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