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Ruddeborne, rudborne (in Saxon, red-water); a river near Saint Albans, famous for the battles there fought between the houses of Lancaster and York.

2 Unauthorized. The imitative verb crool, or something like it, is said to have denoted the sound made by the dove.

3 Mr. Bowles has introduced this line in his Monody, written at Matlock.

Whilst hush'd, and by the mace of ruin rent,
Sinks the forsaken hall of merriment.
The breezy call of incense-breathing morn,
The swallow twittering from her straw-built
shed,

The cock's shrill clarion, or the echoing born,
No more shall rouse them from their lowly
bed. Gray.

VOL. XV.

Thenne (botte the seynctes forbydde!) gif to a spryte [traughte Syrr Rychardes forme ys lyped, I'll holde dys Hys bledeynge claie-colde corse, and die eche daie yun thoughte.

ELINOURE.

Ah woe bementynge wordes; what wordes can
shewe!

Thou limed ryver, on thie linche maie bleede
Champyons, whose bloude wylle wythe thie
waterres flowe,
[deede!

And Rudborne streeme be Rudborne streeme in-
Haste, gentle Juga, tryppe ytte oere the meade,
To knowe, or wheder we muste waile agayne,
Or wythe oure fallen knyghtes be menged onne the
plain.

So sayinge, lyke twa levyn-blasted trees,
Or twayne of cloudes that holdeth stormie
rayne;

Theie moved gentle oere the dewie mees,
To where Seyncte Albons holie skrynes re-
mayne.
[were slayne,
There dyd theye fynde that bothe their knyghtes
Distraughte theie wandered to swollen Rudbornes
syde,
[and dyde.
Yelled theyre lethalle knelle, sonke ynn the waves,

THE PARLYAMENTE OF SPRYTES.

[From Barrett's History of Bristol. The original in Chatterton's hand-writing is in the British Museum. It was among the most early communications of Chatterton to Mr. Barrett.]

A MOST MERRIE ENTYRLUDE, Plaied bie the Carmelyte Freeres at Mastre Canynges hys greete howse, before Mastre Canynges and Byshoppe Carpenterre', on dedicatynge the chyrche of Oure Ladie of Redclefte, hight the Parlyamente of Sprytes. Wroten bie T. Rowleie and J. Iscamme2.

Entroductyon bie Queen Mabbe,
(Bie Iscamme.)

Whan from the crthe the sonnes hulstred,
Than from the flouretts straughte3 with dewe;
Mie leege menne makes yee awhaped,
And wytches theyre wytchencref doe.

John Carpenter, bishop of Worcester, who in conjunction with Mr. Canynge, founded the abbey at Westbury.

John Iscam, according to Rowley, was a canon of the monastery of Saint Augustine in Bristol. He wrote a dramatic piece called The Pleasaunt Dyscorses of Lamyngeton; also at the desire of Mr. Canynge (Rowley being then collecting of drawings for Mr. Canynge) he translated a Latin piece called Miles Brystolli into English metre, The place of his birth is not known.

3 Straughte, stretched. I think this line is borrowed from a much better one of Rowley's, viz. Like kynge cuppes brasteynge wyth the mornynge dew. The reason why I think Iscam guilty of the plagiary is, that the Songe to Ella, from whence the above line is taken, was wrote when Rowley was in London collecting of drawings for Mr. Canynge to build the church, and Ischam

CC

Then ryse the sprytes ugsome and rou,
And take theyre walke the letten throwe.
Than do the sprytes of valourous menne,
Agleeme along the barbed halle;
Pleasaunte the moultrynge banners kenne,
Or sytte arounde yn honourde staile.

Oure sprytes atourne theyr eyone to nyghte,
And looke on Canynge his chyrche bryghte.
In sothe yn alle mie bismarde rounde,
Troolie the thynge must be bewryen:
Inne stone or woden worke ne founde,
Nete so bielecoyle to myne eyne,

As ys goode Canynge hys chyrche of stone,
Whych blatauntlie wylle shewe his prayse alone.

To Johannes Carpenterre Byshoppe of Worcesterre. (Bie Rowleie.)

