The kinge had a ladye to his daughter, And princely wightes that ladye wooed Syr Cauline loveth her best of all, But nothing durst he saye; Till on a daye it so beffell, Great dill to him was dight;5 One while he spred his armes him fro, 6 And whan our parish-masse was done, Then aunswerde him a courteous knighte, Fetche me downe my daughter deere, Goe take him doughe,1o and the baken bread, 9 medical care. 10 This is an odd misreading of Percy's. The MS. has "I and take you doe and the baken bread," where doe is the auxiliary verb and the and redundant.] L And serve him with the wyne soe red; Fair Christabelle to his chaumber goes, Nowe ryse up wightlye, man, for shame, Fayre ladye, it is for your love [Sir knighte, my father is a kinge, Alas! and well you knowe, syr knighte, O ladye, thou art a kinges daughtèr, But let me doe some deedes of armes Some deedes of armes if thou wilt doe, (But ever and aye my heart wold rue, Upon Eldridge hill there groweth a thorne, Upon the mores brodinge ;' [1 lose. 2 swiftly. 3 pain I suffer. 4 knight. 5if. 6 spectral, lonesome. 7 wide moors. 7 35 40 45 50 55 60 a es, And dare ye, syr knighte, wake there all nighte For the Eldridge knighte, so mickle' of mighte, Will examine you beforne :" But he did him scath and scorne. 4 [That knighte he is a foul paynìm, Nowe on the Eldridge hilles Ile walke,* The lady is gone to her own chaumbère, Unto midnight, that the moone did rise, Then a lightsome bugle heard he blowe 6 Over the bents soe browne; Quoth hee, If cryance come till' my heart, And soone he spyde on the mores so broad, A furyous wight and fell ; • Perhaps wake, as above in ver. 61. [1 great. 2 before. 3 harm. • fields. if fear come to. • fierce.] And soe fast he called on syr Cauline, For 'but' if cryance comes till thy heart, He sayth, 'No' cryance comes till my heart, [The Eldridge knighte, he pricked his steed ; Soe soone in sunder slode. 3 Then tooke they out theyr two good swordes, [Till helme and hawberke, mail and sheelde, The Eldridge knight was mickle of might, [Then up syr Cauline lift his brande Ver. 109, aukeward. MS. * i.e. Knights. See the Preface to Child Waters, vol. iii. [1 advise. 2 mentioned. 5 burst. 6 battle. 3 split. 4 laid. 1 green sward.] d Then up and came that ladye brighte, For the maydens love, that most you love, For the maydens love, that most you love, Now sweare to mee, thou Eldridge knighte, And that thou never on Eldridge come The Eldridge knighte gave up his armes And he then up and the Eldridge knighte [Then he tooke up the bloudy hand, Then he tooke up the Eldridge sworde, [1 commands. * law. 3 fight. 4 slain.] 120 135 130 135 140 145 |