The Rowley Poems Part 5

[Footnote 1: Misspelled as hooks in the original.--PG editor]

[Footnote 2: _Verses to Lydgate_.

In the t.i.tle for _Ladgate_, r. _Lydgate_.

ver. 2. r. _Thatt I and thee_.

3. for _bee_, r. _goe_.

7. for _fyghte_, r. _wryte_.]

THE TOURNAMENT. p. 28

This Poem is printed from a copy made by Mr. Catcott, from one in Chatterton's hand-writing.

_Songe to aella_.

The t.i.tle in the vellum MS. was simply "_Songe toe aelle_," with a small mark of reference to a note below, containing the following words--"_Lorde of the castelle of Brystowe ynne daies of yore_."

It may be proper also to take notice, that the whole song was there written like prose, without any breaks, or divisions into verses.

ver. 6. for _brastynge_, r. _burslynge_.

11. for _valyante_, r. _burlie_.

23. for _dysmall_, r. _honore_.

_Lydgate's answer_.

No t.i.tle in the vellum MS.

ver. 3. for _va.r.s.es_, r. _pene_.

antep. for _Lendes_, r. _Sendes_.

ult. for _lyne_, r. _thynge_.

Mr. Barrett had also a copy of these Poems by Chatterton, which differed from that, which Chatterton afterwards produced as the original, in the following particulars, among others.

In the t.i.tle of the _Verses to Lydgate_.

Orig. _Lydgate_ Chat. _Ladgate_.

ver. 3. Orig, _goe_. Chat. _doe_.

7. Orig. _wryte_. Chat. _fyghte_.

_Songe to aella_. ver. 5. Orig. _Dacyane_. Chat. _Dacya's_.

Orig. _whose lockes_ Chat. _whose hayres_.

11. Orig. _burlie_. Chat. _bronded_.

22. Orig. _kennst_. Chat. _hearst_.

23. Orig. _honore_. Chat. _dysmall_.

26. Orig. _Yprauncynge_ Chat. _Ifrayning_, 30. Orig. _gloue_. Chat. _glare_.

Sir Simon de Bourton, the hero of this poem, is supposed to have been the first founder of a church dedicated to _oure Ladie_, in the place where the church of St. Mary Ratcliffe now stands. Mr. Barrett has a small leaf of vellum (given to him by Chatterton as one of Rowley's original MSS.), ent.i.tled, "_Vita de Simon de Bourton_," in which Sir Simon is said, as in the poem, to have begun his foundation in consequence of a vow made at a tournament.

THE DETHE OF SYR CHARLES BAWDIN. p. 44

This Poem is reprinted from the copy printed at London in 1772, with a few corrections from a copy made by Mr. Catcott, from one in Chatterton's hand-writing.

The person here celebrated, under the name of _Syr Charles Bawdin_, was probably _Sir Baldewyn Fulford_, Knt. a zealous Lancastrian, who was executed at Bristol in the latter end of 1461, the first year of Edward the Fourth. He was attainted, with many others, in the general act of Attainder, 1 Edw. IV. but he seems to have been executed under a special commission for the trial of treasons, &c. within the town of Bristol. The fragment of the old chronicle, published by Hearne at the end of _Sprotti Chronica_, p. 289, says only; "Item _the same yere_ (1 Edw. IV.) _was takin Sir Baldewine Fulford and behedid att Bristow_."

But the matter is more fully stated in the act which pa.s.sed in 7 Edw.

IV. for the rest.i.tution in blood and estate of Thomas Fulford, Knt.

eldest son of Baldewyn Fulford, late of Fulford, in the county of Devons.h.i.+re, Knt. _Rot. Pat._ 8 Edw. IV. p. 1, m. 13. The preamble of this act, after stating the attainder by the act 1 Edw. IV. goes on thus: "And also the said Baldewyn, the said first yere of your n.o.ble reign, at Bristowe in the shere of Bristowe, before Henry Erle of Ess.e.x William Hastyngs of Hastyngs Knt. Richard Chock William Canyng Maire of the said towne of Bristowe and Thomas Yong, by force of your letters patentes to theym and other directe to here and determine all treesons &c. doon withyn the said towne of Bristowe before the vth day of September the first yere of your said reign, was atteynt of dyvers tresons by him doon ayenst your Highnes &c." If the commission sate soon after the vth of September, as is most probable, King Edward might very possibly be at Bristol at the time of Sir Baldewyn's execution; for, in the interval between his coronation and the parliament which met in November, he made a progress (as the Continuator of Stowe informs us, p. 416.) by the South coast into the West, and was (among other places) at Bristol. Indeed there is a circ.u.mstance which might lead us to believe, that he was actually a spectator of the execution from the minster-window, as described in the poem. In an old accompt of the Procurators of St. Ewin's church, which was then the minster, from xx March in the 1 Edward IV. to 1 April in the year next ensuing, is the following article, according to a copy made by Mr. Catcott from the original book.

Item _for washynge the church payven ageyns } iiij d. ob.

Kynge Edward 4th is comynge._ }

aeLLA, a tragycal enterlude. p. 65

This Poem, with the _Epistle, Letter_, and _Entroductionne_, is printed from a folio MS. furnished by Mr. Catcott, in the beginning of which he has written, "Chatterton's transcript. 1769." The whole transcript is of Chatterton's hand-writing.

G.o.dDWYN, a Tragedie. p. 173

This Fragment is printed from the MS. mentioned above, p. xv. in Chatterton's hand-writing.

ENGLYSH METAMORPHOSIS. p. 196

This Poem is printed from a single sheet in Chatterton's hand-writing, communicated by Mr. Barrett, who received it from Chatterton.

BALADE OF CHARITIE. p. 203

This Poem is also printed from a single sheet in Chatterton's hand-writing. It was sent to the Printer of the _Town and Country Magazine_, with the following letter prefixed:

"To the Printer of the Town and Country Magazine.

SIR,

If the Glossary annexed to the following piece will make the language intelligible; the Sentiment, Description, and Versification, are highly deserving the attention of the literati.

July 4, 1770. D.B."

BATTLE OF HASTINGS, No. 1. p. 210 BATTLE OF HASTINGS, No. 2. 237

In printing the first of these poems two copies have been made use of, both taken from copies of Chatterton's hand-writing, the one by Mr. Catcott, and the other by Mr. Barrett. The princ.i.p.al difference between them is at the end, where the latter has fourteen lines from ver. 550, which are wanting in the former. The second poem is printed from a single copy, made by Mr. Barrett from one in Chatterton's hand-writing.

It should be observed, that the Poem marked No. 1, was given to Mr.

Barrett by Chatterton with the following t.i.tle; "_Battle of Hastings, wrote by Turgot the Monk, a Saxon, in the tenth century, and translated by Thomas Rowlie, parish preeste of St. Johns in the city of Bristol, in the year 1465.--The remainder of the poem I have not been happy enough to meet with._" Being afterwards prest by Mr.

Barrett to produce any part of this poem in the original hand-writing, he at last said, that he wrote this poem himself for a friend; but that he had another, the copy of an original by Rowley: and being then desired to produce that other poem, he, after a considerable interval of time, brought to Mr. Barrett the poem marked No. 2, as far as ver.

530 incl. with the following t.i.tle; "_Battle of Hastyngs by Turgotus, translated by Roulie for W. Canynge Esq._" The lines from ver. 531 incl. were brought some time after, in consequence of Mr. Barrett's repeated sollicitations for the conclusion of the poem.