Of all the beasts which we for our venerial name',

[game: The hart among the rest, the hunter's noblest Of which most prinsely chase sith none did ere report, [sport Or by description touch, t' express that wond'rous (Yet might have well beseem'd th' ancients' nobler songs)

To our old Arden here, most fitly it belongs: Yet shall she not invoke the Muses to her aid; But thee, Diana bright, a goddess and a maid: In many a huge-grown wood, and many a shady grove, [to rove) Which oft hast born thy bow (great huntress, us'd At many a cruel beast, and with thy darts to pierce The lion, panther, ounce, the bear,, and tiger fierce ; [queen, And following thy fleet game, chaste mighty forests' With thy dishevel'd nymphs attir'd in youthful green, [far and near, About the lawns hath scour'd, and wasies both Brave huntress: but no beast shall prove thy quarries here; [red, Save those the best of chase, the tall and lusty The stag for goodly shape, and stateliness of head, Is fitt'st to hunt at force. For whom, when with [grounds The labouring hunter tufts the thick unbarbed Where harbour'd is the hart; there often from his feed [heed, The dogs of him do find; or thorough skilful The huntsman by his slot 6, or breaking earth perceives,

his hounds

Or entering of the thick by pressing of the greaves, Where he had gone to lodge. Now when the hart doth hear

The often bellowing hounds to vent his secret leir, He rousing rusbeth out, and through the brakes doth drive,

As though up by the roots the bushes he would rive. And through the cumb'rous thicks, as fearfully he makes,

He with his branched head the tender saplings shakes,

[to weep; That sprinkling their moist pearl do seem for him When after goes the cry, with yellings loud and deep, [place: That all the forest rings, and every neighbouring And there is not a hound but falleth to the chase. Rechating' with his horn, which then the hunter chears, [bears, Whilst still the lusty stag his high-palm'd head upHis body showing state, with unbent knees upright, Expressing (from all beasts) his courage in his flight. [perceives, But when th' approaching foes still following he That he his speed must trust, his usual walk he leaves; [sembly find, And o'er the champain flies: which when th' asEach follows, as his horse were footed with the wind.

But being then imbost, the noble stately deer When he hath gotten ground (the kennel cast arrear) Doth beat the brooks and ponds for sweet refreshing soil :

[foil,

That serving not, then proves if he his scent can

Of hunting, or chase.

The track of the foot.

One of the measures in winding the horn.

And makes amongst the herds, and flocks of shag wool'd sheep, [their keep. Them frighting from the guard of those who had But when as all his shifts his safety still denies, Put quite out of his walk, the ways and fallows tries. [letteth stand Whom when the ploughman meets, his team he T'assail him with his goad: so with his hook in hand,

[balloo: The shepherd him pursues, and to his dog doth When, with tempestuous speed, the hounds and huntsmeu follow ;

Until the noble deer through toil bereav'd of strength, [length, His long and sinewy legs then failing him at The villages attempts, enrag'd, not giving way To any thing he meets now at his sad decay. The cruel ravenous hounds and bloody hunters[fear, This noblest beast of chase, that vainly doth but Some bank or quick-set finds: to which his haunch oppos'd,

near,

He turns upon his foes, that soon have him enclos'd. The churlish-throated hounds then holling him at bay,

And as their cruel fangs on his harsh skin they lay, With his sharp-pointed head he dealeth deadly wounds. [hounds,

The hunter, coming in to help his wearied He desperately assails; until opprest by force, He who the mourner is to his own dying corse, Upon the ruthless earth his precious tears lets fall".

To forests that belongs; but yet this is not all: With solitude what sorts, that here's not wond'rous rife?

Whereas the hermit leads a sweet retired life, From villages replete with ragg'd and sweating clowns,

And on the ranker grass till past the noon-sted hung; [cell', When as the hermit comes out of his homely Where from all rude resort he happily doth dwell: Who in the strength of youth, a man at arms bath been;

Or one who of this world the vileness having seen, Retires him from it quite; and with a constant mind [kind, Man's beastliness so loaths, that flying human The black and darksome nights, the bright and gladsome days

Indifferent are to him, his hope on God that stays. Each little village yields his short and homely fare: To gather wind-fall'n sticks, his great'st and only

care;

Which every aged tree still yieldeth to his fire.
This man, that is alone a king in his desire,

The hart weepeth at his dying; his tears are held to be precious in medicine.

