[A most excellent Ballad of S. George for England, and the Kings daugh-
ter of AEgypt, whom he delivered from death, and how he slew a mighty Dragon. The tune is flying fame.
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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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What grief fair Hellen 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 deed 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 Gyants he subdu'd,
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in honour of the Christian way.
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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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Who by 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 limets of the land
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That they their wise men did intreat
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to shew their cunning out of hand,
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Which way they might this Dragon stroy
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That did ther Country so annoy.
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The wise men all before the King,
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framed this matter incontinent,
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The Dragon none to death might bring,
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by any means they would invent
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His skin more hard then brass was found
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That sword or spear can't pierce or wound,
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When this the people understood,
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they cryed out most piteously,
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The Dragons breath infected their blood,
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that they in heaps each day 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 they might his fury swage.
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Each day he should a Maiden eat,
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for to allay 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 day,
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a Maiden of the Town devour.
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Till all the Maids were worn away
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and none were left that 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 Kingdomes heir.
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O let us all be poysoned here,
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Ere 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 bin made the Dragons prey.
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And by their blood thou hast been blest
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and thou hast sav'd thy life thereby.
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And now in justice it doth rest,
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for us thy daughter so should dye
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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 was shown.
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Tis better I should dye she said,
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then all your Subjects perish quite,
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Perhaps the Dragon here was laid,
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for my offence to work this spight.
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And after he hath suckt my gore,
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Your land shall feel 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 our state to grudge
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Then ought I dye to stint the strife,
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And to preserve thy happy life.
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Like mad men all the people cry'd
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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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Lo here am I I come 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 hast for Vertue 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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according 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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Who being bound to stake and thrall,
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She bad 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 weep for me,
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for you may have another child.
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Here for my Coutnryes good Ile dye,
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Which I receive most willingly.
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The King and Queen with a[l]l their train
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with weeping eyes went then their way,
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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 lie,
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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 tyed to the stake that day,
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Most like unto a valiant knight,
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straight unto her did take his 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 crosse I vow,
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which here is figured on my brest,
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I will revenge it on his 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 Dreadfull 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 cursed 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 espy'd,
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And like a knight of courage stout,
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against him he did fiercely ride.
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And with such blows he did him greet,
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That he fell under his horse feet.]
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FOr with a Lance 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 long
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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 then he slew.
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The savor of his poysoned 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 h[o]me he led her by the Arm
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Which when Ptolomy did see
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There was great mirth and melody
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Whenas the famous Kt. Saint 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 fild
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He in the AEgyptian Court then staid
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Till he most falsly was betray'd
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The Lady Sabrine lov'd him well
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he counted her his only joy,
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[B]ut when their love was open known
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it provd to Georges great annoy
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The Mor-occo King was in the Court
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Who to the Orchard did resort
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[D]ayly to take the pleasant Ayre
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for pleasures sake he us'n to walk
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Under a wall whereas he heard
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St George with Lady Sabrine talk
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Their love he revealed to the King
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Which to St George great wo did bring
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These Kings together did devise
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to make the Christian Knight away
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With Letters him Embassador
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they straitway sent to Persia
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And wrote to Sophy him to kill,
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And Traiterously his blood to spill
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Thue they for good did him reward
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with evil and most subtily,
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By much vile means they did devise
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to work his death most cruelly,
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While he in Persia abode
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He quite destroy'd Each Idol god.
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Which being done, he strait was cast
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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 waile and weep.
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[Ye]t like a Knight of courage stout,
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[Fo]rth of the Dungeon he got out
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[A]nd in the night three horsekeepers
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[th]is valiant Knight by power slew
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[Al]though he fasted many a day
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[a]nd then away from thence he flew
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[On] the best Steed that Sophy had
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[Wh]ich when he knew he was full sad
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[T]hen into Christendom he came
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[a]nd met a Gyant by the way
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[Wi]th whom in combate he did fight
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most valiantly a Summers day,
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[W]ho yet for all his bates of steel
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[W]as forc'd the sting of death to feel.
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From Christendom this valiant Knight
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then with warlike Sou[l]diers past
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Vowing upon those Heathen Lands
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to work revenge which at the last
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E'r thrice three years were gone & spent,
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He did unto h[i]s great content,
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Save only AEgypt Land he spar'd
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for Sabrine bright her only sake,
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And ere his rage he did suppress,
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he meant a tryal kind to make.
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Ptolomy did know his streng[t]h in field
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And un[t]o him did kindly yield
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Then he the Morocco King did kill
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and took fair Sabrine to his wife
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And after that contentedly
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with her St George did l[e]ad her life,
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Who by the vertue of her chain
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Did still a Virgin 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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An Eunuch also came with him,
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in whom the Lady did delight.
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None but these three from AEgypt came
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Now let me print St Georges fame.
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When they were in a Forrest great
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the Lady did desire to rest
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And then St Gerrge to kill a Deere
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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 meantime in his absence 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 pieces small the truth to tell
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Down by the Lady then they laid,
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Whereby it seems 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 then he did advance.
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And came into the Lions sight
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Who ran at him with all their might.
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But he being no whit dismay'd
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but like a stout and valiant Knight
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Did kill the hungry Lions 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 truely know,
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this Lady was a Virgin pure
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His doleful thoughts that ere was dumb
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began most firmly to renew
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He set her on a palfry steed,
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And towards England came with speed.
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Where he arrived in short while
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unto his Fathers dwelling place
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Wherewith his dearest Love he liv'd
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when fortune did their Nuptials grace,
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They many years of joy did see
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And led their lives at Coventry.
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