and the thyrd Julyus Cezar, emperour of Rome, of whome thystoryes ben wel kno and had. And as for the thre Jewes, whyche also were tofore thyncarnacyon of our Lord, of whom the fyrst was one Josue, whyche brought the chyldren of Israhel into the londe of lyberte; the second Davyd kyng of Jherusalem; and the thyrd Judas Machabeus; of these thre the Byble reherceth al theyr noble hystoryes and actes. And sythe the said incarnacyon have ben thre noble crysten men stalled and admytted thorugh the unyversal world into the nombre of the ix beste and worthy, of whome was fyrst the noble Arthur whose noble actes I purpose to write in this present book here folowyng; the second was Charlemayn, or Charles the Grete, of whome thystorye is had in many places bothe in Frensshe and Englysshe; and the thyrd and last was Godefray of Boloyn, of whos actes and lyf I made a book unto thexcellent prynce and kyng of noble memorye Kyng Edward the fourth. From Malory's Edition of King Arthur. CAXTON, 148. How a Woman ought to obeye her Husbond in alle Thynge I wold ye knewe wel the tale and example of the lady, which daygned not to come to her dyner for ony commaundement that her lord coud make to her, and so many tyme he sent for her that at the last whanne he sawe she wold not come at his commaundement he made to com before him his swyneherd, he that kept his swynes, whiche was foule and ouermoche hydous, and bad hym fetche the clowte of the kechyn wherwith men wype dysshes and platers. And thenne he made a table or bord to be dressyd before hys wyf, and made it to be couerd with the sayde cloute, and commaunded to his swyneherd to sytte besyde her, and thenne he sayd thus to her, Lady yf ye ne wylle ete with me, ne come at me, ne come at my commandement. ye shall have the kepar of my swyne to hold you company and gode felauship, and this cloute to wype your handes withal. And whenne she that thenne was sore ashamed and more wrothe than she was tofore sawe and knewe that her lord mocked her, refreyned her proude herte and knewe her foly. Therefor a woman ought not in no wyse to refuse to come at the commaunde ment of her lord yf she wylle haue and kepe his loue and pees. And also by good reason humylyte ought to come fyrste to the woman, for euer she ought to shewe herself meke and humble toward her lord. Booke of th' enseygnements and 38. Robert Henryson, d. 1508. techynge that the Knyght of the Translated from the French, 1483. (Handbook, par. 59.) The Garment of Good Ladies. Would my good lady love me best, Of high honour should be her hood Her kirtle should be of clean constance, The mailies of continuance For neuer to remove. Her belt should be of benignity, About her middle meet; Her mantle of humility, 39. William Dunbar, 1460-1520? (Handbook, par. 86.) His One of the greatest poets that Scotland has produced, a favourite of James VI. He has been compared to Chaucer. Only a part of his poems, the smaller and more epigrammatic, have come down to us. Dance of the Seven Deadly Sins, Campbell compares in picturesqueness to Collins' Ode to the Passions. The Thistle and the Rose, on the marriage of the Princess Margaret and James IV.; and The Golden Targe or Shield, on the use of reason to control love, are both allegorical visions, with much beautiful imagery and ingenious wisdom. The Dance of the Seven Deadly Sins. And first of all in dance was Pride With hair wyldb back and bonnet o' side, Like to make vaistie wanise And round about him as a wheel His kethat for the nanis Mony proud trumpour with him trippit; His hand was aye upon his knife, He brandeist like a beir 40. Gawain Douglas, Bishop of Dunkeld, 1474-1522. Author of the Palace of Honour, a vision, in which he describes a pilgrimage to the Palace of Honour, and of King Hart, an allegorical view of human life, is best known as the writer of the earliest versions of Latin classics into any British tongue. His Eneid appeared in 1512-1513, and had been preceded by a translation of Ovid's Remedy of Love. Prefixed to each book of the Eneid is an original poem, or prologue, and these are deemed his best pieces. The style is overlaid with 'aureate terms.' The May Morning. Forth of his palace royal issuèd Phœbùs, The auriate phanis, of his throne sovràn, Welcome, the lord of light, and lamp of day! • Perhaps fans or vanes of gold. ⚫d-leaming. Calmed. d Pleasant sea. • Tender sprout Welcome, welfare of husbands at the plews! From the prologue to the twelfth book of the Æneid. 41. John Skelton, d. 1529. (Handbook, par. 90.) A scholar, and writer of Latin verses; the author of vigorous jingling satires. On Wolsey. In the Chancery where he sits In the Star Chamber he nods and becks, And beareth him there so stout • Husbandmen at the ploughs, b Boughs. c Painter. d Prying out of a hood. • Well-mannered. To speak? Snort. Like to a Mamelek, He regardeth lords Not more than potshords; He is in such elation Of his exaltation, And the supportation Of our sovereign lord, That, God to record,1 He ruleth all at will, Without reason or skill;' Howbeit the primordial Of his wretched original, And his base progeny,* And his greasy genealogy, He came of the sank royal1 That was cast out of a butcher's stall, |