VI.

A DYTTIE TO HEY DOWNE.

Copied from an old MS. in the Cotton Library, [Vefp. A. 25.] intitled, "Divers things of Hen. viij's time."

WHO fekes to tame the blustering winde,

WHO

Or caufse the floods bend to his wyll,

Or els against dame nature's kinde

To change things frame by cunning skyll:

That man I thinke bestoweth paine,

Thoughe that his laboure be in vaine.

Who ftrives to breake the sturdye fteele,
Or goeth about to staye the funne;
Who thinks to caufse an oke to reele,

Which never can by force be done :
That man likewise bestoweth paine,
Thoughe that his laboure be in vaine.

Who thinks to ftryve against the streame,
And for to fayle without a maste;
Unlesse he thinks perhapps to faine,
His travell ys forelorne and waste;
And fo in cure of all his paine,
His travell ys his cheffeft gaine.

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10

So he lykewife, that goes about
To please eche eye and every eare,
Had nede to have withouten doubt

A golden gyft with hym to beare;
For evyll report shall be his gaine,
Though he bestowe both toyle and paine.

God grant eche man one to amend;

God fend us all a happy place;

And let us pray unto the end,

That we may have our princes grace:
Amen, amen! so shall we gaine

A dewe reward for all our paine.

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VII.

GLASGERION.

An ingenious Friend thinks that the following old Ditty (which is printed from the Editor's folio MS.) may poffibly have given birth to the Tragedy of the ORPHAN, in which Polidore intercepts Monimia's intended favours to Caftalio.

See what is faid concerning the hero of this fong, (who is celebrated by CHAUCER under the name of GLASKYRION) in the Effay prefixed to Vol. I. Note H. Pt. IV. (2).

Glafgerion was a kings owne fonne,

And a harper he was goode :

He harped in the kinges chambere,
Where cuppe and caudle stoode.

And

And foe did hee in the queens chamber,

Till ladies waxed' glad.'

And then befpake the kinges daughter;
And thefe wordes thus fhee fay d.

Strike on, ftrike on, Glafgèrion,

Of thy ftriking doe not blinne:

Theres never a ftroke comes oer thy harpe,
But it glads my hart withinne.

Faire might he fall, ladye, quoth hee,

Who taught you nowe to fpeake!

I have loved you, ladye, seven longe yeere
My minde I neere durst breake.

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But come to my bower, my Glafgeriòn,

When all men are att reft:

As I am a ladie true of my promise,

Thou shalt bee a welcome gueft.

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Home then came Glasgèrion,

A glad man, lord! was hee.

And, come thou hither, Jacke my boy;

Come hither unto mee.

O master, master, then quoth hee,

Lay your head downe on this ftone:
For I will waken you, mafter deere,
Afore it be time to gone.

But up then rofe that lither ladd,

And hofe and fhoone did on:

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A coller he cast

upon

his necke,

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Hee feemed a gentleman.

And when he came to the ladies chamber,

He thrild upon a pinn *,

The lady was true of her promise,

Rofe up and lett him in.

He did not take the lady gaye

To boulfter nor to bed:

"Nor thoughe hee had his wicked wille,
"A fingle word he fed.'

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He did not kiffe that ladyes mouthe,
Nor when he came, nor youd:

45

And fore mistrusted that ladye gay,

He was of fome churls bloud.

This is elfewhere expreffed twirled the pin' or 'tirled at the pin' [See B. II. S. VI. v. 3.1 and feems to refer to the turning round the button on the outside of a deor, by which the latch rifes, ftill used in cottages.

But

But home then came that lither ladd,

And did off his hofe and fhoone;

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And caft the coller from off his necke:
He was but a churlès fonne.

Awake, awake, my deere mafter,

The cock hath well-nigh crowen,

Awake, awake, my mafter deere,

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I hold it time to be gone.

For I have faddled your horffe, mastèr,
Well bridled I have your fteede: