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SIR CAULINE.

PART II.

EVERY white will have its black,
And every sweet its sour:
This found the Lady Christabelle,
In an untimely hour.

For so it befell, as Sir Cauline
Was with that lady fair,

The king her father walked forth
To take the evening air.

And into the arbour as he went,

To rest his weary feet,

He found his daughter and Sir Cauline There set in dalliance sweet.

The king he started forth, I wis,
And an angry man was he;

Now, traitor! thou shalt hang or draw,
And rue shall thy lady.

Then forth Sir Cauline he was led,

And thrown in dungeon deep; And the lady into a tower so high, There left to wail and weep.

The queen

she was Sir Cauline's friend,

And to the king said she,

I pray you save Sir Cauline's life,

And let him banished be.

Now, dame, that traitor should be sent

Across the salt sea foam:

But here I will make thee a band-
If ever he come within this land,
A foul death is his doom.

All woe-begone was that gentle knight,
To part from his lady:

And many time he sighed sore,
And cast a wistful eye,—

Fair Christabelle, from thee to part,
Far lever had I die!

Fair Christabelle, that lady bright,
Was had forth of the tower:
But ever she droopeth in her mind,
As nipped by an ungentle wind,
Doth some fair lily flower.

And ever she doth lament and weep,

To tint her lover so :

Sir Cauline, thou little think'st on me,
But I will still be true.

Many a king, and many a duke,
And lord of high degree,
Did sue to that fair lady, of love,

But never she would them nee. ‡

When many a day was passed and gone,
No comfort she could find:

The king proclaimed a Tournament,

To cheer his daughter's Inind.

And there came lords, and there came knights,

From many a far country,

To break a spear for their lady's love,

Before that fair lady.

* Rather.

+ Lose.

+ Approach.

And many a lady there was set
In purple and in pall :*

But fair Christabelle so woe begone,
Was the fairest of them all.

Then many a knight was mickle of might,
Before his lady gay:

But a Stranger wight, whom no man knew,
He won the prize each day.

His acton + it was all of black,

His hewberke, and his shield;

Nor no man wist whence he did come,
Nor no man knew where he had gone,
When they came from the field.

And now three days were prestly past
In feats of chivalry,

When lo! upon the fourth morning,
A sorrowful sight they see.

A hughy giant stiff and stark,
All foul of limb and lear,

Too goggling eyen, like fire farden,
A mouth from ear to ear.

Before him came a dwarf full low,

That waited at his knee;

And at his back five heads he bore,
All wan and pale of blee. §

* From pallium, Lat.—any cloak or robe, of velvet, or other rich stuff.

+ A quilted vest of taffety, worn under the armour, to protect the body from bruises; but sometimes it is taken for the armour itself: its proper title is acquetoun, or hocqueton.

A coat of armour, composed of an infinite number of small chains or rings, so close as to be impervious to the point of a weapon: chain-mail.

§ Complexion.

Sir, quoth the dwarf, and louted low,
Behold that hend Soldain,*-

Behold these heads I bear with me,

They are kings which he hath slain.

The Eldridge knight, is his own cousin,
Whom a knight of thine hath shent,
And he is come to avenge his wrong,
And to thee, all thy knights among,
Defiance here hath sent.

But yet he will appease his wrath,
Thy daughter's love to win,
And, but thou yield him that fair maid,
Thy halls and towers must brenne. †

Thy head, Sir King, must go with me,
Or else thy daughter dear,

Or else within these lists so broad,
Thou must find him a peer.

The king he turned him round about,
And in his heart was woe:

Is there never a knight of my round table, §
This matter will undergo?

Is there never a knight amongst ye all,

Will fight for my daughter and me?
Whoever will fight yon grim Soldan,
Right fair his meed shall be.

* Soldan, or soudain, a corruption of sultan.-Hend, according to Dr. Perey, is kind, or gentle.

+ Burn.

An equal champion.-PAR, Lat.

The title of round table was not confined to the time of King Arthur, but was often applied to lists and tournaments: it is said, in these later instances, to have been derived from the circular form of the enclosed ground.

For he shall have my broad lay lands,
And of my crown be heir,
And he shall win fair Christabelle
To be his wedded feere.

But every knight of his round table

Did stand both still and pale,

For whenever they looked on the grim Soldan, It made their hearts to quail.

All woe-begone was that fair lady,

When she saw no help was nigh;

She cast her thought on her own true love,
And the tears gushed from her eye.

Up then starts the Stranger knight,
Said, Lady be not afraid,

I'll fight for thee with this grim Soldan,
Tho' he be unmackly* made.

And if thou wilt lend me the Eldridge sword
That lieth within thy bower,

I trust in Christ for to slay this fiend,
Tho' he be stiff in stower.

Go fetch him down the Eldridge sword,
The king, he cried, with speed;

Now Heaven assist thee, courteous knight!
My daughter is thy meed.

The giant he stepped into the lists,
And said, Away! away!

I swear, as I am the hend Soldan,
Thou lettest + me here all day.

Then forth the Stranger knight he came,
In his black armour dight;

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