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In the Library of Lincoln Cathedral, K k. 3. 10. is an old imperfect printed copy, wanting the whole first sheet A.

24. The Squyr of Lowe Degre, is one of those burlesqued by Chaucer in his Rhyme of Thopas *.-Mr. Garrick has a printed copy of this, among his old plays, K. vol. IX. It begins,

It was a squyer of lowe degre,

That loved the kings daughter of Hungre.

25. Historye of K. Richard Cure [Cœur] de Lyon. [Impr. W. de Worde, 1528, 4to.] is preserved in the Bodleian Library, C. 39. Art. Selden. A fragment of it is also remaining in the Edinburgh MS. of old English Poems; Num. XXXVI. in 2 leaves. A large Extract from this Romance has been given already above, p. 18. Richard was the peculiar patron of Chivalry, and favourite of the old Minstrels, and Troubadours. See Warton's Observ. vol. I. p. 29; vol. II. p. 40.

26. Of the following I have only seen No. 27, but I believe they may all be referred to the class of Romances.

The Knight of Courtesy and the Lady of Faguel (Bodl. Lib. C. 39. Art. Sheld. a printed copy.) This Mr. Warton thinks is the Story of Coucy's Heart, related in Fauchet, and in Howel's Letters. [V. I. S. 6, L. 20. See Wart. Obs. v. II. p. 40.] The Editor has seen a very beautiful old ballad on this subject in French.

27. The four following are all preserved in the MS. so often referred to in the public Library at Cambridge,

*This is alluded to by Shakespeare in his Hen. V. (Act 5.) where Fluellyn tells Pistol, he will make him a Squire of Low Degree, when he means to knock him down.

(690. Appendix to Bp. More's MSS. in Cat. MSS. Tom. II. p. 394.) viz. The Lay of Erle of Tholouse. (No. 27.) of which the Editor hath also a copy from "Cod. MSS. Mus. Ashmol. Oxon." The first line of

both is,

Jesu Chryste in Trynyte.

28. Roberd Kynge of Cysyll (or Sicily) shewing the fall of Pride. Of this there is also a copy among the Harl. MSS. 1703. (3.) The Cambridge MS. begins,

Princis that be prowde in prese.

29. Le bone Florence of Rome, beginning thus :

As ferre as men ride or gone.

30. Dioclesian the Emperour, beginning,

Sum tyme ther was a noble man.

31. The two knightly brothers Amys and Amelion (among the Harl. MSS. 2386, § 42.) is an old Romance of Chivalry; as is also, I believe, the fragment of the Lady Belesant, the duke of Lombardy's fair daughter, mentioned in the same article. See the Catalog. vol. II.

32. In the Edinburgh MS. so often referred to (preserved in the Advocates Library, W. 4. 1.) might probably be found some other articles to add to this list, as well as other copies of some of the pieces mentioned in it; for the whole Volume contains not fewer than XXXVII Poems or Romances, some of them very long. But as many of them have lost the beginnings, which have been cut out for the sake of the illuminations; and as I have not had an opportunity of examining

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the MS. myself, I shall be content to mention only the articles that follow*: viz.

An old Romance about Rouland (not I believe the famous Paladine, but a champion named Rouland Louth; query) being in the Volume, Numb. xxvII. in 5 leaves, and wants the beginning.

33. Another Romance, that seems to be a kind of continuation of this last, intitled, Otuel a Knight, (Numb. XXVIII. in 11 leaves and a half.) The two first lines are,

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34. The King of Tars (Numb. IV. in 5 leaves and a half; it is also in the Bodleian Library, MS. Vernon, f. 304.) beginning thus:

Herkneth to me both eld and zing,

For Maries love that swete thing.

35. A Tale or Romance, (Numb. 1. 2 leaves), that wants both beginning and end.

maining are,

The first lines now re

Th Erl him graunted his will y-wis. that the knicht him haden

y told.

The Baronnis that were of mikle pris.

befor him thay weren

y-cald.

Some of these I give, though mutilated and divested of their titles, because they may enable a curious inquirer to complete. or improve other copies.

36. Another mutilated Tale or Romance (Num. 111. 4 leaves). The first lines at present are,

To Mr. Steward will y gon. and tellen him the sothe of the Reseyved bestow sone anon. gif zou will serve and with hir be.

37. A mutilated Tale or Romance (Numb. XI. in 13 leaves). The two first lines that occur are,

That riche Dooke his fest gan hold

With Erls and with Baronns bold.

I cannot conclude my account of this curious Manuscript, without acknowledging, that I was indebted to the friendship of the Rev. Dr. BLAIR, the ingenious Professor of Belles Lettres, in the University of Edinburgh, for whatever I learned of its contents, and for the important additions it enabled me to make to the foregoing list..

To the preceding articles, two ancient metrical Romances in the Scottish dialect may now be added, which are published in PINKERTON's "Scottish Poems, reprinted from scarce Editions," Lond. 1792, in 3 vols. 8vo. viz.

38. Gawan and Gologras, a Metrical Romance; from an edition printed at Edinburgh, 1508, Svo. beginning, In the tyme of Arthur, as trew men me tald,

It is in stanzas of 13 lines.

39. Sir Gawan and Sir Galaron of Galloway, a Metrical Romance, in the same stanzas as No. 38, from an ancient MS. beginning thus:

In the tyme of Arthur an aunter* betydde

By the Turnwathelan, as the boke tells;

Whan he to Carlele was comen, and conqueror kyd, &c.

* i. e. Adventure.

Both

Both these (which exhibit the union of the old Alliterative Metre, with rhime, &c. and in the termination of each stanza the short triplets of the Turnament of Tottenham,) are judged to be as old as the time of our King Henry VI. being apparently the production of an old Poet, thus mentioned by Dunbar, in his "Lament for the Deth of the Makkaris :"

"Clerk of Tranent eik he hes take,

"That made the aventers of Sir Gawane."

It will scarce be necessary to remind the Reader, that Turnewathelan is evidently Tearne-Wadling, celebrated in the old Ballad of the MARRIAGE OF SIR GAWAINE. See p. 51, and No. XIX. Book III. of this Volume.

Many new references, and perhaps some additional articles might be added to the foregoing list from Mr. WARTON'S " History of English Poetry," 3 vols. 4to. and from the Notes to Mr. TYRWHITT'S improved Edition of "Chaucer's Canterbury Tales," &c. in 5 vols. 8vo, which have been published since this ESSAY, &c. was first composed; but it will be sufficient once for all to refer the curious Reader to those popular Works.

The Reader will also see many interesting particulars, on the subject of these volumes, as well as on most points of general literature, in Sir JOHN HAWKINS'S curious " History of Music," &c. in 5 volumes, 4to. as also in Dr. BURNEY'S Hist. &c. in 4 vols. 4to.

THE END OF THE ESSAY.

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