Classic Poem

[Part IV.]

65

 Anon word came to Artois
 how tha t the dragon slaine was:
  a K nigh t tha t deede had done.
 soe long at the Leeche-craft he did dwell,
  tha t a ffaire sonne had Christabell
  as white as whales bone.
 then the Erle made his vow,
 “daughter! into the sea shalt thou
  in a shipp thy selfe alone!
Thy younge sonne shall be thy fere,
christendome getteth itt none here!”
 her maidens wept eche one

66

her mother in swoone did ffall,
right soe did her ffreinds all
  tha t wold her any good.
“good Lord,” she said, “I you pray,
let some prest a gospell say,
 ffor doubt of ffeendes in the fflood
ffarwell,” shee said, “my maidens ffree!
greet well my Lord when you him see.”
 they wept as they were woode.
Leaue wee now S i r Eglamore,
And speake wee more of tha t Ladye fflower
  tha t vnknown wayes yeelde

67

the shipp droue fforth night & day
vp to a rocke, the sooth to say,
 where wild beasts did run.
shee was ffull ffaine, I vnderstand,
shee wend shee had beene in some [known] Land,
 & vp then gan shee wend.
noe manner of men ffound shee there,
tha t ffoules & beasts tha t were there,
 ffast they ffled ffrom Land.
there came a Griffon tha t rought her care;
her younge child away hee bare
 Into a countrye vnknowne.

68

the Ladye wept, & said “alas
tha t euer shee borne was!
 my child is taken me ffroe!”
the K ing of Isarell on huntinge went;
he saw where the ffoule lent;
 towards him gan he goe.
a griffon, the booke saith tha t he hight,
tha t in Isarell did light,
  tha t wrought tha t Ladye woe
the ffoule smote him w i th his bill,
the child cryed and liked ill;
 the griffon then lefft him there.

69

a gentlewoman to tha t [child] gan passe,
& lapp[t] itt in a mantle of Scarlett was,
 & w i th a rich pane
the child was large of lim & lythe,
a girdle of gold itt was bound w i th,
 w i th worsse cloth itt was cladd.
the K ing swore by the rood,
“the child is come of gentle blood,
 whersoeuer tha t hee was tane;
& for he ffroe the Griffon ffell,
they named the child degrabell,
  tha t lost was in wilsome way.

70

the K ing wold hunt noe more tha t tyde,
but w i th the child homeward gan ryde,
  tha t ffrom the Griffon was hent
“Madam,” he said to his Queene,
“ffull oft I haue a hunting beene;
 this day god hath me lent.”
of tha t Child he was blythe;
after nurses shee went beliue;
 the child was louelye gent.
leaue wee now of this chylde,
& talke wee of his mother mild,
 to what Land god her sent.

71

all tha t night on the rocke shee Lay;
a wind rose vpon the day,
 & ffrom the Land her driueth.
in tha t shipp was neither mast nor ore,
but euery streame vpon other
  tha t ffast vpon her driueth.
& as the great booke of Roome saies,
shee was w i thout meate 5 dayes
 among the great cliffes.
by tha t 5 dayes were gone,
god sent her succour soone;
 in œgipt shee arriued.

72

the K ing of Ægipt lay in his tower,
& saw the Ladye as white as fflower
  tha t came right neere the Land;
he comanded a Squire ffree
to ‘Looke what in tha t shipp might bee
  tha t is vpon the sand’
the Squier went thither ffull tite,
on the shipbord he did smite,
 a Ladye vp then gan stand;
Shee might not speake to him a word,
but lay & looked ouer the bord,
 & made signes w i th her hand.

73

the squier wist not what shee ment;
againe to the K ing he went,
 & kneeled on his knee:
“Lord, in the shipp nothing is,
sauing one in a womans Likenesse
  tha t ffast looked on mee.
but on shee be of fflesh & bone,
a ffairer saw I neuer none,
 saue my Ladye soe ffree!
shee maketh signes w i th her hand;
shee seemeth of some ffarr Land;
 vnknowen shee is to mee.

74

S i r Marmaduke highet the K ing ,
he went to see tha t sweet thing,
 he went a good pace.
to the Ladye he said in same,
“speake, woman, on gods name!”
 against him shee rose.
the Lady tha t was soe meeke & milde,
shee had bewept sore her child,
  tha t almost gone shee was.
home to the court they her Ledd,
w i th good meates they her ffedd;
 w i th good will shee itt taketh.

75

“Now, good damsell,” said the K ing ,
“where were you borne, my sweet thing?
 yee are soe bright of blee.”
“Lord, in Artois borne I was;
Sir Prinsamoure my ffather was,
  tha t Lord is of tha t Countrye;
I and my maidens went to play
by an arme of the sea;
 Iocund wee were and Iollye:
they wind was lithe, a bote there stood,
I and my squier in yode,
 but vnchristened was hee.

76

“on land I lefft my maidens all,
my younge squier on sleepe gan ffall,
 my mantle al on him I threw;
a griffon there came tha t rought me care,
my younge squier away hee bare,
 southeast w i th him hee drew.”
“damsell,” he sa i d, “be of good cheere,
thou art my brothers daughter deere.”
 ffor Ioy of him shee louge;
& there shee did still dwell
till time tha t better beffell,
 w i th ioy and mirth enoughe.