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

Bevis conquered Afcapart, 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 penfe.

The noble earl of Warwick, that was call'd fir Guy,
The infidels and pagans ftoutlie did defie;
He flew the giant Brandimore, and after was the death
Of that most ghaftly dun cowe, the divell of Dunsmore

heath;

Befides his noble deeds all done beyond the feas:

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

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;
Besides 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 castles 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 penfe.

*Alluding to the fabulous Exploits attributed to this King in the old Romances. See the Differtation prefixed to this Volume.

XV. ST.

XV.

ST. GEORGE FOR ENGLAND,

THE SECOND PART.

was written by JOHN GRUBB, M. A. of Chrift Church, Oxford The occafion of its being compofed is faid to have been as follows. A fet of gentlemen of the univerfity had formed themfelves into a Club, all the members of which were to be of the name of GEORGE: Their anniverfary feaft was to be held on ST. GEORGE's day. Our Author folicited frongly to be admitted; but his name being unfortunately JOHN, this difqualification was difpenfed with only upon this condition, that he would compofe a fong in honour of their Patron Saint, and would every year produce one or more new ftanzas, to be fung on their annual feftival. This gave birth to the following humorous performance, the feveral ftanzas of which were the produce of many fucceffive anniversaries.

This diverting poem was long handed about in manuscript, at length a friend of GRUBB's undertook to get it printed, who, not keeping pace with the impatience of his friends, was addreffed in the following whimsical macaronic lines, which, in fuch a collection as this, may not improperly accompany the poem itself.

*To this circumftance it is owing that the Editor has never met with two copies, in which the flanzas are arranged alike, he has therefore thrown them into what appeared the most natural order. The verfes are properly long Alexandrines, but the narrowness of the page made it neceffary to fubdivide them: they are here printed with many improvements.

EXPOSTU

EXPOSTULATIUNCULA, five QUERIMONIUNCULA ad ANTONIUM [ATHERTON] ob Poema JOHANNIS GRUBB, Viri Tou Tavu ingeniofiffimi in lucem nondum editi.

TONI! Tune fines divina poemata Grubbi
Intomb'd in fecret thus ftill to remain any longer,

Το νομα σε Mhall laft, Ω Γρυξε διαμπερές αει,
Grubbe tuum nomen vivet dum nobilis ale-a
Efficit heroas, dignamque heroe puellam.
Eft genus heroum, quos nobilis efficit alea-a
Qui pro niperkin clamant, quaternque liquoris

Quem vecitant Homines Brandy, Superi Cherry-brandy.
Sæpe illi long-cut, vel fmall-cut flare Tobacco
Sunt foliti pipos. Aft fi generofior herba
(Per varios cafus, per tot difcrimina rerum)
Mundungus defit, tum non funcare recufant
Brown-paper toftâ, vel quod fit arundine bed-mat.
Hic labor, hoc opus eft heroum afcendere fedes!
Aft ego quo rapiar? quo me feret entheus ardor
Grubbe, tui memorem? Divinum expande poema.
Quæ mora? quæ ratio eft, quin Grubbi protinus anfer
Virgilii, Flaccique fimul canat inter olores?

At length the importunity of his friends prevailed, and Mr. Grubb's fong was published at Oxford, under the following title:

THE BRITISH HEROES

A New Poem in honour of St. George

By Mr. JOHN GRUBB

School-mafter of Christ-Church

OXON. 1688.

Favete linguis: carmina non prius

Audita, mufarum fucerdos

Canto.

T'

Sold by Henry Clements. Oxon.

HE ftory of king Arthur old
Is very memorable,

The number of his valiant knights,

And roundness of his table:

HOR.

The

The knights around his table in

A circle fate d'ye fee:

And altogether made up one

Large hoop of chivalry.

He had a fword, both broad and sharp,

Y-cleped Caliburn,

Would cut a flint more eafily,

Than pen-knife cuts a corn;
As cafe-knife does a capon carve,
So would it carve a rock,
And split a man at single flash,

From noddle down to nock.
As Roman Augur's feel of yore
Diffected Tarquin's riddle,
So this would cut both conjurer
And whetstone thro' the middle.
He was the cream of Brecknock,

And flower of all the Welsh:

But George he did the dragon fell,

And gave him a plaguy fquelf.

IQ

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20

St. George he was for England; St. Dennis was for France;

Sing, Honi foit qui mal y pense.

Pendragon, like his father Jove,
Was ted with milk of goat;

And like him made a noble shield

Of the-goat's fhaggy coat:

On top of burnisht helmet he

Did wear a crest of leeks ;

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30

And