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BRISTOWE TRAGEDIE:

OR

THE DETHE OF SYR CHARLES BAWDIN.

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, "(1 Edw. IV.) was takin sir Baldewine Fulford and behedid at Bristow." But the matter is more fully stated in the act which passed in 7 Edw. IV. for the restitution in blood and estate of Thomas Fulford, knt. eldest son of Baldwin Fulford, late of Fulford, in the county of Devonshire, knt. Rot. Pat. 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 noble reign, at Bristowe in the shere of Bristowe, before Henry erle of Essex, 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 highness, &c." If the commission sat scon after the vth of September, as is most probable, king Edwarde might very possibly be at Bristol at the time of sir Baldewyn's execution; for in the interval between his coronation aud the parliament which met in November, he made a progress (as the continuator of Stowe informs us, p. 416.) by the South coast in the West, and was (among other places) at Bristol. Indeed there is a circumstance 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 account 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 iiijd. ob." ageyns Kynge Edwarde 4th is comynge.

THE feathered songster chaunticleer
Han wounde hys bugle horne,
And tolde the earlie villager

The commynge of the morne :

Kynge Edwarde saw the ruddie streakes
Of light eclypse the greie;
And herde the raven's crokyne throte
Proclayme the fated daie.

'Thou'rt ryghte,' quod hee, for, by the Godde That syttes enthron'd on hyghe!

Charles Bawdin, and hys fellowes twaine,
To daie shall surelie die.'

Thenne wythe a jugge of nappy ale

Hys knyghtes dydd onne hymm waite; 'Goe tell the traytour, thatt to-daie Hee leaves thys mortall state.'

Syr Canterlone* thenne bended lowe,
Wythe harte brymm fulle of woe;
Hee journey'd to the castle-gate,
And to syr Charles dydd goe.

Butte whenne hee came, hys children twaine,
And eke hys lovynge wyfe,

Wythe brinie teares dydd wett the floore,
For goode syr Charleses lyfe.

It appears by a MSS. (Rich penes me) that Henry VI. was taken in disguised apparel at the Abbey of Salley in Yorkshire, by one Cantelow, in 1465. This is a proof that k. Edward IV. ha such a person as air Canteiow much in his interest and at his com.nand, and affords some additional proof of the authenticity of the poem.

Barrett.

'O good syr Charles!' sayd Canterlone, 'Badde tydyngs I doe brynge.'

'Speke boldlie, manne,' sayd brave syr Charles, 'Whatte says thie traytor kynge?'

'I greeve to telle, before yonne Sonne
Does fromme the welkinn flye,

Hee hathe uponne hys honnour sworne,
Thatt thou shalt surelie die.'

Wee all must die,' quod brave syr Charles;
"Of thatte I'm not affearde;

Whatte bootes to lyve a little space?
Thanke Jesu, I'm prepar'd:

'Butt telle thye kynge, for myne hee's not,

I'de sooner die to-daie

Thanne lyve hys slave, as manie are,
Tho' I should lyve for aie.'

Thenne Canterlone hee dydd goe out,

To tell the maior straite

To gett all thynges in readyness
For good syr Charleses fate.

Thenne maisterr Canynge saughte the kynge, And felle down onne hys knee;

'I'am come,' quod hee, 'unto your grace To move your clemency e.'

Thenne quod the kynge, 'Youre tale speke out,

You have been much oure friende;

Whatever youre request may bee,
Wee wylle to ytte attende.'

'My nobile leige! alle my request

Ys for a nobile knyghte,

Who, tho' may hap hee has donne wronge, Hee thoghte ytt styll was ryghte.

'He has a spouse and children twaine,

Alle rewyn'd are for aie;

Yff that you are resolv'd to lett

Charles Bawdin die to daie.'

'Speke nott of such a traytour vile,'
The kynge ynne furie sayde;
'Before the evening starre doth sheene,
Bawdin shall loose hys hedde:

'Justice does loudlie for hym calle, And hee shalle have hys meede:

Speke, maister Canynge! whatte thynge else Att present doe you neede ?'

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'My nobile leige!' good Canynge sayde,

'Leave justice to our Godde,

And laye the yronne rule asyde;

Be thyne the olyve rodde.

'Was Godde to serche our hertes and reines,

The beste were synners grete;

Christ's vycarr only knowes na synne,

Ynne all this mortall state.

'Lette mercie rule thyne infante reigne,

'Twylle faste thy crowne fulle sure;

From race to race thy familie

Alle sov'reigns shall endure:

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