Hermits have oft had their abodes by ways that lie through forests.

His free and noble thought, ne'er envies at the That often-times is given unto a bawd most base, Nor stirs it him to think on the impostor vile, Who seeming what he's not, doth sensually beguile The sottish purblind world: but absolutely free, His happy time he spends the works of God to see, In those so sundry herbs which there in plenty grow:

[know. Whose sundry strange effects he only seeks to And in a little maund, being made of osiers small, Which serveth him to do full many a thing withal, He very choicely sorts his simples got abroad.

Here finds he on an oak rheum-purging polypode; And in some open place that to the Sun doth lie, He fumitory gets, and eye-bright for the eye; The yarrow, wherewithal he stops the woundmade gore;

The healing tutsan then, and plantane for a sore;
And hard by them again he holy vervain finds,
Which he about his head that hath the megrim
binds.
[these,
The wonder-working dill he gets not far from
Which curious women use in many a nice disease.
For them that are with newts, or snakes, or adders
stung,

He seeketh out an herb that's called adder's-tongue;
As nature it ordain'd, its own like hurt to cure,
And sportive did herself to niceties inure.
Valerian then he crops, and purposely doth stamp,
T'apply unto the place that's haled with the cramp;
As centaury, to close the wideness of a wound;
The belly hurt by birth, by mugwort to make sound.
His chickweed cures the heat that in the face doth
rise:

For physic, some again he inwardly applies.
For comforting the spleen and liver, gets for juice
Pale hore-hound, which he holds of most especial

use.

So saxifrage is good, and hart's-tongue for the stone, With agrimony, and that herb we call St. John. To him that hath a flux, of shepherds-purse he gives, [grieves. And mouse-ear unto him whom some sharp rupture And for the laboring wretch that's troubled with a cough, [and tough,

Or stopping of the breath, by phlegm that's hard Campana here he crops, approved wondrous good; As comfrey unto him that's bruised, spitting blood; And from the falling-ill, by five-leaf doth restore, And melancholy cures by sovereign hellebore.

Of these most helpful herbs yet tell we but a few, To those unnumb'red sorts of simples here that grew. Which justly to set down, even Dodon 10 short doth fall;

Nor skilful Gerard 10, yet, shall ever find them all. But from our hermit here the Muse we must

T'attend the lustier Thame, is from her fountain

sent:

So little Cole and Blyth go on with him to Trent. His Tamworth at the last, he in his way doth win: There playing him a while, till Ancor should come in, [slow, Which trifleth 'twixt her banks, observing state, so As though into his arms she scorn'd herself to throw: [knee"; Yet Arden will'd her Thame to serve her on his For by that nymph alone, they both should bonor'd be, [fore, The forest, so much fall'n from what she was beThat to her former height fate could her not restore;

great

Though oft in her behalf, the genius of the land Importun'd the Heavens with an auspicious hand. Yet granted at the last (the aged nymph to grace) They by a lady's birth would more renown that place, [scat; Than if her woods their heads above the hills should And for that purpose, first made Coventry so [all, (A poor thatch'd village then, or scarcely none at That could not once have dream'd of her now [band, §. And thither wisely brought that goodly virginTh' eleven thousand maids, chaste Ursula's command, [to press, Whom then the Briton kings gave her full power For matches to their friends in Britanny the less. At whose departure thence, cach by her just bequest

stately wall)

release,

§. By Leofric her lord, yet in base bondage held, The people from her marts by tollage who expell'd: Whose dutchess, which desir'd this tribute to [her cease, Their freedom often begg'd. The duke, to make Told her, that if she would his loss so far enforce, His will was, she should ride stark nak'd upon a horse [he thought, By day-light through the street: which certainly In her heroic breast so deeply would have wrought, That in her former sute she would have left to deal. But that most princely dame, as one devour'd with zeal,

Went on, and by that mean the city clearly freed. The first part of whose name, Godiva, doth fore

reed

Th' first syllable of hers, and Goodere half doth
sound;
[found.

