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4 FEB 1965

LIBRARY

8,

ERRATA.

Page 6, line 20, for Folengio, read Folengo.
4, for Palsgrave, read Palgrave.
note, 1. 1, for foregoing, read following.
4, for tournay, read Tournay.
56, line 9, for good-while, read Good-will.
13, for think, read I think.

30,

69,

106, 108,

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110,

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22, for four, read five.

14, for chanc'd, read chanced.
15, for tattle, read talk.

121, note, l. 1, for Stevens and Pooley, read Steevens and

136,

Pooly.

8, for Won, read Wooer. 143, line 19, for with, read within.

144,

[ocr errors]

3, dele period after suffice.

147, 4, dele (Eclogues, &c.)

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- for 1538, read 1535. 9, for 1565, read 1560.

150, title, for Tuberville, read Turbervile. 151, line 8, for blame, read flame.

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250, 251,

278,

294,

17, for plagues, read pangs.

ult. for those, read thou.

6, for cup, read cap.

ult. for green, read queen.

1, for at, read for.

ult. for entruss, read untruss.

2, after [from the same] add, with Bishop 8, Percy's alterations.

12, for with, read us'd.

6, for more, read most.

296, after title, add, printed from Bishop Percy's copy. 802, line 14, for "Ideas, read "Idea.

313,

314,

4, for lurk, read suck.

8, for sun-set, read summer.

7, for True lover, read Sad true-love. 320, note, I. ult. for Bornefield, read Barnefiel 343, line 5, for their, read do.

353, 360,

3, for striving, read labouring.
11, for branches, read briars.
18, for Armagana, read Amargana,

HISTORICAL SKETCH, &c.

CHAPTER XVI.

Reign of Henry VIII.—Skelton.-William Roy.-John Heywood.-Sir David Lindsay.-The Mourning Maiden.

THE accession of Henry VIII. could not fail to promote the progress of elegant literature in England. His title to the crown was so undoubted, that it left him no apprehension of a rival, and fully secured his subjects against the recurrence of those sanguinary civil wars, which had so long desolated the country. He was young, handsome, accomplished, wealthy, and prodigal; and the nobility, effectually humbled by the policy of his father, crowded round his person, with no higher B

VOL. II.

ambition than that of gaining his favour, and sharing his profusion, which was exhibited in frequent tournaments, in masques, or entertainments consisting of music, dancing, gaming, banquetings, and the display of dresses at once grotesque and magnificent. All the pleasures, and all the gallantry of the age, were assembled at his court. The press, which had already produced complete and sumptuous editions of our best early poets, furnished an abundant supply of metrical romances, Christmas carols, and other popular compositions. Henry himself is known to have been a proficient in music, and was perhaps an occasional writer of poetry ;* and though his skill in the art be rather problematical, his taste for it, is fully evinced by the almost universal practice of his courtiers. Accordingly, this reign forms a marked epocha in our poetical history.

Chaucer, as we have seen, had formed his taste

The following lines are, in the Nuga Antiquæ, ascribed to this monarch:

The eagle's force subdues each bird that flies.

What metal can resist the flaming fire?

Doth not the sun dazzle the clearest eyes,

And melt the ice, and make the frost retire?
The hardest stones are pierced through with tools;
The wisest are, with princes, made but fools.

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