Classic Poem

K INGE : Adler, as hee in his window Lay,
[unto a stranger knight he did say,]
" I wold my lands they were as broada
as the red rose is in my garden:
there were not that woman this day aliue,
I kept to bee my wedded wiffe,
w i thout the were as white as any milke
or as soft as any silke,
& they royall rich wine ran downe her brest bone,
& lord! shee were & a leath maiden. "
" but Estmere our K ing has a daughter soe younge;
god Lord! shees as soft as any silke,
& as white as any milke,
the royall rich wine runes downe her brest bone,
& lord! shee is a leath maiden. "
" but will you goe vnto K ing Ardine,
& will tha t ffaire Lady tha t shee wilbe mine? "
Hee tooke the fflood, & the winde was good,
vntill hee came vnto tha t K ing s hall
he grett them well both great & small:
" Kinge Adler hath sent me hither to thee,
& wills thy ffayre daughter, shee will his bee. "
he sayes, " if K ing Adler will my daughter winne,
of another manner he must begin:
ifaith he shall bring Lords to the Mold,
100 Shippes of good red gold,
100 Shippes of Ladyes on the moure,
100 Shippes of wheat boulted flower,
100 Shippes of Ladyes bright,
100 Shippes of new dubbd knights.
yett he shall doe tha t is more pine,
he shall take the salt sea & turne itt to red wine;
when hee has done all these deeds,
then my faire daughter shalbe his;
but I haue sett her on such a pinn,
K ing Adler shall her neuer winne "
he tooke the flood, & they wind was good,
& neu er stayd in noe stead
vntill he came to Kinge Adlers hall.
he greeted them well both great & small,
saies " I haue beene att yonder K ing s place
to speake w i th his daughter fayre of face;
he sayes, if you will his daughter winne,
of another manner you must begin:
you must bring lords to the mold,
100 Shippes of good redd gold,
100 Shippes of Ladyes of the moure,
100 Shippes of wheat boulted flower,
100 Shippes of Ladyes bright,
100 Shippes of new dubdd knights;
& yett you must doe tha t is more pine,
take the salt sea & turne it to red wine;
but he hath sett her on such a pinne
tha t you can her neuer winne "
" some thing you must doe for mee,
I tell you all in veretye;
in Ladyes [clothes] will yee mee bowne,
& bring mee to tha t Ladyes towne,
& boaird me there one yeere or towe
amongst those Ladyes for to goe,
& board me there yeeres 2 or 3:
amongst those faire Ladyes for to bee. "
he tooke the fflood, & the wind was good,
& he neu er stayd nor stoode
vntill he came to tha t Ladyes hall:
he greeted them well both great & small,
sayes, " heere I haue brought a fayre Ladye;
from her owne ffriends shee is comen to bee;
I must board her a yeere or tow
amongst yo u r Ladyes for to goe "
these Ladyes sate all on a rowe;
some began to cut silke, some for to sowe;
the K ing s daughter sayes, " yo u r ffingars are too great,
or else yo u r eyes beene out of seat, —
I tell you full soone anon, —
to sowe silke or Lay gold on "
but ere the 12 moneth was come & gone
he wan the farrest Ladye of euerye one.
the cast the lot, & one by one,
& all the Ladyes euerye one
they cast it ouer 2 or 3:
King Adler ffell w i th the Kings daughter to lye.
but when they were in bedd Laid,
these words vnto her then hee said;
saies, " Lady, were tha t man this day aliue
tha t you wold be his wedded wiffe,
& were tha t man soe highlye borne
tha t you wold be his hend lemman? "
" there is noe man this day aliue
I kept to be his wedded wiffe,
w i thout itt were King Adler, hee,
the noblest K nigh t in Christentye.
my father hath sett me on such a pinne,
K ing Adler must me neuer winne. "
" but, Ladye, how & soe betyde
K ing Adler were in yo u r bed hidd?
wold you not call them all att a stowre,
none of the Ladyes w i thin yo u r bower?
nor wold you not call them all at a call,
none of the Lords in yo u r fathers hall?
nor wold you not call them all by-deene,
yo u r ffather the K ing , nor yo u r mother the queene?
but soe quickly you wold gett you bowne,
to goe w i th K ing Adler out of the towne? "
sais shee, " if itt wold soe betyde
King Adler were in my bed hidd,
I wold not call them all in stowre,
none of the Ladyes in my bower;
nor I wold not call them all att a call,
none of the Lords in my fathers hall;
nor I wold not call them all by-deenee,
my ffather the King, nor my mother the Queene;
but soe quicklye I wold gett me bowne
to goe w i th King Adler out of the towne. "
" but turne thee, Ladye, hither to mee!
for I am the K[ing] that speakes to thee! "
" alacke! K ing Adler! I shall catch cold,
for I can neu er tread on the mold,
but vpon rich cloth of gold
that is 5 thousand fold "
" peace, faire Lady! youst catch noe harme,
for I will carry you vnder mine arme. "
he tooke the fflood, & the winde was good,
& he neuer stinted nor stood
vntill he came to his owne hall;
he greeted them well both great & small.
god send vs all to be well, & none to be woe,
vntill they wine their true loue soe!