For by agreeing words, great matters have been
But farther than this place the mystery extends.
What Arden had begun, in Ancor lastly ends:
For in the British tongue, the Britons could not find,
Wherefore to her that name of Ancor was assign'd;
Nor yet the Saxons since, nor times to come had
known,
[shown,

But that her being here was by this name fore--
As prophesying her. For, as the first did tell
Her sirname, so again doth Aucor lively spell

"Ancor.

Her christ'ned title Anne. And as those virgins there

Did sanctify that place: so holy Edith here
A recluse long time liv'd, in that fair abbey plac'd,
Which Alured enrich'd, and Powlsworth highly
grac'd.

[maids,

A princess being born, and abbess, with those All noble like herself, in bidding of their beads Their holiness bequeath'd upon her to descend Which there should after live: in whose dear self should end

Th' intent of Ancor's name, her coming that decreed,

[freed. As hers (her place of birth) fair Coventry that But whilst about this tale smooth Ancor trifling stays,

Unto the lustier Thame as leth to come her ways, The flood entreats her thus," Dear brook, why dost thou wrong

Our mutual love so much, and tediously prolong Our mirthful marriage-hour, for which I still prepare?

Haste to my broader banks, my joy and only care. For as of all my floods thou art the first in fame; When frankly thou shalt yield thine honour to my

Which taketh Shirburn in, with Cune, a great while miss'd;

Though Coventry" from thence her name at first did raise,

Now flourishing with fanes, and proud piramides; Her walls in good repair, her ports so bravely built,

Her halls in good estate, her cross so richly gilt, As scorning all the towns that stand within her view : [claim her due. Yet must she not be grier'd, that Cume should Tow'rds Warwick with this train as Avon trips along, [song: To Guy-cliff being come, her nymphs thus bravely "To thee, renowned knight, continual praise we ́owe,

And at thy hallow'd tomb thy yearly obits show; Who, thy dear Phillis' name and country to ad[France, Left'st Warwick's wealthy seat: and sailing into

vance,

12 The high cross, supposed to be the midst of England.

is See to the xvi. song.

14 Newnham-Wells.

" Otherwise, Cune-tre: that is, the town upon Cune.

now;

fall

Whose shoulder-blade remains at Coventry till [strous cow And, at our humble suit, did quell that monThe passengers that us'd from Dunsmore to affright. Of all our English (yet) O most renowned knight, That Colebrond overcam'st: at whose amazing [ter's sieg'd wall. The Danes remov'd their camp from WinchesThy statue Guy-cliff keeps, the gazer's eye to please; [cules) Warwick, thy mighty arms, (thou English HerThy strong and massy sword, that never was controll'd: [hold." Which, as her ancient right, her castle still shall Scarce ended they their song, but Avon's wind

Reporting in what store she multiplies her grain: And folk such wondrous things of Aylsbury will tell, [to swell. As though abundance strove her burthen'd womb Her room amongst the rest, so White-horse is decreed: [steed She wants no setting forth: her brave Pegasian (The wonder of the west) exalted to the skies: My Red-horse of you all contemned only lies. The fault is not in me, but in the wretched time: On whom, upon good cause, I well may lay the

crime:

Which as all noble things, so me it doth neglect. But when th' industrious Muse shall purchase me respect

16 The sheaf.

tive country; whose territory you might call MiddleEngle (for here was that part of Mercland, spoken of in story) for equality of distance from the inarining ocean.

By her illustrious earls renowned every where.

Permit to yourself credit of those, loaden with antique fables, as Guy (of whom the author in the twelfth song, and here presently) Morind and such like, and no more testimony might be given, to exceed. But, more sure justification hereof is, in those great princes Henry Beauchamp earl of Warwick, and præcomes Angliæ (as the record calls him) under Henry VI (a). and Richard Nevill making it (as it were) his gain to crown and depose kings in that bloody dissension 'twixt the white and red roses.

