Remus and Romulus, were they that Rome did builde:

[yielde. But St. George, St. George the dragon made to St. George he was for England; St. Dennis was for France;

Sing, Honi soit qui mal y pense.

The noble Alphonso, that was the Spanish king, The order of the red scarffes and bandrolles in did bring": [he did begin, He had a troope of mighty knightes, when first Which sought adventures farre and neare, that conquest they might win;

The ranks of the Pagans he often put to flight: But St. George, St. George did with the dragon fight. [France;

St George he was for England; St. Dennis was for Sing, Honi soit qui mal y pense.

6

Many knights' have fought with proud Tamberlaíne:

Cutlax the Dane, great warres he did maintaine : Rowland of Beame, and good 'Sir' Olivere In the forest of Acon slew both woolfe and beare: Besides that noble Hollander, 'Sir' Goward with the bill: [spill.

But St. George, St. George the dragon's blood did St. George he was for England; St. Dennis was for France;

Sing, Honi soit qui mal y pense.

Valentine and Orson were of King Pepin's blood: Alfride and Henry they were brave knightes and good: [maine:

The four sons of Aymon, that follow'd CharleSir Hughon of Burdeaux, and Godfrey of Bullaine: These were all French knights that lived in that

The noble Earl of Warwick, that was call'd Sir The infidels and pagans stoutlie did defie; [Guy, He slew the giant Brandimore, and after was the death [more heath;

Of that most ghastly dun cowe, the divell of DunsBesides his noble deeds all done beyond the seas: But St. George, St. George the dragon did appease. St. George he was for England; St. Dennis was for Sing, Honi soit qui mal y pense. [France;

Richard Cour-de-lion, erst king of this land,
He the lion gored with his naked hand*:
The false Duke of Austria nothing did he feare;
But his son 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 with-
[France;

stande.

St. George he was for England; St. Dennis was for Sing, Honi soit qui mal y pense.

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 soit qui mal y pense.

was written by John Grubb, M. A. of Christ Church, Oxford. The occasion of its being composed is said to have been as follows. A set of gentlemen of the university had formed themselves into a Club, all the members of which were to be of the name of George; their anniversary feast was to be held on St. George's day. Our Author solicited strongly to be admitted; but his name being unfortunately John, this disqualification was dispensed with only upon this condition, that he would compose a song in honour of their Patron Saint, and would every year produce one or more new stanzas, to be sung on their annual festival. This gave birth to the following humorous performance, the several stanzas of which were the produce of many successive anniversariest.

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 addressed in the following whimsical macaronic lines, which, in such a collection as this, may not improperly accompany the poem itself.

EXPOSTULATIUNCULA, sive QUERIMONIUNCULA ad

Alluding to the fabulous exploits attributed to this king in the old romances. See the Dissertation prefixed to the Third Series.

To this circumstance it is owing that the Editor has never met with two copies in which the stanzas are arranged alike he has therefore thrown them into what appeared the most natural order. The verses are properly long Alexandrines, but the narrowness of the page made it necessary to subdivide them: they are here printed with many improve- I

ments.

Than pen-knife cuts a corn;

As case-knife does a capon carve,
So would it carve a rock,
And split a man at single slash,
From noddle down to nock.
As Roman Augur's steel of yore
Dissected 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,

Sing, Honi soit qui mal y pense.

And gave him a plaguy squelsh. St. George he was for England; St. Dennis was for

[France;

26

Was pufft by mauling butchers so,
As if themselves had blown her.
At once she kickt, and pusht at Guy,
But all that would not fright him;
Who wav'd his winyard o'er sir-loyn,
As if he'd gone to knight him.
He let her blood, frenzy to cure,
And eke he did her gall rip;

His trenchant blade, like cook's long spit,
Ran thro' the monster's bald-rib:

He rear'd up the vast crooked rib,

Instead of arch triumphal :

But George hit th' dragon such a pelt,

As made him on his bum fall.

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

France;

Sing, Honi soit qui mal y pense.

When scurf gave him occasion, His postern puff of wind was a Sulphureous exhalation.

The Briton never tergivers'd,

But was for adverse drubbing,

40

With showers of arrows thick,

For dinner, if you please;

Much turbants, and much Pagan pates

When it had slain a Cheshire man,

He made to humble in dust;

And heads of Saracens he fixt

He wounded, and, in their own blood, Did anabaptize Pagans:

But George he made the dragon an Example to all dragons.

Of Mahomet's religion,

[France;

As if 't had been the whispering bird,

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

That prompted him, the pigeon.

In Turkey-leather scabbard, he