e.
5. _Englysh Metamorphosis_.
Prof. Skeat was the first to point out that this piece is an imitation
of _The Faerie Queene_, Bk. ii, Canto X, stanzas 5-19.
6. _Battle of Hastings_, II, line 578.
To the ourt arraie of the thight Saxonnes came
Prof. Skeat explains _ourt_ as 'overt' and observes that it
contradicts _thight_, which he renders 'tight'. But really there is
not even an antithesis. _Ourt arraie_ is what a military handbook
calls 'open order' and _thight_ is 'well-built', well put together
(Bailey's Dictionary). The Saxons were well-built men marching in open
order.
VI. APPENDIX.
BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF THE ARGUMENTS USED IN THE ROWLEY CONTROVERSY.
(Taken mainly from Gregory's _Life of Chatterton_.)
_Against Rowley_.
1. So few originals produced--not more than 124 verses.
2. Chatterton had shown (by his article on Christmas games, &c.) that
he had a strong turn for antiquities. He had also written poetry. Why
then should he not have written Rowley's poems?
3. His declaration that the _Battle of Hastings_ I was his own.
4. Rudhall's testimony.
5. Chatterton first exhibited the _Songe to AElla_ in his own
handwriting, then gave Barrett the parchment, which contained strange
textual variations.
6. Rowley's very existence doubtful.
William of Worcester, who lived at his time and was himself of
Bristol, makes no mention of him, though he frequently alludes to
Canynge. Neither Bale, Leland, Pitts nor Turner mentions Rowley.
7. Improbability of there being poems in a muniment chest. 8. Style
unlike other fifteenth century writings.
9. No mediaeval learning or citation of authority to be found in
Rowley; no references to the Round Table and stories of chivalry.
10. Stockings were not knitted in the fifteenth century (_AElla_). MSS.
are referred to as if they were rarities and printed books common.
11. Metres and imitation of Pindar absurdly modern.
12. Mistakes cited which are derived from modern dictionaries
(Tyrwhitt).
13. Existence of undoubted plagiarisms from Shakespeare, Gray, &c.
_For Rowley_.
1. Chatterton's assertion that they were Rowley's, his sister having
represented him as a 'lover of truth from the earliest dawn of
reason.'
2. Catcott's assertion that Chatterton on their first acquaintance had
mentioned by name almost all the poems which have since appeared in
print (Bryant).
3. Smith had seen parchments in the possession of Chatterton, s
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