Table Of ContentReliques of Ancient English Poetry
By
Thomas Percy
Published by the Ex-classics Project, 2016
http://www.exclassics.com
Public Domain
Percy's Reliques
CONTENTS
TitlePage.......................................................................................................................7
Dedication......................................................................................................................8
Advertisement totheEditionof1876............................................................................9
Preface..........................................................................................................................11
AnEssayOnTheAncient Minstrels InEngland.........................................................16
Notes and Illustrations ReferredtointheForegoingEssay........................................36
Epigraph.......................................................................................................................73
BOOK I........................................................................................................................74
I.TheAncient Balladof Chevy-Chase........................................................................74
II. The BattleofOtterbourne.......................................................................................84
ANoteontheNames inthetwoPrecedingBallads....................................................94
III. TheJew's Daughter. ASCOTTISH BALLAD......................................................96
IV.SirCauline.............................................................................................................98
V.Edward,Edward.ASCOTTISH BALLAD.FROM AMANUSCRIPT COPY
TRANSMITTEDFROM SCOTLAND.....................................................................108
VI.KingEstmere.......................................................................................................110
VII.SirPatrickSpence..............................................................................................120
VIII.RobinHoodandGuyof Gisborne....................................................................122
IX.AnElegyonHenry,fourthEarl ofNorthumberland...........................................131
X.TheTowerofDoctrine..........................................................................................137
XI.TheChildofElle.................................................................................................140
XII. Edom O'Gordon.A SCOTTISH BALLAD.....................................................145
BOOK II.....................................................................................................................150
EssayontheOriginoftheEnglish Stage,Etc...........................................................150
I. Adam Bell,Clym oftheClough,andWilliam ofCloudesly.................................166
II. TheAged LoverRenounceth Love.......................................................................184
III. JephthahJudgeof Israel.......................................................................................186
V.ASongtothe Lutein Musicke.............................................................................190
VI.KingCophetuaandtheBeggar-Maid..................................................................192
VII. TakeThyAuldCloakAbout Thee....................................................................195
VIII.Willow,Willow,Willow...................................................................................198
IX.Sir Lancelot du Lake............................................................................................201
X.Corydon's Farewell toPhillis................................................................................205
XI.Gernutus, theJewof Venice................................................................................207
XII.ThePassionateShepherdtohis Love.................................................................213
XIII.Titus Andronicus's Complaint...........................................................................216
XIV.TakeThose Lips Away.....................................................................................220
XV.King Leirandhis ThreeDaughters....................................................................221
XVI.YouthAndAge.................................................................................................225
XVII.TheFrolicksome Duke,ortheTinker's GoodFortune....................................227
XVIII.TheFriarofOrders Gray................................................................................230
BOOK III...................................................................................................................233
I.ThemoremodernBalladofChevyChace.............................................................233
II. Death's Final Conquest..........................................................................................244
III. TheRisingintheNorth........................................................................................245
IV.NorthumberlandBetrayedbyDouglas................................................................251
V.MyMindtoMea Kingdom is..............................................................................258
VI. ThePatient Countess..........................................................................................259
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VII. Dowsabel...........................................................................................................265
VIII.TheFarewell fo Love........................................................................................269
IX.Ulysses andtheSyren..........................................................................................270
XI.TheCharacterofa HappyLife............................................................................275
XII.Gilderoy..............................................................................................................276
XIII.Winifreda..........................................................................................................279
XIV.TheWitchofWokey.........................................................................................280
XV.BryanandPereene, AWEST-INDIAN BALLAD............................................282
XVI. GentleRiver,GentleRiver. TRANSLATEDFROM THESPANISH...........284
XVII.Alcanzorand Zayda. AMOORISHTALE. IMITATED FROM THE
SPANISH...................................................................................................................287
BOOK IV...................................................................................................................290
I.RichardofAlmaigne..............................................................................................290
II. OntheDeathofK.Edwardthe First.....................................................................293
III. Anoriginal BalladbyChaucer............................................................................296
IV.TheTurnament ofTottenham; OR,THEWOOEING,WINNING,AND
WEDDINGOFTIBBE, THEREEV'S DAVGHTER THERE.................................298
V.Forthe Victoryat Agincourt.................................................................................305
VI.TheNot-BrowneMayd........................................................................................307
VII.A Balet bytheEarl Rivers..................................................................................317
VIII.Cupid's Assault: byLord Vaux.........................................................................319
