The author of this poem has shown some invention. Though he took the subject from the old romance quoted before, he has adorned it afresh, and made the story intirely his own.
This poem has been discovered to be a fragment of, "The famous historie of Guy earl of Warwicke, by _Samuel Rowlands_, London, printed by J. Bell, 1649, 4to." in xii cantos, beginning thus:
"When dreadful Mars in armour every day."
Whether the edition in 1649, was the first, is not known, but the author _Sam. Rowlands_ was one of the minor poets who lived in the reigns of Q. Elizabeth and James I. and perhaps later. His other poems are chiefly of the religious kind, which makes it probable that the hist. of Guy was one of his earliest performances.--There are extant of his (1.) "_The betraying of Christ, Judas in dispaire, the seven words of our Saviour on the crosse, with other poems on the passion, &c._ 1598, 4to. (Ames Typ. p. 428.)--(2.) _A Theatre of delightful Recreation._ Lond. printed for A. Johnson, 1605," 4to. (Penes editor.) This is a book of poems on subjects chiefly taken from the old Testament. (3.) "_Memory of Christ's miracles, in verse._ Lond. 1618, 4to." (4.) "_Heaven's glory, earth's vanity, and hell's horror._ Lond. 1638, 8vo." (These two in Bod. Cat.)
In the present edition the following poem has been much improved from the printed copy.
[This poem is a very poor thing and looks very like a joke in some parts. In the Folio MS. Percy has written "By the elegance of language and easy flow of the versification this poem should be more modern than the rest."
Mr. Furnivall adds to this expression of opinion the following note, "the first bombastic rhodomontade affair in the book. Certainly modern and certainly bad" (Folio MS. ed. Hales and Furnivall, vol. ii. p. 136.) Collations from the MS. are added at the foot of the page.]
Guy journeyes towards that sanctifyed ground,[260] Whereas the Jewes fayre citye sometime stood, Wherin our Saviour's sacred head was crowned, And where for sinfull man he shed his blood: To see the sepulcher was his intent, 5 The tombe that Joseph unto Jesus lent.
With tedious miles he tyred his wearye feet, And passed desart places full of danger, At last with a most woefull wight[261] did meet, A man that unto sorrow was noe stranger: 10 For he had fifteen sonnes, made captives all To slavish bondage, in extremest thrall.