H. S. E. JOHANNES GRUBB, A. M. Natus apud Acton Burnel in agro Salopiensi Anno Dom. 1645. Cujus varian in linguis notitiam, et felicem erudiendis pueris industriam, Pueros ad easdem mox excolendas Huc demum unanimi omnium consensu accitus, ut nihil optandum sit nisi ut diutius nobis interfuisset : propter festivam ingenii suavitatem, simplicem morum candorem, et præcipuam erga cognatos benevolentiam, omnibus desideratissimus. Obii 2do die Aprilis, Anno D'ni. 1697, Etatis sux 51. 3 XVI. MARGARET'S GHOST. This Ballad, which appeared in some of the public newspapers in or before the year 1724, came from the pen of David Mallet, Esq. who in the edition of his poems, S vols. 1759, informs us that the plan was suggested by the four verses quoted above in page 165, which he supposed to be the beginning of some ballad now lost. "These lines, says he, naked of ornament and "simple as they are, struck my fancy; and bringing "fresh into my mind an unhappy adventure much "talked of formerly, gave birth to the following poem, "which was written many years ago." The two introductory lines (and one or two others elsewhere) had originally more of the ballad simplicity, viz. “When all was wrapt in dark midnight, When night and morning meet; Her face was like an April morn, Clad in a wintry cloud: That held her sable shrowd. 5 So shall the fairest face appear, When youth and years are flown: 10 Such is the robe that kings must wear, Her bloom was like the springing flower, That sips the silver dew; The rose was budded in her cheek, Just opening to the view. But love had, like the canker-worm, Consum'd her early prime: The rose grew pale, and left her cheek; She dy'd before her time. "Awake!" she cry'd, "thy true love calls, "Come from her midnight grave; "Now let thy pity hear the maid "Thy love refus❜d to save. "This is the dark and dreary hour Now yawning graves give up their dead, 15 20 25 Full fatal to the Romans was The Carthaginian Hanni bal; him I mean, who gave them such A devilish thump at Cannæ: Moors thick, as goats on Penmenmure, Stood on the Alpes's front: Their one-eyed guide,* like blinking mole, Who, baffled by the massy rock, Took vinegar for relief; Like plowmen, when they hew their way Thro' stubborn rump of beef. As dancing louts from humid toes Cast atoms of ill savour To blinking Hyatt,† when on vile crowd He merriment does endeavour, And saws from suffering timber out Some wretched tune to quiver: So Romans stunk and squeak'd at sight Of Affrican carnivor. The tawny surface of his phiz Did serve instead of vizzard: 345 350 355 360 But George he made the dragon have $65 A grumbling in his gizzard. St. George he was for England; St. Dennis was for Sing, Honi soit qui mal y pense. * Hannibal had but one eye. [France; † A one-eyed fellow, who pretended to make fiddles, as well as play on them; well known at that time in Oxford. The valour of Domitian, It must not be forgotten; 370 Who from the jaws of worm-blowing flies, Protected veal and mutton. A squadron of flies errant, Against the foe appears; With regiments of buzzing knights, And swarms of volunteers: The warlike wasp encourag'd 'em With animating hum; And the loud brazen hornet next, He was their kettle-drum: The Spanish don Cantharido Did him most sorely pester, And rais'd on skin of vent'rous knight Full many a plaguy blister. A bee whipt thro' his button-hole, As thro' key-hole a witch, And stabb'd him with her little tuck Drawn out of scabbard breech: 375 380 But the undaunted knight lifts up An arm both big and brawny, 390 And slasht her so, that here lay head, And there lay bag and honey: Then 'mongst the rout he flew as swift, As weapon made by Cyclops, And bravely quell'd seditious buz, 395 By dint of massy fly-flops. |