%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> An Excellent Ballad of St. George / for England, and the King of Egypt's Daughter whom he deliver- / ed from Death, and how he slew a Monsterous Dragon, &c. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center English Broadside Ballad Archive (EBBA) Director Patricia Fumerton Associate Director Carl G Stahmer ?-? Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 06/30/2014 33531

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Patricia Fumerton Early Modern Center - English Department University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93105 United States of America EMail: pfumer@english.ucsb.edu

T33699 1 Flying Fame. Queen Dido; Troy Town Flying Fame. OF Hector's Deed did Homer sing, / an of the Sack of stately Troy, Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 955 An Excellent Ballad of St. George / for England, and the King of Egypt's Daughter whom he deliver- / ed from Death, and how he slew a Monsterous Dragon, &c. An Excellent Ballad of St. George for England, and the King of Egypt's Daughter whom he delivered from Death, and how he slew a Monstrous Dragon, etc. ?-?

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 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/ health alcohol Americas animals/ nature Bible/ biblical figures buildings/ architecture catastrophe children class clothing/ appearance country/ nation crime death economics/ commerce entertainments family Featured folklore gender holidays/ seasons infidelity labor/ craft law London love maritime marriage military/ war monstrosity mythology/ Classical news nobility/ court politics/ government procreation punishment race/ ethnicity religious concepts religious figures religious groups royalty rural life servitude sex/ sexuality supernatural/ magic travel trickery/ deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgar humor youth/ age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 6/30/2014 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America animals/ nature folklore love monstrosity religious figures religious groups royalty Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 6/30/2014 3:09:09 PM XBallad Bell, Erik Created XML Version of Ballad 6/30/2014 3:09:09 PM Transcription Supervisor Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/30/2014 3:09:09 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Doran, Thomas Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/30/2014 3:09:09 PM Transcriptionist Two Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/30/2014 3:09:09 PM Transcriptionist One Hopkins, Shay Transcription of ballad manuscript 8/15/2013 Checker Christopher Foley Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/26/2013 Checker William Hildalgo Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/8/2012 Bibliographer Shannon Meyer Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">An Excellent Ballad of St. <hi rend="bold">GEORGE</hi></hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">for <hi rend="bold">England,</hi> and the King of <hi rend="bold">Egypt</hi>s Daughter whom he deliver-</hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">ed from Death, and how he slew a Monsterous Dragon, <hi rend="bold">etc.</hi></hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="bold"><hi rend="italic">To the Tune of</hi> Flying Fame.</hi></seg>
OF Hectors Deed did Homer sing, an of the Sack of stately Troy, What Grief fair Hellen did them bring, which was Sir Paris only Joy, And with my Pen I must recite, St. George's Deeds an English Knight Against the Sarazens full rude fought he full long and many a Day Where many a Gallant he subdu'd, in honour of the Christian way, And after many adventures Past, To Egypt Land he came at last- And as the Story plain doth tell, within the Country there did rest, A dreadful Dragon fierce and fell, whereby they were full sore opprest, Who by his poison'd Breath each day Did many of the City slay. The Grief whereof did grow so great throughout the limits of the Land, That their Wisemen did entreat to shew their Cunning out of Hand, Which way they might this Dragon stroy That did their Country so annoy. The Wise-men all before the King, fram'd this matter Incontinent, The Dragon none to Death might bring by any means they could invent, his skin more heard than Brass was foun[d,] That Sword or Spear could pierce or wound. When this the People understood, they cried out most pitiously, The Dragon's Breath infected their Blood that they each day in Heaps did die,
Amongst them such a Plage it bred, The living scarce could bury their dead No means their was that he could find for to appease the Dragon's rage, But by a Virgin pure and kind, whereby he might his Fury swage, Each day he should a Maiden eat, For to allay his Hunger great. This thing by Art the Wisemen found which truly must observed be, Wherefore throughout the City round a Virgin pure of good degree, Was by the King's Commission still, Took up to serve the Dragon's Will. Thus did the Dragon every day, a Maiden of the Town devour, Till all the Maidens were worn away, and none were left that present Hour, Saving the King's fair Daughter bright Her Father's joy and Heart's delight, Then came the Officers to the King, this heavy Message to declare, Which did his Heart with [s]orrow sting, She is quoth he my Kingdom's Heir, O let us all be poisoned here, E're she should die that is my dear. Then rose the People presently and to the King in rage they went Who said his Daughter dear should die the Dragon's Fury to prevent; Our Daughter's all are dead quoth they And have been made the Dragons pray, And by their Blood thou hast been blest and thou hast sav'd thy Life thereby,