IX.SirAldingar.........................................................................................................322
X.TheGaberlunzieMan ASCOTTISH BALLAD..................................................327
XI.OnThomas LordCromwell.................................................................................330
XII.Harpalus. AN ANCIENTENGLISHPASTORAL...........................................333
XIII. RobinandMakyne.ANANCIENTSCOTTISHPASTORAL.......................336
XIV.Gentle Herdsman,tell toMe.DIALOGUEBETWEENAPILGRIM AND
HERDSMAN.............................................................................................................340
XV.KingEdward IV.andtheTannerofTamworth.................................................343
XVIAs Yecame from theHolyLand.DIALOGUEBETWEENAPILGRIM AND
TRAVELLER............................................................................................................349
XVII.Hardyknute.ASCOTTISHFRAGMENT......................................................351
BOOK V....................................................................................................................361
I. ABalladof Luther,the Pope,aCardinal,and a Husbandman...............................361
II. JohnAnderson myJo.ASCOTTISHSONG.......................................................365
III. LittleJohnNobody..............................................................................................367
IV.QueenElizabeth's Verses, WhilePrisonerAt Woodstock.WRITWITH
CHARCOALONASHUTTER................................................................................370
V.TheHeir Of Linne.................................................................................................371
VI.Gascoigne's Praiseof theFair Bridges, afterwards LadySandes, ON HER
HAVING ASCAR IN HER FOREHEAD................................................................377
VII.FairRosamond...................................................................................................380
VIII.QueenEleanor's Confession.............................................................................387
IX.TheSturdyRock..................................................................................................390
X.TheBeggar's DaughterofBednall-Green.............................................................392
AnEssayontheMeaningoftheWord FIT...............................................................399
XI.Fancyand Desire. BYTHEEARLOFOXFORD..............................................402
XII.SirAndrewBarton..............................................................................................404
XIII. LadyAnne Bothwell's Lament ASCOTTISHSONG......................................413
XIV.TheMurderofthe KingofScots......................................................................415
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XV.ASonnet byQ.Elizabeth...................................................................................418
XVI. TheKingofScots andAndrewBrowne..........................................................420
XVIII. YoungWaters. A SCOTTISH BALLAD......................................................426
XIX.MaryAmbree....................................................................................................428
XX.Brave LordWilloughbey....................................................................................431
XXI.Victorious Menof Earth...................................................................................434
XXII.TheWinningofCales......................................................................................435
XXIII.TheSpanish Lady's Love...............................................................................438
XXIV.ArgentileandCuran.......................................................................................441
XXV.Corin's Fate......................................................................................................450
XXVI.JaneShore......................................................................................................451
XXVII.Corydon's Doleful Knell...............................................................................458
BOOK VI...................................................................................................................460
OntheAlliterativeMetre,without Rhyme,inPiercePlowman's Visions................460
I.TheComplaint ofConscience................................................................................470
II. PlainTruthandBlind Ignorance...........................................................................473
III. TheWanderingJew.............................................................................................477
IV.The Lye. BYSIR WALTER RALEIGH.............................................................481
V.Verses byKingJames I.........................................................................................484
VI.KingJohnandtheAbbot ofCanterbury..............................................................486
VII.YouMeaner Beauties.........................................................................................489
VIII.TheOldandYoungCourtier............................................................................490
IX.SirJohnSuckling's Campaigne...........................................................................492
X.ToAlthea From Prison..........................................................................................494
XI.TheDownfall ofCharingCross...........................................................................496
XII. LoyaltyConfined................................................................................................498
XIII.Verses byKingCharles I..................................................................................501
XIV.TheSaleofRebellious House-holdStuff.........................................................504
XV.The BaffledKnight, or Lady's Policy................................................................507
XVI.Whyso Pale?....................................................................................................512
XVII.OldTom of Bedlam.MADSONGTHEFIRST.............................................513
XVIII.TheDistractedPuritan. MADSONGTHE SECOND..................................515
XIX.The Lunatic Lover. MADSONGTHETHIRD...............................................518
XX.The LadyDistracted with LoveMADSONG THEFOURTH..........................520
XXI.TheDistracted LoverMADSONGTHEFIFTH.............................................521
XXII.TheFrantic Lady. MADSONGTHESIXTH.................................................523
XXIII. Lilli Burlero....................................................................................................523
XXIV.The Braes OfYarrow. IN IMITATIONOF THEANCIENTSCOTS
MANNER..................................................................................................................526
XXV.Admiral Hosier's Ghost...................................................................................529
XXVI.JemmyDawson..............................................................................................532
BOOK VII.Poems onKingArthur,etc.....................................................................534
EssayOnTheAncient Metrical Romances, Etc........................................................534
I.TheBoyandtheMantle.........................................................................................555