That mighty Arden held

What is now the Woodland in Warwickshire, was heretofore part of a larger wild or forest called Arden. The relics of whose name in Dene of Monmouthshire, and that Arduenna or La forest d' Ardenne, by Henault and Luxemburg, shows likelihood of interpretation of the yet used English name of Woodland. And, whereas, in old inscriptions, Diana Nemorensis (6), with other additions, hath been found among the Latins, the like seems to be exprest in an old marble, now in Italy, graven under Domitian, in part thus (c):

DIS. MANIBVS.

Q. CAESIVS. Q. F. CLAVD.
ATILIANVS. SACERDOS.
DEANAE. ARDVINNAE.

That comprehensive largeness which this Arden once extended (before ruin of her woods) makes the author thus limit her with Severn and Trent. By reaof this her greatness join'd with antiquity, be also made choice of this place for description of the chase, the English simples, and hermit, as you read in him.

And thither wisely brought that goodly virgin band.

Sufficient justification of making a poem, may be from tradition, which the author here uses: but see to the eighth song, where you have this incredible number of virgins shipp'd at London; nor skills it much on which you bestow your faith, or if on neither. Their request (as the genius' prayer) are the author's own fictions, to come to express the worth of his native soil's city.

By Leofric her lord, yet in base bondage held.

The ensuing story of this Leofric and Godiva, was under the Confessor. I find it reported in Matthew of Westminster, that Nuda, equum ascendens, crines capitis & tricas dissolvens, corpus suam totum, præter crura candidissima, inde velavit, This Leofric (buried at Coventry) was earl of Leicester, not Chester (as some ill took it by turning Legecestra, being indeed sometimes for Chester, of old called urbs legionum, as to ninth song already)

(a) Parl. rot. 23 Hen. 6. ap. Cam. (6) Hubert Goltz. Thesaur. in Aris.

(c) Jul. Jacobon. ap. Paul. Merul. Cosmog. part. lib. 3, cap. 11.

which is without scruple showed in a charter of the manor of Spalding in Lincolnshire (d), made to Wulgat, abbot of Crowland, beginning thus: Ego Thoraldus de Buckenhale coram nobilissimo domino meo Leofrico comite Leicestriæ, & nobilissima comitissa sua domina Godiva sorore mea, & cum consensu & bona voluntate domini & cognati mei comitis Algari primogenti & hæredis eorum, donavi, &c. This Algar succeeded him, and, as a special title, government, and honour, this earldom was therein among the Saxons so singular, that it was bereditary with a very long pedigree, till the conquest, from king Ethelbald's time, above 300 years. In Malmesbury, he is styled earl of Hereford; and indeed, as it seems, had large dominion over most part of Mercland, and was a great protector of good king Edward, from ambitious Godwin's faction. You may note in him, what power the earls of those times had for granting, releasing, or imposing liberties and exactions, which since only the crown hath as inseparably annexed to it. Nay, since the Normans, I find that William FitzOsbern (e). earl of Hereford, made a law in his county, ut nullus miles pro qualicunque commisso plus septem solidis solvat, which was observed without controversy in Malmesbury's time; and I have seen original letters of protection (a perfect and uncommunicable power royal) by that great prince Richard earl of Poiters and Cornwal, brother to Henry III. sent to the sheriff of Rutland, for and in behalf of a nunnery about Stanford: and it is well known, that his successor Edmun left no small tokens of such supremacy in constitutions, liberties, and imposed subsidies in the stannaries of Cornwal; with more such like extant in monuments. But whatsoever their power heretofore was, I think it ceased with that custom (ƒ) of their having the third part of the king's profit in the county, which was also in the Sax n times usual, as appears in that; In Ipswich (g), regina Edeva duas partes habuit & comes Guert tertiam; Norwich reddebat XX. libras regi, & comiti X. libras: of the borough of Lewes, its profits erant duas partes regis, tertia comitis; & Oxford reddebat regi XX. libras, & sex sextarios mellis, comiti verò Algaro X. libras. And under king John. Geffrey Fitz-Peter earl of Essex, and William le Marshall, earl of Striguil, Administrationem suorum comitatuum habebant (h), saith Hoveden. But time hath, with other parts of government, altered all this to what we now use.

