Reliques of ancient English poetry: consisting of old heroic ballads ...

AND BALLADS, 107
Thus dreadful death did me arreft,
To bring my corpes unto the grave; 130
And like a palmer dyed I,
Wherby I fought my foule to fave.
My body that endured this toyle,
Though now it be confumed to mold ;
My ftatue faire engraven in flone, 135
In Warwicke ftill you may behold.
II.
GUY AND AMARANT.
The Editor found this Poem in his ancient folio manu-
fcript among the old ballads ;
he was defirous therefore that
it JhouldJlill acco?npany them ; and as it is not altogether
devoid of merit, its infertion here will be pardoned.
Although this piece feems not imperfecl, there is reafon to
believe that it is only a part of a much larger poem, which
contained the whole hiftory offir Guy : for upon compare
ing it with the common ftory book izmo, we find the latter
to be nothing more than this poem reduced to profe : which
is only ejfecled by now and then altering the rhyme, and
throwing out fome few of the poetical ornaments. The
difguife is fo fight that it is an eafy matter
plete ftanzas in any page of that book.
to pick com-
'
The author of this poem has jhown feme invention.
Though he took the fubjeB from the old romance quoted be-
fore, he has adorned it afrejb, and made the ft ory intirely
bis own*
GUY