II. TheMarriageofSirGawaine................................................................................561
III. KingRyence's Challenge.....................................................................................569
IV.KingArthur's Death AFRAGMENT..................................................................571
V.The LegendofKingArthur..................................................................................576
VI.ADyttietoHeyDowne.......................................................................................579
VII.Glasgerion..........................................................................................................580
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VIII.OldRobinofPortingale....................................................................................583
IX.ChildWaters........................................................................................................587
X.PhillidaandCorydon............................................................................................592
XI. LittleMusgraveand LadyBarnard......................................................................594
XII.TheEw-Bughts Marion......................................................................................598
XIII.TheKnight andShepherd's Daughter...............................................................599
XIV.TheShepherd's Address tohis Muse................................................................602
XV. LordThomas and FairEllinor............................................................................604
XVI.CupidandCampaspe........................................................................................606
XVII.The LadyturnedServing-Man........................................................................607
XVIII. Gil Morrice. ASCOTTISH BALLAD..........................................................611
BOOK VIII................................................................................................................617
I.The LegendofSirGuy...........................................................................................617
II. GuyandAmarant..................................................................................................622
III. The AuldGoodman ASCOTTISHSONG..........................................................628
IV.FairMargaret andSweet William........................................................................630
V.BarbaraAllen's Cruelty.........................................................................................633
VI.Sweet William's Ghost.ASCOTTISH BALLAD..............................................635
VII.SirJohnGrehmeandBarbara Allan.ASCOTTISH BALLAD........................637
VIII.TheBailiff's Daughterof Islington...................................................................639
IX.TheWillow-Tree. APASTORALDIALOGUE.................................................641
X.The Lady's Fall......................................................................................................643
XI.WalyWaly, Lovebe Bonny.ASCOTTISHSONG...........................................647
XII.TheWantonWifeof Bath..................................................................................649
XIII.TheBride's Burial.............................................................................................653
XIV.Dulcina..............................................................................................................657
XV.The LadyIsabella's Tragedy..............................................................................659
XVI.TheHueandCryafterCupid............................................................................662
XVII.TheKingofFrance's Daughter.......................................................................664
XVIII.TheSweet Neglect.........................................................................................670
XIX.TheChildreninthe Wood................................................................................671
XX.A Lover Of Late.................................................................................................675
XXI.TheKingandthe MillerofMansfield..............................................................676
XXII.TheShepherd's Resolution..............................................................................682
XXIII. Queen Dido....................................................................................................684
XXIV.TheWitches'Song.........................................................................................688
XXV.RobinGood-Fellow.........................................................................................690
XXVI.The FairyQueen............................................................................................694
XXVII.TheFairies Farewell.....................................................................................696
BOOK IX...................................................................................................................700
I.TheBirthofSt.George..........................................................................................700
II. St.George andtheDragon....................................................................................707
III. Love will findout theWay..................................................................................713
IV. LordThomas andFairAnnet ASCOTTISH BALLAD.....................................714
V.UnfadingBeauty...................................................................................................717
VI.George Barnwell..................................................................................................718
VII.TheStedfast Shepherd........................................................................................727
TheSpanish Virgin,orEffects ofJealousy...............................................................729
IX.Jealousy,Tyrant oftheMind...............................................................................733
X.Constant Penelope.................................................................................................734
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XI.To Lucasta,on goingtotheWars........................................................................737
XII.ValentineandUrsine..........................................................................................738
XIII.TheDragonofWantley.....................................................................................748
XIV.St.George forEngland.THEFIRSTPART....................................................755
XV.St.GeorgeforEngland THESECONDPART..................................................758
XVI.Margaret's Ghost...............................................................................................770
XVII. LucyandColin................................................................................................772
XVIII.The Boyandthe Mantle.AS REVISED ANDALTERED BYAMODERN
HAND[1]...................................................................................................................774
XIX.TheAncient Fragment ofTheMarriageofSirGawaine..................................780
GLOSSARY..............................................................................................................786
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Title Page
RELIQUES OF ANCIENTENGLISHPOETRY:
CONSISTING OF OLD HEROIC BALLADS, SONGS,
AND OTHER PIECES OFOUR EARLIER POETS;
TOGETHER WITHSOMEFEW OF LATER DATE.
