Only the three first stanzas of this fong are ancient; these are extracted from the quarto MS. mentioned in vol.1. p. 66. As they seemed to want application, this has been attempted by a modern hand.

CORIN, moft unhappie fwaine,

Whither wilt thou drive thy flocke?

Little foode is on the plaine;

Full of danger in the rocke:

Wolfes and beares doe kepe the woodes;
Forefts tangled are with brakes:
Meadowes fubject are to floodes;

Moores are full of miry lakes.

Yet to fhun all plaine, and hill,

Foreft, moore, and meadow - ground,

Hunger will as furely kill :

How may then reliefe be found?

10

**During the Saxon heptarchy, the kingdom of Northumberland (confifting of 6 counties) was for a long time divided into two lefer Sovereignties, viz. Deira (called hero Diria) which contained the Southern parts, and Bernicia, comprehending those which lay north.

Tho' so many vulgar errors have prevailed concerning this celebrated courtezan, no character in history has been more perfectly handed down to us. We have her portrait drawn by two masterly pens, the one has delineated the features of her person, the other those of her character and story. Sir Thomas More drew from the life, and Drayton has copied an original picture of her. The reader will pardon the length of the quotations, as they ferve to correct many popular miStakes relating to her catastrophe. The first is from Sir

Thomas MORE's history of Rich.

III. written in 1513,

about thirty years after the death of Edw. IV.

"Now then by and by, as it wer for anger, not for co"vetife, the protector Sent into the house of Shores wife "(for her husband dwelled not with her) and Spoiled her of

" al

**al that ever she had, (above the value of 2 or 3 thou"Sand marks) and sent her body to prison. And when he

"bad a while laide unto her, for the maner fake, that She

66

66

went about to bewitch him, and that She was of counfel " with the lord chamberlein to deftroy him in conclufion "when that no colour could faften upon these matters, then be layd heinously to her charge the thing that herself could not deny, that al the world wist was true, and that na"theles every man laughed at to here it then fo fodainly fo 66 bighly taken that She was naught of her body. And "for thys caufe (as a goodly continent prince, clene and "fautles of himself, fent oute of heaven into this vicious "world for the amendment of mens maners) he caused the

bishop of London to put her to open penance, going before "the crofe in procession upon a Sonday with a taper in her "hand. In which She went in countenance and pace de66 mure fo womanly; and albeit she was out of al array fave "her kyrtle only, yet went She So fair and lovely, namelye “while the wondering of the people caste a comly rud in her "chekes of which he before had most mile) that her great "Shame wan her much praise among those that were more 66 amorous of her body, then curious of her foule. And many 66 good folke alfo, that hated her living, and glad wer to se “fin corrected, yet pittied thei more her penance then rejoi"ced therin, when thei confidred that the protector procured "it more of a corrupt intent, then ani vertuous affeccion.

"This woman was born in London, worshipfully frended, honeftly brought up, and very wel maryed, Saving Somewhat to foone; her husbande an honest citizen, yonge, "and goodly, and of good substance. But forafmuche, as "they were coupled ere She wer wel ripe, She not very fer"vently loved for whom She never longed. Which was $6 happely the thinge, that the more easily made her encline

66

unto the king's appetite, when he required her. Howheit -"the respect of his royaltie, the hope of gay apparel, ease, "plefure and other wanton welth, was able foone to perse a 66 Soft tender hearte. But when the king had abused her anon her husband (as he was an honest man and one that "could his good, not prefuming to touch a kinges concubine) "left her up to him al together. When the king died, the "lord chamberlen [ Haftings] toke her *: which in the kinges "daies, albeit he was fore enamoured upon her, yet he for"bare her, either for reverence, or for a certain frendly "faithfulnes.

"Proper She was, and faire: nothing in her body that you wold have changed, but if you would have wished her "Somewhat higher. Thus Say thei that knew her in her cc youthe. Albeit fome that NOW SEE HER (FOR YET SHE "LIVETH) deme her never to have bene wel visaged. Who"Se jugement Seemeth me Somewhat like, as though men "Should gee the bewty of one longe before departed, by her "Scalpe taken out of the charnel house; for now is She old, "lene, withered, and dried up, nothing left but ryvilde skin, "and hard bone. And yet being even such, whoso wel ad"vise

2

After the death of Hastings, She was kept by the marquis of Dorfet, Son to Edward IV's queen. In Rymer's Federa is a proclamation of Richard's dated at Leicester Oct. 23. 1483. wherein a reward of 1000 marks in money or 100 a year in land is offered for taking Tho(6 mas late marquis of Dorset, „ who "not having the "fear of God, nor the folvation of his own foul, before his eyes, has damnably debauched and defiled many "maids, widows, and wives, and LIVED IN ACTU66 AL ADULTERY WITH THE WIFE OF SHORE., Buckingham was at that time in rebellion, but as DorSet was not with him, Richard could not accuse him of treafon, and therefore made a handle of these pretended debaucheries to get him apprehended.