A New Ballad of St. George and the Dragon.
|
WHy should we boast of Arthur and his Knights,
|
Knowing how many Men have performed Fights;
|
Or why should we speak of Sir Lancelot du Lake,
|
Or Sir Tristrum du Leon, that fought for Ladies sake,
|
Read old Stories and there you shall see,
|
How St. George, St. George, he made the Dragon flee;
|
St. George he was for England, St. Denis was for France,
|
Sing, Hony soit qui maly pence.
|
To speak of Monarchs it were too long to tell,
|
And likewise of the Romans how far they did excel:
|
Hanibal and Scipio in many a field did fight;
|
Orlando Furioso he was a valiant Knight;
|
Romulus and Rhemus were those that Rome did build,
|
But St. George, St. George the Dragon he hath kill'd:
|
St. George he was for England, etc.
|
Jeptha and Gideon they led their Men to fight,
|
The Gibbonites and Ammonites they put them all to flight;
|
Hercules his Labour was in the Vale of Bass;
|
And Sampson flew a thousand with the Jaw-bone of an Ass;
|
And when that he was blind, pull'd the Temple to the ground;
|
But St. George, St. George the Dragon did confound:
|
St. George he was for England, etc.
|
Valentine and Orson they came of Pepins Blood,
|
Alfred and Aldricus they were brave Knights and good;
|
The four Sons of Ammon that fought with Charlemain,
|
Sir Hugh de Burdeaux and Godfry de Bullaign,
|
These were all French Knights, the Pagans did convert,
|
But St. George, St. George he pull'd out the Dragon's heart:
|
St. George he was for England, etc.
|
Henry the Fifth, he conquered all France,
|
He quartered their Arms, his Honour to advance,
|
He rac'd their Walls, and pull'd their Cities down,
|
And he garnished his Head with a double tripple Crown,
|
He thumped the French, and after home he came;
|
But St. George, St. George he made the Dragon tame:
|
St. George he was for England, etc.
|
Sing, Honi soit qui maly pence.
|
St. David you know loves Leeks and toasted Cheese,
|
And Jasan was the Man brought home the Golden Fleece,
|
And Patrick you know he was St. Georges Boy,
|
Seven Years he kept his Horse, and then stole him away,
|
For which Knavish Act, a Slave he doth remain;
|
But St. George, St. George the Dragon he hath slain:
|
St. George he was for England, etc.
|
Tamberlin the Emperor in Iron-cage did Crown,
|
With his bloody Flags display'd before the Town;
|
Scanderbig Magnanimous Mahomets Bashaw did dread,
|
Whose bigorious Bones were worn when he was dead,
|
His Beglerbegs his corn-like-breds, George Castriot was he call'd;
|
But St. George, St. George the Dragon he hath mauld:
|
St. George he was for England, etc.
|
Ottamon the Tartar he came of Persias Race,
|
The great Mogul with his Chest so full of all his Cloves and Mace,
|
The Grecian Youth Bucefalus he manfully did bestride,
|
But these with their Worthies nine, St. George did them deride;
|
Gustaphus Adolphus was Swedlands Warlike King;
|
But St. George, St. George he pull'd forth the Dragon's sting:
|
St. George he was for England, etc.
|
Poldragon and Cadwallader of British Blood do boast,
|
Tho' John of Gaunt his Foes did daunt, St. George shall rule the roast;
|
Agamemnon and Clemedon and Macedon did Feats,
|
But compared to our Champion, they are but meerly Cheats;
|
Brave Malta Kts. in Turkish Fights, their brandish'd Swords out drew;
|
But St. George, St. George met the Dragon, and run him thro' and thro':
|
St. George he was for England, etc.
|
Bidia the Amazon, Poetus overthrew,
|
As fierce as either Vandal, Goth, Sarazen or Jew;
|
The Potent Holophernus as he lay in his bed,
|
In came Wise Judith and subtilly stole his Head.
|
Brave Cyclops stout, with Jove he fought, altho' he shour'd down Thunder:
|
But St. George kill'd the Dragon, and was not that a Wonder?
|
St. George he was for England, etc.
|
Mark Anthony I'll warrant you plaid Feats with Egypts Queen;
|
Sir Eglamore that valiant Knight, the like was never seen;
|
Grim Gorgons Might was known in fight; old Bevis most Men frighted,
|
The Mermidons & Prester Johns, why were not these Men knighted?
|
Brave Spinoa took in Breda, NASSAW did it Recover:
|
But St. George, St. George turn'd the Dragon over and over:
|
St. George he was for England, St. Dennis was for France,
|
Sing, Honi soit qui maly pence.
|
|
|
|
|
|