But no way could relieve his wants;
Yet if that he would stay
Within her kitchen, he should have
What scullions gave away.

When he had heard, with bitter tears,
He made his answer then;

In what I did let me be made

Example to all men.

I will return again, quoth he,
Unto my Ragan's court;
She will not use me thus, I hope,

But in a kinder sort.

Where when he came, she gave command
To drive him thence away:

When he was well within her court
(She said) he would not stay.
Then back again to Gonorell
The woeful king did hie,
That in her kitchen he might have
What scullion boys set by.

But there of that he was deny'd,
Which she had promis'd late:
For once refusing, he should not
Come after to her gate.
Thus twixt his daughters, for relief
He wandred up and down

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Being glad to feed on beggars food,
That lately wore a crown.

And calling to remembrance then
His youngest daughters words,
That said the duty of a child

Was all that love affords:
But doubting to repair to her,
Whom he had banish'd so,
Grew frantick mad; for in his mind
He bore the wounds of woe:

Which made him rend his milk-white locks,
And tresses from his head,

And all with blood bestain his cheeks,

With age and honour spread.

To hills and woods and watry founts,
He made his hourly moan,

Till hills and woods, and sensless things,
Did seem to sigh and groan.

Even thus possest with discontents,
He passed o're to France,

In hopes from fair Cordelia there,

To find some gentler chance:

Most virtuous dame! which when she heard

Of this her father's grief,

As duty bound, she quickly sent
Him comfort and relief:

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And by a train of noble peers,

In brave and gallant sort,
She gave in charge he should be brought

To Aganippus' court;

Whose royal king, with noble mind

So freely gave consent,

To muster up his knights at arms,
To fame and courage bent.

And so to England came with speed,
To repossesse king Leir,

And drive his daughters from their thrones

By his Cordelia dear:

Where she, true-hearted noble queen,

Was in the battel slain :

Yet he good king, in his old days,
Possest his crown again.

But when he heard Cordelia's death,
Who died indeed for love

Of her dear father, in whose cause
She did this battle move;
He swooning fell upon her breast,
From whence he never parted:
But on her bosom left his life,
That was so truly hearted.

The lords and nobles when they saw
The end of these events,

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The other sisters unto death

They doomed by consents;

And being dead, their crowns they left

Unto the next of kin :

Thus have you seen the fall of pride,
And disobedient sin.

XVI.

Youth and Age,

Is found in the little collection of Shakspeare's Sonnets, entitled the Passionate Pilgrime,* the greatest part of which seems to relate to the amours of Venus and Adonis, being little effusions of fancy, probably written while he was composing his larger Poem on that subject. The following seems intended for the mouth of Venus, weighing the comparative merits of youthful Adonis and aged Vulcan. In the Garland of Good-will it is reprinted, with the addition of four more such stanzas, but evidently written by a meaner pen.

CRABBED Age and Youth

Cannot live together;

Youth is full of pleasance,
Age is full of care:
Youth like summer morn,
Age like winter weather,
Youth like summer brave,
Age like winter bare :
Youth is full of sport,
Ages breath is short;

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* Mentioned above, Song xii. b. ii.

Youth is nimble, Age is lame:
Youth is hot and bold,

Age is weak and cold;

Youth is wild, and Age is tame.
Age, I do abhor thee,
Youth, I do adore thee;

O, my love, my love is young:
Age, I do defie thee;

Oh sweet shepheard, hie thee,
For methinks thou stayst too long.

See Malone's Shakspeare, vol. x. p. 325.

XVII.

The Frolicksome Duke, or the Tinker's
Good Fortune.

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The following ballad is upon the same subject as the Induction to Shakspeare's Taming of the Shrew: whether it may be thought to have suggested the hint to the dramatic poet, or is not rather of later date, the reader must determine.

The story is told of Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, and is thus related by an old English writer: "The said duke, at the marriage of Eleonora, sister to the king of Portugall, at Bruges in Flanders, which was solemnized in the deepe of winter; when as by reason of unseasonable weather he could neither hawke nor hunt, and was now tired with cards, dice, &c., and such other domestick sports, or to see ladies dance; with some of his courtiers he would

* By Ludov. Vives in Epist. and by Pont. Heuter. Rerum Burgund, b. iv.