Classic Poem

Sir Egrabell had sonnes three,
 Blow thy horne, good hunter
S ir Lyonell was one of these.
 As I am a gentle hunter

S ir Lyonell wold on hunting ryde,
Vntill the forrest him beside.

And as he rode thorrow the wood,
Where trees and harts and all were good,

And as he rode over the plaine,
There he saw a knight lay slaine.

And as he rode still on the plaine,
He saw a lady sitt in a graine.

‘Say thou, lady, and tell thou me,
What blood shedd heere has bee.’

‘Of this blood shedd we may all rew,
Both wife and childe and man alsoe.

‘For it is not past 3 days right
Since S ir Broninge was mad a k nigh t.

‘Nor it is not more than 3 dayes agoe
Since the wild bore did him sloe.’

‘Say thou, lady, and tell thou mee,
How long thou wilt sitt in tha t tree.’

She said, ‘I will sitt in this tree
Till my friends doe feitch me.’

‘Tell me, lady, and doe not misse,
Where that yo u r friends dwellings is.’

‘Downe,’ shee said, ‘in yonder towne,
There dwells my freinds of great renowne.’

Says, ‘Lady, Ile ryde into yonder towne
And see wether yo u r friends beene bowne.

‘I my self wilbe the formost man
That shall come, lady, to feitch you home.’

But as he rode then by the way,
He thought it shame to goe away;

And vmbethought him of a wile,
How he might that wilde bore beguile.

‘S ir Egrabell,’ he said, ‘my father was;
He neuer left lady in such a case;

‘Noe more will I’ …

*****

‘And a[fter] that thou shalt doe mee
Thy hawkes and thy lease alsoe.

‘Soe shalt thou doe at my com m and
The litle fingar on thy right hand.’

‘Ere I wold leaue all this w i th thee,
Vpoon this ground I rather dyee.’

The gyant gaue S i r Lyon el l such a blow,
The fyer out of his eyen did throw.

He said then, ‘If I were saffe and sound,
As w i th-in this hower I was in this ground,

‘It shold be in the next towne told
How deare thy buffett it was sold;

‘And it shold haue beene in the next towne s ai d
How well thy buffett it were paid.’

‘Take 40 daies into spite,
To heale thy wounds that beene soe wide.

‘When 40 dayes beene at an end,
Heere meete thou me both safe and sound.

‘And till thou come to me againe,
W i th me thoust leaue thy lady alone.’

When 40 dayes was at an end,
Sir Lyon el l of his wounds was healed sound.

He tooke w i th him a litle page,
He gaue to him good yeomans wage.

And as he rode by one hawthorne,
Even there did hang his hunting horne.

He sett his bugle to his mouth,
And blew his bugle still full south.

He blew his bugle lowde and shrill;
The lady heard, and came him till.

Sayes, ‘The gyant lyes vnder yond low,
And well he heares yo u r bugle blow.

‘And bidds me of good cheere be,
This night heele supp w i th you and me.’

Hee sett that lady vppon a steede,
And a litle boy before her yeede.

And said, ‘Lady, if you see that I must dye,
As euer you loued me, from me flye.

‘But, lady, if you see tha t I must liue,’