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VII.

GLASGERION.

An ingenious Friend thinks that the following old Ditty (which is printed from the Editor's folio MS.) may possibly have given birth to the Tragedy of the ORPHAN, in which Polidore intercepts Monimia's intended favours to Castalio.

See what is said concerning the hero of this song, (who is celebrated by CHAUCER under the name of GLASKYRION) in the Essay prefixed to Vol. I. Note H. Pt. IV. (2.)

GLASGERION

GERION was a kings owne sonne,
And a harper he was goode :

He harped in the kinges chambere,
Where cuppe and caudle stoode.

And soe did hee in the queens chamber,

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Till ladies waxed' glad.'

And then bespake the kinges daughter;
And these wordes thus shee sayd.

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Faire might he fall, ladye, quoth hee,
Who taught you nowe to speake!

I have loved you, ladye, seven longe yeere

My minde I neere durst breake.

But come to my bower, my Glasgeriòn,

When all men are att rest:

As I am a ladie true of my promise,

Thou shalt bee a welcome guest.

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Home then came Glasgèrion,

A glad man, lord! was hee.

And, come thou hither, Jacke my boy;

Come hither unto mee.

For the kinges daughter of Normandye

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Hath granted mee my boone:

And att her chambere must I bee

Beffore the cocke have crowen.

O master, master, then quoth hee,
Lay your head downe on this stone:
For I will waken you, master deere,
Afore it be time to gone.

But

up then rose that lither ladd, And hose and shoone did on : A coller he cast upon his necke,

Hee seemed a gentleman.

Ver. 16. harte, MS.

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And

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And when he came to the ladies chamber,

He thrild upon a pinn*.

The lady was true of her promise,

Rose up and lett him in.

He did not take the lady gaye

To boulster nor to bed:

'Nor thoughe hee had his wicked wille,

'A single word he sed.'

He did not kisse that ladyes mouthe,

Nor when he came, nor youd :

And sore mistrusted that ladye gay,

He was of some churls bloud.

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But home then came that lither ladd,

And did off his hose and shoone;
And cast the coller from off his necke:
He was but a churlès sonne.

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Awake, awake, my deere master,
The cock hath well-nigh crowen.

Awake, awake, my master deere,

I hold it time to be gone.

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This is elsewhere expressed twirled the pin' or tirled at the pin' [See B. II. S. VI. v. 3.] and seems to refer to the turning round the button on the outside of a door, by which the latch rises, still used in cottages.

For

For I have saddled your horsse, mastèr,
Well bridled I have your steede :

And I have served you a good breakfast :
For thereof ye have need.

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Glasgèrion swore a full great othe,
By oake, and ashe, and thorne;

Lady, I was never in your chambèr,
Sith the time that I was borne.

O then it was your lither foot-page,

He hath beguiled mee.

Then shee pulled forth a litle pen-kniffe,

That hanged by her knee:

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80

Ver. 77. litle, MS.

Sayes,

Sayes, there shall never noe churles blood

Within my bodye spring:

No churlès blood shall ever defile

The daughter of a kinge.

Home then went Glasgèrion,

And woe, good lord, was hee.

Sayes, come thou hither, Jacke my boy,

Come hither unto mee.

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If I had killed a man to night,

Jacke, I would tell it thee:

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But if I have not killed a man to night,

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