Wherefore who lyest to learn the perfect trade
Of venerie, &c.

Let him give ear to skilfull Tristram's lore*.

Many of the precepts contained in the Book of Sir Tristram are often referred to in this treatise of Tuberville.

From this romance our author also took the hint of his Blatant Beast, which is there called the Questing Beast f." Therewithall the King saw coming towards him the strangest beast that ever he saw, or heard tell off-And the noise was in the beasts belly like unto the Questin of thirtie couple of hounds."-The Questing Beast is afterwards more particularly described, "That had in shap an head like a serpent's head, and a body like a liberd, buttocks like a lyon, and footed like a hart; and in his body there was such a

* Page 40. See also Mort. Arth. b. ii. c. 138. † B. ii. c. 53.

.

noyse, as it had been the noyse of thirtie couple of hounds Questyn, and such a noyse that beast made, wheresoever he went*”— Spenser has made him a much more monstrous animal than he is here represented to be, and in general has varied from this description. But there is one circumstance in Spenser's representation, in which there is a minute resemblance, viz.-speaking of his mouth,

And therein were a thousand tongues empight,
Of sundry kindes, and sundry qualities,

Some were of dogs that barked night and day.
And some, &c.-

-6. 12. 27.

So dreadfully his hundred tongues did bray.

5. 12. 41.

By what had been hitherto said, perhaps the reader may not be persuaded, that Spenser,

* He is also called the Glatisant Beast, ibid. B. ii. c. 98. Tell them that I am the knight that followeth the Glatisant Beast; that is to say, in English, the Questing Beast, &c."

in his Blatant Beast, had the Questing Beast of our romance in his eye. But the poet has himself taken care to inform us of this: for we learn, from the romance, that certain knights of the round table were destined to pursue the Questing Beast perpetually without success; which Spenser, speaking of this Blatant Beast, hints at in these lines

Albe that long time after Calidore,
The good Sir Pelleas him took in hand,
And after him Sir Lamoracke of yore,

And all his brethren born in Britaine land,

Yet none of these could ever bring him into band.

6. 12. 39.

Sir Lamoracke and Sir Pelleas are two very valourous champions of Arthur's round table.

This romance supplied our author with the story of the mantle made of the beards of

* Immense beards seem to have had a wonderful influence in the proper œconomy of an enchantment. Thus

knights, and locks of ladies. The last circumstance is added by Spenser.

For may no knight or ladie passe along

That way (and yet they needs must passe that way)
By reason of the streight and rocks among,

But they that ladies lockes do shave away,
And that knights beards for toll, which they for

pay.

passage

6. 1. 13.

Afterwards,

His name is Crudor, who through high disdaine,
And proud despyght of his self-pleasing mynd,
Refused hath to yeald her love againe,
Until a mantle she for him do find,

With berds of knights, and locks of ladies lynd.

6. 3. 15.

we see the barber, who was to personate the Squire of the Princess Micomicona has " una gran barba, &c."-D. Quix. parte prim. c. 26. libro 8.

And the Countess of Trifaldi's Squire is described parte 2. lib. vii. c. 36. as wearing "la mas larga, la mas horrida, &c."

Thus in Morte Arthur.-" Came a messenger,

- saying that king Ryence had discomfited, and overcomen eleaven knights, and everiche of them did him homage; and that was this: they gave him their beards cleane flayne of as much as there was: wherefore the messenger came for King Arthur's berd: for King Ryence had purfeled a mantell with king's beards, and there lacked for one place of the mantell. Wherefore he sent for his berd; or else hee would enter into his lands, and brenn and sley, and never leave, till he have thy head and beard* "—After this passage we have an ancient ballad, the subject of which is this insolent demand of King Rynce. Drayton, in his Polyolbion, speaks of a coat composed of the beards of kings. He is celebrating King Arthur.

B. i. c. 24.

This is also printed in P. Enderbury's Cambria Triumphans, Lond. p. 197.

I must take this opportunity of mentioning a circum