The tone of them was Adler yonge, They were as bolde men in their deedes, As they were drinking ale and wine, Then bespake him, Kynge Estmere, "I knowe not that ladye in any lande, "King Adland hath a daughter, brother, Sayes, "Reade me, reade me, deare brother, Throughout merrie England; Where we might find a messenger, Betweene us two to send ?" Sayes, "You shal ryde yourself, brother, I'll bear you companée; Many through false messengers are deceived, And I feare lest soe sholde we." Thus they renisht them to ryde, Of twoe good renisht steedes, And when they come to Kyng Adland's halle, Of red gold shone their weedes. And when they come to Kynge Adland's halle, Before the goodlye yate There they found good Kyng Adland, Rearing himself thereatt. "Nowe Christe thee save, good Kyng Adland, Nowe Christ thee save and see!" Said, "You be welcome, Kyng Estmere, "You have a daughter," said Adler yonge, My brother wold marry her to his wyfe, "Yesterday was at my deare daughter, "The Kyng of Spayn is a foule paynim, And pitye it were that fayre ladye, "But grant to me," sayes Kyng Estmere, That I may see your daughter deare, "Although itt is seven yeare and more She shall come downe once for your sake, Down then came that mayden fayre, And half a hundred of bolde knighteɛ, [Scott has almost literally copied the four last lines of this stanza in the first canto of the "Lay of the Last Minstrel." One of the many obligations that we owe to these old unknown poets, is the inspiration that Sir Walter drew from them, an inspiration to be traced almost as frequently in his prose, as in his verse.] The talents of golde were on her head sette And every rynge on her smalle finger Sayes, "Christ you save, my deare madáme ;" Sayes, "You be welcome, Kyng Estmere, Right welcome unto me. "And iff you love me as you saye, So well and heartilée; All that ever you are comen about, Soone sped now itt may bee." Then bespake her father deare: What he sayd yesterdaye. "He wolde pull down my halles and castles, And reeve me of my lyfe; And ever I feare that paynim kyng, "Your castles and your towres, father, Are stronglye built aboute; And therefore of that foul paynim, Wee neede not stande in doubte. 'Plyghte me your troth nowe, Kyng Estmere, Then Kyng Estmere, he plight his troth, And he tooke leave of that ladye fayre, To fetch him dukes, and lordes, and knightes, They had not ridden scant a myle, But in did come the Kyng of Spayne, But in did come the Kyng of Spayne, With many a grimm baròne Tone day to marrye Kyng Adland's daughter, Tother day to carrye her home. Then she sent after Kyng Estmere, In all the spede might bee, That he must either returne and fighte, One whyle then the page he went, Till he had o'ertaken Kyng Estmere, "Tydinges! tydinges! Kyng Estmere!" "You had not ridden scant a myle, A myle out of the towne, But in did come the Kyng of Spayne, With kempés many a one. "But in did come the Kyng of Spayne, With many a bold baròne Tone day to marrye Kyng Adland's daughter, Tother day to carry her home. "That ladye faire she greetes you well, You must either turne again and fighte, Sayes, "Reade me, reade me, deare brother, My reade shall ryde at thee, Which waye we best may turne and fighte, To save this fayre ladye?" "Now hearken to me," sayes Adler yonge, "And your reade must rise at me, I quicklye will devise a waye, To sette thy ladye free. "My mother was a western woman, And when I learned at the schole, "There groweth an hearbe within this fielde, And iff it were but known, His color which is whyte and redde, "His color which is browne and blacke, That sworde is not all Englánde, "And you shall be a harper, brother, Out of the north countrée ; And I'll be your boye so faine of fighte, To beare your harpe by your knee. "And you shall be the best harper, "It shal be written in our forheads, That we twoe are the boldest men, And thus they renisht them to ryde, And when they came to Kyng Adland's halle, And when they came to Kyng Adland's halle, Untill the fayre hall yate, There they found a proud portér, Rearing himselfe thereatt. Sayes, "Christ thee save, thou proud portér," Sayes, "Christ thee save and see." "Now you be welcome," sayd the portér, "Of what land soever ye be." "We been harpers," sayd Adler yonge, "Come out of the north countrée; We been come hither untill this place, This proud wedding for to see.” Sayd, "An your color were whyte and redd, I'd say Kyng Estmere and his brother, Then they pulled out a ryng of gold, "And ever we will thee proud portér, Sore he looked on Kyng Estmere, Then opened to them the fayre hall yates, Kyng Estmere he light off his steede, Up at the fayre hall board; The frothe that came from his bridle bitte, Light on Kyng Bremor's beard. |