serving; and it was from the head of the Bohemian monarch that Edward, then Prince of Wales, took such a plume and motto, and which have ever since, in remembrance of that event, been borne by his successors.

FROM Stormy wyndes and grevous wether,
Good Lord preserve the ostrige fether.

O blessed Lord of hevyn celestiall,

Which formyd hast of thy most speciall grace,
Arthur, oure prynce, to us here terestriall,
In honor to rayne! Lord graunt hym tyme and
place.

Which of alyaunce,

Oure prynce of pleasaunce,

Be in erytaunce,

Of Ynglond and Fraunce,
Ryst eyre for to be;

Wherefore now syng we,

From stormy wyndes, &c.

Wherefore good Lord syth of thy creacion Is this noble prince of ryall linage;

In every case be his preservacion,

With joy to rejose his dewe enerytaunce.
His ryзt to optayne,

In honor to rayne,
This eyre of brytayne,
Of Castill, and Spayne,
Ryst eyre for to be;

Wherefore now syng we,

From stormy wyndes, &c.

Now good lady among the saynts all,

Praye to the Sone, the second in Trinitie,

For this yong prince, which is and daily shal be Thy servaunt, with all his hart to fre.

O celestiall

Moder maternall,
Emprise infernall,

Now we cry and call,
His save gard to be;

Wherefore now syng we,

From stormy wyndes, &c.

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