To you goode Byshoppe, I address mie saie,
To you who honoureth the clothe you weare;
Lyke pretious bighes ynne golde of best allaie
Echone dothe make the other seeme more fayre:
Other than you5 where coulde a manne be founde
So fytte to make a place bee holie grounde.

The sainctes ynne stones so netelie carvelled,
Theie scantlie are whatte theie enseeme to be;
Bie fervente praier of yours myghte rear theyre
heade,

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sprunge,

Tho boddie weak thie soule for ever younge.

Thou knowest welle thie conscience free from steyne,

Thie soule her rode no sable batements have;
Yclenchde oer wythe vyrtues beste adaygne,
A daie aeterne thie mynde does aie adave.
Ne spoyled widdowes, orphyans dystreste,
Ne starvvynge preestes ycrase thie nyghtlie reste.

Here then to thee let me for one and alle
Give lawde to Carpenterre and commendatyon,
For hys grete vyrtues but alas! too smalle
Is mie poore skylle to shewe you hys juste blatyon,
Or to blaze forthe hys publicke goode alone,
And alle his pryvate goode to Godde and hym ys
knowne.

Spryte of Nymrodde speaketh.
(Bie Iscamme.)

Soon as the morne but newlie wake,
Spyed nyghte ystorven lye;

On herre corse dyd dew droppes shake,
Then fore the Sonne upgotten was 1.

The rampynge lyon, felle tygere,

The bocke that skyppes from place to place,
The olyphaunte" and rhynocere,

Before mee throughe the greene woode I dyd chace.
Nymrodde as scryptures hyght mie name,
Baalle as jetted stories saie;

For rearynge Babelle of greete fame,

Mie name and renome shaalle lyven for aie:
But here I spie a fyner rearynge,

Geust whych the clowdes dothe not fyghte,

Onne whych the starres doe sytte to appearynge: Weeke menne thynke ytte reache the kyngdom of lyghte.

O where ys the manne that buylded the same,
Dyspendynge worldlie store so welle;

Fayn woulde I chaunge wyth hym mie name,
And stande ynne hys chaunce ne to goe to Helle.

Spryte of Assyrians syngeth.

Whan toe theyre caves aeterne abeste 8,
The waters ne moe han dystreste
The worlde so large;
Butte dyde dyscharge
Themselves ynto theyre bedde of reste,

Then menne besprenged alle abroade,
Ne moe dyde worshyppe the true Godde;
Butte dyd create
Hie temples greate
Unto the image of Nymrodde.

But now the Worde of Godde is come,
Borne of Maide Marie toe brynge home
Mankynde hys shepe,
Theme for to keepe

In the folde of hys heavenlie kyngdome.
Thys chyrche whych Canynge he dyd reer,
To be dispente in prayse and prayer,
Mennes soules to save,

From vowrynge grave,

Ande puryfye them heaven were 9.

Sprytes of Elle, Bythrycke, Fytz-hardynge, Frampton, Gauntes, Segowen, Lanyngeton, Knyghtes Templars, and Byrtonne.

(Bie Rowleie.)

Spryte of Bythrycke speeketh. Elle, thie Brystowe is thie onlie care, Thou arte lyke dragonne vyllant of yts gode; Ne lovynge dames toe kynde moe love can bear, Ne Lombardes over golde moe vyllaunt broode.

7 Olyphaunt, elephant. So an ancient anonymous author:

The olyphaunt of beastes is
The wisest I wis,

For hee alwaie dothe eat

Lyttle store of meat.

8 Abeste, according to Rowley, humbled or brought down. And Rowleie saies "thie pryde

wrote the above a little before the finishing of the wylle be abeste." Entroductyon to the Entyrchurch.

5" Other than you," &c. Carpenter dedicated the church, as appears by a poem written by Rowley.

6 Rode, complection. I take the meaning of this line to be," The complection of my soul is free from the black marks of sin."

lude of the Apostate.

9 Heaven were, heavenward, so Rowley: Not goulde or bighes will bring thee heaven were, Ne kyne or mylkie flockes upon the playne, Ne mannours rych nor banners brave and fayre, Ne wife the sweetest of the erthlie trayne. Entroductyon to the Enterlude of the Apostate.

Spryte of Elle speeketh.

