And whan the came to kyng Adlands hall, Untill the fayre hall yate, There they found a proud portèr Rearing himselfe thereatt. Sayes, Christ thee save, thou proud portèr ; 175 Sayes, Christ thee save and see. Nowe you be welcome, sayd the portèr, Of what land soever ye bee. Wee beene harpers, sayd Adler younge, Come out of the northe countrye ; Wee beene come hither untill this place, This proud weddinge for to see. Sayd, And your color were white and redd, As it is blacke and browne, 180 1 wold saye king Estmere and his brother Were comen untill this towne. 185 Then they pulled out a ryng of gold, Layd itt on the porters arme : And ever we will thee, proud portèr, Thow wilt saye us no harme. Sore he looked on kyng Estmère, And sore he handled the ryng, Then opened to them the fayre hall yates, 190 Kyng Kyng Estmere he stabled his steede Soe fayre att the hall bord; The froth, that came from his brydle bitte, 195 Light in kyng Bremors beard. Saies, Stable thy steed, thou proud harpèr, Thou speakst proud words, sayes the king of Spaine, Thou harper, here to mee: There is a man within this halle Will beate thy ladd and thee. O let that man come downe, he said, A sight of him wold I see; And when hee hath beaten well Then he shall beate of mee. 210 my ladd, Downe then came the kemperye man, 215 And looked him in the eare; For all the gold, that was under heaven, He durst not neigh him neare. Ver. 202. To stable his steede. fol. MS. And And how nowe, kempe, said the kyng of Spaine, And how what aileth thee? He saies, It is writt in his forhead All and in gramaryè, That for all the gold that is under heaven I dare not neigh him nye. 220 Then kyng Estmere pulld forth his harpe, 225 And plaid a pretty thinge : The ladye upstart from the borde, And wold have gone from the king. Stay thy harpe, thou proud harpèr, He stroake upon his harpe againe, Saies, Sell me thy harpe, thou proud harper, And thy stringès all, For as many gold nobles thou shalt have' As heere bee ringes in the hall. What wold ye doe with my harpe,' he sayd,' If I did sell itt yee? * i. e. entice, Vid. Gloss. 230 235 240 "To "To playe my wiffe and me a FITT *, When abed together wee bee." Now sell me, quoth hee, thy bryde soe gay, 245 As shee sitts by thy knee, And as many gold nobles I will give, As leaves been on a tree. And what wold ye doe with my bryde soe gay, "O ladye, this is thy owne true love; 255 "O ladye, this is thy owne true love, "And Ile rid thee of that foule paynìm, "Who partes thy love and thee.” 260 The ladye looked, the ladye blushte, While Adler he hath drawne his brande, I. e. a tune, or strain of music. See Gloss. Ver. 253. Some liberties have been taken in the following stanZas; but wherever this Edition differs from the preceding, it hath been brought nearer to the folio MS. Up Up then rose the kemperye men, And loud they gan to crye: Ah! traytors, yee have slayne our kyng, Kyng Estmere threwe the harpe asyde, And swith he drew his brand; And Estmere he, and Adler yonge 265 270 Right stiffe in stour can stand. And aye their swordes soe sore can byte, Throughe help of Gramaryè, That soone they have slayne the kempery men, 275 Or forst them forth to flee. Kyng Estmere tooke that fayre ladyè, And marryed her to his wiffe, And brought her home to merry Englànd With her to leade his life. 280 * The word Gramarye, which occurs several times in the foregoing Poem, is probably a corruption of the French word Grimoire, which signifies a Conjuring Book in the old French Romances, if not the Art of Necromancy itself. +++ TERMAGAUNT (mentioned above in p. 63.) is the name given in the old romances to the God of the Saracens: in which he is constantly linked with MAHOUND or Mahomet. Thus in the legend of SYR GUY the Sou dan (Sultan) swears, "So helpe me MAHOWNE of might, This |