BYTHOMAS PERCY,
LORD BISHOP OFDROMORE.
EDITED BY J. V. PRICHARD.
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Percy's Reliques
Dedication.
TOTHERIGHTHONOURABLE
Elizabeth, Countess of Northumberland:
IN HER OWNRIGHT
BARONESS PERCY, LUCY,POYNINGS,FITZPAYNE, BRYAN,AND
LATIMER.
MADAM,
THOSEwriters whosolicit theprotectionofthenobleandthe great areoften
exposedtocensurebytheimproprietyoftheir addresses: aremarkthat will perhaps
betooreadilyappliedto him who,havingnothingbettertoofferthantherudeSongs
ofancient Minstrels, aspires tothepatronageoftheCountess ofNorthumberland,and
hopes that thebarbarous productions ofunpolishedages canobtaintheapprobationor
thenoticeofher,whoadorns courts byherpresence,anddiffuses elegance byher
example.
But this impropriety,it is presumed,will disappear,whenit is declaredthat
thesepoems arepresentedto your Ladyship,not as labours ofart,but as effusions of
nature,showingthefirst efforts of ancient genius, andexhibitingthecustoms and
opinions ofremoteages, --ofages that hadbeenalmost lost tomemory,hadnot the
gallant deeds of yourillustrious Ancestors preservedthem from oblivion.
Noactiveor comprehensivemindcanforbearsomeattentiontothereliques of
antiquity: it is prompted bynatural curiositytosurveytheprogress oflife and
manners, andtoinquirebywhat gradations barbaritywas civilized,grossness refined,
andignoranceinstructed; but this curiosity,Madam,must bestrongerinthosewho,
like your Ladyship,can remarkineveryperiodtheinfluenceofsome great
Progenitor, andwhostill feel intheireffects thetransactions andevents of distant
centuries.
Bysuch Bards, Madam, as Iam nowintroducingto yourpresence,was the
infancyof genius nurturedandadvanced; bysuch weretheminds ofunlettered
warriors softenedand enlarged; bysuchwas thememoryofillustrious actions
preservedandpropagated; bysuchweretheheroicdeeds oftheEarls of
Northumberlandsungat festivals inthehall ofALNWICKandthoseSongs whichthe
bountyof your ancestors rewarded,now returnto your Ladyshipbyakind of
hereditaryright; and, Iflattermyself,will findsuchreceptionas is usuallyshownto
poets andhistorians bythosewhoseconsciousness ofmerit makes it theirinterest to
belongremembered.
Iam,Madam,
Your Ladyship's most humble
andmost devotedservant,
THOMAS PERCY,
MDCCLXV.
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Percy's Reliques
Advertisement to the Edition of 1876.
