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VI. An Excellent Ballad of a most dreadful Combat, fought between Moore of Moore-Hall, and the Dragon of Wantley.

Tho' this Ballad does not properly fall under the Denomination of Hiftorical, yet ought it naturally to follow the Two former; it having been ever look'd upon as a Criticism, or Ridicule upon St. George, the Seven Champions, Guy Earl of Warwick, and several other Songs of the like nature, which will fcarce find a Place in this Collection; and is the fame to Ballads of Chivalry, as Don Quixot is to Books of that Kind. However, there are fome People who will by no means allow this to have been the Defign of the Poet, nor the Song to be a Piece of Criticifm, but a Satyr: And to prove this, they tell you, That in Days of Old, a certain Gentleman, a Member of the Law, and here reprefented by the Dragon, being left Guardian to Three Orphans, and finding fome little Flaw in their Titles, put in his Claim, depriv'd them of their Eftate, took Poffeffion of it himself, and turn'd them over to the Parish.

yn.

Moore of Moore-Hall) took up their Jued the unjust Guardian, caft him, a cover'd the Eftate for the Children. not pretend to decide any Thing in a L of this Importance: The Hypothefes a probable; but which may be the justest, leave the Learned to determine.

LD Stories tell, how Hercules

A Dragon flew at Lerna,

With Seven Heads, and Fourteen Eyes,
To fee and well discern-a:

But he had a Club, this Dragon to drub,
Or he had ne're don 't, I warrant ye :
But Moore of Moore-Hall, with nothing at all,
He flew the Dragon of Wantley.

This Dragon had Two furious Wings,
Each one upon each Shoulder;
With a Sting in his Tail, as long as a Flail,
Which made him bolder and bolder.
He had long Claws, and in his Jaws
Four and forty Teeth of Iron;
With a Hide as tough, as any Buff,

Which did him round environ.

Have you not heard of the Trojan Horse,
With Seventy Men in his Belly?

This Dragon was not quite fo big,
But very near, I'll tell you:
Devoured he, poor Children Three,
That could not with him grapple ;
And at one Sup, he eat them up,
As one would eat an Apple.

All

All Sorts of Cattle this Dragon did eat,

Some fay he eat up Trees,

And that the Foreft fure he would

Devour by degrees :

For Houses and Chueches, were to him Geese

He eat all, and left none behind.

and Turkies;

But fome Stones, dear Fack, which he could not

Which on the Hills you will find.

In Yorkshire, near fair Rotherham,
The Place I know it well,

Some Two or Three Miles, or thereabouts,
I vow I cannot tell ;

But there is a Hedge, juft on the Hill Edge,
And Matthew's House hard by it;

O there and then, was this Dragon's Den,
You could not chufe but spy it.

Some fay, this Dragon was a Witch;
Some fay, he was a Devil,
For from his Nose a Smoke arose,
And with it burning Snivel;
Which he caft off, when he did cough,

Into a Well that stands by;

Which made it look, just like a Brook
Running with burning Brandy.

crack,

Hard by a furious Knight there dwelt,
Of whom all Towns did ring;
For he could wrestle, play at Quarter-Staff,
kick, cuff and huff,

Call Son of a Whore, do any kind of Thing: By the Tail and the Main, with his Hands twain He fwung a Horse till he was dead;

And