"Summoque ulularunt vertice nymphæ."
Ladies was the word our old English writers used for Nymphs: As in the following lines of an old song in the Editor's folio MS.
"When scorching Phœbus he did mount,
Then Lady Venus went to hunt;
To whom Diana did resort,
With all the Ladyes of hills, and valleys
Of springs, and floodes, &c."
V.
THE LEGEND OF KING ARTHUR.
We have here a short summary of K. Arthur's History as given by Jeff. of Monmouth and the old chronicles, with the addition of a few circumstances from the romance Morte Arthur.—The ancient chronicle of Ger. de Leew (quoted above in p. [28]), seems to have been chiefly followed: upon the authority of which we have restored some of the names which were corrupted in the MS. and have transposed one stanza, which appeared to be misplaced, (viz. that beginning at ver. 49, which in the MS. followed ver. 36.)
Printed from the Editor's ancient folio Manuscript.
[This ballad as previously stated is the first part of the poem in the MS. and precedes the one here printed before it. Percy made comparatively few alterations in this part and all of them are now noted at the foot of the page.]