Reliques of ancient English poetry: consisting of old heroic ballads, songs, and other pieces [ed. by T. Percy]. [4 other copies with cancel leaves in vol. 1].

Child is frequently used by our old writers, as a Title. It is repeatedly given to Prince Arthur in the "Faerie Queen :" and the son of a king is in the same poem called "Child Tristram." [B. 5. c. 11. st. 8. 13.-B. 6. c. 2. st. 36.—Ibid. c. 8. st. 15.] In an old ballad quoted in "Shakspeare's King Lear," the hero of Ariosto is called Child Roland. Mr. Theobald supposes this use of the word was received along with their romanees from the Spaniards, with whom Infante signifies a "Prince." A more eminent critic tells us, that "in the old times of chivalry, the noble youth, who were candidates for knighthood, during the time of their probation were called Infans, Varlets, Damoysels, Bacheliers. The most noble of the youth were particularly.called Infans." [Vid. Warh. Shakesp.] A late commentator on Spenser observes, that the Saxon word cnihz knight, signifies also a "Child." [See Upton's Gloss. to the F. Q.] The Editor's folio MS. whence the following piece is taken (with some corrections), affords several other ballads, wherein the word Child occurs as a title: but in none of these it signifies "Prince." See the song intitled Gill Morrice, in this volume.

It ought to be observed, that the word Child or Chield is still used in North Britain to denominate a Man, commonly with some contemptuous character affixed to him, but sometimes to denote Man in general.

• Every person, who went on a CROISADE to the Holy Land, usually wore a cross on his upper garment, on the right shoulder, as a badge of his profession. Different nations were distinguished by crosses of different colours: The English wore white; the French red; &c. This circumstance seems to be confounded in the ballad. [V. Spelman, Gloss.]

This Sonnet is given from a small quarto MS. in the Editor's possession, written in the time of Queen Elizabeth. Another Copy of it, containing some variations, is reprinted in the Muses Library. p. 295, from an ancient miscellany, intitled England's Helicon, 1600, 4to. The author was Nicholas Breton, a writer of some fame in the reign of Elizabeth; who also published an interlude intitled "An old man's lesson and a young man's love," 4to. and many other little pieces in prose and verse, the titles of which may be seen in Winstanley, Ames' Typog, and Osborne's Harl. Catalog. &c.-He is mentioned with great respect by Meres, in his second part of "Wit's Commonwealth," 1598, f. 283, and is alluded to in Beaumont and Fletcher's "Scornful Lady," Act 2. and again in "Wit without Money," Act 3.-See Whalley's Ben Jonson, vol. III. p. 103.

The present Edition is improved by a copy in 'England's Helicon," vol. III, edit. 1614, 8vo.

In the merrie moneth of Maye,

In a morne by break of daye,
With a troope of damselles playing

Forthe 1 yode' forsooth a maying:

When anon by a wood side,

Where as Maye was in his pride,
I espied all alone

Phillida and Corydon.

+++ The foregoing little pastoral of "Phillida and Corydon" is one of the songs in "The Honourable Entertainment gieven to the Queenes Majestie in Progresse at Elvetham in Hampshire, by the R. H. the Earle of Hertford, 1591," 4to. [Printed by Wolfe. No name of author.] See in that pamphlet,

"The thirde daies Etertainment.

"On Wednesday morning about 9 o'clock, as her Majestie opened a casement of her gallerie window, ther were 3 excellent musitians, who being disguised in auncient country attire, did greete her with a pleasant song of 'Corydon and Phillida,' made in 3 parts of purpose. The song, as well for the worth of the dittie, as the aptnesse of the note thereto applied, it pleased her Highnesse after it had been once sung to command it againe, and highly to grace it with her cheerefull acceptance and commendation.

"THE PLOWMAN'S SONG.

"In the merrie month of May, &c."

The splendour and magnificence of Elizabeth's reign is no where more strongly painted than in these little diaries of some of her summer excursions to the houses of her nobility; nor could a more acceptable present be given to the world, than a republication of a select number of such details as this of the entertainment at Elvetham, that at Killingworth, &c., &c., which so strongly mark the spirit of the times, and present us with scenes so very remote from modern manners.

Since the above was written, the Public hath been gratified with a most complete work on the foregoing subject, intitled, "The Progresses and Public Processions of Queen Elizabeth, &c. By John Nichols, F. A. S. Edinb. and Perth, 1788," 2 vols, 4to.

XI.

LITTLE MUSGRAVE AND LADY BARNARD.

This ballad is ancient, and has been popular; we find it quoted in many old plays. See Beaum. and Fletcher's Knight of the Burning Pestle, 4to, 1613, Act 5. The Varietie, a comedy, 12mo. 1649, Act 4, &c. In Sir William Davenant's play, "The Witts," Act 3, a gallant thus boasts of himself:

"Limber and sound! besides I sing Musgrave,

And for Chevy-chace no lark comes near me." In the Pepys Collection, vol. III. p. 314, is an imitation of this old song, in 33 stanzas, by a more modern pen, with many alterations, but evidently for the worse.

This is given from an old printed copy in the British Museum, with corrections; some of which are from a fragment in the Editor's folio MS. also printed in Dryden's Collection of Miscellaneous Poems.

As it fell out on a highe holye daye,
As many bee in the yeare,

When yong men and maides together do goe,
Their masses and mattins to heare,

Little Musgrave came to the church door,
The priest was at the mass;
But he had more mind of the fine women,
Then he had of our Ladyes grace.

It is

My Lord Barnard shall knowe of this,
Although I lose a limbe.

And ever whereas the bridges were broke,
He layd him downe to swimme.

Asleep or awake, thou Lord Barnard,
As thou art a man of life,
Lo! this same night at Bucklesford-Bury
Litle Musgrave's in bed with thy wife.
If it be trew, thou litle foote-page,
This tale thou hast told to mee,
Then all my lands in Bucklesford-Bury
I freelye will give to thee.

But and it be a lye, thou litle foot-page,
This tale thou hast told to mee,
On the highest tree in Bucklesford-Bury
All hanged shalt thou bee.

Rise up, rise up, my merry men all,
And saddle me my good steede;

This night must I to Bucklesford-Bury;
God wott, I had never more neede.

Then some they whistled, and some they sang, And some did loudlye saye,