III.

King Ryence's Challenge.

p. 197.

THIS song is more modern than many of | readings selected from three different copies. The first in Enderbie's Cambria Triumphans, The second in the Letter above mentioned. And the third inserted in MS. in a copy of Morte Arthur, 1632, in the Bodl. Library.

those which follow it, but it is placed here for the sake of the subject. It was sung before Queen Elizabeth at the grand entertainment at Kenelworth castle in 1575, and was probably composed for that occasion. In a letter describing those festivities it is thus mentioned: A "Minstral came forth with a sollem song, warranted for story out of King Arthur's acts, whereof I gat a copy, and is this:

"So it fell out on a Pentecost, &c."

After the song the narrative proceeds: “At this the Minstrell made a pause and a curtezy for Primus Passus. More of the song is thear, but I gatt it not."

The story in Morte Arthur, whence it is taken, runs as follows: "Came a messenger hastely from King Ryence of North Wales, saying, that King Ryence had discomfited and overcomen eleaven kings, and everiche of them did him homage, and that was this: they gave him their beards cleane flayne off,wherefore the messenger come for King Arthur's beard, for King Ryence had purfeled a mantell with kings beards, and there lacked for one a place of the mantell, wherefore he sent for his beard, or else he would enter into his lands, and brenn and slay, and never leave till he have thy head and thy beard. Well, said King Arthur, thou hast said thy message, which is the most villainous and lewdest message that ever man heard sent to a king. Also thou mayest see my beard is full young yet for to make a purfell of, but tell thou the king that—or it be long he shall do to me homage on both his knees, or else he shall leese his head." [B. I. c. 24. See also the same Romance, B. I. c. 92.]

The thought seems to be originally taken from Jeff. Monmouth's Hist. B. X. c. 3, which is alluded to by Drayton in his PolyOlb. Song 4, and by Spenser in Faer. Qu. 6. 1. 13, 15. See the observations on Spenser, vol. II. p. 223.

Stow tells us, that King Arthur kept his round table at "diverse places, but especially at Carlion, Winchester, and Camalet, in Somersetshire." This "Camalet," sometimes a famous towne or castle, is situate on a "very high tor or hill, &c." [See an exact description in Stow's Annals, Ed. 1631, p. 55.]

* Largesse, Largesse. The heralds resounded these words as oft as they received of the bounty of the knights. See

"Memoires de la Chevalerie," tom. I. p. 99. The expression is still used in the form of installing knights of the garter. †i. e. set round the border, as furs are now round the

The following text is composed of the best gowns of Magistrates.

When this mortal message from his mouthe| An hundred pieces of fine coyned gold past, Were given this dwarf for his message bold.

Great was the noyse bothe in hall and in bower:

The king fum'd; the queene screecht; ladies were aghast;

But say to Sir Ryence, thou dwarf, quoth the king,

That for his bold message I do him defye;

Princes puff'd; barons blustred; lords be- And shortlye with basins and pans will him gan lower;

Knights stormed; squires startled, like
steeds in a stower;

Pages and yeomen yell'd out in the hall,
Then in came Sir Kay, the king's' seneschal.

Silence, my soveraignes, quoth this courteous knight,

And in that stound the stowre began still: 'Then' the dwarfe's dinner full deerely was dight;

Of wine and wassal he had his wille:

ring

*** Strada, in his Prolusions, has ridiAnd when he had eaten and drunken his culed the story of the Giant's Mantle, made fill,' of the beards of kings.

IV.

King Arthur's Death.

A FRAGMENT.

THE subject of this ballad is evidently taken from the old romance "Morte Arthur," but with some variations, especially in the concluding stanzas; in which the author seems rather to follow the traditions of the old Welsh Bards, who "believed that King Arthur was not dead, but conveied awaie by the Fairies into some pleasant place, where he should remaine for a time, and then returne againe and reign in as great authority as ever." Holinshed, B. 5, c. 14; or, as it is expressed in an old Chronicle printed at Antwerp, 1493, by Ger. de Leew, "The Bretons supposen, that he [King Arthur] shall come yet and conquere all Bretagne, for certes this is the prophicye of Merlyn; He sayd, that his deth shall be doubteous; and sayd soth, for men thereof yet have doubte, and shullen for ever more,-for men wyt not whether that he lyveth or is dede." See more ancient testimonies in Selden's Notes on Polyolbion, song 3.

* Sir Gawaine had been killed at Arthur's landing on his

This fragment, being very incorrect and return from abroad. See the next Ballad, ver. 73.

Then twelve good knightes King Arthure Upon King Arthur's own partyè,

Onlye himselfe escaped there,
And Lukyn Duke of Gloster free,
And the king's butler Bedevere.

And when the king beheld his knightes,

65

45

Stunge one o' th' king's knightes on the
knee:

Alacke! it was a woefulle chance,
As ever was in Christentìe.

Ver. 41, 42, the folio reads father..... sonne.

50

O, staye mee not, thou worthye wight,
This debt my loyal knights I owe:
Betide me life, betide me death,
I will avenge them of their foe.
Then straite he grasp'd his trustye speare,
And on his horse then mounted hee:
As his butler holpe him to his horse,

His bowels gushed to his knee.

90

95

* More commonly called Caliburn. In the folio MS., Then hastend backe to tell the kinge;

V.

The Legend of King Arthur.