Classic Poem

When as King Edgar did gou er ne this land,
& in the strenght of his yeeres did stand,
such praise was spread of a gallant dame
w hi ch did through England carry great fame,
& shee a Ladaye of noble degree,
the Erle of deuonshires daughter was shee.
the K ing , w hi ch had latetly buryed the queene,
& a long time a wydower had beene,
hearing the praise of this gallant maid,
vpon her bewtye his loue hee laid;
& in his sighes he wold often say,
" I will goe send for tha t Lady gay;
yea, I will send for tha t Lady bright
w hi ch is my treasure and delight,
whose bewty, like to Phebus beames,
did glister through all Christen realmes "
then to himselfe he wold replye,
saing, " how fond a prince am I,
to cast my loue soe base and Lowe,
& on a girle I doe not know!
K ing Edgar will his fancy frame
to loue some peereles princely dame,
the daughter of some royall K ing ,
tha t may a worthy dowry bringe,
whose macheles bewty brought in place
may Estrilds coulor cleane disgrace
but senceless man, what doe I meane,
vpon a broken reede to leane?
& what fond fury doth me moue
thus to abuse my deerest loue,
whose visage, gracet w i th heauenlye hue,
doth H ELLENS honor quite subdue?
the glory of her bewtyous pride
[Sweet Estrild's Favour doth deride]
Then pardon m[y unse]emely speech,
deere loue & lady, I beseech!
& I my thoughts hencforth will frame
to spread the honore of thy name. "
then vnto him he called a k nigh t
w hi ch was most trusty in his sight,
& vnto him thus did he say:
" to Erle Orgarus goe thy way,
& aske for E STRILDS comely dame,
whose b[e]wty is soe for by fame;
& if thou find her comlye grace
as fame hath spread in euery place,
then tell her father shee shalbe
my crowned queene, if shee agree. "
the k nigh t in message did p ro ceede,
& into deuonshire went w i th speede;
but when he saw tha t Ladye bright,
he was soe rauisht att her sight,
tha t nothing cold his passyon moue
except he might obtaine her loue
& day & night there while he stayde,
he courted still tha t peereles mayd;
& in his suite hee showed such skill,
tha t att the lenght woon her good will,
fforgetting quite the duty tho
w hi ch hee vnto the kinge did owe
then coming home vnto his grace,
he told him w i th dissembling face
tha t those reporters were to blame
tha t soe aduanced tha t maidens name;
" for I assure yo u r grace, " q uo th bee,
" shee is as other women bee;
her bewtye of such great report,
no better then they com m on sort,
& far vnmeet in euery thing
to mach w i th such a noble Kinge.
but though her face be nothing ffaire,
yett sith shee is her ffathers heyre,
perhapps some Lo rd of hye degree
wold verry glad her husband bee;
& if yo u r grace wold giue consent,
I cold my selfe be well content
the damsell for my wife to take,
for her great Lands & liuings sake. "
the K ing , whom thus he did deceiue,
incontinent did giue him leaue;
for on tha t poynt he did not stand,
for why, he had no need of land.
then being glad, he went his way,
& weded straight tha t Lady gay;
the ffairest creature bearing liffe,
had this ffalse k nigh t to his wiffe;
& by tha t mach of high degree,
an Erle soone after tha t was hee.
ere hee long time had marryed beene,
many had her bewtye seene;
her praise was spread both farr & neere,
soe tha t they K ing therof did heare,
who then in hart did plainly proue
he was betrayed of his loue
though therof he was vexed sore,
yett seemed he not to greeue therfore,
but kept his countenance good & kind,
as though hee bore no grudg in minde.
but on a day itt came to passe
when as the K ing full merry was,
to E THELWOLD in sport hee said
" I muse what cheere there shold be made
if to thy house I wold resort
a night or 2 for princely sport. "
heratt the Erle shewed contenance glad,
though in his hart he was [full sad;]
And said, " yo u r grace s[hall welcome be]
if soe yo u r grace will honor mee. "
when as the day apointed was,
before the K ing shold thither passe,
the Erle before-hand did p re pare
the K ing s coming to declare,
& w i th a countenance passing grim
he called his Lady vnto him,
saing w i th sad & heauye cheere:
" I pray you, when the K ing comes heere,
sweet Lady, as you tender mee,
lett yo u r attire but homelye bee;
& washe not thou thy Angells face,
but doe thy bewtye quite disgrace;
therto thy gesture soe apply,
itt may seeme lothsome to his eye;
for if the K ing shold heere behold
thy gloiroous bewtye soe extold,
then shold my liffe soone shortened bee
ffor my desartt & trecherye.
when to thy ffather ffirst I came,
though I did not declare the same,
yett was I put in trust to bring
the ioyfull tydings of the Kinge,
who for thy glouryous bewtye seene,
did thinke of thee to make his queene.
but when I had thy p er son found,
thy bewty gaue me such a wound,
no rest nor comfort cold I take
till yo u r sweet loue my greffe did slake;
& thus, though duty charged me
most ffaithfull to my Lo rd to bee,
yett loue vpon the other side
bade for my selfe I shold p ro uide
then for my sute & service knowne,
att lenthgt I woon you for my owne;
& for yo u r loue & wedlocke spent,
yo u r choice you need no whitt repent.
& sith my greeffe I haue exprest,
sweet Lady, grant me my request. "
good words shee gaue w i th smiling cheere;
musing att tha t w hi ch shee did heeare;
& casting many things in mind,
great fault herwith shee seemed to find;
& in her-selfe shee thought itt shame
to make tha t ffoule w hi ch god did fframe.
most costly robes & rich, therfore,
in brauest sort tha t day shee wore,
& did all things tha t ere shee might
to sett her bewtye forth to sight,
& her best skill in euery thing
shee shewed, to entertaine the K ing ,
wherby the K ing soe snared was,
tha t reason quite ffrom him did passe;
his hart by her was sett on ffire,
he had to her a great desire;
& for the lookes he gaue her then,
for euery looke shee gaue him ten;
wherfor the K ing p er ceiued plaine
his loue & lookes were not in vaine.
vpon a time itt chanced soe,
the K ing hee wold a hunting goe,
& into H ORSWOOD did he ryde,
the Erle on horssbake by his side.
& there the story telleth plaine,
tha t w i th a shaft the Erle was slaine
& when tha t hee had lost his liffe,
he tooke the Lady to his wiffe;
he marryed her, all shame to shunn,
by whom he had begott a sonne.
thus hee w hi ch did the K ing deceiue,
did by desart this death receiue.
then, to conclude & make an ende,
be true & ffaithffull to yo u r ffreind!