And now in Justice it doth rest. for as thy Daughter so should die O save my Daughter said the King, And let me feel the Dragon's sting. Then fell fair Sabrine on her knee, And to her Father thus did say, O Father strive not thus for me, but let me be the Dragon's prey, It may be for my sake alone, This Plague upon the Land was shown. better I should die she said, than all your subjects Perish quite, Perhaps the Dragon here was laid, for my Offence to work this spight, And after he hath suckt my gore, Your Land shall know the Grief no more What hast thou done my daughter dear for to deserve this heavy scourge, It is my fault it shall appear, which makes the Gods our state grudge Then ought I die to stint the strife, Like Mad-men all the People cry'd, thy Death to us can do no good, Our safety only doth abide, to make thy Daughter Dragon's Food. Lo here I am O then quoth she, Therefore do what you will with me. Nay stay dear Daughter quoth the King and as thou art a Virgin bright, That hath for Virtue famous been, so let me cloath thee all in white, And crown thy Head with Flowers sweet An Ornament for Virgins meet, And when she was attired so, According to her Mothers mind, Unto the Stake then she did go, to which they did this fair Maid bind, And being bound to Stake and Thrall, She bid farewell unto them all. Farewell dear Father then quoth she, and my dear Mother meek and mild, Take you no thought nor care for me, for you may have another Child, here for my Country's good I'll die, which I receive most willingly. The King and Queen with all their Train, with weeping Eyes then went away, and let their Daughter there remain, to be the hungry Dragon's prey; but as she there did weeping lie, behold St. George came riding by. And seeing there a Lady bright, fast tied to the Stake that Day, most like unto a valiant Knight, straight unto her did take his way, tell me sweet Maiden then quoth he, what Person thus abused thee. And lo by Christ his Blood I vow, which here is figur'd on my Breast, I will revenge it on his Brow, and break my Lance upon his Crest, and speaking thus whereas he stood, the Dragon issu'd out of the Wood. The Lady that did first espy, the dreadful Dragon coming so,
unto St. George aloud did cry, and willed him away to go; here comes the ugly Fiend quoth she that soon will make an end of me. St. George then looking round about the Fiery Dragon there espy'd, and like a knight of Courage stout, against him he did fiercely ride, and with such Blows he did him greet, that he fell under his Horse's Feet, For with a Lance that was so strong, as he came Gaping in his Face, in at his Mouth he thrust it long, the which could plerce no other place, and there within this Lady's view, this dreadful Dragon then he slew, The Savour of his poisoned Breath, could do this Christian Knight no harm, thus he did this Lady save from Death, and home he led led her by the Arm, Which when Potolomy did see, there was great Joy and Melody. When as this famous Knight St. George had slain the Dragon in the Field, and brought the Lady to the Court, whose sight with joy their Hearts they fill'd he in the Egyptian Court then staid till he most falsely was betray'd. The Lady Sabrine lov'd him well, he counted her his only Joy, but when their Loves were open known it prov'd St. Georoe's great annoy, the Morocco King was then in Court, who to the Ochard did resort Daily to take the pleasant Air, for pleasures sake he us'd to walk, under the Wall whereas he heard, St. George with fair Sabrine talk, their Loves he revealed to the King, which to Saint George great woe did bring. These Kings together did devise, to make the Christian Knight away, with Letters him Ambassador, they straightway sent to Persia, and wrote to the Sophy him to kill, and treacherously his Blood to spill, Thus they for Good did him reward with Evil, and most subtilly by such vile means they did devise, to work his Death most cruelly; while he in Persia abode, he straight destroy'd each Idol-God. Which being done he strait was slung into a Dungeon dark and deep, but when he thought upon his wrong, he bitterly began to weep, but like a Knight of Courage stout, Forth of the Dungeon he got out. And in the Night three Horse-keepers this valliant Knight by Power slew, although he had fasted many a Day, and then away from thence he flew, On the best Steed that Sophy had, which when he knew he was full sad. Then into Christendom he came,
and met a Giant by the way, with him in Combat he did fight, most valiantly a Summer's day, who yet for all his Bars of Steel was forc'd the Sting of Death to feel. From Christendom this Valiant Knight, then with warlike Soldiers hast, vowing upon that heathen Land, to work revenge which at the last, e're thrice 3 year was gone and spent, he did unto his great Content, Save only Egypt Land he spar'd, for Sabrine bright her only sake. and e're his Rage he did suppress he meant a Tryal kind to make, Potolomy did know his Strength in Field and unto him did kindly yield. Then he the Morocco King did kill, and took fair Sabrine to his Wife, and afterwards contentedly, with her St. George did lead his Life, who by the Virtue of a Chain, did still a Virgin pure remain, To England then St. George did bring this gallant Lady Sabrine bright, an Eunuch also came with him, in whom the Lady did delight, none but these 3 from Egypt came, now let me Print St. George's fame When they were in the Forrest great the Lady did desire to rest, and then St. George to kill a Deer, to feed thereon did think it best, Left Sabrine and the Eunuch there, while he did go to kill a Deer. The meantime in his Absence comes two hungry Lions fierce and fell, and tore the Eunuch presently, in Pieces small the truth to tell, Down by the Lady then they laid, whereby it seem'd she was a Maid. But when Saint George from Hunting cam and did behold his heavy Chance yet for his lovely Virgin pure his courage stout he did Advance, and came within the Lions sight, who run at him with all their might. And he being no whit dismay'd, but like a stout and valiant Knight Did kill the hungry Lyons both, within the Lady Sabrine's sight, but all this while sad and demure, she stood there like a Virgin pure, But when Saint George did truly know, his Lady was a Virgin true, those doleful thoughts that before was began most firmly to renew, he set her on a Pelfrey steed, and towards England came with speed Where he arrived' in short time, unto his Father's dwelling place, where with his dearest Love he lived when Fortune did their Nuptials grace, they many Years of Joy did see, and let their Lives at Coventry.