Mary, where Leland 8 describes his tomb "on the southe side of the high altare; and yn the next arch to his hedde lyith a lady, by likelihod his wife." But these, with the church itself, were completely demolished at the dissolution. His will is printed in Mr. Nichols's collection.] 8 Itinerary, vol. i. p. 17. SIR JOHN MONTACUTE, [WAS not admitted by lord Orford into the pale of English poets, though his claims were discussed at some length, in a postscript to the quarto edition of Noble Authors 2. Mr. Warton 3, however, seems to have been satisfied, that he was a writer of verses, and very fond of poetry. On this account, his acquaintance was much cultivated by the famous Christine de Pisan, whose works, both in prose and verse, compose so considerable a part of the old French literature. She used to call him "Gracieux chevalier, aimant dictiez, et lui-meme delectable dicteur." The editor of Bibliotheque Universelle des Romans 4 describes the word dictiez to comprise "petites pièces de poésie légère, telles que les ballades, les lays, les virelays, et les rondeaux." Mr. Warton had not seen any of this earl's ditties; but it may be presumed that Christine has left us the substance of one of them, in the following address to herself: "O la perle des plus beaux esprits, comme la fleur des plus belles : vous avez chanté; il ne me reste plus de sons. O désir de mon cœur, plaisance de mes yeux, tourment de ma pensée, vous avez attiré à vous mon entendement et ma substance entière; vous avez lié ma langue: tout ce que je puis faire à cette heure, c'est de vous voir et de vous entendre5." Much of this earl's political history may be seen in Dugdale's Baronage, tom. i. Walsingham says he was chief of the Lollards, and the greatest fanatic of them all. He was beheaded on the 5th of January, I Hen. IV.] 6 Bibliotheque, ut sup. where several colloquies are given, which passed between the English earl and the fair Christine, who is said to have been a beauty, though she gave the following modest account of her own person: "Je dois au créateur, d'avoir corps sans difformité, et passablement agréable." Dans ces grandes commotions d'un etat, les malheureux sont souvent criminels; Salisbery perd la tête sur un échafaud, malgré l'estime publique, &c. Bibliotheque, p. 134. EDWARD DUKE OF YORK. [To this metrician, as Fabian termed our elder writers in verse, lord Orford did not think it worth while to allot an article, as he deemed the authority too vague. Strutt, in his "Manners and Customs of the English," introduced part of a poem from a manuscript in his own possession (temp. Hen. V.), which was composed by a duke of York. This duke was conjectured by lord Orford to be Edward, eldest son of Edmond of Langley; there being no duke of York in the reign of Henry the fifth3. Yet as the verses seem to be addressed to a queen, his lordship thought they might have been written in the preceding reign, duke Edward having fallen in the battle of Agincourt; and in this case they were likely to have been addressed to Joanna, second wife of Henry the fourth, soon after she became queen dowager4. However this unsettled point may be adjusted by profounder antiquaries, the manuscript itself is undoubtedly genuine, and the signature at the close of the poem assigns it to a duke of York, whom Mr. Warton considered as an "unknown prince 5." From the hands of Mr. War • Vol. iii. p. 183. * Qu. How is this sentence to be reconciled with the succeeding, which agrees with history in saying, that Edward, a duke of York, was slain at the battle of Agincourt? 4 + Lord Orford's Works, vol. i. p. 527. See Hist. of Eng. Poetry, vol. iii. P. 106. ton the manuscript passed into those of Mr. Strutt, of whom it was purchased by my kind and intelligent friend Francis Douce, esq. to whose indulgence the readers of the extracts here given will be indebted for their accuracy. The entire poem extends to thirtyfour stanzas, more of which may be seen, by those who wish for more, in Strutt's publication, above mentioned. Excellent sovraine! semely to see, Figure fairest, and fresshest of devys: I recomaunde me to your rialnesse, Besechyng inwardly your gentilnesse ; Your womanly beautè delicious Hath me hent all into his cheyne, Yif ye wist my lyfe, and knewe And of the peynes that y feell, Y wys ye wold upon me rewe, And though ye be of high renoun, To graunt me grace, in som degrè. |