[A most Excellent Ballad of St. George for England, and the Kings Daughter of AEgypt, whom he delivered fro]m d[eath;
and how he slew a Mighty Dragon.]
[? t]une of Queene Di[do]
|
[OF H]ectors deeds did Homer sing,
|
[and] of the sacke of stately Troy:
|
[What] griefe faire Hellen did them bring,
|
[which] was sir Paris only joy:
|
[And] by my pen I will recite,
|
[St. G]eorges deeds an English Knight,
|
[Against] the Sarazens full rude,
|
[fought] he full long, and many a day:
|
[Where] many Gyants he subdude,
|
[on hon]our of the Christian way.
|
[?] after many adventures past,
|
[To AE]gypt Land he came at last:
|
[And as] the story plaine doth tell,
|
[within] that Countrey there did rest,
|
[A dread]full Dragon fierce and fell,
|
[where]by they were full sore opprest:
|
[Who] by his poysoned breath each [day,]
|
[Did] many of the Cittie slay,
|
[The gri]efe whereof did grow so great,
|
[throug]hout the limits of the La[n]d[,]
|
[That the]y their wise men did intrea[t,]
|
[to shew] their cunning out of han[d,]
|
[Which] way they might this D[ragon] stroy
|
[That] did the Country so annoy;
|
[The wis]e men all before the King,
|
[framed] this matte[r] incontinent,
|
[The Drag]on [none] to death might bring.
|
[by any means th]ey might invent,
|
[his skin more h]ard then brasse was found
|
[That sword o]r speare can pierce or wound
|
[they cryed out] most pitteously,
|
[The Dragons b]reath infected their blood,
|
[that they each] day in heape did dye:
|
[Amongst them] such a plague it bred,
|
[The living sc]arce could bury the dead.
|
[No means ther]e as they did finde,
|
[for to appease the Dra]gons rage,
|
[But by a Virgin pure and kind],
|
[whereby he might his fury sw]age,
|
[Each day he should a Maiden eat,
|
for to allay his hunger great.
|
This thing by art the wise men found,
|
which truly must observed be,
|
Wherefore throughout the City round,
|
a Virgin pure of good degree,]
|
Was [by the] kings commission still,
|
Tooke u[p] to serve the Dragons will.
|
Thus did the Dragon every day,
|
A maiden of the Towne devoure,
|
Till all the maidens were worne away,
|
And none was left that instant houre.
|
Saving the Kings faire daughter bright,
|
Her fathers onely hearts delight.
|
Then came the officers to the King,
|
This heavy message to declare,
|
Which did his heart with sorrow sting.
|
She is (quoth he) my Kingdome heir,
|
O let us all be poysoned here,
|
Ere she should dye that is my deare.
|
Then rose the people presently,
|
And to the King in rage they went,
|
Who said h[i]s daughter sure should dye,
|
The Drago[n]s poyson to prevent:
|
Our dau[ght]ers are all dead, quoth they
|
And ha[ve b]eene made the Dragons prey
|
And by their blood we have been blest,
|
And thou hast saved thy life thereby,
|
And now in justice it doth rest,
|
For us thy daughter so shall dye.
|
O save [m]y daughter, said the King,
|
And le[t me] feele the Dragons sting,
|
Then fe[ll fair]e Sabrine on her knees,
|
And to h[er Fath]er then did say,
|
O [F]ather strive not thus for me,
|
But let me be the dragons prey:
|
It may b[e f]or my sake alone,
|
This plag[u]e up[o]n the Land was throwne.
|
This better [I should] dye she said,
|
Then all your [S]ubjects perish quite,
|
Perhaps the dragon here was laid,
|
For my offence to worke this spite,
|
And after he hath suckt my gore,
|
Your land shall feele this griefe no more,
|
What hast thou done my daughter deare,
|
For to des[er]ve this grievous scourge?
|
I[t] is my [fault] as may appeare
|
Which m[akes] the Gods our State to grudge
|
[Then ought I d]ye to stint this strife,
|
[and to preserve] thy happy life.
|
[Like Mad-m]en the people cride.
|
[thy death can do] us now no good,
|
Our safety onely doth abide,
|
To make thy daughter Dragons food,
|
Loe here I am, I come quoth she,
|
Therefore doe what you will with m[e.]
|
Nay stay deare daughter, said the Quee[n]
|
And as you are a Virgin bright,
|
That hath for vertue famous beene
|
So let me cloath thee all in white,
|
And crowne thy head with flowers sweet
|
An ornaments for Virgins meet,
|
And when she was attired so,
|
According to her mothers minde,
|
Unto the stake then did she goe,
|
To which they did the Virgin binde.
|
Who being bound to stake and thrall,
|
She said farewell unto them all:
|
Farewell deare father (then quoth she)
|
And my sweet mother meeke and milde,
|
Take you no thought nor weepe for me
|
For you may have another childe:
|
Here for my Countries good Ile die,
|
Which I receive most willingly.
|
The King and Queene with all their tra[in]
|
With weeping eyes went then their wa[y,]
|
And let their daughter t[her]e remaine,
|
To be the hungry Drago[ns] prey,
|
But as she did there weeping ly,
|
Behold S George came riding by,
|
And seeing there a Ladie bright,
|
Fast tyed to a stake that day,
|
Most like unto a valiant Knight,
|
Straight unto her did take his way
|
Tell me sweete Maiden then quoth [he,]
|
What person thus abuseth thee.
|
And loe by Christ his Crosse I vow,
|
Which here is figured on my brest,
|
I will revenge it on his brow,
|
And breake my lance upon his Crest.
|
And speaking thus whereas he stood
|
The Dragon issued out of the wood
|
This Ladie that did first espie,
|
The dreadfull Dragon comming tho,
|
Unto S. George aloud did cry,
|
And willed him away to goe:
|
Here comes that cursed Fiend quoth [she,]
|
That soone will make an end of me.
|
S George then looking round about,
|
The fiery Dragon soone discride,
|
And like a Knight of courage stout,
|
Against him he did fiercely ride
|
And with such blowes he did him gr[eet,]
|
That he fell under his horses feet.
|
For with his Lance that was so strong
|
As he came gaping in his face,
|
In at his mouth he thrust it along,
|
The which could pierce no other place
|
And here within the Ladies view
|
This mighty Dragon, straight h[e slew.]
|
The savour of his poisoned breath
|
Could doe this Christian kni[g]ht n[o harm;]
|
Thus he did save this Ladie fr[om d]ea[th,]
|
And home he led her by the arme,
|
Which when King Ptolomy did see,
|
There was much mirth and melodie.
|
|
|
|
|
|