advantage. But from these flattering expectations, falling into a diffipated course of life, which ill fuited with his narrow circumstances, and finding that a writer of the most distinguished taste and judgment, Mr. Walpole, had pronounced the poems to be suspicious, in a fit of despair, arifing from distress and disappointment, he destroyed all his papers, and poisoned himself. Some of the poems however, both tranfcripts and originals, he had previously fold, either to Mr. Catcott, a merchant of Bristol, or to Mr. Barrett, an eminent furgeon of the fame place, and an ingenious antiquary, with whom they now remain. But it appears, that among these there were but very few of parchment: most of the poems which they purchased were copies in his own hand. He was always averfe to give any diftinct or fatisfactory account of what he poffeffed: but from time to time, as his neceflities required, he produced copies of his originals, which were bought by these gentlemen. The originals, one or two only excepted, he chose to retain in his own poffeffion. The chief of these poems are, The TRAGEDY of ELLA, The EXECUTION of fir CHARLES BAWDWIN, ODE to ELLA, The BATTLE of HASTINGS, The TOURNAMENT, one or two DIALOGUES, and a Description of CANNYNGE'S FEAST. The TRAGEDY OF ELLA has fix characters; one of which is a lady, named Birtha. It has a chorus consisting of minstrels, whofe fongs are often introduced. Ella was governor of the caftle of Bristol, and a puiffant champion against the Danes, about the year 920. The story seems to be the poet's invention. The tragedy is opened with the following foliloquy. Mr. Barrett, to whom I am greatly ol liged for his unreferved and liberal infor mation on this fubject, is now engaged in writing the ANTIQUITIES of BRISTOL. CELMONDE Before yonne CELMONDE atte Brystowe.. roddie fonne has droove hys wayne Through half hys joornie, dyghte yn gites of gowlde, Myfelfe, and alle thatts myne, bounde yn Myschaunche's chayne! Ah Byrtha, whie dydde nature frame thee fayre, Whie art thou alle that poyntelle canne bewreene ?> Whie art thou notte as coarse as odhers are? Botte thenne thie foughle' woulde throwe thie vysage k fheene, Yatte fremres 'onne thie comlie femlykeene Or fcarlette with waylde lynnen clothe ", Lyke would thie fprite [fhine] upon thie vyfage: This daie brave Ella dothe thyne honde and hartè Clayme as hys owne to bee, whyche nee P from hys moste parte. Ytte cannotte, must notte, naie ytte shall notte bee! The following beautiful descriptions of SPRING, AUTUMN,, and MORNING, are fuppofed to be fung in the tragedy, by the chorus of minstrels.. SPRING. The boddyng flowrettes blofhes at the lyhte,, The trees enleafede, into heaven straught ', Whanne gentle wyndes doe blowe, to wheftlynge dynne ys" brought. The evenynge commes, and brynges the dewe alonge, Arounde the alestake mynstrelles fynge the fonge, Whanne Autumne, blake, and fonne-brente doe appere, Wythe hys goulde honde, guylteynge the falleynge lefe, Bryngeynge oppe Wynterre to folfylle the yere, Beereynge uponne hys backe the riped shefe; Whanne alle the hylls wythe woddie feede is whyte, Whanne levynne fyres, ande lemes, do mete fromme farr the syghte: Whanne the fayre apple, rudde as even skie, Doe bende the tree untoe the fructyle grounde, Meethynckes mie hartys joie ys steyned withe fomme care. MORNING. Bryghte fonne han ynne hys roddie robes byn dyghte, The howers drawe awaie the geete of nyghte, Herre fable tapistrie was rente ynne twayne: "Stretching. Stretched. w i. e. Are. * A fign-poft before an alehouse. In Chaucer, the HOSTE fays, Here at this alehouse-stake, I wol both drinke, and etin of a cake. WORDES HOST. v. 1835. Urr. p. 131. By the ale-ftake knowe we the alehouse, The 2 The dauncynge streakes bedeckedd heavenne's playne, Lyche yonge enlefed trees whych ynne a forreste byde'. But the following ode, belonging to the fame tragedy, has much more of the choral or lyric strain. |