The gaberlunzie to carrie-o. Ill bow my leg and crook my knee, A criple or blind they will cau me: While we fall fing and be merrie-o. 80 XI. ON THOMAS LORD CROMWELL. It is ever the fate of a difgraced minifter to be forfaken by his friends, and infulted by his enemies, always reckon ing among the latter the giddy inconftant multitude. We have here a fpurn at fallen greatness from fome angry partifan of declining popery, who could never forgive the downfall of their Diana, and lofs of their craft. The ballad feems to have been composed between the time of Cromwell's commitment to the tower, June 11, 1540, and that of his being beheaded July 28, following. A short interval! but Henry's paffion for Catharine Howard would admit of no delay. Notwithstanding our libeller, Cromwell had many excellent qualities; his great fault was too much obfequioufnefs to the arbitrary WILL of his mafter; but let it be confidered that this mafter had raised him from obfcurity, and that the high born nobility bad fhewn him the way in every kind of mean and fervile compliance.--The original copy printed at London in 1540, is intitled, "A newe ballade "made of Thomas Crumwel, called TROLLE ON AWAY.” To it is prefixed this diftich by way of burthen, Trolle on away, trolle on awaye. Synge heave and howe rombelowe trolle on away. BOTH OTH man and chylde is glad to here tell BOTH Now that he is fet to learne to spell. Synge trolle on away. When fortune lokyd the in thy face, Thou haddyft fayre tyme, but thou lackydyst grace; 5 - Thy cofers with golde thou fyllydít a pace. Both plate and chalys came to thy fyft, Synge, &c. Thou lockydst them vp where no man wyst, Tyll in the kynges treasoure fuche thinges were myst. Synge, &c. Both cruft and crumme came thorowe thy handes, 10 Synge, &c. Fyrste when kynge Henry, God faue his grace! Hys grace was euer of gentyll nature, Synge, &c. Mouyd with petye, and made the hys feruyture; VOL. II. F Synge, &c. Thou Thou dyd not remembre, falfe heretyke, One God, one fayth, and one kynge catholyke, 20 Synge, &c. Thou woldyft not learne to knowe these thre; But euer was full of iniquite: Wherfore all this lande hathe ben troubled with the. Synge, &c. All they, that were of the new trycke, Agaynft the churche thou baddest them ftycke ; 25 Synge, &c. Bothe facramentes and facramentalles Thou woldyft not fuffre within thy walles; Nor let vs praye for all chryften foules. Of what generacyon thou were no tonge can tell, Or elfe fent vs frome the deuyll of hell. 30 Synge, &c. 7 hou woldeft neuer to vertue applye, Synge, &c. But couetyd euer to clymme to hye, 35 Synge, &c. Ver. 32. i. e. Cain, or Ifkmael. See below, the Note, Book II. No. III. flanza 3d. Who-fo-euer dyd winne thou wolde not lofe; Synge, &c. Thou myghtest have learned thy cloth to flocke Wherfore lay downe thy heade vpon this blocke. Synge, &c. Yet faue that foule, that God hath bought, God faue kyng Henry with all his power, Synge, &c. Synge trolle on awaye, fyng trolle on away. 40 45 Ver. 41. Cromwell's father is generally faid to bave been a Blacksmith at Putney: but the author of this Balled would infinuate that either be bimfelf or fome of his ancestors were Fullers by trade. †† The foregoing Piece gave rife to a poetic controverfy, which was carried on thro' a fuccefion of feven or eight Ballads written for and against Lord CROMWELL. Thefe are all preferved in the archives of the Antiquarian Society, in a large folio Collection of Proclamations, &c. made in the Reigns of K. Hen. VIII. K. Edw. VI. Q, Mary, Q, Eliz. K. James I. &c. XII. HARPALUS. AN ANCIENT ENGLISH PASTORAL. This beautiful poem, which is perhaps the first attempt at paftoral writing in our language, is preferved among the SONGS AND SONNETTES of the earl of Surrey, &c. 4to. in that part of the collection, which confifts of pieces by UNCERTAIN AUCTOURS. Thefe poems were firft published in 1557, ten years after that accomplished nobleman fell a victim to the tyranny of Henry VIII: but it is prefumed moft of them were compofed before the death of fir Thomas Wyatt in 1541. See Surrey's Poems, 4to. fol. 19, 49. Tho' written perhaps near half a century before the SHEPHERD'S CALENDAR * this will be found far fuperior to any of thofe Eclogues, in natural unaffected fentiments, in fimplicity of ftyle, in eafy flow of verfification, and all other beauties of paftoral poetry. Spenfer ought to have profited more by fo excellent à model. PHYLIDA was a faire mayde, As as any flowre; Whom Harpalus the herdman prayde Harpalus, and eke Corin, Were herdmen both yfere : And Phylida could twist and spinne, And thereto fing full clere. First published in 1579. But |