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

300 ANCIENT SONGS
All forts of cattle this dragon did eat. 25
Some fay he did eat up trees,
And that the forefts fare he would
Devour up by degrees :
Forhoufesandchurches,weretohimgeefeandturkiesj
He eat all, and left none behind, 30
But fome (tones, dear Jack, that he could not crack,
Which on the hills you will find.
In Yorkfhire, near fair Rotherham,
The place I know it well j
Some two or three miles, or thereabouts, 35
I vow I cannot tell ;
But there is a hedge, juft on the hill edge,
And Matthew's houfe hard by it ;
O there and then, was this dragon's den,
You could not chufe but fpy it. 49
Some fay, this dragon was a witch ;
Some fay, he was a devil.
For from his nofe a fmcke arofe,
And with it burning fnivel ;
Which he caft off, when he did cough, 4.5
In a well that he did ftand by
Which made it look, juft like a brook
Running with burning brandy.
Ver. 29. were to him gorfe and birches, Other Copies.
;
Hard