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"He feign'd remorse, and piteous beg'i
His crime I'd not reveal:
Which, for his seeming penitence,
I promis❜d to conceal.

"With treason, villainy, and wrong,
My goodness he repay'd:
With jealous doubts he fill'd my lord,
And me to woe betray'd.

"He hid a slave within my bed,
Then rais'd a bitter cry.

My lord, possest with rage, condemn'd
Me, all unheard, to dye.

"But, 'cause I then was great with child, At length my life he spar'd:

But bad me instant quit the realme,
One trusty knight my guard.

"Forth on my journey I depart,
Opprest with grief and woe;

And tow'rds my brother's distant court,
With breaking heart I

goe,

"Long time thro' sundry foreign lands

We slowly pace along :

At length, within a forest wild,

I fell in labour strong.

"And while the knight for succour sought,

And left me there forlorn,

My childbed pains so fast increast,

Two lovely boys were born.

"The eldest fair, and smooth, as snow

That tips the mountain hoar:

The younger's little body rough

With hairs was cover'd o'er.

"But here afresh begin my woes :
While tender care I took

To shield my eldest from the cold,
And wrap him in my cloak,

"A prowling bear burst from the wood,

And seiz' my younger son;

Affection lent my weakness wings,

"But all forewearied, weak, and spent,
I quickly swooned away:

And there beneath the greenwood shade
Long time I lifeless lay.

"At length the knight brought me relief,
And rais'd me from the ground
But neither of my pretty babes
Could ever more be found.

And while in search we wander'd far,
We met that gyant grim;

Who ruthless slew my trusty knight,

And bare me off with him.

"But charm'd by heav'n, or else my griefs,

He offer'd me no wrong;

Save that within these lonely walls

I've been immur'd so long."

Now, surely, said the youthful knight,
You are lady Bellisance,

Wife to the Grecian Emperor :
Your brother's king of France.

For in your royal brother's court
Myself my breeding had ;
Where oft the story of your woes
Hath made my bosom sad.

If so, know your accuser's dead,
And dying own'd his crime;

And long your lord hath sought you out,
Thro' every foreign clime.

And when no tidings he could learn
Of his much-wronged wife;

He vow'd thenceforth within his court
To lead a hermit's life.

Now heaven is kind; the lady said;

And dropt a joyful tear :

Shall I once more behold my lord?
That lord I love so dear?

But madam, said sir Valentine,

And knelt upon his knee :

Know you the cloak what wrapt your babe,

And pulling forth the cloak of gold,
In which himself was found ;
The lady gave a sudden shriek,
And fainted on the ground.

But by his pious care reviv'd,
His tale she heard anon;
And soon by other tokens found
He was indeed her son

But who's this hairy youth? she said:
He much resembles thee:
The bear devour'd my younger son,
Or sure that son were he.

Madam, this youth with bears was bred, And rear'd within their den.

But recollect ye any mark

To know your son again?

Upon his little side, quoth she,
Was stampt a bloody rose.
Here, lady, see the crimson mark
Upon his body grows!

Then clasping both her newfound sons She bath'd their cheeks with tears: And soon towards her brother's court Her joyful course she steers.

What pen can paint king Pepin's joy,
His sister then restor❜d!
And soon a messenger was sent
To chear her drooping lord.

Who came in late with all his peers, To fetch her home to Greece; Where many happy years they reign'd In perfect love and peace.

To them sir Ursine did succeed
And long the scepter bare,
Sir Valentine he stay'd in Fra
And was his uncle's heir.

[graphic]

This ballad is taken from Percy's 'Reliques.' 'It can. not be denied,' says the Doctor, 'but that a great part of it is modern.' 'It may be safely denied, however,' says Ritson, Ancient Songs and Ballads,' i. xxxi.) that the least part of it is ancient. The freader will probably agree with the critic, particularly as no mention is made by Dr. Percy of its existing, in any shape or form, in his Folio MS. The incidents,' he says, are chiefly taken from the old storybook of the Seven Champions of Christendom,' written by 'one Richard Johnson, who lived in the reigns of Elizabeth and James; which, though now the plaything of children, was formerly in high repute.' As to St. George himself, whose martial history is allowed to be apocryphal,' his very existence has been doubted. The reader who desires to investigate the matter, may consult Pettingal's 'Dissertation on the Origin of the Equestrian Figure of the George and of the Garter,' London, 1753; and Milner's "Historical and Critical Enquiry into the Existence and Character of Saint George,' &c., London 192.

Distressed ladies to relieve
He travell'd many a day,
In honour of the Christian faith,
Which shall endure for aye.

In Coventry some time did dwell
A knight of worthy fame,
High steward of this noble realme;
Lord Albret was his name.

He had to wife a princely dame,
Whose beauty did excell.
This virtuous lady, being with child,
In sudden sadness fell.

For thirty nights no sooner sleep
Had clos'd her wakeful eyes,
But, lo! a foul and fearful dream
Her fancy would surprize:

She dreamt a dragon fierce and fell
Conceiv'd within her womb;
Whose mortal fangs her body rent
Ere he to life could come.

All woe-begone, and sad was she;
She nourisht constant woe :
Yet strove to hide it from her lord,
Lest he should sorrow know.

In vaine she strove; her tender lord,
Who watch'd her slightest look,
Discover'd soon her secret pain,
And soon that pain partook.

And when to him the fearful cause
She weeping did impart,

With kindest speech he strove to heal
The anguish of her heart.

Be comforted, my lady dear,
Those pearly drops refrain;
Betide me weal, betide me woe,
I'll try to ease thy pain.

And for this foul and fearful dream,

That causeth all thy woe,

Trust me I'll travel far away

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