"its students were some of the first who attempted "to polish and adorn the English tongue."

Since the publication of Mr. Warton's history, a selection from Occleve's poems has been printed by Mr. Mason, and has proved the justice of the foregoing criticism. The most favourable specimen of Occleve's poetry is his "Story of Jonathas," which the reader will find in the " Shepherd's Pipe," by William Brown, author of Britannia's Pastorals.

As it is not easy to select a tolerable extract from this writer, I shall here insert two specimens of contemporary, though anonymous, poetry, both of which possess considerable merit. The first is taken from Mr. Ritson's very curious collection of "Ancient Songs," p. 44.

"Again my will I take my leave."

Now Bairnes buird,' bold and blithe,
To blessen you here now am I bound:

I thank you all a thousand sithe

2

And pray God save you whole and sound.

Bairns are gentlemen, barons; buird, bird, or bride, is a common name for young women: but perhaps the word in this place may be an abbreviation of brydest. Sax.; most noble.

• Times.

Where'er ye go, on grass or ground,
He you govern withouten greve !1
For friendship that I here have found,
Again my will I take my leave.

For friendship, and for giftis good,
For meat and drink so great plenty,

2

That Lord that raught was on the rood 3

He keep this noble company :

On sea or land, where that ye be,
He govern you withouten greve ;
So good desport ye han4 made me
Again my will I take my leave.

Again my will altho I wend,
I may not allway dwellen here:
For every thing shall have an end,
And friendis are not aye y-fere.
Be we never so lief and dear,
Out of this world all shall we meve.
And when we busk 7 unto our bier,
Again our will we take our leave.

1 Grief.

3 Cross.

5 Together.

• Stretched.

4 Have.

• Move, remove.

7 Go.

And wend we shall: I wot not when,
Nor whither-ward that we shall fare:

But endless bliss, or aye to brenn,

To every man is garked yare.2

For this, I rede,3 each man beware;
And let our work our wordis preve4
So that no sin our soul forfare 5

When that our life hath taken his leave.

When that our life his leave hath laucht 6

Our body lieth bounden by the wowe: 7
Our riches all from us be reft,

In clottis cold our corse is throw.

Where are thy friends? who wol thee know?
Let see who wol thy soul relieve?

I rede thee, man, ere thou lie low,
Be ready aye to take thy leave.

Be ready aye, whate'er befall,

All suddenly lest thou be kiht 8

Thou wost ne'er when thy Lord wol call;

Look that thy lamp be brenning bright.

7 Wow, is care, misery, &c; but the construction is by

no means clear.

• Caught.

9 Knowest.

For 'leve' me well, but thou have light, Right foul thy Lord will thee repreve.

2

And fleme thee far out of his sight,'

For, all too late, thou took thy leave.

Now God that was in Bethlem bore 3
He give us grace to serve him so,
That we may come his face to-fure,4
Out of this world when we shall go;
And, for to amend that we mis-do,
In clay ere that we cling and cleave:
And make us even with friend and foe,
And in good time to take our leave.

Now haveth good day, good men all, Haveth good day, young and old; Haveth good day both great and small, And graunt-merci 5 a thousand fold. Gif ever I might, full fain I wold Donaught that were unto you leve. Christ keep you out of carés cold;

For now is time to take

my

leave.

1 Believe.

3 Born.

a Banish. Sax.

4 Before.

5 Grand-merci, Fr.; grammercy, thanks.

7 Doen, do,

The second poem is of a very different cast: it is a transcript from the Cotton MSS. Galba E. ix. ; "perhaps (says Mr. Warton) coeval with Chaucer, "which describes the power of money with great “humour, and in no common vein of satire,”

Incipit narratio de Domina Denario.

In earth it is a little thing,

And reigns as a rich king,

Where he is lent in land:

SIR PENNY is his name call'd:
He makes both young and ald,
Bow until his hand.

Popes, kings, and emperoúrs,
Bishops, abbots, and prioúrs,

Parson, priest, and knight,
Dukes, earls, and ilk baroún,
To serve him are they full boun,▾
Both by day and night.

Sir Penny changes manis mood,

2

And gars them oft to down ther hood,

And to rise him again.3