ANCIENT POEMS.

Now by my fay, fayd the heire of Linne,
And here, good John, is thy monèy.

And he pull'd forth three bagges of gold,
And layd them down upon the bord :
All woe begone was John o' the Scales,
Soe fhent he cold fay never a word.

He told him forth the good red gold,
He told it forth with mickle dinne.
The gold is thine, the land is mine,

And now Ime againe the lord of Linne.

Sayes, Have thou here, thou good fellòwe,
Forty pence thou didst lend mee:

Now I am againe the lord of Linne,

And forty pounds I will give thee.

Now welladay! fayth Joan o' the Scales:
Now welladay! and woe is my life!
Yesterday I was lady of Linne,

Now Ime but John o' the Scales his wife.

Now fare thee well, fayd the heire of Linne;
Farewell, good John o' the Scales, faid hee:
When next I want to fell my land,

Good John o' the Scales, Ile come to thee.

137

105

110

115

120

VI. GAS

1

VI.

GASCOIGNE'S PRAISE OF THE FAIR BRIDGES, AFTERWARDS LADY SANDES,

ON HER HAVING A SCAR IN HER FOREHEAD.

George Gafcoigne was a celebrated poet in the early part of Queen Elizabeth's reign, and appears to great advantage among the mifcellaneous writers of that age. He was author of three or four plays, and of many Smaller poems; one of the most remarkable of which is a fatire in blank verfe, called the STEELE-GLASS, 1576. 4to.

Gafcoigne was born in Effex, educated in both univerfities, whence he removed to Gray's-inn; but, difliking the Study of the law, became firft a dangler at court, and afterwards a foldier in the wars of the Low Countries. He had no great fuccefs in any of these pursuits, as appears from a poem of his, intitled, "Gascoigne's Wodmanship, written "to lord Gray of Wilton." Many of his epiftles dedicatory are dated in 1575, 1576, from "his poore houfe in Walthamftoe:" where he died a middle-aged man in 1578, according to Anth. Wood: or rather in 1577, if he is the perfon meant in an old tract, intitled, "A remembrance of "the well employed Life and godly End of GEO. GAS"COIGNE, Efq; who deceafed at Stamford in Lincoln"fhire, O&. 7. 1577. by Geo. Whetstone, Gent. an eyewitness of his godly and charitable end in this world," 4to. no date. From a MS. of Oldys.]

66

66

A very ingenious critic thinks "Gascoigne has much ex"ceeded all the poets of his age, in Smoothness and harmony

of verfification." But the truth is, Scarce any of the earlier poets of 2 Elizabeth's time are found deficient in harmony and Smoothness, tho' thofe qualities appear fo rare in the writings of their fucceffors. In the PARADISE OF DAINTY DEVISES*, (the DodЛley's Miscellany of those times) will

Obfervations on the Faerie Queen, Vol. II. p. 168.
Printed in 1578, 1596, and perhaps oftener, in 4to, black let.