VIII. Come with acorne-cup, and thorne, IX. Watere wytches crownde with reytes", I die I come-My true love waytes! According to the date affigned to this tragedy, it is the first drama extant in our language. In an Epistle prefixed to his patron Cannynge, the author thus cenfures the MYSTERIES, or religious interludes, which were the only plays then exifting. Plaies made from HALLIE TALES I hold unmete; Whanne, as a man, we Godde and Jesus trete, The ODE TO ELLA is faid to have been fent by Rowlie in the year 1468, as a fpecimen of his poetical abilities, to his intimate friend and cotemporary Lydgate, who had challenged him to write verses. The fubject is a victory obtained by Ella over the Danes, at Watchett near Bristol. I will give this piece at length.. SONGE TO AELLE LORDE OF THE CASTLE OF BRISTOWE ynne daies of yore. Oh! thou (orr whatt remaynes of thee) Lette thys mie fonge bolde as thie courage bee, As everlastynge to posteritie! Whanne Dacya's fonnes, whose hayres of bloude redde hue, Lyche kynge cuppes braftynge wythe the mornynge due, Arraung'd ynn dreare arraie, Spredde farr and wyde onn Watchett's shore: And bie thie brondeous honde Beefprengedd all the mees with gore. Drawne bie thyne anlace felle', And actedd deedes full quente. Turgotus, who both lived in Norman tymes. The latter, indeed, may in fome measure be faid to have flourished in that era, for he died bishop of Saint Andrews in 1115. But he is oddly coupled with Chaucer in another respect, for he wrote only fome Latin chronicles. Befides, Lydgate muft have been fufficiently acquainted with Chaucer's age; for he was living, and a young man, when Chaucer died. The writer alfo mentions Stone, the Carmelite, as living with Chaucer and Turgotus: whereas he was Lydgate's cotemporary. These circumftances, added to that of the extreme and affected meannefs of the compofition, evidently prove this little piece a forgery. 1 Sword. Oh! Oh! thou, where'er (thie bones att reste) Orr feeste somme mountayne made of corfe of fleyne : Orr feeste the harnessd fteede, And neighe to bee amonge the poyntedd speeres; Orr fierie rounde the mynfter" glare: "Tyll ynne one flame all the whole worlde expyres. The BATTLE OF HASTINGS is called a translation from the Saxon: and contains a minute description of the persons, arms, and characters of many of the chiefs, who fought in that important action. In this poem, Stonehenge is described as a Druidical temple. The poem called the TOURNAMENT, is dramatically conducted, among others, by the characters of a herald, a knight, a minstrel, and a king, who are introduced speaking. The following piece is a description of an alderman's feast at Bristol; or, as it is entitled, ACCOUNTE OF W. CANNYNGE'S FEAST. The monaftery. Now the cathedral. Thorowe ° Thorowe the hall the belle han founde; Gyff' Rowley, Ifchamm, or Tybb Gorges, be ne seen. But a dialogue between two ladies, whofe knights, or husbands, ferved in the wars between York and Lancaster, and were now fighting at the battle of Saint Albans, will be more interesting to many readers. This battle happened in the reign of Edward the fifth, about the year 1471. ELINOUR and JUGA. Anne Ruddeborne' bank twa pynynge maydens fate, Theire teares fafte dryppeynge to the waterre cleere ; Echone bementynge' for her abfente mate, Who atte Seynote Albonns fhouke the morthynge' fpeare. The nottebrowne Ellynor to Juga fayre, Dydde fpeke acroole", with languyfhmente of eyne, Lyke droppes of pearlie dewe, lemed" the quyvrynge brine. ELINOUR. O gentle Juga! hear mie dernie* plainte, Maie good Seynête Cuthberte watch fyrre Robynne wele! JUGA.. Syfters in forrowe on thys daise ey'd banke, Where melancholych broods, we wylle lamente: Be wette with mornynge dewe and evene danke; Lyche levynde okes in eche the oder bente : d Whose gastlie nitches holde the traine of fryghte*, The minstrelle daunce, good cheere, and morryce plaie ; Alle nete amenge the gravde cherche' glebe wyll goe, Of leden " moon, ynn fylver mantels dyghte: |