A witness of that day we won upon the Danes. He means Rollritch-stones, in the confines of Warwick and Oxfordshire; of which the vulgar there have a fabulous tradition, that they are an army of men, and I know not what great general amongst them, converted into stones: a tale not having his superior in the rank of untruths. But (upon the conceit of a most learned man) the Muse refers it to some battle of the Danes, about the time of Rollo's piracy and incursion, and for her country takes the better side (as justifiahle as the

(d) Ingulphus Hist. fol. 519.

(e) Malmesb. de gest. reg. 3.

(f) Lib. vetust. Monast. de Bello ap. Cambd. (g) Lib. Domesday in Scaccario.

(k) Job. Carnotens. Epist. 263, Nicol, Vicecomiti Essexiæ.

contrary) in affirming the day to the English. But, to suppose this a nonument of that battle fought at Hochnorton, seems to me in matter of certainty not very probable: I mean, being drawn from Rollo's name: of whose story, both for a passage in the last song, and here, permit a short examination. The Norman tradition is(i), that he, with divers other Danes transplanting themselves, as well for dissension 'twixt him and his king, as for new seat of habitation, arriv'd here, had some skirmishes with the English, defending their territories; and soon afterward being admonished in a dream, aided and advised by king Athelstan, entered Seine, in France, wasted and won part of it about Paris, Baieux, elsewhere; returned upon request by embassage to assist the English king against rebels; and afterward in the year 911 or 12, received his dukedom of Normandy, and christianity, his name of Robert, with Ægidia or Gilla (for wife) daughter to Charles, surnamed the Simple; as to the fourth song I have, according to the credit of the story, touched it. But how came such habitude 'twixt Athelstan and him, before this 912, when, as it is plain, that Athelstan was not king till 924, or near that point? Neither is any concordance 'twixt Athelstan and this Charles, whose kingdom was taken from him by Rodulph duke of Burgundy, two years before our king Edward I. (of the Saxons) died. In the 9th year of whose reign, falling under 906, was that battle of Hochnorton; so that unless the name of Athelstan be mistook for this Edward or be wanting to the dominical year of those twenty-two of the Dionysian calculation (whereof to the fourth song) I see no means to make this story stand with itself, nor our monks; in whom (most of them writing about the Norman times) more mention would have been made of Rollo, ancestor to the Conqueror, and his acts here, had they known any certainty of his name or wars: which I rather guess to have been in our maritime parts, than inlands, unless when (if that were at all) he assisted king Athelstan. Read Frodoard, and the old annals of France, written nearer the supposed times, and you will scarce find him to have been, or else there under some other name(); as Godfrey, which some have conjectured to be the same with Rollo. You may see in Æmilius, what uncertainties, if not contrarieties, were in Norman traditions of this matter; and I make no question, but of that unknown nation so much mistaken hath been of names and times, that scarce any undoubted truth therein now can justify itself. For observe but what is here delivere1, and compare it with them (7) which say in 898 Rollo was overthrown at Chartres by Richard duke of Burgundy, and Ebal earl of Poiters, assisting Walzelm bishop of that city; and, fny question is, Where have you hope of reconciliation? except only in equivocation of name; for plainly Hastings, Godfrey, Hroruc and others (if

(i) Guil. Gemeticens. de Ducid. Norm. 2. cap. 4. & seq. Tho. de Walsingham in Hypodig. Neust. secundum quos, in quantum ad Chronologicam rationem spectat, plerique alii.

(k) Ita quidam apud P. Emil. hist. Franc. 3. quem de hac revide, & Polydor. ejusdem sequacem

hist. 5.

(2) Floren. Wigorn. p. 335. & Roger. Hoveden. part. 1. fol. 241.