raged a vindictive spirit, and gave such force to the custom of duelling, that there is little hope of its being abolished. This, together with the fatal consequences which often attended the diversion of the Turnament, was sufficient to render it obnoxious to the graver part of mankind. Accordingly the Church early denounced its censures against it, and the State was often prevailed on to attempt its suppression. But fashion and opinion are superior to authority: and the proclamations against tilting were as little regarded in those times, as the laws against duelling are in these. This did not escape the discernment of our poet, who easily perceived that inveterate opinions must be attacked by other weapons besides proclamations and censures; he accordingly made use of the keen one of RIDICULE. With this view he has here introduced with admirable humour a parcel of clowns, imitating all the solemnities of the Tourney. Here we have the regular challenge-the appointed day-the lady for the prize the formal preparations—the display of armour-the scutcheons and devices-the oaths taken on entering the lists-the various accidents of the encounter -the victor leading off the prize-and the magnificent feasting-with all the other solemn fopperies that usually attended the pompous turnament. And how acutely the sharpness of the author's humour must have been felt in those days, we may learn from what we can perceive of its keenness now, when time has so much blunted the edge of his ridicule.

The Turnament of Tottenham was first printed from an ancient MS. in 1631, 4to., by the Rev. Whilhem Bedwell, rector of Tottenham, who was one of the translators of the Bible. He tells us it was written by Gilbert Pilkington, thought to have been some time parson of the same parish, and author of another piece, entitled Passio Domini Jesu Christi. Bedwell, who was eminently skilled in the oriental and other languages, appears to have been but little

conversant with the ancient writers in his own; and he so little entered into the spirit of the poem he was publishing, that he contends for its being a serious narrative of a real event, and thinks it must have been written before the time of Edward III., because turnaments were prohibited in that reign. "I do verily believe," says he, "that this Turnament was acted before this proclamation of King Edward. For how durst any to attempt to do that, although in sport, which was so straightly forbidden, both by the civill and ecclesiasticall power? For although they fought not with lances, yet, as our author sayth, It was no children's game.' And what would have become of him, thinke you, which should have slayne another in this manner of jeasting? Would he not, trow you, have been hang'd for it in earnest? yea, and have bene buried like a dogge?" It is, however, well known that turnaments were in use down to the reign of Elizabeth.

In the former editions of this work, Bedwell's copy was reprinted here, with some few conjectural emendations; but as Bedwell seemed to have reduced the orthography at least, if not the phraseology, to the standard of his own time, it was with great pleasure that the Editor was informed of an ancient MS. copy preserved in the Museum, [Harl. MSS. 5396,] which appeared to have been transcribed in the reign of King Henry VI., about 1456. This obliging information the Editor owed to the friendship of Thomas Tyrwhitt, Esq., and he has chiefly followed that more authentic transcript, improved however by some readings from Bedwell's book.

Of all thes kene conquerours to carpe it were kynde;
Of fele feyztyng folk ferly we fynde,

The Turnament of Totenham have we in mynde;
It were harme sych hardynes were holden byhynde,

In story as we rede

Of Hawkyn, of Herry,

Of Tomkyn, of Terry,

Of them that were dughty

And stalworth in dede.

It befel in Totenham on a dere day,

Ther was mad a shurtyng be the hy-way:

Theder com al the men of the contray,

Of Hyssylton, of Hy-gate, and of Hakenay,
And all the swete swynkers.

Ther hopped Hawkyn,

Ther daunsed Dawkyn,

5

10

15

Ther trumped Tomkyn,

And all were trewe drynkers.

Tyl the day was gon and evyn-song past,

That they schuld reckyn ther scot and ther counts

cast;

Perkyn the potter into the press past,

And sayd Randol the refe, a dozter thou hast,

Tyb the dere:

Therfor faine wyt wold I,

Whych of all thys bachelery

Were best worthye

To wed hur to hys fere.

Upstyrt thos gadelyngys wyth ther lang staves,
And sayd, Randol the refe, lo! thys lad raves;

20

25

Ver. 20. It is not very clear in the MS. whether it should be conts or conters.

Boldely amang us thy dozter he craves;

We er rycher men than he, and mor gode haves
Of cattell and corn;

30

Then sayd Perkyn, To Tybbe I have hyzt
That I schal be alway redy in my ryzt,

If that it schuld be thys day sevenyzt, 35
Or elles zet to morn.

Then sayd Randolfe the refe, Ever be he waryd,
That about thys carpyng lenger wold be taryd:
I wold not my dozter, that scho were miscaryd,
But at hur most worschip I wold scho were maryd;

Therfor a Turnament schal begynne

Thys day sevenyzt,—

Wyth a flayl for to fyzt:

And he' that is most of myght

Schal brouke hur wyth wynne.

Whoso berys hym best in the turnament,

41

45

Hym schal be granted the gre be the comon assent, For to wynne my dozter wyth 'dughtynesse' of dent, And 'coppell' my brode-henne 'that' was brozt out And my dunnyd kowe,

For no spens wyl I spare,
For no cattell wyl I care,

He schal have my gray mare,

[of Kent:

51

Ther was many 'a' bold lad ther bodyes to bede: 55 Than thay toke thayr leve, and homward they zede; And all the weke afterward graythed ther wede, Tyll it come to the day, that thay suld do ther dede. They armed tham in matts;

Thay set on ther nollys,

For to kepe ther pollys,

Gode blake bollys,

For batrnyg of bats.

60

Thay sowed tham in schepeskynnes, for thay schuld

not brest:

Ilk-on toke a blak hat, insted of a crest:

'A basket or a panyer before on ther brest,'

And a flayle in ther hande; for to fyght prest,
Furth gon thay fare :

Ther was kyd mekyl fors,

Who schuld best fend hys cors :

He that had no gode hors,

He gat hym a mare.

Sych another gadryng have I not sene oft,

65

70

When all the gret company com rydand to the croft: Tyb on a gray mare was set up on loft

On a sek ful of fedyrs, for scho schuld syt soft,

75

V. 66 is wanting in MS. and supplied

V. 72, he borrowed him. P.C.

V. 76, the

V. 57, gayed. F.C. from P C. MS. had once sedys, i. e. seeds, which appears to have been altered to fedyrs, or feathers. Bedwell's copy has senvy, i. e. mustard-seed.