RHYME.
[To TRH EDITOR OP TIIE " SPZOTATOR.1 SIE,—Your correspondent " W. R. M." quotes the " Ancient Ballad of Chevy-Chase" from Percy's Religues, which records that "when both the leggis" of Wetharryngton or Witherington " wear hewyne in to He knyled and fought on hys kno," and asks for the authority for saying that he "fought upon his stumpes." If " W. H. M." will turn to Book III., Series First, of the same Beliques, he will find in the "More Modern Ballad of Chevy-Chase" (itself sonic three hundred years old) the stanza describing what Dr. Percy calls "the catastrophe of the gallant Witherington" in the latter terms, and also a disquisition by the learned editor on the comparative merits of the two versions, and purticularly on the impression conveyed by "doleful dumper." Moreover, a
note seriously raises the question as to whether the poet or the warrior was "in doleful dumpes." Some later collections of poetry have, I believe, included the "More Modern Ballad," while adopting one or two of the ancient stanzas where these seemed superior. Possibly " W. R. M.'s" edition of the Reliques has done this instead of printing the two versions. In any case, " knyled and fought on bye hue" can claim the
greater antiquity.—I am, Sir, &c., IL E. JERSEY. 10 Montagu Square, W.
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