An Excellent BALLAD of St. GEORGE for England and the King of
AEgypts Daughter whom he delivered from Death, and how he slew a
Monstous Dragon, etc. To the Tune of Flying Fame.
Licensd according to Order.
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OF Hectors Deeds did Homer Sing,
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and of the Sack of stately Troy,
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With grief Fair Helen did them bring
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which was Sir Paris only Joy.
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And with my Pen I must recite,
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St. Georges Deeds an English Knight.
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Against the Sarazens full rude.
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fought he full long and many a Day,
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Where many a Gyant he subdud,
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in Honour of the Christian way,
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And after many Adventures past,
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to AEgypt Land he came at last.
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And as the Story plain doth tell,
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within that Country there did rest,
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A dreadful Dragon Fierce and Fell,
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whereby they were full sore opprest,
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Whereby his Poysoned Breath each Day,
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did many of the City slay.
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The grief whereof did grow so great,
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throughout the Limits of the Land
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That they their Wise men did intreat,
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to shew their cunning Art out of hand,
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Which way they might this Dragon destroy
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that did their Country sore anoy.
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The Wise-men all stood before the King,
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and framd the Matter Incontinent,
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The Dragon none to Death might bring,
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by any means they could invent,
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His Skin more hard then Brass was found,
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that Sword or Spear coud pierce or wound
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When the People understood,
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they Cryed out most piteously,
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The Dragons Breath infects their Blood,
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that they each Day in heaps did Dye,
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Amongst them such a Plague it bred,
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the Living scarce could bury the Dead.
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No means there was that they could find,
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for to appease the Dragons rage,
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But by a Virgin pure and kind.
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whereby he might his Fury swage.
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Each day he should a Maiden eat,
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for to alay his Hunger great,
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This thing by Art the Wise-men found
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which truly must observed be,
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Wherefore throughout the City round,
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a Virgin pure of good degree,
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Was by the Kings Commission still
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took up to serve the Dragons will.
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Thus did the Dragon every Days
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a Maiden of the Town destroy.
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Till all the Maids were worn away,
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and none were left this present hour,
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Saving the Kings fair Daughter bright,
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her Fathers Joy and Hearts delight,
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Then came the Officers to the King,
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this heavy Message to declare,
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Which did his Heart with Sorrow sting,
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she is quoth he my Kingdoms Heir,
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O let us all be Poysond here
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eer she should Dye that is my Dear,
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Then rose the People presently
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and to the King in rage they went,
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Who said his Daughter dear should dye
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the Dragons fury to prevent.
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Our Daughters all are Dead quoth they,
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and have been made the Dragons prey
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And by their Blood thou hast been Blest,
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and thou hast savd thy Life thereby,
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And now in Justice it doth rest
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for us thy Daughter so should Die.
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O save my Daughter said the King
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and let me feel the Dragons sting
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Then fell fair Sabrine on her Knee,
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and to her Father then did say,
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O Father strive not thus for me
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but let me be the Dragons prey
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It may be for my sake alone
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this Plague upon the Land is shown.
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Tis better I should Die she said,
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then all your Subjects perish quite,
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Perhaps the Dragon here is laid,
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for my Offence to work his spight,
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and after he has suckt my Gore,
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Your land shall know the grief no more.
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what hast thou done, my Daughter dear,
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for to deserve this heavy scourge?
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It is my fault it shall appear,
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which makes the Gods the state to grudge
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then ought I die to stint the Strife,
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and to preserve thy happy life.
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Like Mad-men all the people cryd,
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thy Death to us can do no good,
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Our Safety only doth abide
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to make thy Daughter Dragons Food.
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Loe here I am, O then, (quoth she)
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therefore do what you will with me:
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Nay stay dear daughter quoth the Queen,
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and as thou art a Virgin bright,
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that hath for virtue famous been,
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so let me cloath thee all in white,
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and crown thy head with Flowers sweet,
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an ornament for Virgins meet,
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and when she was attired so,
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[a]ccording to her Mothers mind,
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Unto the Stake then did she go,
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to which they did this Virgin bind,
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and bieng bound to stake and thrall,
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She bid farewel unto them all.
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Farewel, dear Father, then quoth she,
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and my sweet Mother meek and mild,
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take you no thought nor care for me,
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for you may have another Child.
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Here for my Countrys Good Ill die,
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which I receive most willingly.
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The King and Queen with all their train,
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with weeping eyes they went away
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and let their Daughter there remain,
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to be the hungry Dragons prey.
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But as she there did weeping l[i]e,
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Behold St. George came riding by,
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and seeing there a Lady bright,
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fast tied to the stake that day,
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Most like unto a valiant Knight
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straight unto her did take h[i]s way.
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Tell me sweet Maiden, then quoth he
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What Person thus abused thee,
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And lo by Christ his Cross I vow,
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which here is Figured on my Breast
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I will revenge it on h[i]s brow,
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and break my Lance upon his crest.
