OF THE

Early English Poets,

TO WHICH IS PREFIXED

AN HISTORICAL SKETCH

OF THE

RISE AND PROGRESS

OF THE

ENGLISH POETRY AND LANGUAGE;

IN THREE VOLUMES.

BY GEORGE ELLIS, ESQ.

VOL. II.

LONDON:

PRINTED BY W. BULMER AND CO.
FOR G. AND W. NICOL, BOOKSELLERS TO HIS

MAJESTY, PALL-MALL;

AND J. WRIGHT, PICCADILLY.

1801.

PRI203

E4

1801 ·vol·2

CONTENTS

OF VOL. II.

CHAP. XVI.

REIGN OF HENRY VIII.

SKELTON-William Roy.-John Heywood.-Sir

David Lindsay.-The Mourning Maiden. page 1

8,

--

ERRATA.

Page 6, line 20, for Folengio, read Folengo.
4, for Palsgrave, read Palgrave.
note, 1. 1, for foregoing, read following.
4, for tournay, read Tournay.
56, line 9, for good-while, read Good-will.
13, for think, read I think.

30,

69,

106,

108,

110,

22, for four, read five.

14, for chanc'd, read chanced.
15, for tattle, read talk.

121, note, l. 1, for Stevens and Pooley, read Steevens and

136,

Pooly.

8, for Won, read Wooer.

143, line 19, for with, read within.

144,

147,

3, dele period after suffice.
4, dele (Eclogues, &c.)

--

-for 1538, read 1535. 9, for 1565, read 1560.

150, title, for Tuberville, read Turbervile, 151, line 8, for blame, read flame.

153,

182,

189,

195,

196,

216,

250, 251,

17, for plagues, read pangs.

ult. for those, read thou."

6, for cup, read cap.

ult. for green, read queen.
1, for at, read for.

ult. for entruss, read untruss.

2, after [from the same] add, with Bishop 8, Percy's alterations.

278, 12, for with, read us'd.

294, 6, for more, read most.

296, after title, add, printed from Bishop Percy's copy. 302, line 14, for "Ideas, read "Idea.

813, 4, for lurk, read suck.

8, for sun-set, read summer. 314, 7, for True lover, read Sad true-love. 320, note, 1. ult. for Bornefield, read Barnefiel 343, line 5, for their, read do.

353,

360,

3, for striving, read labouring.
11, for branches, read briars.
18, for Armagana, read Amargana.

HISTORICAL SKETCH, &c.

CHAPTER XVI.

Reign of Henry VIII.—Skelton.-William Roy.-John Heywood.-Sir David Lindsay.-The Mourning Maiden.

THE accession of Henry VIII. could not fail to

promote the progress of elegant literature in England. His title to the crown was so undoubted, that it left him no apprehension of a rival, and fully secured his subjects against the recurrence of those sanguinary civil wars, which had so long desolated the country. He was young, handsome, accomplished, wealthy, and prodigal; and the nobility, effectually humbled by the policy of his father, crowded round his person, with no higher