Swythyn, yee sprytes, forsake the bollen floude,
And browke a sygthe wyth mee, a syghte enfyne;
Welle have I vended myne for Danyshe bloude,
Syth thys greete structure greete mie whaped eyne.
Yee that have buylden on the Radclefte syde,
Tourne there your eyne and see your workes out-
vyde.

Spryte of Bythrycke speeketh.

What wondrous monumente! what pyle ys thys!
That byndes in wonders chayne entendemente!
That dothe aloof the ayrie skyen kyss,
And seemeth mountaynes joined bie cemente,
From Godde hys greete and wondrous storehouse

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Were I once moe caste yn a' mortalle frame,
To heare the chauntrie songe sounde ynne myne
To heare the masses to owre holie dame, [eare,
To viewe the cross yles and the arches fayre!
Through the halfe hulstred sylver twynklynge
glare

Of yon bryghte Moone in foggie mantles dreste,
I must contente the buyldynge to aspere,
Whylste ishad cloudes the hallie syghte arreste.
Tyll as the uyghtes growe wayle I flie the lyghte,
O were I manne agen to see the syghte!
There sytte the canons; clothe of sable hue
Adorne the boddies of them everie one;
The chaunters whyte with scarfes of woden blewe,
And crymson chappeaus for them toe put onne,
Wythe golden tassyls glyttrynge ynne the Sunne;
The dames ynne kyrtles alle of Lyncolne greene,
And knotted shoone pykes of brave coloures done:
A fyner syghte yn sothe was never seen.

Byrtonne's spryte speeketh.

Inne tyltes and turnies was mie dear delyghte,
For manne and Godde hys warfare han renome;
At everyche tyltynge yarde mie name was hyghte,

I beare the belle awaie whereer I come.
Of Redclifte chyrche the buyldynge newe I done,
And dyd fulle manie holie place endowe,
Of Maries house made the foundacyon,
And gave a threescore markes to Johnes hys toe.
Then clos'd myne eyne on Erthe to ope no moe,
Whylst syx moneths mynde upon mie grave was
doe.

Full gladde am I mie chyrche was pyghten down,
Syth thys brave structure doth agreete myne eye.
Thys geason buyldynge limedst of the towne,
Like to the donours soule, shalle never die;
But if percase Tyme, of hys dyre envie, [stone;
Shalle beate ytte to rude walles and throckes of
The faytour traveller that passes bie
Wylle see yttes royend auntyaunte splendoure

shewne

Inne the crasd arches and the carvellynge,
And pyllars theyre greene heades to Heaven rear-
ynge.

Spryte of Segowen speeketh.

Bestoykynge golde was once myne onlie toie,
Wyth ytte mie soule wythynne the coffer laie;
Itte dyd the mastrie of mie lyfe emploie,
Bie nyghte mie leman and mie jubbe bie daye.
Once as I dosynge yn the wytch howre laie,
Thynkynge howe to benym the orphyans breadde,
And from the redeless take theyre goodes awaie,
I from the skien heare a voyce, which said,
"Thou sleepest, but loe Sathan is awake;" [take.
Some deede thats holie doe, or hee thie soule wylle

[telle,

I swythyn was upryst wyth feere astounde;
Methoughte yn merke was plaien devylles felle:
Strayte dyd I nomber twentie aves rounde,
Thoughten full soone for to go to Helle.
In the morne mie case to a goode preeste dyd
Who dyd areede mee to ybuild that daie
The chyrche of Thomas, thenne to pieces felle.
Mie heart dispanded into Heaven laie:
Soon was the sylver to the workmenne given,—
Twas beste astowde, a karynte gave to Heaven.
But welle, I wote, thie causalles were not soe,
Twas love of Godde that set thee on the rearynge
Of this fayre chyrch, O Canynge, for to doe
Thys lymed buyldynge of so fyne appearynge:
Thys chyrch owre lesser buyldyngs all owt-dary-
inge,

Lyke to the Moone wythe starres of lyttle lyghte;
And after tymes the feetyve pyle reverynge,
The prynce of chyrches buylders thee shall hyghte;
Greete was the cause, but greeter was the effecte,
So alle wyll saie who doe thys place prospect.

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and fyre.

