Poems Supposed to Have Been Written at Bristol by Thomas Rowley and Others in the Fifteenth Century

X . P R E F A C E.
Bristol,
who has long been engaged in writing
the history of that city.
Mr. Barrett also pro*
cured from him several fragments, some of a
considerable length, written upon vellum*, which/
the other hand, unpopular essays will not even be accepted j
and you must pay to have them printed : but then you seldom,
Jose by it, as courtiers are so sensible of their deficiency iji
merit, that they generoufly reward all who know how to
dawb them with the appearance of it."
Notwithstanding his employment on the History of London,
he continued to write incessantly in various periodical publir
cations. On the nth of July he tells his sister that he had
pieces last month in the Gospel Magazine', the Town and Coun
try, viz. Maria Friendless ; False Step ; Hunter of Oddities ;
To Mjss Bush, &c. Court and City; London; Political Regifter^
&c. But all these exertions of his genius brought in
so little profit, that he was soon reduced to real indigence ;
from which he was relieved by death (in what manner is not
certainly known), on the 24th of August, or thereabout, when
he wanted near three months to complete his eighteenth year.
The floor of hjs chamber was covered with written papers,
which he had torn into small pieces ; but there was no appear
ance (as the iulitor has been credibly informed) of any wri
tings on parchment or vellum.
One of these fragments, by Mr. Barrett's permislion, has
jjrecn copied in the manner of a Fac simile, by that ingenious
artist Mr. Strutt, and an engraving of it is inserted at p. 288,
Twa
he