Ffor when I came to tearne wadling

a bold barron there I fand

with a great club vpon his backe standing stiffe & strong

And he asked me wether I wold fight

or from him I shold be gone

ot else I must him a ransome pay & soe dep't him from

To fight with him I saw noe cause me thought it was not meet

for he was stiffe & strong wth all his strokes were nothing sweete

Therfor this is my ransome Gawaine I ought to him to pay

I must come againe as I am sworne vpon the Newyeers day

281

And I must bring him word what thing it is [About Nine Stanzas wanting.]

Then King Arthur drest him for to ryde in one soe rich array

towards the foresaid Tearne wadling yt he might keepe his day

And as he rode over a more

hee see a lady where shee sate betwixt an oke and a greene hollen

she was cladd in red scarlett

Then there as shold have stood her mouth then there was sett her eye

the other was in her forhead fast

the way that she might see

Her nose was crooked & turnd outward

her mouth stood foule a wry

a worse formed lady thee shee was

neuerman saw with his eye

To halch vpon him k. Arthur this lady was full faine

but k. Arthur had forgott his lesson what he should say againe

What knight art thou the lady sayd that wilt not speake tome

of me thou nothing dismayd tho I be vgly to see

for I haue halched you courteouslye

& you will not me againe

yett I may happen Sr knight shee said to ease thee of thy paine

Giue thou ease me lady he said

or helpe me any thing

thou shalt haue gentle Gawaine my cozen

& marry him with a ring

And then bespoke him noble Arthur

& bade him hold his hands

& give me leave to speake my mind in defence of all my land

• Sie MS.

Partake," he said, " my simple store, Dried fruits, and milk, and curds;" And spreading all upon the board, Invites with kindly words.

"Thanks, father, for thy bounteous fare;"

The youthful couple say:
Then freely ate, and made good cheer,
And talk'd their cares away.

"Now say, my children, (for perchance

My counsel may avail),

What strange adventure brought you here Witnin this lonely dale?"

"First tell me, father," said the youth,

(Nor blame mine eager tongue),

What town is near? What lands are these? And to what lord belong?"

"Alas! my son," the Hermit said,
"Why do I live to say,

The rightful lord of these domains
Is banish'd far away?

"Ten winters now have shed their snows On this my lowly hall,

Since valiant Hotspur (so the North
Our youthful lord did call)

Against Fourth Henry Bolingbroke Led up his northern powers, And, stoutly fighting, lost his life Near proud Salopia's towers.

"One son he left, a lovely boy,

His country's hope and heir; And, oh! to save him from his foes It was his grandsire's care.

"In Scotland safe he plac'd the child
Beyond the reach of strife,
Nor long before the brave old Earl
At Braham lost his life.

"And now the Percy name, so long

Our northern pride and boast, Lies hid, alas! beneath a cloud; Their honours reft and lost.

No chieftain of that noble house Now leads our youth to arms; The bordering Scots despoil our fields, And ravage all our farms.

"Their halls and castles, once so fair, Now moulder in decay;

Proud strangers now usurp their lands, And bear their wealth away.

"Nor far from hence, where yon full stream Runs winding down the lea,

Fair Warkworth lifts her lofty towers,
And overlooks the sea.

"Those towers, alas! now lie forlorn, With noisome weeds o'erspread,

Where feasted lords and courtly dames, And where the poor were fed.

"Meantime far off, 'mid Scottish hills,
The Percy lives unknown:
On strangers' bounty he depends,
And may not claim his own.

"O might I with these aged eyes

But live to see him here,

Then should my soul depart in bliss!”— He said, and dropt a tear.

"And is the Percy still so lov'd

Of all his friends and thee?

Then, bless me, father," said the youth, "For I, thy guest, am he."

Silent he gaz'd, then turn'd aside
To wipe the tears he shed;
And lifting up his hands and eyes,
Pour'd blessings on his head:

"Welcome, our dear and much-lov'd lord,
Thy country's hope and care:
But who may this young lady be,
That is so wondrous fair?"

"Now, father! listen to my tale,
And thou shalt know the truth:
And let thy sage advice direct
My inexperienc'd youth.

"In Scotland I've been nobly bred Beneath the Regent's hand,

In feats of arms, and every lore
To fit me for command.

"With fond impatience long I burn'd
My native land to see:

At length I won my guardian friend
To yield that boon to me.

"Then up and down in hunter's garb
I wander'd as in chase,

Till in the noble Neville'st house
I gain'd a hunter's place.

"Some time with him I liv'd unknown, Till I'd the hap so rare

To please this young and gentle dame, That Baron's daughter fair."

"Now, Percy," said the blushing maid, "The truth I must reveal; Souls great and generous, like to thine, Their noble deeds conceal.

"It happen'd on a summer's day,
Led by the fragant breeze,

I wander'd forth to take the air
Among the green-wood trees.

"Sudden a band of rugged Scots,
That near in ambush lay,
Moss-troopers from the border-side
There seiz'd me for their prey.

Robert Stuart, Duke of Albany. See the continuation of Fordun's Scoti-Chronicon, cap. 18, cap. 23, &c.

+ Ralph Neville, first Earl of Westmoreland, who chiefly resided at his two castles of Brancepeth, and Raby, both in the Bishoprick of Durham.

What sweet surprise o'erpower'd her breast!
Her cheek what blushes dyed,
When fondly he besought her there
To yield to be his bride!-

"Within this lonely hermitage
There is a chapel meet:

Then grant, dear maid, my fond request,
And make my bliss complete."

"O Henry, when thou deign'st to sue,
Can I thy suit withstand?

When thou, lov'd youth, hast won my heart,
Can I refuse my hand?

"For thee I left a father's smiles,
And mother's tender care;
And whether weal or woe betide,
Thy lot I mean to share."

"And wilt thou then, O generous maid!
Such matchless favour show,

To share with me, a banish'd wight,
My peril, pain, or woe?

"Now Heaven, I trust, hath joys in store
To crown thy constant breast:

For know, fond hope assures my heart
That we shall soon be blest.

"Not far from hence stands Coquet Isle Surrounded by the sea;

There dwells a holy friar, well known
To all thy friends and thee;

"Tis Father Bernard, so rever'd
For every worthy deed;
To Raby Castle he shall go,
And for us kindly plead.

To fetch this good and holy man Our reverend host is gone; And soon, I trust, his pious hands Will join us both in one."

Thus they in sweet and tender talk
The lingering hours beguile:
At length they see the hoary sage
Come from the neighbouring isle,

With pious joy and wonder mix'd
He greets the noble pair,
And glad consents to join their hands
With many a fervent prayer.

Then strait to Raby's distant walls He kindly wends his way: Meantime in love and dalliance sweet They spend the livelong day.

And now, attended by their host, The Hermitage they view'd, Deep-hewn within a craggy cliff, And overhung with wood.

285

In the little island of Coquet, near Warkworth, are still seen the ruins of a cell, which belonged to the Benedictive monks of Tinemouth-Abbey.