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And speaking thus whereas he stood,
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The Dragon issued out of the Wood.
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The Lady that did first espy,
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the dreadful Dragon coming so,
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Unto St. George aloud did cry
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and willed him away to go,
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Here comes that ugly Fiend quoth she,
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that soon will make an end of me.
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St. George then looking round about,
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the fiery Dragon soon espyd,
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And like a Knight of Courage stout
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against him he did fiercly Ride:
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And with such Blows he did him greet
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That he fell under the Horses Feet.
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For with a Launce that was so strong,
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as he came gaping in his Face,
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In at his Mouth he thrust it along,
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the which could pierce no other place,
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And there within this Ladies view,
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This dreadful Dragon there he slew.
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The savour of his poysond Breath,
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could do this Christian Knight no harm,
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Thus did he save the Lady from Death,
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and home he led her by the Arm,
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Which when Ptolomy did see,
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There was great Joy and Melody.
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When as the famous Knight St. George
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had slain the Dragon in the Field
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And brought the Lady to the Court,
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whose sight with Joy their Hearts filld.
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He in the AEgyptian Court then staid,
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till he most falsly was betrayd.
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The Lady Sabrine lovd him well,
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he counted her his only Joy,
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But when their Loves was open known,
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It provd St. Georges great anoy
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The Morocco King was in the Court,
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who to the Orchard did resort,
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Daily to take the pleasant Air,
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for pleasures sake he usd to walk,
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Under the Wall, whereas he heard,
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St. George with Lady Sabrine talk.
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Their Loves he revealed to the King,
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Which to St. George great woe did bring,
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These Kings together did devise,
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to make this Christian Knight away.
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With Letters him Ambassador sent,
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they straightway sent to Persia,
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And wrote to the Sophy him to Kill,
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and Treachously his Blood to Spill,
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Thus they for good did him reward
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with Evil and most subtilty
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By such vile means they did devise
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to work his Death most cruely
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While he in Persia did abode,
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He straight destroyd each Idol God,
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Which being done he straight was flung,
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into a Dungeon dark and deep
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But when he thought upon his Wrong,
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he bitterly did wail and weep,
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Yet like a Knight of Courage stout,
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Forth of the Dungeon he got out
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And in the Night three Horsekeepers,
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this valiant Knight by power slew
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Although he fasted many a Day,
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and then away from thence he flew,
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On the best Steed the Sophy had,
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Which when he knew he was full glad
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Then into Christendom he came
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and met a Giant by the way.
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With him in Combat he did fight,
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most valiantly a Summers day
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Who yet for all his bars of Steel
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was forcd the sting of death to feel
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From Christendom the valiant knight.
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then with war like Shouldiers past,
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Vowing upon that heathen Land.
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to work revenge which at the last,
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Eer thrice three years was gone and spent.
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He did unto his great content,
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Save only Egypt land be spared,
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for Sabrine bright her only lake.
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And ere his rage he did surpress,
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he meant a trial kind to make,
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Potlemy did know his strength in field,
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And unto him did kindly yeild,
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then the Morocco king did kill,
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and took fair Sabrine to his Wife,
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And afterwards contendedly
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with that St. George did lead his life.
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Who by the Vertue of a Chain,
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Did still a Vergin pure remain,
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To England then St. George did bring,
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this gallant lady Sabrine bright,
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And eunuch also came with him,
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in whom the Lady did delight,
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None but these three from Egypt came
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Now let me Print St. Georges Fame,
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When they were in the Forrest great,
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the lady did desire to rest
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And then St. George to kill a deer,
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to feed thereon did think it best,
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Left Sabrine and the eunuch there,
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while he did go and kill a deer.
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the mean time in his absenc came,
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two hungry Lyons fierce and fell,
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And tore the Eunuch presently,
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in peices small the truth to tell,
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Down by the Lady then they laid,
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Whereby it seemd she was a Maid,
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But when St. George from hunting came
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and did behold this heavy chance,
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Yet for this lovely Virgin pure,
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His courage stout it did advance:
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And came within the Lyons sight,
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Who run at him with all their might,
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But he being not a bit dismayd.
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but like a stout and valiant Knight,
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Did kill the hungery Lyons both,
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within the Lady Sabrines sight,
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But all this while sad and demure.
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She stood there like a Virgin pure,
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Then when St. George did truly know
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his Lady was a Virgin true,
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Those doleful thoughts that ere was dumb
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began most firmly to renew:
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He sat her on a Palfrey steed,
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And towards England came with speed,
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Where he arrived in short space,
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unto his Fathers dwelling place,
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Where with his dearest Love he livd,
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when Fortune did their Nuptial grace
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They many Years of Joy did feel
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And led their lives at Coventry.
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