:: Murder, murder, the dragon cry'd, Alack, alack, for grief;

Had you but mift that place, you could

Have done me no mischief.

145

Then his head he fhaked, trembled and quaked,

And down he laid and cry'd;

150

First on one knee, then on back tumbled he,

So groan'd, kickt, ..., and dy'd.

As the former fong is in ridicule of the extravagant incidents in old ballads and metrical romances; fo this is a burlejque of their ftyle; particularly of the rambling tranfitions and wild accumulation of unconnected parts, fo frequent in many of them.

66

This ballad is given from an old black-letter copy in the Perys collection, imprinted at London, 1612." It is more ancient than many of the preceding; but we place it here for the fake of connecting it with the SECOND PART.

HY doe you

WH

boaft of Arthur and his knightes,

Knowing 'well' how many men have endured
fightes?

For befides king Arthur, and Lancelot du lake,
Or fir Triftram de Lionel, that fought for ladies fake;

Read

Read in old hiftories, and there you shall see

How St. George, St. George the dragon made to flee. St. George he was for England; St. Dennis was for France. Sing, Honi foit qui mal y penfe.

Mark our father Abraham, when firft he refckued Lot
Onely with his household, what conqueft there he got:
David, was elected a prophet and a king,

He flew the great Goliah, with a ftone within a fling:
Yet these were not knightes of the table round;
Nor St. George, St. George, who the dragon did con-
found.

St. George he was for England; St. Dennis was for France.
Sing, Honi foit qui mal y penfe.

Jephthah and Gideon did lead their men to fight,
They conquered the Amorites, and put them all to
flight:

Hercules his labours were' on the plaines of Baffe;
And Sampfon flew a thousand with the jawbone of an

affe

And eke he threw a temple downe, and did a mighty fpoyle.

And St. George, St. George he did the dragon foyle. St. George he was for England; St. Dennis was for France. Sing, Honi foit qui mal y pense.

The warres of ancient monarches it were too long to tell,
And likewise of the Romans, how farre they did excell;

Hanny

1

Hannyball and Scipio in many a fielde did fighte: Orlando Furiofo he was a worthy knighte: Remus and Romulus, were they that Rome did builde: But St. George, St. George the dragon made to yielde. St. George he was for England; St. Dennis was for France. Sing, Honi foit qui mal y pense.

The noble Alphonfo, that was the Spanish king, The order of the red scarffes and bandrolles in did bring: For he had a troope of mighty knightes, when first he did begin,

Which fought adventures farre and neare, that conqueft they might win:

The rankes of the Pagans he often put to flight.

But St. George, St. George did with the dragon fight. St. George he was for England; St. Dennis was for France. Sing, Honi foit qui mal y pense.

Many knights' have fought with proud Tamberlaine: Cutlax the Dane, great warres he did maintaine: Rowland of Beame, and good fir' Olivere In the foreft of Acon flew both woolfe and beare: Befides that noble Hollander, fir' Goward with the bill. But St.George, St. George the dragon's blood did fpill. St. George he was for England; St. Dennis was for France. Sing, Honi foit qui mal y pense.

Valentine and Orfon were of king Pepin's blood: Alfride and Henry they were brave knightes and good:

The

2

The four fons of Aymon, that follow'd Charlemaine : Sir Hughon of Burdeaux, and Godfrey of Bullaine: These were all French knightes that lived in that age. But St. George, St. George the dragon did affuage. St. George he was for England; St. Dennis was for France. Sing, Honi foit qui mal y pense.

Bevis conquered Afcupart, and after flew the boare, And then he croft beyond the feas to combat with the

moore:

Sir Ifenbras, and Eglamore they were knightes most

bold;

And good Sir John Mandeville of travel much hath

told:

There were many English knights that Pagans did

convert.

But St.George, St. George pluckt out the dragon's heart. St.George he was for England; St. Dennis was for France. Sing, Honi foit qui mal y pense.

The noble earl of Warwick, that was call'd fir Guy, The infidels and pagans ftoutly did defie;

He flew the giant Brandimore, and after was the death Of that most gaftly dun cowe, the divell of Dunfmore

heath:

Befides his noble deeds all done beyond the feas. But St. George, St. George the dragon did appcafe. St. George he was for England; St. Dennis was for France. Sing, Honi foit qui mal y pense.

Richard

Richard Coeur-de-lion erft king of this land,
He the lion gored with his naked hand*:
The falfe duke of Auftria nothing did he feare;
But his fon he killed with a boxe on the eare:
Befides his famous actes done in the holy lande.

But St. George, St. George the dragon did withstande. St. George he was for England; St. Dennis was for France. Sing, Honi foit qui mal y penfe.

Henry the fifth he conquered all France,

And quartered their arms, his honour to advance: He their cities razed, and threw their caftles downe, And his head he honoured with a double crowne: He thumped the French-men, and after home he came. But St. George, St. George he did the dragon tame. St. George he was for England; St. Dennis was for France. Sing, Honi foit qui mal y penfe.

St. David of Wales the Welsh-men much advance: St Jaques of Spaine, that never yet broke lance: St. Patricke of Ireland, which was St. Georges boy, Seven yeares he kept his horfe, and then stole him away: For which knavifh act, as flaves they doe remaine. But St. George, St George the dragon he hath flaine. St. George he was for England; St. Dennis was for France. Sing, Honi foit qui mal y pense.

XIII. St.

* Mluding to the_fabulous Exploits attributed to this King in the Old

Romances.