Glen Collection of printed music > Printed text > Charms of melody, or, Siren medley

BALLALS ANCIENT and modern, LEGENDARIES, &c.
^51
Saint George and'the Dragon.
\¥ Heiior's, deeds did Homer iiri'g;
And of the ia,k of ftaiely Troy,
What gric-fs did fair Helena bring,
Which was fir I arts' only joy :
And by my pen I will recite
St-George'i deeds, an Englifti knight.
Againft the Saracens fo rude
Fought he full long and many a day ;
Where many giants he fubdu'd,
In honour ot the chriflian way:
And after many adventures paft
' To Egypt land he came at laft.
Now, as the ftory plain doth tell,
Within that country there did reft
A dreadful dragon fierce and fell.
Whereby they were full fore opprefl :
Who by his poifonous breath tiach day.
Did many of the city flay.
The grief whereof did grow- fo great
Throughout the limits of the land.
That they their wifemen did entreat
To fhew their cunning out of hand ;
M'hat way they might this fiend deflroy,
That did the country thus annoy.
The wifemen all before the king
This anfwer fram'd incontinent :
"' The dragon none to death could bring
" By any means they could invent :
■•' His flcin more hard than brafs v.-?.s found,
" That fvvord nor ipear could pierce nor wound."
When this the people underftood.
They cried aloud moil piteoufly,
" The dragon's breath infedls their blood,
" That every day in heaps they die :
" Among them fuch a plaaue it brtd,
'■' Tiiey fcarcely could inter the dead.''
No means there v.-ere, as they could hear,
For to appeafe the dragon's rage,
ijut to preient fome virgin clear,
VVhofe blood his fury might affwage ;
Each day he v.'ouid a maiden eat.
I'or to allay his hunger great.
This thing by art the wifemen found,
Which truly mufl obfsrved be ;
Wherefore throughout the city round
A virgin pure of good degree
Was by the king's commiflion flill
Ta'en up to ferve the dragon's will.
Thus did the dragon every day
Untimely crop fome virgin flow'r,
Till ail the maids ware worn away,
And none were left him to devour:
SnMDg the king's fair daughter bright,
Her linhelr's only heart's delight.
Then officers came to the king
That heavy meffage to declare,
Which did his heart with Ibrrovv fling ;
" She is,'' quoih he, " my kingdom's heir ;
" O, let us all be poifon'd hc--e,
" E'er the fhould die, who is my dear."
Then rofe the people prefently,
And to the king in rage they went ;
They laid his daugitter dear fhould die,
The dragon's iury to prevent :
" Our daughters are all dead,'' quoth they,
" AikI have been made the dragon's prey ;
" And by tlieir blood we refcu'd were,
" And thou hall fav'd thy life thereby;
'' And now, in footh, it i» but fair,
" For us thy daughter Ho fhould die."
" Oh, lave my daughter," faid the king;
" A.nd let MIC feel the dragon's fling."
Then fell fair Sabra on her knee,
And to her father dear did fay,
" Oh, father ftrive not thus for me,
" But let me be the dragon's prey;
" It may be for my lake alone
" This plague upon the land was thrown.
■' 'Tis better I Ihould die," Ihe faid,
" Than all your fubje<fls perifh quite ;
" Perhaps the dragon here Mas laid,
'■ For my offence, to work his fpite :
" And after he hath fuck'd my gore,
" Your land Ihall feel the grief no more."
" V\ hat hail thou done, my daughter dear,
" For to deferve this heavy fcourge ?
" It is my fault, as may appear,
" Which makes the gods our flate to purge ;
" Then ought I die, to flint the firife,
" And to preferve thy happy life?"
Like madmen all the people cry'd,
" Thy death to us can do no good ;
" Our fafety only doth abide
" In making her the dragon's food."
" Lo ! here I am, I come," quoth fhe,
" Therefore do what you will with me."
" Nay, flay, dear daughter," quoth the queen,
" And as thou art a virgin bright,
" That hall for virtue famous been,
" So let me cloath thee all in white ;
" And crown thy head with flowers fweet ;
" An ornament for virgins meet."
And when fhe was attir'd fo.
According to her mother's mind,
Unto the ftake then fhe did go ;
To which her tender limbs they bind ;
And being bound to ftake a thrall
She. bade farewell unto them all.
" Farewell, my father dear," quoth (he,
" And my fweet mother, meek and mild;
" Take you no thought nor weep for me,
" For you may have another child :
" Since for my country's good I die,
" Death I receive moll willingly."
The king and queen, and all their train
With weeping eyes then went their way.
And let their daughter the-re remain.
To be the hungry dragon's prey :
But as file did there weeping lie.
Behold — St. George came riding by;
And feeing there a lady bright
So rudely ty'd unto a ftake,
A.s well became a valiant knight.
He ftraight to her his way did take :
" Tell me, fweet maiden," then, quoth he,
" What caitiff thus abufcth thee ?
" And lo ! by this crofs here I vow,
" Which here is figur'd on my brcaft,
" I will revenge it on his brow,
" And break my lance upon his chefl ;''
And fpeaking thus whereas he ftood,
'i he dragon iHu'd from the v.ood.