MISCELLANEA. 281 



Concerning "Michael Blaumpayn," the mention of whom in Sandys 

 and Forster's " History of the Violin," has led to recent inquiry, we cite 

 the following from Lord de Dunstanville's edition of " Carew's Survey of 

 Cornwall." 



" In King Henry the Third's time lived Michael of Cornwall, admirable 

 (as those days gave) for his variety of Latin rhymes, who maintained the 

 reputation of his country against Henry de Abrincis, the King's arch poet, but 

 somewhat angrily, as it seemeth by these verses against the said de Abrincis : 



Est tibi gamba capri, crus passeris, et latus apri, 

 Os leporis, catuli nasus, dens et gena muli, 

 Frons vetulae, tauri caput, et color undique mauri. 

 His argumentis, quibus est argutia mentis. 

 Quod non a monstro differs, satis hoc tibi monstro. 



" Thus translated by Dr. Fuller, who calls him Michael Blaunpaim : 



Gamb'd like a goat, sparrow-thigh'd, side as boar, 



Hare-mouth'd, dog-nos'd, like mule thy teeth and chin, 



Brow'd as old wife, bull-headed, black as Moor. 

 If such without, then what are you within ? 



By these my signs the wise will easily conster, 



How little thou didst differ from a monster. 



" Mr. Camden terms this Michael by much the most eminent poet of his 

 age, and mentions some other verses of the same poem in praise of his 

 country against the said libeller ; which I shall here insert, with Fuller's 

 translation : 



Non opus est ut opes numerem quibus est opulenta, 



Et per quos inopes sustentat non ope lenta, 



Piscibus et stanno nusquam tam fertilis ora. 



/ 

 We need not number up her wealthy store, 



Wherewith this helpful land relieves her poor, 



No sea so full of fish, of tin no shore. 



' And then,' saith Camden, ' after a long harangue made upon his 

 countrymen, telling us in his tingling verse, how Arthur always set them in 

 the front of the battle, at last boldly concludes : 



Quid nos deterret, si firmiter in pede stemus ? 

 Fraus ni nos superet, nihil est quod non superimus. 



What should us fright, if firmly we do stand ? 

 Bar fraud, and then no force can us command.' 



«' He flourished An. Dom. 1250 (and not 1350, as Fuller has said by mis- 

 take), though the certain time and place of his death is unknown." 



