P. 100. Fair laughs the Morn, &c.] Magnificence of Richard the Second's reign. See Froiffard and other contemporary writers. Ibid. Fill high the sparkling bowl.] Richard the Second, as we are told by Archbishop Scroop and the confederate Lords in their manifesto, by Thomas of Walfingham, and all the older writers, was ftarved to death. The ftory of his affaffination by Sir Piers of Exon, is of much later date. P. 101. Heard ye the din of battle bray.] Ruinous civil wars of York and Lancaster. Ibid. Ye tow'rs of Julius.] Henry the Sixth, George Duke of Clarence, Edward the Fifth, Richard Duke of York, &c. believed to be murdered fecretly in the Tower of London. The oldest part of that ftructure is vulgarly attributed to Julius Cæfar. Ibid. Revere his confort's faith-] Margaret of Anjou, a woman of heroic fpirit, who ftruggled hard to fave her husband and her crown. his father's fame.] Ibid. M Ibid. Ibid. And Spare the meek ufurper's holy bead.] Henry the Sixth, very near being canonized. The line of Lancaster had no right of inheritance to the crown. Ibid. the rofe of fnow, &c.] The white and red rofes, devices of York and Lancaster. Ibid. The bristled boar] The filver boar was the badge of Richard the Third; whence he was ufually known in his own time by the name of the Boar. P. 102. Half of thy heart we confecrate.] Eleanor of Caftile died a few years after the conqueft of Wales. The heroic proof fhe gave of her affection for her lord is well known. The monuments of his regret and forrow for the lofs of her, are still to be seen at Northampton, Gaddington, Waltham, and other places. P. 102. No more our long-loft Arthur we bewail.] It was the common belief of the Welfh nation, that King Arthur was ftill alive in Fairy land, land, and fhould return again to reign over Britain. Ibid. All-bail, ye genuine Kings, Britannia's iffue, bail!] Both Merlin and Talieffin had prophefied, that the Welfh fhould regain their fovereignty over this ifland; which feemed to be accomplished in the house of Tudor. P. 103. Her lion-port, her awe-commanding face.] Speed, relating an audience given by Queen Elizabeth to Paul Dzialinfki, ambaffador of Poland, fays, And thus fhe, lion-like rifing, ⚫ daunted the malapert orator no lefs with her ftately port and majeftical deporture, than with the tartneffe of her princelie checkes.' Ibid. Hear from the grave, great Talieffin.] Talieffin, chief of the Bards, flourished in the fixth century. His works are ftill preferved, and his memory held in high veneration among his countrymen, P. 104. Fierce War, and faithful Love.] Fierce wars and faithful loves fhall moralize my fong. SPENSER'S Proem to the Fairy Queen. Ibid. In bufkin'd measures move.] Shakespeare. Ibid. A voice, as of the cherub-choir.] Ibid. And diftant warblings leffen on my ear.] P. 111. Note.-The Valkyriur were female divinities, fervants of Odin (or Woden) in the Gothic mythology. Their name fignifies Chufers of the flain. They were mounted on fwift horfes, with drawn fwords in their hands; and in the throng of battle felected fuch as were destined to flaughter, and conducted them to Valhalla, (the hall of Odin, or paradife of the brave,) where they attended the banquet, and ferved the departed heroes with horns of mead and ale. Ibid. Iron fleet of arrowy shower.] How quick they wheel'd, and, flying, behind them shot Sharp fleet of arrowy fhower. MILT. Par. Regained. Ibid. Hurtles in the darken'd air.] The noife of battle hurtled in the air. SHAKES. Jul. Caf. P. P. 114. Long his lofs fhall Eirin weep.] Ireland. P. 119. That leads to HELA's drear abode. Niflheimr, the hell of the Gothic nations, confifted of nine worlds, to which were devoted all fuch as died of fickness, old age, or by any other means than in battle. Over it prefided HELA, the Goddess of Death. P. 125. Till Lok has burft his tenfold chain.] Lok is the Evil Being, who continues in chains till the Twilight of the Gods approaches; when he fhall break his bonds; the human race, the stars, and fun, fhall disappear; the earth fink in the feas, and fire consume the fkies: even Odin himself and his kindred deities fhall perifh. For a farther explanation of this mythology, fee " Introduction a l'Hif"toire de Dannemarc, par Monf. Mallet," 1755, Quarto; or rather a tranflation of it published in 1770, and intitled, "Northern Antiquities;" in which fome miftakes in the original are judicioufly corrected. P. 129. Gwyneth.] North Wales. Ibid. The dragon-fon of Mona ftands.] The red Dragon is the device of Cadwallador, which all his defcendants bore on their banners. P. |