Classic Poem

[Part VI.]

96

  S i r Eglamore was homward bowne,
  he hard tell of tha t great renowne,
   & thither wold hee wend
  great Lords tha t hard of tha t crye,
  they rode thither hastilye,
   as ffast as they might ffare.
  the K ing of Sattin was there alsoe,
  & other great Lords many more
    tha t royall armes bare.
Then ringes were made in the ffeeld
tha t Lo rd s might therin weld;
 thé busked & made them yare.
S i r Eglamore, thoe he came Last,
he was not worthy out to be cast;
  tha t K nigh t was clothed in care.

97

ffor tha t Christabell was put to the sea,
new armes beareth hee,
 I will them descrye:
he beareth in azure a shipp of gold,
ffull richlye portrayed on the mold,
 ffull well & worthylye;
the sea was made both grim & bold;
a younge child of a night old,
 & a woman Lying there by;
of siluer was the mast, of gold the ffane;
sayle, ropes, & cables, eche one
 painted were worthylye.

98

heralds of armes soone on hye,
euery Lords armes gan descrye
 in tha t ffeeld soe broade.
then Chr[i]stabell as white as fflower,
she sate vpon a hye tower;
 ffor her tha t crye was made
the younge K nigh t of 15 yeere old
tha t was both doughtye & bold,
 into the ffeeld he rode.
who-soe tha t S i r Degrabell did smite,
w i th his dint they ffell tyte,
 neuer a one his stroake abode.

99

S i r Eglamore houed & beheild
how the folke in the feild downe feld
 they K nigh ts all by-deene.
when Degrabell him see, he rode him till,
& said, “S i r, why are you soe still
 amonge all these K nigh ts keene?”
Eglamore said to him T-wis,
“I am come out of heathenesse,
 itt were sinne mee to meete.”
Degrabell said, “soe mote I thee!
more worshipp itt had beene to thee,
 vnarmed to haue beene.”

100

the ffather on the sonne Lough;
“haue yee not Iusting enoughe
 where euer tha t you bee?
tha t day ffall haue I seene,
w i th as bigg men haue I beene,
 & yett well gone my way.
& yett, fforsooth,” said he then,
“I will doe as well as I can,
 w i th you once to play.”
heard together they k nigh ts donge
w i th great speares sharpe and longe;
 them beheld eche one.
S i r Eglamore, as itt was his happ,
giue his sonne such a rappe
  tha t to the ground went hee.

101

“alas!” then said tha t Ladye ffree,
“my sonne is dead, by gods pittye!
 the keene k nigh t hath him slaine!”
then men said wholy on mold,
“the K nigh t tha t beares the shipp of gold
 hath wonne her on the plaine.”

102

Herallds of armes cryed then,
“is there now any manner of man
 will make his body good,
tha t will iust any more?
say now while wee be here!”
 then a while they still stoode.
Degrabell said, “by god almight!
methinkes tha t I durst w i th him ffight,
 if he were neuer soe wood.”
Lords together made a vow,
“fforssooth,” they said, “best worthy art thou
 to haue thy ffreelye ffood!”

103

ffor to vnarme him Lords gan goe;
clothes of gold on him they doe,
 & then to meate thé wende.
S i r Eglamore then wan the gree,
beside the Lady sett was hee:
 shee frened him as her ffreind,
“ffor what cause tha t he bore
a shipp of gold w i th mast & ore.”
 he said w i th words hende,
“damsell, into the sea was done
my Lady & my younge sonne;
 & there they made an ende.”

104

knowledge to him tooke shee thoe;
“now, good S i r, tell me soe,
 where they were brought to ground?”
“while I was in ffarr countrye
her ffather put her into the sea,
 w i th the waues to confounde”
w i th honest mirth & game
of him shee asked the name;
 & he answered that stond,
“men call mee, where I was bore,
of Artoys S i r Eglamore,
  tha t w i th a worme was wound.”

105

in swooning ffell tha t Lady ffree;
“welcome, S i r Eglamore, to mee!
 thy Loue I haue bought full deere!”
then shee sate, & told full soone
how into the sea shee was doone;
 then wept both lesse and more.
minstrills had their giffts ffree,
wherby thé might the better bee;
 to spend they wold not spare.
ffull true itt is, by god in heauen,
tha t men meete att vnsett steven,
 & soe itt beffell there.

106

the K ing of Isarell gan tell
how tha t hee found S i r Degrabell;
 Lordings, Listen then:
S i r Eglamore kneeled on his knee,
“my Lord!” he said, “god yeeld itt thee!
 yee haue made him a May”
the K ing of Isarell said, “I will the[e] giue
halfe my kindome while I doe liue,
 my deere sonne as white as swan.”
“thou shalt haue my daughter Arnada,”
the K ing of Sattin sayd alsoe,
 “I remember, since thou her wan.”

107

Eglamore prayed the Kings
att his wedding ffor to bee,
 if tha t they wold vouch[s]afe
all granted him tha t there were,
litle, lesse, & more;
 Lord Iesus christ them haue!
Kings, Erles, I vnde[r]stand,
w i th many dukes of other Lands,
 w i th Ioy & mirth enoughe.
the trumpetts in the shipp blowes,
tha t euery man to shipp goes,
 the winde them ouer blew.

108

through gods might, all his meany
in good liking passed the sea;
 in Artois they did arriue
the Erle then in the tower stoode,
he saw men passe the fflood,
 & ffast to his horsse gan driue.
when he heard of Eglamore,
he ffell out of his tower
 & broke his necke beliue.
the messenger went againe to tell
of tha t case, how itt beffell:
 w i th god may no man striue.

109

thus in Artois the Lords thé Lent;
after the Emperour soone thé sent,
 to come to tha t Marryage;
in all they land they mad crye,
who-soe wold come to tha t ffeast worthye,
 right welcome shold they bee;
S i r Eglamore to the church is gone,
degrabell & Arnada they haue tane,
 and his Lady bright of blee.
the K ing of Isarell said, “Ile giue
halfe my land while I liue;
 brooke well [all] after my day.”

110

w i th mickle mirth the feast was made,
40 dayes itt abode
 amonge all the Lo rd s hend;
and then forsooth, as I you say,
euery man tooke his way
 wherin him liked to dwell.
minstrells had good great plentye,
tha t euer they better may thé bee,
 and bolder ffor to spend.
in Romans this Chronickle is
dere Iesus! bring vs to thy blisse
 that lasteth w i thout end!