Princely Pleasures of Kenelworth Castle, gives us some of the above-mentioned metre, written by Ferrers, one of the contributors to the Mirrour for Magistrates, of which these may serve as a specimen: "I am the lady of this pleasant lake, Who since the time of great king Arthur's reigne, That here with royall court aboade did make, • Have led a lowring life in restless paine; • Till now that this your third arrival here, Doth cause me come abroad, and boldly thus appeare. For after him such stormes this castle shooke, She is afterwards introduced complaining to the queen, that sir Bruse had insulted her for doing an injury to Merlin, an incident related in La Morte d'Arthur; and that he would have put her to death had not Neptune delivered her, by concealing her in that lake; from which confinement the queen is afterwards supposed to deliver her, &c. Without expatiating upon the nature of such a royal entertainment as this, I shall observe from it, that as the LADY OF THE LAKE was a very popular character in the reign of queen Elizabeth, so consequently the romance, which sup plied this fiction, was at the same time no less popular. We may add, that it is not improbable that Spenser might allude in the above-cited verses to some of the circumstances in this part of the queen's entertainment; for queen Elisabeth, the Fayre Elisa, is the lady whom the LADIES OF THE LAKE are represented as repairing to, in that eclogue *. Nor is it improbable that this lady was often exhibited upon other occasions: nor is it improper to remark in this place, that Ben. Jonson has introduced her, together with king Arthur and Merlin, in an entertaiument before the court of James 1. called, Prince Henries Barriers. The above ancient letter acquaints us, that the queen was entertained with a song from this romance, which is a corroborative proof of its popularity at that time. A minstrall came forth 'with a sollem song warranted for story out of 'king Arthur's acts, the first book, 24. whereof 'I gat a copy, and that is this: So it fell out on a Pentecost day Spenser's Pastorals were published about four years after this entertainment. The first edition is dated 1579. It is a thin quarto; printed in the black letter, with the commentary of E. K. perhaps Edward King. Some have thought that his name was Kerke: I suppose, because Spenser, in his let ters to Harvey, mentions his lodging with one Mrs. Kerke, and, in the same, sends E. K.'s compliments to Harvey. T. WARTON. This is the song above hinted at, where mention is made of king Ryence demanding the beard of King Arthur. In the same letter, a gentleman who shewed some particular feats of activity before the queen, is said to be very cunning in fens, and hardy as Gawen.' This Gawen was king Arthur's nephew, and his achievements are highly celebrated in La Morte d'Arthur. We find Spenser in another place alluding to the fable of the lady of the lake, so much spoken of in this romance, F. Q. iii. iii. 10. . A litle whyle • Before that Merlin dyde, he did intend A brasen wall in compas to compyle About Cairmardin, and did it commend Unto these sprights to bring to perfect end; During which time, the LADY OF THE LAKE, Whom long he lov'd, for him in haste did send; Who, thereby forst his workmen to forsake, Them bownd, till his retourne, their labour not to slake.' XI. In the meane time, through that false Ladies traine • He was surpris’d and buried under beare, Ne ever to his worke return'd againe.' These verses are obscure, unless we consider the following relation in La Morte d'Arthur. The LADY OF THE LAKE and Merlin departed; and by the way as they went, Merlin shewed to her many wonders, and came into Cornwaile. And alwaies Merlin lay about the ladie for to have her favour; and she was ever passing wery of him, and faine would have been deli⚫vered of him; for she was afraid of him, because he was a divells son, and she could not put him away by no meanes. And so upon a time it hapned that Merlin shewed to her in a roche [rock] whereas was a great won'der, and wrought by enchauntment, which went ⚫ under a stone, so by her subtile craft and working she made Merlin to go under that stone, to let him wit of the marvailes there. But she ' wrought so there for him, that he came never out, for all the craft that he could doe.' B. i. C. 60. Our author has taken notice of a superstitious tradition, which is related at large in this romance, F. Q. ii. x. 53. -Good Lucius • That first received Christianity, Who brought with him the holy grayle, they say, And preacht the truth; but since it greatly did decay.' The holy grale, that is, the real blood of our *Concerning the preaching of Joseph of Arimathea there was an old song or legend. The olde man had an harpe, and there he sung how Joseph of Arimathea came into this land. Morte Arthur, B. iii. c. 5. See also c. 38. T. WARTON. blessed Saviour. What Spenser here writes gayle, is often written Sangreal or St. grale, in La Morte d'Arthur; and it is there said to have been brought into England by Joseph of Arimathea. Many of king Arthur's knights are in the same book represented as adventuring in quest, or in search of the Sangreal, or sanguis realis. This expedition was one of the first subjects of the old romance. This romance seems to have extended its reputation beyond the reign of queen Elizabeth. Jonson, besides his allusion to it concerning the LADY OF THE LAKE, mentioned above, hints at it more than once. See his Execration upon Vul • Had I compil'd from Amadis de Gaulé, And afterwards, in the same poem, The whole summe 'Of errant knighthood; with the dames and dwarfes, The charmed boates, and the enchanted wharfes, "The Tristrams, Lanc'lotts, &c.' And Camden refers to this history of king Arthur, as to a book familiarly known to the readers of his age. Remains, printed in 1604. Art. Names. Speaking of the Name TRISTRAM, he observes, I know not whether the first of his name was |