As stopped ryvers alwaies ryse moe hygher,
And rammed stones bie opposures stronger bee;
So thie whan vanquyshed dyd prove moe dyre,
And for one peysan theie dyd threescore slee.
From them of Denmarques royalle bloude came I,
Welle myghte I boaste of mie gentylytie.

The pypes maie sounde and bubble forth mie
And tellen what on Radclefte syde 1 dyd: [name,
Trinytie Colledge ne agrutche mie fame,
The fayrest place in Brystowe ybuylded.
The royalle bloude that thorow mie vaynes slydde
Dyd tyncte mie harte wythe manie a noble

thoughte;

Lyke to mie mynde the mynster yreared,
Wythe noble carvel workmanshyppe was wroughte.
Hie at the deys, lyke to a kynge on's throne,
Dyd I take place and was myself alone.
But thou, the buylder of this swotie place,
Where alle the say nctes in sweete ajunctyon stande,
A verie Heaven for yttes fetyve grace,
The glorie and the wonder of the lande, [hande,
That shewes the buylders mynde and fourmers
To bee the beste that on the Erthe remaynes;
At once for wonder and delyghte commaunde,
Shewynge howe muche hee of the godde reteynes,

Canynge the great, the charytable, and good,
Noble as kynges, if not of kyngelie bloude.

Spryte of Framptone speeketh.

Brystowe shall speeke mie name, and Radclefte toe,

For here mie deeds were goddelye everychone;
As Owdens mynster bie the gate wylle shewe,
And Johnes at Brystowe what mie workes han done.
Besydes anere howse that I han begunne;
Butte myne comparde to thyssen ys a groffe:
Nete to bee mencioned or looked upon,

A verie punelstre or verie scoffe;
Canynge, thie name shall lyven be for aie,
Thie name ne wyth the chyrche shall waste awaie.

Spryte of Gaunts speeketh.

I dyd fulle manie reparatyons give,
And the bonne Hommes dyd fulle ryche endowe;
As tourynge to mie Godde on Erthe dyd lyve,
So alle the Brystowe chronycles wylle shewe.
But all my deedes wylle bee as nothynge nowe
Syth Canynge have thys buyldynge fynyshed,
Whych seemeth to be the pryde of Brystowe,
And bie ne buyldeyng to bee overmatched :
Whyche aie shalle laste and bee the prayse of
[alle,

And onlie in the wrecke of nature falle.

A Knyghte Templars spryte speeketh.

In hallie land where Sarasins defyle
The grounde whereon oure Savyour dyd goe,
And Chryste hys temple make to moschyes vyle,
Wordies of despyte genst oure Savyour throwe.
There twas that we dyd our warfarage doe,
Guardynge the pylgryms of the Chrystyan faie;
And dyd owre holie armes in bloude embrue,
Movynge lyke thonder boultes yn drear arraie.
Owre strokes lyke levyn tareynge the tall tree
Owre Godde owre arme wyth lethalle force dyd
dree.
[welthe,

Maint tenures fayre, ande mannoures of greete Greene woodes, and brooklettes runnynge throughe the lee,

Dyd menne us gyve for theyre deare soule her helthe,

Gave erthlie ryches for goodes heavenlie.
Ne dyd we lette our ryches untyle bee,
But dyd ybuylde the Temple chyrche soe fyne,
The whyche ys wroughte abowte so bismarelie;
Itte seemeth camoys to the wondrynge eyne;
And ever and anon when belles rynged,

From place to place ytte moveth yttes hie heade: Butte Canynge from the sweate of hys owne browes,

Dyd gette hys golde and rayse thys fetyve howse.

Lanyngetonnes spryte speeketh.

Lette alle mie faultes bee buried
ynne the grave;
Alle obloquyes be rotted wythe mie duste;
Lette him fyrst carpen that no wemmes have:
"Tys paste mannes nature for to be aie juste.
But yet in sothen to rejoyce I muste,
That I dyd not immeddle for to buylde;
Sythe thys quaintissed place so gloryous,
Seemeyng alle chyrches joyned yn one guylde,
Has nowe supplied for what I had done,
Whych toe mie cierge is a gloryous soune,

Elle's spryte speeketh.

