"He wolde pull down my halles and castles. And reeve me of my lyfe; And ever I feare that paynim kyng, If I reeve him of his wyfe." "Your castles and your towres, father, Are stronglye built aboute; 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 go to his own contree; To fetch him dukes, and lordes, and knightes, That marryed they might be. They had not ridden scant a myle, With kempés many a one. But in did come the Kyng of Spayne, Tone day to marrye Kyng Adland's daughter, Tother day to carrye her home. Then she sent after Kyng Estmere, One whyle then the page he went, Till he had o'ertaken Kyng Estmere, I wis he never blanne. "Tydinges! tydinges! Kyng Estmere!" That will you sore annoye. "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, And evermore well, by me: You must either turne again and fighte, Sayes, "Reade me, reade me, deare brother, Which waye we best may turne and fighte, "Now hearken to me," sayes Adler yonge, "My mother was a western woman, And learned in gramaryé, And when I learned at the schole, Something she taught itt me. "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, And you shall be a harper, brother, Out of the north countrée ; And I'll be your boye so faine of fighte, "And you shall be the best harper, That ever songe in the land. "It shal be written in our forheads, All and in gramāryé, That we twoe are the boldest men, That are in all Christentye." And thus they renisht them to ryde, On twoe good renisht steedes, And when they came to Kyng Adland's halle, Of redd gold shone their weedes. 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, 66 'Of what land soever ye be." "We been harpers," sayd Adler yonge, Sayd, "An your color were whyte and redd, I'd say Kyng Estmere and his brother, Then they pulled out a ryng of gold, Layd it on the porter's arme, "And ever we will thee proud portér, Thou wilt say us no harme." Sore he looked on Kyng Estmere, And sore he handled the ryng, Kyng Estmere he light off his steede, The frothe that came from his bridle bitte, Sayes, "Stable thy steede, thou proud harpér, It doth not become a proud harpér, My ladde he is so lither," he sayd, "He will do nought that's meete, And aye that I could but find the man, Were able him to beate." "Thou speakest proud wordes," sayd the paynim kyng, "Thou harper, here to me; There is a man within this halle, That will beate thy ladd and thee." "O lett that man come down,” he sayd, Downe then came the kemperye man, And looked him in the eare, For all the golde that was under heaven, He durst not neigh him neare. "And how nowe, kempe," sayd the Kyng of Spayn, "And now what aileth thee ?" |