Although it is seven years and more She shall come once down for your sake, Down then came that maiden fair And half a hundred of bold knights, The talents of gold were on her head set, Says, God you save, my dear madam, And if you love me, as you say, All that ever you are coming about, Then bespake her father dear, What he said yesterday. He would pull down my halls and castles, And reave me of my life; I cannot blame him if he do, If I reave him of his wife. Your castles and your towers, father, Are strongly built about; And therefore of the King of Spain We need not stand in doubt. Plight me your troth, now King Estmere, Then King Estmere he plight his troth, And he took leave of that lady fair, To fetch him dukes and lords and knights, They had not ridden scant a mile, But in did come the King of Spain But in did come the King of Spain With many a bold baron, One day to marry King Adland's daughter, T'other day to carry her home. She sent one after King Estmere, In all the speed might be, That he must either turn again and fight, Or go home and lose his lady. One while the page he went, Another while he ran, Till he had overtaken King Estmere, I wis he never blanne. A man of war. Kemperye, the same,-from the German, according to Dr. Percy. Tidings! tidings! King Estmere! O tidings I can tell to you You had not ridden scant a mile, But in did come the King of Spain, But in did come the King of Spain, With many a bold baron, The one day to marry King Adland's daughter, My lady fair she greets you well, You must either turn again and fight, Or Says, read me, read me, dear brother, Now hearken to me, says Adler young, I quickly will devise a way, My mother was a western woman, * My counsel shall come from thee. + The old word for magic of all kinds. Dr. Percy derives it from the French word grimoire, which signifies a book of spells. The Editor would almost have ventured to derive it from grammaire (i. e. learning), as most persons of unusual knowledge were then thought to have supernatural powers. There grows an herb within this field, And if it were but known, His colour which is white and red, It will make black and brown. His colour which is brown and black, And you shall be a harper, brother, And I'll be your boy so fain of sight, And you shall be the best harper It shall be written in our foreheads That we two are the boldest men And thus they renisht them to ride And when they came to King Adland's hall, Of red gold shone their weeds. And when they came to King Adland's hall, Untill the fair hall gate, There they found a proud porter Rearing himself thereat. Says, Christ thee save! thou proud porter; Says, Christ thee save and see! Now you be welcome, said the porter, Of what land soever ye be. * Are. * We been harpers, said Adler young, Come out of the North country; We been come hither until this place, Said, and your colour were white and red, I would say, King Estmere and his brother Then they pulled out a ring of gold, And ever we will thee, proud porter, Sore he looked on King Estmere, King Estmere he stabled his steed So fair at the hall board; The froth that came from his bridle bit, Says, stable thy steed, thou proud harper, It doth not beseem a proud harper, To stable him in a king's hall. My lad he is so lither, he said, He will do nought that's meet! + Strange as this passage may seem, it is not inconsistent with the manners of that age, a relic of which Dr. Percy says, is preserved in the King's champion riding into Westminster Hall at the coronation. The spacious halls of Eltham Palace, Caernarvon Castle, &c., with many others remaining, afforded ample scope for the entry of a body of equestrians. |