acquainted with the language and the district. Scott, on the contrary, who knew nothing of the dialect, and confounded its pure Saxon with his Lowland Scotch, gives numerous notes, which only display his want of the requisite local knowledge, and are, consequently, calculated to mislead. The _Felon Sewe_ belongs to the same class of compositions as the _Hunting of the Hare_, reprinted by Weber, and the _Tournament of Tottenham_, in Percy’s _Reliques_. Scott says that ‘the comic romance was a sort of parody upon the usual subjects of minstrel poetry.’ This idea may be extended, for the old comic romances were in many instances not merely ‘sorts of parodies,’ but real parodies on compositions which were popular in their day, although they have not descended to us. We certainly remember to have met with an old chivalric romance, in which the leading incidents were similar to those of the _Felon Sewe_. It may be observed, also, in reference to this poem, that the design is twofold, the ridicule being equally aimed at the minstrels and the clergy. The author was in all probability a follower of Wickliffe. There are many sly satirical allusions to the Romish faith and practices, in which no orthodox Catholic would have ventured to indulge. Ralph Rokeby, who gave the sow to the Franciscan Friars of Richmond, is believed to have been the Ralph who lived in the reign of Henry VII. Tradition represents the Baron as having been ‘a fellow of infinite jest,’ and the very man to bestow so valuable a gift on the convent! The Mistress Rokeby of the ballad was, according to the pedigree of the family, a daughter and heiress of Danby, of Yafforth. Friar Theobald cannot be traced, and therefore we may suppose that the monk had some other name; the minstrel author, albeit a Wickliffite, not thinking it quite prudent, perhaps, to introduce a priest _in propriâ personâ_. The story is told with spirit, and the verse is graceful and flowing.] FITTE THE FIRSTE. YE men that will of aunters wynne, That late within this lande hath bin, Of on I will yow telle; And of a sewe that was sea strang, Alas! that ever scho lived sea lang, For fell folk did scho wele. {129} Scho was mare than other three, The grizeliest beast that ere mote bee Her hede was greate and graye; Scho was bred in Rokebye woode, Ther war few that thither yoode, {130a} But cam belive awaye. Her walke was endlang Greta syde, Was no barne that colde her byde, That was fra heven or helle; {130b} Ne never man that had that myght, That ever durst com in her syght, Her force it was sea felle. Raphe {130c} of Rokebye, with full gode wyll, The freers of Richmonde gav her tyll, Full wele to gar thayme fare; Freer Myddeltone by name, Hee was sent to fetch her hame, Yt rewed him syne full sare.