Like mad-men, all the people cried,
Thy death to us can do no good;
Our fafety only doth abide

In making her the dragon's food.
Lo! here I am, I come, quoth she,
Therefore do what you will with me.

Nay ftay, dear daughter, quoth the queen,
And as thou art a virgin bright,

That haft for vertue famous been,

So let me cloath thee all in white;

And crown thy head with flowers sweet,
An ornament for virgins meet,

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Farewell, my father dear, quoth fhe,

And my sweet mother meek and mild; Take you no thought nor weep for me,

For you may have another child: Since for my country's good I dye, Death I receive moft willinglye.

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The

The king and queen and all their train

With weeping eyes went then their way, And let their daughter there remain,

To be the hungry dragon's prey : But as fhe did there weeping lye, Behold St. George came riding by.

And seeing there a lady bright

So rudely tyed unto a stake,

He straight to her his way

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As well became a valiant knight,

did take:

Tell me, fweet maiden, then quoth he,

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What caitif thus abuseth thee?

And, lo! by Christ his cross I vow,
Which here is figured on my breast,

I will revenge it on his brow,

And break my lance upon his chest: And speaking thus whereas he flood,

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St. George then looking round about,

The fiery dragon foon espy'd, And like a knight of courage ftout,

Against him did moft fiercely ride;

And with fuch blows he did him greet,
He fell beneath his horse's feet.

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For with his launce that was fo strong,
As he came gaping in his face,

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

And home he led her by the arm;

Which when king Ptolemy did fee,
There was great mirth and melody.

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When as that valiant champion there

Had flain the dragon in the field,

To court he brought the lady fair,

Which to their hearts much joy did yield. 160

He in the court of Egypt staid

Till he most falfely was betray'd.

That

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

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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 refort,

Dayly to take the pleasant air,

For pleasure fake he us❜d to walk,

Under a wall he oft did hear

St. George with lady Sabra talk:

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Their love he fhew'd unto the king,

Which to St. George great woe did bring.

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Thofe kings together did devise

To make the christian knight away,

With letters him in curteous wife

They straightway sent to Perfia:

But wrote to the fophy him to kill,
And treacherously his blood to fpill.

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

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For

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:

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

Three grooms of the king of Perfia

By night this valiant champion flew, Though he haft fafted many a day;

And then away from thence he flew

On the best fleed the fophy had ;
Which when he knew he was full mad.

Towards Christendom he made his flight,

But met a gyant by the way,
With whom in combat he did fight
Moft valiantly a fummer's day:

Who yet, for all his bats of steel,
Was forc'd the fting of death to feel.

Back o'er the feas with many bands

Of warlike fouldiers foon 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.

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