Ones y me ordayned, as y have ofte doon, With frendes and felawes, frendemen, and other; Than lift y up my lyddes, and loked in the sky, 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, Some saws 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," am inclined to believe this poem composed in the reign of King Henry V. as the manuscript 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: sex. Heir begins the Tretis of the twa Marriit Wemen and the Upon the midsummer evven mirriest of nichtis Quairon ane bird on ane bransche so birst out hir notis That nevir ane blythfuller bird was on the beuche 6 hard, &c. The author pretends to overhear three gossips sitting in an arbour, and revealing all their secret methods of alluring and governing the other 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. 102), which is the latest specimen I have met with written in England. This poem contains about 500 lines. 1 i. e. either, or. 2 Solemn. 8 Since the above was written, this poem hath been printed in "Ancient Scottish Poems, &c. from the MS. Collections of Sir R. Maitland of Lethington, knight." London, 1786, 2 vols. 12mo. The two first lines are here corrected by that edition. 4 Garden. 5 Hedged. 6 Bough. 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, 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, And lastly, that intitled, the Prophesie of Gildas : When holy kirk is wracked and will has no wit And spiritual pastours are vexed away, &c. 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. It 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 manuscripts, of poems written both with final rhymes and the internal cadence and alliterations of the metre of Pierce Plowman. The following song, intitled, "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'1 wood side, And his garments they were all mire, mucke, and clay. This made me muse, and much 'to' desire My name, quoth he, is the cause of my care, Then straightway he turnd him, and prayd 'me'2 sit downe, My name is called Conscience :—wheratt he did frowne, There was none in the court that lived in such fame, For howsoever the lawes went in Westminster-hall, No incomes at all the landlords wold take, For nothing was passed betweene foe and friend, 1 "One." MS. 2" Him." MS. 8 This verse not in MS. 5 "An end." MS. Noe bargaines, nor merchandize merchants wold make No use for noe money, nor forfett wold take, For then came in Pride, Sathan's disciple, That is now entertained with all kind of people. He brought with him three, whose names 'thus they call'1 That is Covetousnes, Lecherye, Usury, beside: They never prevail'd, till they had wrought my downe-fall; So Pride was entertained, but Conscience decried,2 And 'now ever since' abroad have I tryed To have had entertainment with some one or other; Then went I to the Court the gallants to winn, To Bartlemew Spittle to pray for my sinne, 3 They bade me goe packe, it was fitt for my state; Then went I to London, where once I did 'dwell: '4 They bade me goe packe me, and hye me for shame : This is old threed-bare Conscience, that dwelt with Saint But they wold not admitt me to be a chimney-sweeper. Not one wold receive me, the Lord 'he' doth know; I having but one poor pennye in my purse, On an awle and some patches I did it bestow; 'For' I thought better cobble shooes than doe worse. Straight then all the coblers began for to curse, And by statute wold prove me a rogue, and forlorne, And whipp me out of towne to 'seeke'" where I was borne. Then did I remember, and call to my minde, The Court of Conscience where once I did sit: Not doubting but there I some favor shold find, But there of my purpose I fayled a whit, For thoughe' the judge us'd my name in everye 'commission,'1 The lawyers with their quillets wold get 'my' 2 dismission. Then Westminster-hall was noe place for me; Good lord! how the lawyers began to assemble, Next the Merchants said, Counterfeite, get thee away, We banisht thee the country beyond the salt sea, us. Then had I noe way, but for to goe on 3 To Gentlemens houses of an ancyent name; And then I was forced a begging to goe To husbandmens houses, who greeved right sore, Therefore to this wood I doe me repayre, Yet within this same desert some comfort I have MS. 1" Condicion.' 2 "Get a." MS. MS. |