As earlyas the year1794,whenonlythefourtheditionoftheReliques had
appeared,theRev.Thomas Percy,actingas assistant-editortohis uncle,theBishop of
Dromore,hintedat thedifficultyattendant uponsuchacompositionas acollectionof
poems from amutilatedandincorrect manuscript. At that dateBishop Percy, his
nephew,and afewfriends were aloneenabledtopass this judgment.To-day,
however,the concealed manuscript is thepropertyofthe British Museum,its masterly
edition[1] byMessrs. Hales andFurnivall rests inthehands ofthepublic,andour
knowledgeoftheoriginal poems enables us toappreciatetheextraordinaryingenuity
displayedbythe Bishop inhis manipulationoftheforty-fivenumbers extractedfrom
his FolioManuscript; nor is ouradmirationforhis poeticgenius otherthanredoubled
bythediscovery.
TheFolioManuscript itself,whichhas beentoocloselyconnectedinthe
general mindwiththeReliques, consideringthat thelattercontains onlyabout one-
sixthofthecontents oftheformer,is anarrowbook,about fifteen andahalfinches
longbyfive andahalfwide,whichhas beentorn andcut,andis deficient inmany
parts.
It consists of amass ofsometwohundredSonnets, Ballads, Historical Songs,
andMetrical Romances, transcribed,weareassured,"from defectivecopies, orthe
imperfect recitationofilliteratesingers; so that a considerableportionofthesongor
narrativeis sometimes omitted,andmiserabletrash ornonsensenot unfrequently
introducedintopieces of considerablemerit."[2]
Mr.Furnivall fixes thedateofthehandwritingto the year1650,or
thereabouts, andobserves, "Thedialect ofthe copies oftheMS.seems tohavebeen
Lancashire."[3] Whothiscopiermayhavebeenstill remains amystery.Percy's
suggestionthat it was Thomas Blount has beendismissedas incredible.
Concerningthetreatment ofthetext inPercy's selections, wehaveMr.
Furnivall's wordthat the ReverendEditor "looked uponit as a youngwomanfrom the
countrywithunkempt locks, whom hehadtofit forfashionablesociety."[4]
Bethat as it may,theReliques haveadmirablyservedtheirpurpose; theyhave
passedthroughat least thirtyeditions invarious parts oftheworld; theyrankamong
thoseworks whichhave supportedpopularityfor morethanacentury,and theymay
maketheirvaunt ofhavingarousedthe "WizardoftheNorth"toexclaim,"Thefirst
time Icouldscrapeafew shillings together,--whichwerenot commonoccurrences
withme,-- Ibought untomyself acopyofthebelovedvolumes; nordo Ibelieve I
everread abookhalfso frequently,orwithhalftheenthusiasm."[5]
Theendeavourofthepresent Editorhas beeninnowaycritical,norhas his
endinviewbeenthesatisfactionofthe "judicious antiquary"so muchas thedesireto
effect acorrect reproductionoftheReliques as put forthduringPercy's life.
Consequently,thefourearliest editions havebeen carefullycollatedwiththe
FolioManuscript,andwithProfessorChild's English andScottish Ballads (edit.1857,
Boston).
Theresult is, arefinement andcorrectionofthetext,animprovement inthe
punctuation,andanenlarged Glossary.A comprehensive Index has also been
prepared.
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Percy's Reliques
Theoriginal threevolumes appearintwo,though Percy's arrangement of
Books remains unaltered andconsecutive.
Afew explanatoryfoot-notes, thefruit oflateresearch,increasethealready
copious stock,but thepaternityofall suchis distinctlynoted.
Thework,then,ofrevisionandadditionmerelyaims at heighteningthe
intrinsicmerit oftheearlyeditions andat assistinginmakingtheReliques of1875an
improvedre-cast.
THEEDITOR,
Oct.,1875.
NOTES
1.Bishop Percy's FolioManuscript.Ballads and Romances. EditedbyC.W.Hales,
M.A.,andF.J.Furnivall, M.A.4vols. (Trubner & CO.1868.)
2.Advertisement tothefourtheditionoftheReliques,1794.
3.Percy's FolioMS.i.,xiii.
4.Percy's FolioMS.i.,xvi.
5. Lockhart's LifeofScott,chap.i.
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