late Sir D. Dalrymple communicated (subsequent to the account drawn up above in p. 113.) extracts of a letter from Sir John Bruce, of Kinross, to Lord Binning, which plainly proves the pretended discoverer of the fragment of Hardyknute to have been Sir John Bruce himself. His words are, To perform my promise, I send you a true copy of the Manuscript I found some weeks ago in a vault at Dumferline. It is written on vellum in a fair Gothic character, but so much defaced by time, as you'll find that the tenth part is not legible." He then gives the whole fragment as it was first published in 1719, save one or two stanzas, marking several passages as having perished by being illegible in the old MS. Hence it appears that Sir John was the author of Hardyknute, but afterwards used Mrs. Wardlaw to be the midwife of his Poetry, and suppressed the story of the vault; as is well observed by the Editor of the Tragic Ballads, and of Maitland's Scot. Poets, vol. I. p. cxxvii.

To this gentleman we are indebted for the use of the copy, whence the second edition was afterwards printed, as the same was prepared for the press by John Clerk, M.D. of Edinburgh, an intimate companion of Lord President Forbes.

The title of the first edition was, " Hardyknute, a Fragment. Edinburgh, printed for James Watson, &c. 1719." folio, 12 pages.

Stanzas not in the first edition are, Nos. 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 34, 35, 36, 37, 41, 42.

In the present impression the orthography of Dr. Clerk's copy has been preserved, and his readings carefully followed, except in a few instances, wherein the common edition appeared preferable : viz. He had in ver. 20. but.-v. 56. of harm.—v. 64. every.-v. 67. lo down.-v. 83. That omitted.-v. 89. And omitted.-v. 143. With argument but vainly strave Lang.-v. 148. say'd.-v. 155. incampit on the plain. v. 156. Norse squadrons.-v. 158. regand revers. v. 170. his strides he bent.-v. 171. minstrals play and Pibrochs fine.-v. 172. stately went.-v, 182. mon.-v. 196. sharp and fatal.-v. 219. which.—v. 241. stood wyld.-Stanza 39 preceded stanza 38.v. 305. There.-v. 313. blew wrestling.-v. 336. had originally been, He fear'd a' cou'd be fear'd.

The editor was also informed, on the authority of Dr. David Clerk, M.D. of Edinburgh (son of the aforesaid Dr. John Clerk,) that between the present stanzas 36 and 37, the two following had been intended, but were on maturer consideration omitted, and do not now appear among the MS. additions : Now darts flew wavering through slaw speede, Scarce could they reach their aim;

Or reach'd, scarce blood the round point drew,
'Twas all but shot in vain :

Righ strengthy arms forfeebled grew,

Sair wreck'd wi' that day's toils:

E'en fierce-born minds now lang'd for peace,

And cur'd war's cruel broils.

Yet still wars horns sounded to charge, Swords clash'd and harness rang;

But saftly sae ilk blaster blew

The hills and dales fraemang.
Nae echo heard in double dints,

Nor the lang-winding horn,
Nae mair she blew out brade as she
Did eir that summers morn.

117

In the former Book we brought down this second Series of poems as low as about the middle of the sixteenth century. We now find the Muses deeply engaged in religious controversy. The sudden revolution wrought in the opinions of mankind by the Reformation, is one of the most striking events in the history of the human mind. It could not but engross the attention of every individual in that age, and therefore no other writings would have any chance to be read, but such as related to this grand topic. The alterations made in the established religion by Henry VIII., the sudden changes it underwent in the three succeeding reigns within so short a space as eleven or twelve years, and the violent struggles between expiring Popery and growing Protestantism, could not but interest all mankind. Accordingly every pen was engaged in the dispute. The followers of the Old and New Profession (as they were called) had their respective ballad-makers; and every day produced some popular sonnet for or against the Reformation. The following ballad, and that intitled "Little John Nobody," may serve for specimens of the writings of each party. Both were written in the reign of Edward VI.; and are not the worst that were composed upon the occasion. Controversial divinity is no friend to poetic flights. Yet this ballad of "Luther and the Pope," is not altogether devoid of spirit; it is of the dramatic kind, and the characters are tolerably well sustained; especially that of Luther, which is made to speak in a manner not unbecoming the spirit and courage of that vigorous reformer. It is printed from the original black-letter copy (in the Pepys collection, vol. I. folio,) to which is prefixed a large wooden cut, designed and executed by some eminent master.

