-is found in a very scarce miscellany intitled "Davison's Poems, or a poeticall Rapsodie divided into sixe books. .... The 4th impression newly corrected and augmented, and put into a forme more pleasing to the reader. Lond. 1621, 12mo." This poem is reported to have been written by its celebrated author the night before his execution, Oct. 29. 1618. But this must be a mistake, for there were at least two editions of Davison's poems before that time, one in 1608 *, the other in 1611+. So that unless this poem was an after-insertion in the 4th edit. it must have been written long before the death of Sir Walter: perhaps it was composed soon after his condemnation in 1603. See Oldys's Life of Sir Walter Raleigh, p. 173, fol.

GOE, soule, the bodies guest,
Upon a thankelesse arrant;

Feare not to touche the best,

The truth shall be thy warrant :
Goe, since I needs must dye,
And give the world the lye.

Goe tell the court, it glowes
And shines like rotten wood;
Goe tell the church it showes
What's good, and doth no good:
If church and court reply,

Then give them both the lye.

Tell zeale, it lacks devotion;
Tell love, it is but lust;
Tell time, it is but motion;
Tell flesh, it is but dust;

And wish them not reply,
For thou must give the lye.

Tell age, it daily wasteth;

Tell honour, how it alters; Tell beauty, how she blasteth; Tell favour, how she falters; And as they shall reply, Give each of them the lye.

Tell wit, how much it wrangles
In tickle points of nicenesse;
Tell wisedome, she entangles
Herselfe in over-wisenesse;
And if they do reply,
Straight give them both the lye.

5

10

Tell schooles, they want profoundnesse, And stand too much on seeming:

If arts and schooles reply,

Give arts and schooles the lye.

25

Tell, vertue least preferreth:

30

Catalogue of Sion coll. library. This is either lost or

ruslaid.

And, if they doe reply,

Spare not to give the lye.

So, when thou hast, as I

Commanded thee, done blabbing,

Although to give the lye

Deserves no less than stabbing,

Yet stab at thee who will,
No stab the soule can kill.

16

V.

In the firs. edition of this book were inserted, by way of spect en of his Majesty's poetic talents, some punning verses made on the disputations at Sterling; but it having been suggested to the Editor, that the king only gave the quibbling commendations in prose, and that some obsequious courtrhymer put them into metre; it was thought proper to exchange them for two sonnets of King James's own composition. James was a great versifier, and therefore out of the multitude of his poems, we have here selected two, which (to shew our impartiality) The are written in his best and his worst manner. first would not dishonour any writer of that time; the second is a most complete example of the Bathos.

A SONNET ADDRESSED BY KING JAMES TO HIS SON PRINCE HENRY.

From King James's Works in folio: where is also printed another called his Majesty's "own Sonnet;" it would perhaps be too cruel to infer from thence that this was not his Majesty's own

sonnet.

GOD gives not kings the stile of Gods in vaine,
For on his throne his scepter do they swey:
And as their subjects ought them to obey,
So kings should feare and serve their God againe.

If then ye would enjoy a happie reigne,

Observe the statutes of our heavenly King; And from his law make all your laws to spring; Since his lieutenant here ye should remaine.

The common popular ballad of "King John and the Abbot" seems to have been abridged and modernized about the time of James I. from one much older, entitled, "King John and the Bishop of Canterbury." The Editor's folio MS. contains a copy of this last, but in too corrupt a state to be reprinted; it however afforded many lines worth reviving, which will be found inserted in the ensuing stanzas.

The archness of the following questions and answers hath been much admired by our old balladmakers; for besides the two copies above mentioned, there is extant another ballad on the same subject (but of no great antiquity or merit), entitled, "King Olfrey and the Abbot.: Lastly, about the time of the civil wars, when the cry ran against the

See a folio, intitled, "The Muses welcome to King James.

See the collection of Historical Ballads, 3 vols. 1727. Mr. Wise supposes Olfrey to be a corruption of Alfred, in bis pamphlet concerning the White Horse in Berkshire, 6.

bishops, some puritan worked up the same story into a very doleful ditty, to a solemn tune, concerning "King Henry and a Bishop ;" with this stinging moral :

"Unlearned men hard matters out can find,

When learned bishops princes eyes do blind." The following is chiefly printed from an ancient black-letter copy, to " The tune of Derry down."

An ancient story Ile tell you anon

Of a notable prince, that was called King John;
And he ruled England with maine and with might,
For he did great wrong, and maintein'd little right.

And Ile tell you a story, a story so merrye,
Concerning the Abbot of Canterburye;
How for his house-keeping, and high renowne
They rode poste for him to fair London towne,

5

169

This little sonnet was written by Sir Henry Wotton, knight, on that amiable princess, Elizabeth daughter of James I. and wife of the Elector Palatine, who was chosen King of Bohemia, Sept. 5, 1519. The consequences of this fatal election are well known: Sir Henry Wotton, who in that and the following year was employed in several embassies in Germany on behalf of this unfortunate lady, seems to have had an uncommon attachment to her merit and fortunes for he gave away a jewel worth a thousand pounds, that was presented to him by the emperor, because it came from an enemy to his royal mistress the Queen of Bohemia." See Biog. Britan.

This song is printed from the Reliquia Wottoniana, 1651, with some corrections from an old MS. copy.

You meaner beauties of the night,

That poorly satisfie our eies More by your number, than your light ;