Then let us alle do jyntelie reveraunce here,
The beste of menne and by shoppes here doe stande:
Who are Goddes shepsterres and do take good
care,

Of the goode shepe hee putteth yn theyre hand;
Ne one is loste butte alle in well likande
Awayte to heare the Generalle Byshoppes calle,
When Mychaels trompe shall sound to ynmoste
Affryghte the wycked and awaken alle: [lande,
Then Canynge ryses to eternal reste,

And fyndes hee chose on Erthe a lyfe the beste.

THE TOURNAMENT.

AN INTERLUDE.

[This poem is printed from a copy made by Mr.
Catcott, from one in Chatterton's hand-writing.
Sir Simon de Bourton, the hero of this poem, is
supposed to have been the first founder of a
church dedicated to "oure Ladie," in the place
where the church of St. Mary Redcliffe now stands.
The following account is transcribed from one
of the parchment manuscripts produced by
Chatterton:-
"Symonne de Byrtonne eldest sonne of syrre Bald-
wynus de Byrtonne, was born on the eve of the
annunciation m.cc.xxxxxxv. hee was desyr-
abelle of aspect, and in hys yowthe much yeven
to tourneyeynge, and m.c.c.xxxxxxxx at Wyn-
chestre yule games won myckle honnoure, he
abstaynyd from marryage, he was myckle learned,
and ybuylded a house in the Yle of Wyghte af-
ter fashyon of a pallayse royaul, goodlye to be-
houlde, wyth carvelly'd pyllars on whych was
thys ryme wroten:

Fulle nobille is thys kyngelie howse
And eke fulle nobille thee,
Echone is for the other fytte

As saynctes for Heaven bee.

"Hee ever was fullen of almesdeeds and was of the poore beloved: in m.cc.lxxxv kynge Edwarde kepte hys Chrystmasse at Bryghtstowe and proceeded agaynste the Welchmenne ebroughtenne manye stronge and dowghtee knyghts, amongst who were syrre Ferrars Nevylle, Geoffroie Freeman, Clymar Percie, Heldebrand Gournie, Ralph Mohun, syr Lyster Percie, and Edgare Knyvet, knyghtes of renowne, who established a three days jouste on sayncte Maryes Hylle; syrre Ferrars Nevylle appeared dyghte in ruddy armoure, bearyn a rampaunte lyon gutte de sangue, agaynste hym came syr Gervayse Teysdylle, who bearyd a launce issuynge proper, but was quycklie overthrowen: then appeared Leonarde Ramsay, who had a honde issuante holdeynge a bloudie swerde peercynge a couroune wyth a sheelde peasenue with sylver; he ranne twayne tyltes, but Neville throwen hym on the thy.de rencountre then dyd the aforesayd syrre Symonne de Byrtonne avow that if he overthrowen syrre Ferrars Neville, he would 'This circumstance is proved by our old chronicles under the year 1285. Rex Edw. 1 per Walliam progrediens occidentalem intravit Glamorganciam, quæ ad Comitem Gloveruiæ noscitur pertinore: rex dein Bristolliam veniens festum Dominicæ nativitatis eo anno ibi tenit.-Barrett.

there erecte and builde a chyrche to owre Ladye: allgate there stoode anigh Lamyngtonnes Ladies chamber: hee then encountred vygorously, and bore syrre Ferrars horse and man to the grounde, remaynynge konyge, victore knyght of the jouste, ande settynge atte the ryghte honde of k. Edwarde. Inne m.cclxxxxi hee performed hys vowen ybuylden a godelye chyrche from a pattern of St. Oswaldes abbyes chyrcbe, and the day of our Lordes natyvyty m.ccc.i. Gylbert de Sante Leonfardoe byshope of Chychestre dyd dedicate it to the Holie Vyrgynne Marye moder of Godde."]

Enter an HERAWDE.

