“And by her supersticiouns _Of_ wonderfull condiciouns.”
v. 1358. _ascry_] Has occurred before in this poem, see note on v. 903. p. 145. Palsgrave has “I _Askry_ as fore riders of an armye do their enemyes whan they make reporte where they haue sene them: _Je descouures_.... Whose company dyd _askry_ them first .... _les descouuryt_.” _Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr._, 1530. fol. cliii. (Table of Verbes). But in the present passage “ascry” seems to mean assail (with a shout). In Langtoft’s _Chronicle_ we find,
“Edward was hardie, the Londres gan he _ascrie_.”
(who in Gloss. renders “_ascrie_”—cry to). The original French has,
“Sir Eduuard fiz le rays, les loundrays _escrye_.”
Roquefort gives “_Escrier_: Faire entendre son cri d’armes dans une bataille ... marcher à l’ennemi, l’attaquer,” &c. _Gloss. de la Lang. Rom._ (_Sup._).
v. 1360. _my selfe dyscharge_] i. e. unburden myself,—open my mind.
v. 1371. _Scroupe pulchra Joanna_] See note, p. 122. I ought to have observed _ad loc._ that “_Scroupe_” is to be considered here as a monosyllable; unless we read “_Scrope_” as two short syllables.
On the title-page and also on the last leaf of Rand’s edition of this poem, 1624, 4to, (reprinted, not with perfect accuracy, in the _Harleian Miscellany_; see vol. i. 415. ed. Park,) is an imaginary portrait, of which the subjoined is a fac-simile:
“When Skelton wore the Laurell Crowne, My Ale put all the Ale-wiues downe.” ]
George Steevens having heard that a copy of Rand’s edition was in the Library of Lincoln Cathedral, prevailed on the Dean to bring it to London; and having made a drawing of the title-page, gave it to Richardson the printseller, who engraved and published it. Steevens, soon after, contributed to the _European Magazine_ for May, 1794, vol. xxv. 334,—
“Verses meant to have been subjoined (with the following Motto) to a Copy from a scarce Portrait of Elinour Rumming, lately published by Mr. Richardson, of Castle-street, Leicester-square.
Ne sit ancillæ tibi amor pudori Xanthia Phoceu! prius insolentem Serva Briseis niveo colore
Movit Achillem. Movit Ajacem Telamone natum Forma captivæ dominum Tecmessæ; Arsit Atrides medio in triumpho Virgine rapta.
To seek this nymph among the glorious dead, Tir’d with his search on earth, is Gulston fled:— Still for these charms enamour’d Musgrave sighs; To clasp these beauties ardent Bindley dies;— For these (while yet unstag’d to public view) Impatient Brand o’er half the kingdom flew;— These, while their bright ideas round him play, From classic Weston force the Roman lay:— Oft too, my Storer! heaven has heard thee swear, Not Gallia’s murder’d Queen was half so fair:— ‘A new Europa!’ cries the exulting Bull, ‘My Granger now (I thank the gods) is full:’— Even Cracherode’s self, whom passions rarely move, At this soft shrine has deign’d to whisper love.— Haste then, ye swains, who Rumming’s form adore, Possess your Elinour, and sigh no more.