FOOTNOTES:
[66] Ver. 1. Bruite his, MS.
[67] [heathendom.]
[68] [born.]
[69] [V. 6. borne, MS.]
[70] V. 9. He began his reign A.D. 515, according to the Chronicles.
[71] [V. 16. sit, MS.]
[72] [V. 19. all nations, MS.]
[73] [pronounced "Tintadgell;" the remains of the castle still exist on the north coast of Cornwall.]
[74] V. 23. She is named Igerna in the old Chronicles.
[75] V. 24. his, MS.
[76] [Ver. 31-2.
And then I conquered througe manly feats,
All Scottlande with my hands, MS.]
[77] V. 39. Froland feild, MS. Froll, according to the Chronicles, was a Roman knight governor of Gaul.
[78] V. 41. Danibus, MS.
[79] [Pagans.]
[80] V. 49. of Pavye, MS.
[81] [V. 49-52. this stanza occurs after v. 36 in the MS.]
[82] [Ver. 69. and when at Sandwich I did land.]
[83] [V. 74. on that.]
[84] [V. 75. that Sir Lancelott.]
[85] [V. 80. he tooke. MS.]
[86] [Ver. 83. Wherby appointed.]
[87] [V. 84. was agreed.]
[88] [V. 85-6.
Where wee did fight soe mortallye
Of live eche other to deprive.]
[89] [V. 92. upon.]
[90] V. 92. perhaps fates.
[91] [V. 96 is the end of the first part in the MS., the stanza
King Arthur lived King 22 yeere
in honor and great fame
and thus by death suddenlye
was deprived from the same
ends the second part, which is printed by Percy as King Arthur's death, see previous ballad.]
VI.
A DYTTIE TO HEY DOWNE.
Copied from an old MS. in the Cotton Library [British Museum] (Vesp. A. xxv. fol. 170), intitled, "Divers things of Hen. viij's time."
Who sekes to tame the blustering winde,
Or causse the floods bend to his wyll,
Or els against dame nature's kinde
To "change" things frame by cunning skyll:[92]
That man I thinke bestoweth paine, 5
Thoughe that his laboure be in vaine.
Who strives to breake the sturdye steele,
Or goeth about to staye the sunne;
Who thinks to causse an oke to reele,
Which never can by force be done: 10
That man likewise bestoweth paine,
Thoughe that his laboure be in vaine.
Who thinks to stryve against the streame,
And for to sayle without a maste;
Unlesse he thinks perhapps to faine, 15
His travell ys forelorne and waste;
And so in cure of all his paine,
His travell ys his cheffest gaine.
So he lykewise, that goes about
To please eche eye and every eare,
Had nede to have withouten doubt
A golden gyft with hym to beare;
For evyll report shall be his gaine,
Though he bestowe both toyle and paine.
God grant eche man one to amend; 25
God send us all a happy place;
And let us pray unto the end,
That we may have our princes grace:
Amen, Amen! so shall we gaine
A dewe reward for all our paine. 30