%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> [A most Excellent Ballad of St. George for England, and the Kings Daughter of AEgypt, whom he delivered from death; / and how he slew a Mighty Dragon.] University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center English Broadside Ballad Archive (EBBA) Director Patricia Fumerton Associate Director Carl G Stahmer 1611-1611 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 10/17/2018 36217

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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

1 NONE Chevy Chase [OF Hectors deeds did Homer sing,] / [and of the sack of stately Troy,] FOr with his Lance that was so strong, / As he came gaping in his face, Manchester Central Library Blackletter Ballads Editor none none none none Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 2: 42 [A most Excellent Ballad of St. George for England, and the Kings Daughter of AEgypt, whom he delivered from death; / and how he slew a Mighty Dragon.] A most Excellent Ballad of St. George for England, and the King's Daughter of Egypt, whom he delivered from death; and how he slew a Mighty Dragon. 1611-1611 E. Wright

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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 10/17/2018 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 10/17/2018 11:48:59 AM XBallad Messner, Milena Created XML Version of Ballad 10/17/2018 11:48:59 AM Transcription Supervisor McCants, Kristen Transcription of ballad manuscript 10/17/2018 11:48:59 AM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Levinson-Emley, Rachel Transcription of ballad manuscript 10/17/2018 11:48:59 AM Transcriptionist Two Adkison, Katie Transcription of ballad manuscript 10/17/2018 11:48:59 AM Transcriptionist One McCants, Kristen Transcription of ballad manuscript 7/9/2018 Checker Kristen McCants Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/13/2017 Checker Kristen McCants Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/13/2017 Checker Kristen McCants Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/13/2017 Checker Kristen McCants Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 1/11/2017 Bibliographer Kristen McCants Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">[<hi rend="bold">A</hi> most Excellent Ballad of St. <hi rend="bold">George</hi> for <hi rend="bold">England,</hi> and the Kings Daughter of <hi rend="bold">AEgypt,</hi> whom he delivered from death;</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">and how he slew a Mighty Dragon. The Tune is, <hi rend="bold">Flying Fame.</hi></hi></seg>
OF Hectors deeds did Homer sing, and 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. Georges deed an English Knight, Against the Sarazens full rude, fought he full long and many a day, Where many Gyants he subdu'd, in honour of the Christian way: After many adventures past, To AEgypt Land he came at last; And as the story plain doth tell, within that Country there did rest, A dreadful Dragon fierce and fell, whereby they were full sore opprest: Who by his poysoned breath each day, Did many of the City slay. The grief whereof did grow so great, throughout the limits of the Land, That they their wise men did intreat, to shew their cunning out of hand, Which way they might this Dragon stroy That did ther Country thus annoy. The wise men all before the King, framed this matter incontinent, The Dragon none to death might bring, by any means they could invent. His skin more hard then brass was found, That sword or spear can't pierce or wound When this the people understood, they cryed out most piteously, The Dragons breath infected their blood, that they each day in heaps did dye, Amongst them such a plague it bred, The living scarce could bury the dead. No means there was that they could find for to appease the Dragons 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 wise men found, which truly must observed be, Wherefore throughout the City round, a Virgin pure of good degree, Was by the Kings Commission still Cook up to serve the Dragons will: Thus did the Dragon every day, a Maiden of the Town devour, Till all the Maids were worn away, and none were left that present hour, Saving the Kings fair Daughter bright, Her Fathers joy and hearts delight. Then came the Officers to the King, this heavy message to declare, Which did his heart with sorrow sting, she is, quoth he, my Kingdoms heir: O let us all be poysoned here, Ere she should dye that is my dear. Then rose the people presently, and to the King in rage they went, Who said his Daughter dear should dye, the Dragons fury to prevent: Our Daughters all are dead quoth they, And have been made the Dragons prey: And by their blood thou hast been blest, and thou hast sav'd thy life thereby, And now in justice it doth rest, for us thy Daughter so should dye: O save my Daughter said the King, And let me feel the Dragons sting. Then fell fair Sabrine on her knee, and to her Father then did say, O Father strive not thus for me, but let me be the Dragons prey; It may be for my sake alone, This plague upon the Land was shown. 'Tis better I should dye she said, then 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 feel the grief no more.