THE tournament begynnes; the hammerrs sounde;
The courserrs lysse about the mensuredd fielde;
The shemrynge armoure throwes the sheene
arounde;

Quayntyssed fons depicted onn eche sheelde,
The feerie heaulmets, wythe the wreathes amielde,
Supportes the rampynge lyoncell orr beare,
Wythe straunge depyctures, nature maie nott
Unseemlie to all orderr doe appere, [yeelde,
Yett yatte to menne, who thyncke and have a spryte,
Makes knowen thatt the phantasies unryghte.
I, sonne of honnoure, spencer of her joies,
Muste swythen goe to yeve the speeres arounde;
Wythe advantayle' and borne1 I meynte emploie,

"In the notes adventayle is interpreted armour, and borne burnish. In this passage there seem to be several mistakes. The transcriber has expressed the former word with a d, adventayle and advantayle: in which, if there be any propriety, he was, I believe, little aware of it. The true spelling is supposed to be aventayle, from the French avant. It was some part of a suit of armour which projected; and this might have been known from Skinner. Aventaile: credo a Franco-Gallico jam obsoleto, aventail; prætentura ferrea: googvidov: ab adverbio avant. A like account is afforded by Du Cange; but neither of them define precisely what piece of armour it was. However from the accounts which are uniformly given of it, we may be assured that it was something which stood forward; and is therefore supposed by Du Cange to be anterior armaturæ pars. In the MSS. of William and the Werwolf, mention is made of the hero seizing upon a person with whom he is engaged in fight, which circumstance is thus described:

William thant witli by the aventayle him hente, To have with his swerd swapped of his heade.

P. 54

We find that he laid hold of a particular part of the armour, such as most facilitated his cutting off the head of the enemy. This therefore must have been part of the helmet; and that part especially which was most prominent and liable to be seized upon; and this I take to have been the beaver. There were several sorts of helmets of different denominations; and I imagine that one of them was styled aventaile or adventaile, from a moveable beaver, which was made to slide up and down. The name was given from its affording, when the beaver was up, an opening to the air for respiration; and seems to have been derived, not from

Who withoute mee woulde fall untoe the grounde,
Soe the tall oake the ivie twysteth rounde;
Soe the neshe flowerr grees ynne the woodeland
shade.

The worlde bie diffraunce ys ynne orderr founde;
Wydhoute unlikenesse nothynge could bee made.
As ynn the bowke nete alleyn cann bee donne,
Syke ynn the weal of kynde all thynges are partes
of onne.

avant but from ad and ventus, or ventilo; from whence was formed the French word aventail. Du Cange quotes from Rymer's Foed. an order tom 8. p. 384. Tredecim loricas, quinque aventailles, quadraginta arcus, &c. The beaver of an helmet projected be yond the helm, and stood hollow; so that it gave an opportunity for a person to lay hold of it and to force the head of his enemy downward. From hence I am induced to think, that an adventailwas properly that fore part of the helmet, the beaver, but which often gave name to the whole. When

this beaver, was put up, it afforded an opening to breathe more freely, and to receive fresh air; which opening was from thence styled a ventail from ventil. When Æneas was healed of his wound by Iapis, and was returning completely armed to battle, he embraced his son who stood by his side, and kissed him; which is thus described by Gawin Douglas.

Ascaneus zoung tendirly the ilk place
With all his harnes belappit dyd embrace,
And thro his helms ventall a lytell we
Him kissit.

P. 425, 1. 18.

It is expressed after the same manner in an ancient poem quoted by Mr. Warton. Hist, of Eng. Poetry v. 1.p. 163.

Upon his shoulders a shelde of steele,
With the lybardes painted wele,
And helme he had of ryche entayle,
Trusty and trewe was his ventayle.

From His. of Richard Coeur de Lion.

There is a passage in the interlude of Ælla, where the adventaile is mentioned in conjunction with the helmet.

Who haveth trodden downe the adventayle And tore the beaulmes from heads of myckle myghte.

v. 469.

Ventale or ventall, a vent-hole and breathing part of a helmet: a Fr. ventaille. Gloss. to Gawin Douglas. Hence I imagine that the beaver and the helmet itself had the name of adventail and aventail from being constructed in such a manner as to afford occasionally such an opening.

2 Borne. By this word is signified a kind of gorget or breast-plate expressed more commonly burn and byrn; from the byrna of the Saxons. Bynna, lorica. Sax. Dict. In the laws of K. Athelstan mention is made of a person having a burn and helm. c. 72. In the laws also of k. Ina, a burn and sword are spoken of, c. 55. It was sometimes expressed bryne and brynia. Brynia, lorica, hringa brynia, lorica annulis ferreis concatenata. Olai Verelii. Lex Sueo-Goth. It is taken notice of by Du Cange as it is differently exhibited. Brunea,

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