SCENE VIII.

CHORUS.

_1st Song._

_Ancient bards have sung_ _With lips dropping honey_ _And a sugar'd tongue,_ _Of our worthy knights:_ _How Brute_[295] _did giants tame,_ _And, by Isis' current,_ _A second Troy did frame:_ _A centre of delights._

_Locrinus'_[296] _eldest son_ _Did drown the furious Hun,_ _But burnt himself with Elstred's love:_ _Leil_,[297] _rex pacificus;_ _Elud_,[298] _judicious,_ _Now heavenly bodies roll above._ _Wise Bladud_[299] _founded hath_ _Both soul and body's bath,_ _Like Icarus he flew:_ _Now first Mulmutius_[300] _wears_ _A golden crown, whose heirs_ _More than half the world subdue._

_2d Song._

_Thou nurse of champions, O thou spring_ _Whence chivalry did flow!_ _Thou diamond of the world's great ring,_ _Thy glorious virtue show:_

_Thou many a lord hast bred,_ _In catalogue of fame read;_ _And still we have_ _As captives brave,_ _As ever Britons led._ _Then dub a dub, dub._ _The armies join, tantara._

_Cassibelane with armour gay_ _And strongly couched lance,_ _His courser white turn'd into bay,_ _On carcases shall prance._ _What a crimson stream the blade_ _Of Nennius' sword hath made!_ _Black Allia's day_ _And Cannæ's fray_ _Have for a third long stay'd._ _Then dub a dub, dub._ _The armies join, tantara._

FOOTNOTES:

[276] [Fiddle.]

[277] Ovid.--_Steevens._

[278] [An usual form in ancient times.]

[279] Deluges.--_Steevens._

[280] [Allusively to the fabled descent of the Britons from the Trojans.]

[281] The same sentiment is introduced by Shakespeare into "King John,"