What hast thou done my Daughter d]eare, [for to deserve this heavy scourge? It is my fault it shall appear, which makes the Gods our state to gru]dge: [Then ought I dye to stint the stri]fe [and to preserve thy happy life. 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 Dragons foo]d: [Lo here I am then quoth she, Therefore do what you will with] me. [Nay stay dear Daughter, quoth the] Queen, [as thou art a Virgin bright, That hath for vertue famous bee]n, [so let me cloath thee all in white], [And crown thy head with flowe]rs 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 Virgin bin]d, [And being bound to stake and th]rall, [She bad farewel unto them all. Farewel dear Father, then quot]h she, [and my sweet Mother meek and mil]d, [Take you no thought nor weep for] me, [for you may have another child: Here for my Countries good I'le dy]e, [Which I receive most willingly. The King and Queen with all their t]raine, [with weeping eyes then went thei]r way, [And let their Daughter there remai]ne, [to be the hungry Dragons prey: But as she there did weeping lie, behold St. George came riding by, And seeing there a Lady bright, fast tyed to the stake that day, Most like unto a valiant Knight, straight unto her did make his wa]y: [Tell me sweet Maiden, then quoth] he, [What Person thus abused thee]? [And lo, by Christ his Crosse I v]ow, [which here is fugured on my br]est, [I will revenge it on his brow, and break my Lance upon his Cr]est: [And speaking thus whereas he] stood, [The Dragon issued out of the] Wood. [The Lady that did first espy, the dreadful Dragon comming s]o, [Unto St. George aloud did cry, and willed him away to go; Here comes that cursed fiend,] quoth she, [That soon will make an end of] me: [St. George then looking round a]bout, [the fiery Dragon soon espy'd]e: [And like a Knight of courage s]tout, [against him he did fiercely rid]e, [And with such blows he di]d him greet, [That he fell under his hor]ses feet.
FOr with his Lance that was so strong, As he came gaping in his face, In at his mouth he thrust it along, The which could pierc no other place; and here within the Ladies view, this mightie Dragon straight he slew. The savour of his poysoned breath, Could doe this Christian Knight no harme, Thus did he save the Lady from death, And home he led her by the arme, which when King Ptolomy did see, there was much mirth and melodie. Whenas the famous Knight S. George Had slaine the Dragon in the Field, And brought the Lady to the Court, whose sight with joy their hearts then fil'd: he in the AEgyptian Court had stayd, till he most falsely was betray'd. The Lady Sabrine loved him well, He counted her his onely joy, But when their love was open knowne, It turn'd to Georges great annoy: the Morocco King was in the Court, who to the Orchard did resort, Dayly to take the pleasant aire, For pleasures sake he used to walk Under a wall, whereof heard S. George with Lady Sabrine talk: their love he revealed to the King, which to S. George great woe did bring. These Kings together did devise To make this Christian Knight away, With Letters him Ambassadour, They straight-way sent to Persia: and wrote to the Sophy him to kill, and traiterously his blood to spill. Thus they for good did him reward With evill, and most subtilly, By much vile meanes to worke his death, To worke his death most cruelly: whiles he in Persia abode, he quite destroyed each Idoll god. Which being done, he straight was cast Into a Dungeon darke and deep, Where when he thought upon his wrongs, He bitterly did waile and weep: yet like a Knight of courage stout, forth of the Dungeon he got out. And in the night three Horse-keepers, This valiant Knight by power slew, Although he fasted many a day, And then away from thence he flew, on the best Steed the Sophy had, which when he knew he was full sad. Then into Christendome he came, And met a Gyant by the way, Wi[t]h whom in combat he did fight Most valiantly a Summers day: who yet for all his bats of steele, was forc'd the sting of death to feele. From Christendome this valiant Knight, With band of Warwilke Souldiers past, Vowing upon these Heathen Lands To worke revenge, which at the last
e'r thrice three years were gone & spent, he did unto his great content. Save onely AEgypt Land he spar'd, For Sabrine bright her onely sake, And ere his rage he did suppresse, He meant a tryall kind to make: Ptolomy did know his strength in field, and unto him did kindly yeeld. Then he the Morocco King did kill, And tooke faire Sabrine to his wife, And after that contentedly, With her S. George did lead his life; who by the vertue of her Chaine, did still a Virgin pure remaine. Toward England then S. George did bring This gallant Lady Sabrine bright, An Eunuch also came with them, In whom the Lady tooke delight; none but these three from AEgypt came, now let me Print S. Georges fame. When they were in the Forest great, The Lady did desire to rest, And then S. George to kill a Deere, To feed thereon did thinke it best, left Sabrine and the Eunuch there, whilst he did goe and kill a Deere. The meanetime in his absence came, Two hungry Lyons fierce and fell, And tore the Eunuch presently, In pieces small, but truth to tell, downe by the Lady then they laid, whereby it seem'd she was a Maid. But when S. George from Hunting came, And did behold this heavy chance, Yet for his lovely Virgins sake His courage then he did advance, and came into the Lyons sight, who ran at him with all their might. But he being no whit dismaid, But like a stout and valiant Knight, Did kill the hungry Lyons both, Within the Lady Sabrines sight; but all this while sad and demure, she stood there like a Virgine pure. Then when S. George did surely know, This Lady was a Virgin true, His doubtful thoughts that e'r were damp, Began most firmly to renew: he set her on a palfrey Steed, and towards England came with speed. Where he arrived in short space, Unto his Fathers dwelling place, Wherein with his deare Love he liv'd, When Fortune did his Nuptiall grace: they many yeares of joy did see, and led their lives at Coventrie.
FINIS. London Printed for E. Wright, dwelling in Gilt-spur-street.