Reliques of Ancient English Poetry

We have here an early attempt at Elegy. EDWARD I. died July 7. 1307, in the 35th year of his reign, and 69th of his age. This poem appears to have been compofed foon after his death. According to the modes of thinking peculiar to thofe times, the writer davells more upon his devotion, than his skill in government, and pays lefs attention to the martial and political abilities of this great monarch, in which he had no equal, than to fome little weaknesses of fuperftition, which he had in common with all his cotemporaries. The king had in the decline of life vowed an expedition to the holy land, but finding his end approach, he dedicated the fum of 32,000l. to the maintenance of a large body of knights (140 Jay hiftorians, 80 fays our poet,) who were to carry his heart with them into Paleftine. This dying command of the king was never performed. Our poet with the honeft prejudices of an Englishman, attributes this failure to the advice of the king of France, whofe daughter Isabel young monarch immediately married. But the truth is, Edward and his deftructive favourite Piers Gavefton spent the money upon their pleasures. To do the greater honour to the memory of his heroe, our poet puts his eloge in the mouth of the Pope; with the fame poetic licence, as a more modern bard would have introduced Britannia, or the Genius of Europe pouring forth his praifes.

This antique Elegy is extracted from the fame MS. volume, as the preceding article; is found with the fame pe

culiarities

Nwho fucceeded,

ANCIENT POEMS. 7

culiarities of writing and orthography; and tho' written at near the distance of half a century contains little or no variation of idiom: whereas the next following poem by Chaucer, which was probably written not more than 50 or 60 years after this, exhibits almost a new language. This feems to countenance the opinion of fome antiquaries, that this great poet made confiderable innovations in his mother tongue, and introduced many terms, and new modes of Speech from other languages.

ALLE, that beoth of huerte trewe,

A stounde herkneth to my fong

Of duel, that Deth hath diht us newe,

That maketh me fyke, ant forewe among;

Of a knyht, that wes fo ftrong,

Of wham God hath don ys wille;
Me-thuncheth that deth hath don us wrong,
That he fo fone fhall ligge ftille,

Al Englond ahte for te knowe

Of wham that fong is, that y fynge;
Of Edward kyng, that lith fo lowe,
Zent al this world is nome con fpringe:
Treweft mon of alle thinge,