ADDITIONS TO THE ESSAY ON THE ALLITERATIVE METRE.
Since the foregoing essay was first printed, the Editor hath met with some additional examples of the old alliterative metre.
The first is in MS.[907] which begins thus:
"Crist Crowned Kyng, that on Cros didest,[908]
And art Comfort of all Care, thow[909] kind go out of Cours,
With thi Halwes in Heven Heried mote thu be,
And thy Worshipful Werkes Worshiped evre,
That suche Sondry Signes Shewest unto man,
In Dremyng, in Drecchyng,[910] and in Derke swevenes."
The Author from this proemium takes occasion to give an account of a dream that happened to himself: which he introduces with the following circumstances:
"Ones y me Ordayned, as y have Ofte doon,
With Frendes, and Felawes, Frendemen, and other;
And Caught me in a Company on Corpus Christi even,
Six, other[911] Seven myle, oute of Suthampton,
To take Melodye, and Mirthes, among my Makes;
With Redyng of Romaunces, and Revelyng among,
The Dym of the Derknesse Drewe me into the west;
And beGon for to spryng in the Grey day.
Than Lift y up my Lyddes, and Loked in the sky,
And Knewe by the Kende Cours, hit clered in the est:
Blyve y Busked me down, and to Bed went,
For to Comforte my Kynde, and Cacche a slepe."
He then describes his dream: