Classic Poem

All the wildernesse tha t there bee,
Grime rode it in dayes 3;
he mett a squier by the way;
w i th fayre words Grime can to him say,
" S i r, " he said, " who is Lo rd of this countrye? "
the squier answered him gentlye,
" It is a lord most worthyest in waine,
Erle Gares is his name. "
Grime sayd, " how highteth tha t lords heyre? "
he sayd, " he hath none but a daughter fayre. "
Gryme saith, " who hath tha t Ladye wedd? "
the K nigh t sayd, " shee neuer came in mans bedd;
but S i r Attelston, a hardye K nigh t,
marryed tha t Lady fayre & bright;
for he gaue battell, tha t wott I weele,
vpon a day to S i r Gray-Steele:
a harder battell then there was done tho,
was neu er betwixt K nigh ts 2;
but Gray-steele killed S i r Attelstone,
a bolder K nigh t was neu er none.
Erle Gares sonne & his heyre, —
in all the world was none more goodlyere, —
he was soe sorry Attelstone was dead,
he thought to quitt gray-steele his meede;
boldlye he gaue him battell vpon a day,
ther-for many a man sayd well-away!
& there the both ended att this bane
as many another K nigh t hath done;
ffor I haue wist tha t tyrant w i th his hands 2
kill a 100 K nigh ts and some deale moe;
shamfulye hath driuen them to dead
withouten succour or any remed. "
for all the words he spake in tha t time,
nothing it feared the K nigh t S i r Grime.
Gryme sayd, " how ffarr haue wee to tha t citye
whereas tha t Ladyes dwelling doth bee? "
the K nigh t said " but miles 2;
the one of them I will w i th you goe. "
they talked together gentlye
till he had brought Grime to tha t citye.
att a burgesse house his ine he hath tane;
to Seeke the Ladye S i r Grime is gone;
then he went into a garden greene
where he saw many Ladyes sheene;
amongst them all he knew her there
by the tokens of S i r Eger.
Egar was hurt vnder the eare;
an oyntment Gryme had drawen there;
he held the gloue still on his hand
where Egers fingars was lackand;
& when tha t k nigh t came her nye,
he kneeled downe vpon his knee,
& thanked her w i th humble cheere
" sith the last time, madam, tha t I was heere. "
" S i r, " said shee, " excused you must hold mee;
thus avised, I did you neuer see. "
then hee gaue her the shirts of raines in tha t stond
and other Iewells worth 40 li ,
& thus rewarded tha t fayre Ladye,
& thanked her of her curtesie.
" Now S i r, " sayd shee, " soe haue I blisse:
how fareth the K nigh t tha t sent me this? "
" I doe, Madam, as yee see now,
therof I thanke great god and you. "
" why S i r, " said shee, " but is it yee
tha t in such great p er ill here did bee?
I am glad to see you so sound in sight. "
hastilye shee rose & kist tha t K nigh t.
Gryme Looke vpon tha t Ladye faire:
soe faire a creature saw I neuer ere;
for shee was cladd in scarlett redd,
& all of fresh gold shone her head;
her rud was red as rose in raine,
a fairer creature was neu er seene.
as many men in a matter full nice, —
but all men in louing shall neu er be wise, —
his mind on her was soe sett
tha t all other matters he qu[i]te forgett;
& as the stood thus talkeand,
shee stale the gloue besids his hand.
when shee saw his right hand bare,
softly shee said to him there,
" S i r, " said shee, " it was noe marueill though you hidd yo ur hond!
for such Leeches in this Land are none!
there is noe Leeche in all this land
can sett a fingar to a hand,
to be as well & as faire
as neu er weapon had done it deere!
but game and bourd Let goe together;
scorning I can well conssider!
it was neu er tha t K nigh ts com m andement
noe scorne hither to mee to send!
If thou be comen to scorne mee,
ffull soone I can scorne thee. "
before, shee was mild of state,
Now is shee high and full of hate!
& of all the Iewells tha t he hath brought,
shee curset them to the ground, & wold them naught.
Grime was neuer soe sore in all his day;
he wist neu er a word what he shold say;
& as shee was to the chamber passand,
Grime tooke that Ladye by the hand,
saith, " I beseech you, lady free,
a word or 2 to hearken mee,
& — soe helpe me god & holy dame! —
I shall tell you how all this matter was done:
the k nigh t tha t was heere, he was my brother,
& hee thought me more abler then any other
for to take tha t matter in hand:
he loueth a ladye w i thin his land;
if not in euery fight he win th e gree,
of his loue forsaken must he bee. "
shee sayd, " yee seeme a gentle K nigh t,
tha t answereth a ladye w i th soe much right. "
the Iewells the mayden hath vpp tane,
& shee & the K nigh t to chamber are gone.
shee sent vnto tha t burgesse place
a mayden tha t was faire of face;
what cost soeu er his steede did take,
twice double shee wold it make.
a rich supp er there was dight,
& shortlye sett before tha t K nigh t.
Meate nor drinke none wold hee,
he was soe enamored of tha t fayre Ladye.
he longed sore to [bee] a bedd,
& to a chamber shee him Led,
& all his armour of was done,
& in his bed he was layd soone.
the Ladye louesome of hew & hyde
sett her downe by his bedside,
shee layd a sowter vpon her knee,
& theron shee playd full loue-somlye,
& her 2 mayds full sweetlye sang,
& eu er they wept, & range their hands.
then Spake Gryme to tha t Ladye fayre:
" of one thing, Madam, I have great Marueile,
for I heard neuer soe sweet playinge,
& ofentetimes soe sore weepinge. "
shee com m anded her sowter to be taken her froe,
& sore shee wrange her hands 2:
" S i r, " shee sayd, " I must neu er be weele
till I be auenged on Sir Gray-steele,
for he slew my brother, my fathers heyre,
& alsoe my owne Lo rd both fresh & fayre;
for S i r Attelstone shold me haue wedd,
but I came neu er in his bedd;
he gaue a battell, tha t wott I weele,
vpon a day to S i r Gray-steele
a harder battell then was done thoe,
was neu er betweene K nigh ts 2;
Gray-Steele killed Attelstone;
therfor many a K nigh t made great moane.
then my brother tha t was my fathers heyre —
in all the world was none more goodlyer —
he was soe sorry for my husband indeed,
he thought to have quitt Gray-steele his Meede:
boldlye he gaue him battell vpon a day;
therfore many a man sayd wellaway!
And there they both ended att tha t bone
as many another K nigh t hath done;
for I haue wist tha t tyrant w i th his hands 2
to haue a killed a 100 K nigh ts & moe,
& shamefully driuen them to dead
w i th-outen succour or any remedeye.
& if thou be comen to fight w i th that K nigh t,
Iesu defend thee in thy right!
there is noe woman aliue tha t knoweth so weele
as I doe of the Condic i ons of S i r Gray-steele,
for eu er ye houre from Midnight till noone,
eche hower he increaseth the strenght of a man;
& euery houer from Noone till Midnight,
euery hower he bateth the strenght of a K nigh t.
looke thou make thy first counter like a K nigh t,
& enter into his armour bright;
looke boldlye vpon him thou breake thy spere
as a manfull K nigh t in warr;
then light downe rudlye for thy best boote;
the tyrant is better on horsbacke then on foote;
presse stiflye vpon him in tha t stoure
as a K nigh t will thinke on his paramoure;
but I will not bid yee thinke on me,
but thinke on yo u r ladye whersoeu er shee bee;
& let not that tyrant, if tha t he wold,
lett you of tha t couenant tha t Ladye to holde. "
then shee tooke leaue of tha t gentle K nigh t;
to her chamber shee is gone w i th her me lens bright.
S i r Gryme longed sore for the day;
the Ostler soone can him arraye,
he armed the K nigh t & brought him his steede,
& he gaue him red gold for his meede.
a rich brea[k]fast there was dight,
& shortlye sett before tha t K nigh t,
but meate nor drinke none wold hee
but a cuppe of wine & soppes 3.
he tooke leaue of tha t Ladye cleare,
& rydeth towards the fresh riuer.