We are not to wonder that the ballad-writers of that age should be inspired with the zeal of controversy, when the very stage teemed with polemic divinity. I have now before me two very ancient quarto black-letter plays: the one published in the time of Henry VIII, intitled " Every Man ;"the other called "Lusty Juventus," printed in the reign of Edward VI. In the former of these, occasion is taken to incultate great reverence for old mother church and her superstitions: in the other, the

Take a specimen from his high encomiums on the priesthood,

"There is no emperour, kyng, duke, ne baron
That of God hath commissyon,

As hath the leest preest in the world beynge.

poet, (one R. Wever) with great success attacks both. So that the stage in those days literally was, what wise men have always wished it-a supplement to the pulpit :-this was so much the case, that in the play of "Lusty Juventus," chapter and verse are every where quoted as formally as in a sermon ; take an instance:

The Lord by his prophet Ezechiel sayeth in this
wise playnlye,

As in the xxxiij chapter it doth appere:
Be converted, O ye children, &c."

From this play we learn that most of the young
people were New Gospellers, or friends to the Re-
formation, and that the old were tenacious of the
doctrines imbibed in their youth: for thus the devil
is introduced lamenting the downfal of superstition :
"The olde people would believe stil in my lawes,
But the yonger sort leade them a contrary way,
They wyl not beleve, they playnly say,
In olde traditions, and made by men, &c."
And in another place Hypocrisy urges,

"The worlde was never meri
Since chyldren were so boulde:
Now every boy will be a teacher,

The father a foole, the chyld a preacher."

Of the plays above mentioned, to the first is subjoined the following, Printer's Colophon, ¶ "Thus endeth this moral playe of Every Man. ¶ Imprynted at London in Powles chyrche yarde by me John Skot." In Mr. Garrick's collection is an imperfect copy of the same play, printed by Richarde Pynson.

The other is intitled, "An enterlude called Lufty Juventus" and is thus distinguished at the end:

God hath to them more power gyven,
Than to any aungell, that is in heven;
With v. words he may consecrate

Goddes body in flesshe, and blode to take,
And handeleth his maker bytwene his handes.
The preest byndeth and unbindeth all bandes,
Both in erthe and in heven.-

Thou ministers all the sacramentes seven.
Though we kyst thy fete thou were worthy;
Thou art the surgyan that cureth synne dedly :
No remedy may we fynde under God,
But alone on preesthode.

God gave preest that dignité,

And letteth them in his stede amonge us be,

Thus be they above aungels in degre."

See Hawkins's Orig. of Eng. Drama Vol. I. p. 61.

118

Finis. quod R. Wever. Imprynted at London in Paules churche yeard by Abraham Dele at the signe of the Lambe." Of this too Mr. Garrick has an imperfect copy of a different edition.

Of these two plays the reader may find some further particulars in Series the First, Book II. see "The Essay on the Origin of the English Stage;" and the curious reader will find the plays themselves printed at large in Hawkins's " Origin of the English Drama," 3 vols. Oxford, 1773, 12mo.

As satisfactours for the deade.

That will not obey my auctoritie. With this sworde I wyll declare, That ye shal al accursed be.

And regardeth to much the scripture;
For he thinketh onely thereby
To subdue the popes high honoure:

Receive ye this pardon devoutely,
And loke that ye agaynst him fight;
Plucke up your herts, and be manlye,
For the pope sayth ye do but ryght:
And this be sure, that at one flyghte,
Allthough ye be overcome by chaunce,
Ye shall to heaven go with greate myghte;
God can make you no resistaunce.

80

85