When fortune lokyd the in thy face, Thou haddyst fayre tyme, but thou lackydyst grace; 5 Thy cofers with golde thou fyllydst a pace. Synge, &c. Both plate and chalys came to thy fyst, Thou lockydst them vp where no man wyst, Tyll in the kynges treasoure suche thinges were myst. Synge, &c. Both crust and crumme came thorowe thy handes, 10 Synge, &c. Fyrste when kynge Henry, God saue his grace! Then it was tyme to purchase the a place. 15 Synge, &c. Hys grace was euer of gentyll nature, Mouyd with petye, and made the hys seruyture: But thou, as a wretche, suche thinges dyd procure. Synge, &c. Thou dyd not remembre, false heretyke, One God, one fayth, and one kynge catholyke, 20 For thou hast bene so long a scysmatyke. Synge, &c. Thou woldyst not learne to knowe these thre; Wherfore all this lande hathe ben troubled with the. Synge, &c. 25 All they, that were of the new trycke, Agaynst the churche thou baddest them stycke; Both sacramentes and sacramentalles Synge, &c. Thou woldyst not suffre within thy walles; 30 Synge, &c. Of what generacyon thou were no tonge can tell, Or else sent vs frome the deuyll of hell. Thou woldest neuer to vertue applye, But couetyd euer to clymme to hye, Synge, &c. And nowe haste thou trodden thy shoo awrye. Synge, &c. Who-so-euer dyd winne thou wolde not lose; Wherfore all Englande doth hate the, as I suppose, Bycause thou wast false to the redolent rose. Synge, &c. 35 Ver. 32, i. e. Cain, or Ishmael. See below, the note, book ii. no. iii, stanza 3d. Thou myghtest have learned thy cloth to flocke 40 Upon thy gresy fullers stocke; Wherfore lay downe thy heade vpon this blocke. Synge, &c. Yet saue that soule, that God hath bought, And for thy carcas care thou nought, Synge, &c. God saue kyng Henry with all his power, Synge trolle on awaye, syng trolle on away. 45 V. 41, Cromwell's father is generally said to have been a blacksmith at Putney: but the author of this ballad would insinuate that either he himself, or some of his ancestors, were fullers by trade. The foregoing piece gave rise to a poetic controversy, which was carried on through a succession of seven or eight ballads, written for and against Lord Cromwell. These are all preserved in the archives of the Antiquarian Society, in a large folio Collection of Proclamations, &c., made in the reigns of King Henry VIII., King Edward VI., Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, King James I., &c. XII. λ AN ANCIENT ENGLISH PASTORAL. This beautiful poem, which is perhaps the first attempt at pastoral writing in our language, is preserved among the "Songs and Sonnettes" of the Earl of Surrey, &c. 4to. in that part of the collection, which consists of pieces by "uncertain Auctours." These poems were first published in 1557, ten years after that accomplished nobleman fell a victim to the tyranny of Henry VIII.: but it is presumed most of them were composed before the death of Sir Thomas Wyat, in 1541. See Surrey's Poems, 4to. folios 19, 49. Though written perhaps near half a century before the Shepherd's Calendar,* this will be found far superior to any of those Eclogues, in natural unaffected sentiments, in simplicity of style, in easy flow of versification, and all other beauties of pastoral poetry. Spenser ought to have profited more by so excellent a model. PHYLIDA was a faire mayde, As fresh as any flowre; Whom Harpalus the herdman prayde To be his paramour. Harpalus, and eke Corin, Were herdmen both yfere: First published in 1579. 5 And Phylida could twist and spinne, And thereto sing full clere. But Phylida was all tò coye, For Harpalus to winne: For Corin was her onely joye, Who forst her not a pinne. How often would she flowers twine? How often garlandes make Of couslips and of colombine? And al for Corin's sake. 10 15 But Corin, he had haukes to lure, Of lovers lawe he toke no cure; For once he was begilde. 20 Harpalus prevailed nought, His labour all was lost: For he was fardest from her thought, |