Whom he in freindly manner did unbind, 160 And reasoned with them of their miseryes: Eche told a tale with teares, and sighes, and cryes, All weeping to him with complaining eyes. There tender ladyes in darke dungeons lay, But flesh of humane creatures for their food: Now he bethinkes him of his being there, 165 To enlarge the wronged brethren from their woes: And, as he searcheth, doth great clamours heare, 171 By which sad sound's direction on he goes, Untill he findes a darksome obscure gate, Arm'd strongly ouer all with iron plate. That he unlockes, and enters, where appeares 175 The strangest object that he ever saw; Men that with famishment of many years, Were like deathes picture, which the painters draw! Divers of them were hanged by eche thombe; Others head-downward: by the middle some. 1.80 With diligence he takes them from the walle, With lybertye their thraldome to acquaint: Then the perplexed knight their father calls, And sayes, Receive thy sonnes though poore and faint: I promisd you their lives, accept of that; The castle I doe give thee, heere's the keyes, did dwell: Procure the gentle tender ladyes ease, Where tyranye for many yeeres 185 For pittyes sake, use wronged women well: 190 Men easilye revenge the wrongs men do; But poore weake women have not strength thereto. The good old man, even overjoyed with this, feete: Father, quoth he, refraine soe base a kiss, For age to honor youth I hold unmeete : Ambitious pryde hath hurt mee all it can, I goe to mortifie a sinfull man. 195 The foregoing poem on Guy and Amarant has been discovered to be fragment of "The famous historie of Guy earle of Warwicke, by Samuel Rowlands, London, printed by J. Bell, 1649," 4to, in xii. cantos, beginning thus: "When dreadful Mars in armour every day. Whether the edition in 1649 was the first, is not known, but the author, Sam. Rowlands, was one of the minor poets who lived in the reigns of Queen Elizabeth and James I., and perhaps later. His other poems are chiefly of the religious kind, which makes it probable that the history of Guy was one of his earliest performances. There are extant of his, (1.) “The betraying of Christ, Judas in dispaire, the seven words of our Saviour on the crosse, with other poems on the passion, &c. 1598," 4to. [Ames Typ. p. 428.] (2.) "A Theatre of delightful Recreation, Lond. printed for A. Johnson, 1605,” 4to. (Penes editor.) This is a book of poems on subjects chiefly taken from the Old Testament. (3.) "Memory of Christ's miracles, in verse. Lond. 1618," 4to. (4.) "Heaven's glory, earth's vanity, and hell's horror." Lond. 1638, 8vo. [These two in Bod. Cat.] In the present edition, the foregoing poem has been much improved from the printed copy. III. The Auld Good-Man: A SCOTTISH SONG. I HAVE not been able to meet with a more ancient copy of this humorous old song, than that printed in The TeaTable Miscellany, &c., which seems to have admitted some corruptions. LATE in an evening forth I went A little before the sun gade down, VOL. III. M A man and his wife wer fawn in a strife, I canna weel tell ye how it began; But aye she wail'd her wretched life, Cryeng, Evir alake, mine auld goodman! HE. 5 Thy auld goodman, that thou tells of, The country kens where he was born, 10 Was but a silly poor vagabond, And ilka ane leugh him to scorn: For he did spend and make an end He Sae tell nae mair of thy auld goodman. SHE. My heart, alake! is liken to break, Whan I think on my winsome John, His blinkan ee, and gait sae free, 15 Was naithing like thee, thou dosend drone; 20 Wi' his rosie face, and flaxen hair, And skin as white as ony swan, He was large and tall, and comely withall; HE. Why dost thou plein? I thee maintein; For meal and mawt thou disna want: But thy wild bees I canna please, Now whan our gear gins to grow scant: Of houshold stuff thou hast enough; Thou wants for neither pot nor pan; Of sicklike ware he left thee bare; SHE. Yes I may tell, and fret my sell, To think on those blyth days I had, Whan I and he together ley In armes into a well-made bed: But now I sigh and may be sad, Thy courage is cauld, thy colour wan, 30 35 Thou falds thy feet, and fa's asleep; Thou'lt nevir be like mine auld goodman. 40 Then coming was the night sae dark, And therefore wad nae longer stay: I trowe, the wife the day she wan; 45 |