And speaking thus whereas he stood,
The dragon issued from the wood.

The lady that did first espy

The dreadful dragon coming so,

Unto St. George aloud did cry,

And willed him away to go;

'Here comes that cursed fiend,' quoth she, 'That soon will make an end of me.'

St. George then looking round about,
The fiery dragon soon espy'd,
And like a knight of courage stout,

Against him did most fiercely ride;
And with such blows he did him greet,
He fell beneath his horse's feet.

For with his launce that was so strong,
As he came gaping in his face,
In at his mouth he thrust along;

For he could pierce no other place:
And thus within the lady's view
This mighty dragon straight he slew.

The savour of his poisoned breath

Could do this holy knight no harm. Thus he the lady sav'd from death,

And home he led her by the arm;
Which when king Ptolemy did see,
There was great mirth and melody.

When as that valiant champion there
Had slain the dragon in the field,

To court he brought the lady fair,

Which to their hearts much joy did yield.

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He in the court of Egypt staid
Till he most falsely was betray'd.

That lady dearly lov'd the knight,
He counted her his only joy;

But when their love was brought to light

It turn'd unto their great annoy: Th' Morocco king was in the court, Who to the orchard did resort,

Dayly to take the pleasant air,

For pleasure sake he us'd to walk,

Under a wall he oft did hear

St. George with lady Sabra talk:
Their love he shew'd unto the king,
Which to St. George great woe did bring.

Those kings together did devise

To make the christian knight away,
With letters him in curteous wise
They straightway sent to Persia:
But wrote to the sophy him to kill,
And treacherously his blood to spill.

Thus they for good did him reward,
With evil, and most subtilly
By such vile meanes they had regard
To work his death most cruelly;
Who, as through Persia land he rode,
With zeal destroy'd each idol god.

For which offence he straight was thrown
Into a dungeon dark and deep;
Where, when he thought his wrongs upon,
He bitterly did wail and weep:

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Yet like a knight of courage stout,
At length his way he digged out.

Three grooms of the king of Persia

By night this valiant champion slew, Though he had fasted many a day;

And then away from thence he flew On the best steed the sophy had; Which when he knew he was full mad.

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Was forc'd the sting of death to feel.

Back o'er the seas with many bands
Of warlike souldiers soon he past,
Vowing upon those heathen lands

To work revenge; which at the last.
Ere thrice three years were gone and spent,
He wrought unto his heart's content.

Save onely Egypt land he spar'd
For Sabra bright her only sake,
And, ere for her he had regard,

He meant a tryal kind to make:
Mean while the king o'ercome in field
Unto saint George did quickly yield.

Then straight Morocco's king he slew,
And took fair Sabra to his wife,
But meant to try if she were true

Ere with her he would lead his life:

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And, tho' he had her in his train,
She did a virgin pure remain.

Toward England then that lovely dame
The brave St. George conducted strait,
An eunuch also with them came,

Who did

upon the lady wait; These three from Egypt went alone. Now mark St. George's valour shown.

When as they in a forest were,

The lady did desire to rest;
Mean while St. George to kill a deer,

For their repast did think it best:
Leaving her with the eunuch there,
Whilst he did go to kill the deer.

But lo! all in his absence came

Two hungry lyons fierce and fell, And tore the eunuch on the same,

In pieces small, the truth to tell; Down by the lady then they laid,

Whereby they shew'd, she was a maid.

But when he came from hunting back,
And did behold this heavy chance,

Then for his lovely virgin's sake
His courage strait he did advance,

And came into the lions sight,

Who ran at him with all their might.

Their rage did him no whit dismay,

Who, like a stout and valiant knight,
Did both the hungry lyons slay
Within the lady Sabra's sight:

Who all this while sad and demure,
There stood most like a virgin pure.

Now when St. George did surely know
This lady was a virgin true,

His heart was glad, that erst was woe,
And all his love did soon renew:
He set her on a palfrey steed,
And towards England came with speed.

Where being in short space arriv'd
Unto his native dwelling place;

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Therein with his dear love he liv'd,

And fortune did his nuptials grace:

They many years of joy did see,

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And led their lives at Coventry.

III

LOVE WILL FIND OUT THE WAY.

This excellent song is ancient; but we could only give it from a modern copy.

OVER the mountains,

And over the waves;

Under the fountains,

And under the graves;

Under floods that are deepest,

Which Neptune obey;

Over rocks that are steepest,
Love will find out the way.

Where there is no place
For the glow-worm to lye;
Where there is no space
For receipt of a fly;

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