He then describes his dream: "Methought that y Hoved on High on an Hill, The Multitude was so Moche, it Mighte not be nombred. * * * * With that a Clerk Kneled adowne and Carped these wordes, Liege Lord, yif it you Like to Listen a while, Som Sawes of Salomon y shall you Shewe Sone." The writer then gives a solemn lecture to kings on the art of governing. From the demand of subsidies' to susteyne his werres,' I am inclined to believe this poem was composed in the reign of King Henry V., as the MS. appears from a subsequent entry to have been written before the 9th of Henry VI. The whole poem contains but 146 lines. The Alliterative Metre was no less popular among the old Scottish poets, than with their brethren on this side the Tweed. In Maitland's Collection of ancient Scottish Poems, MS. in the Pepysian library, is a very long poem in this species of versification, thus inscribed : HEIR begins the Tretis of the Twa Marriit Wemen, and the Wedo compylit be Maister William Dunbar 2. Upon the Midsummer evven Mirriest of nichtis 4 Quairon ane Bird on ane Bransche so Birst out hir notis That nevir ane Blythfuller Bird was on the Beuche 5 hard," &c. 1 Solemn. 2 Since the above was written, this poem hath been printed in "Ancient Scottish Poems, &c., from the MS. Collection of Sir R. Maitland, of Lethington, knight, of London, 1786," 2 vols. 12mo. The two first lines are here corrected by that edition. 3 Garden. 4 Hedged. 5 Bough. The author pretends to overhear three gossips sitting in an arbour, and revealing all their secret methods of alluring and governing the other sex: it is a severe and humorous satire on bad women, and nothing inferior to Chaucer's Prologue to his Wife of Bath's Tale. As Dunbar lived till about the middle of the sixteenth century, this poem was probably composed after Scottish Field, (described above in p. 292,) which is the latest specimen I have met with written in England. This poem contains about 500 lines. But the current use of the Alliterative Metre in Scotland, appears more particularly from those popular vulgar prophecies, which are still printed for the use of the lower people in Scotland, under the names of Thomas the Rymer, Marvellous Merling, &c. This collection seems to have been put together after the accession of James I. to the crown of England, and most of the pieces in it are in the metre of Pierce Plowman's Visions. The first of them begins thus: "Merling sayes in his book, who will Read Right, Although his Sayings be uncouth, they Shall be true found. One thousand and more after Christ's birth," &c. And the Prophesie of Beid: "Betwixt the chief of Summer and the Sad winter; So again the Prophesie of Berlington: "When the Ruby is Raised, Rest is there none, That beares Hornes in his Head like a wyld Hart," &c. In like metre is the Prophesie of Waldhave: "Upon Lowdon Law alone as I Lay, Looking to the Lennox, as me Lief thought, The first Morning of May, Medicine to seek For Malice and Melody that Moved me sore," &c. "When holy kirk is Wracked and Will has no Wit And spiritual pastours are vexed away," &c. It It will be observed in the foregoing specimens, that the alliteration is extremely neglected, except in the third and fourth instances, although all the rest are written in imitation of the cadence used in this kind of metre. may perhaps appear from an attentive perusal, that the poems ascribed to Berlington and Waldhave are more ancient than the others: indeed, the first and fifth appear evidently to have been new modelled, if not entirely composed, about the beginning of the last century, and are probably the latest attempts ever made in this species of verse. In this and the foregoing Essay are mentioned all the specimens I have met with of the Alliterative Metre without rhyme; but instances occur sometimes in old manu. scripts, of poems written both with final rhymes and the internal cadence and alliterations of the metre of Pierce Plowman. END OF THE ESSAY. THE following Song, entitled The Complaint of Conscience, is printed from the Editor's folio manuscript. Some corruptions in the old copy are here corrected; but with notice to the reader wherever it was judged necessary, by inclosing the corrections between inverted commas.' As I walked of late by 'an' wood side, His fleshe and his color consumed away, 5 And his garments they were all mire, mucke, and clay. This made me muse, and much 'to' desire 10 Then straightway he turnd him, and prayd 'me' sit downe, And I will, saithe he, declare my whole greefe ; 15 Ver. 1, one. MS. V. 15, him. MS. My name is called CONSCIENCE-wheratt he did frowne, He pined to repeate it, and grinded his teethe, 'Thoughe now, silly wretche, I'm denyed all releef,' 'Yet' while I was young, and tender of yeeres, 20 I was entertained with kinges, and with peeres. There was none in the court that lived in such fame, For with the kings councell 'I' sate in commission; Dukes, earles, and barrons esteem'd of my name; And how that I liv'd there needs no repetition : 25 I was ever holden in honest condition, For howsoever the lawes went in Westminster-hall, When sentence was given, for me they wold call. 30 No incomes at all the landlords wold take, For nothing was passed betweene foe and friend, Noe bargaines, nor merchandize merchants wold make But I was called a wittenesse therto: No use for noe money, nor forfett wold take, But I wold controule them, if that they did soe: ' And ' that makes me live now in great woe, 40 V. 19, not in MS. V. 23, he sate. MS. V. 35, an end. MS. |