Classic Poem

Then spake Grime to S i r Egar
w i th soft words & faire,
" tha t man was neu er soe wise nor worthye,
nor yet soe cuning proued in clergye,
nor soe doughtye of hart nor hand,
nor yett so bigg in stowre to stand,
but in such companye he may put in
but he is as like to loose as win;
& eu er I bade you to keepe you weele
out of the companye of S i r Gray Steele,
for he is called by com m and
the best K nigh t in any Land.
sith the Matter is chanced soe,
wee will take the wayes of choice 2:
from yo ur loue and laydye Lained this shalbee;
shee shall know nothing of our priuitye. "
but litle wist Egar nor S ir Grime
where the lady was tha t same time;
for the Lady tha t Egars loue was,
her chamber was w i thin a little space;
of S i r Egar shee soe sore thought
tha t shee lay wakened, and sleeped nought
a scarlett Mantle hath shee tane,
to Grimes chamber is shee gone;
shee heard them att a priuie dain;
shee stayd w i th-out, & came not in.
when shee heard tha t Egars body was in distresse,
shee loued his body mickle the worse
words this lady wold not say,
but turned her backe & went awaye,
yet soe priuilye shee is not gone
but Grime p er ceived tha t there was one;
an vnfolded window opened hee,
& saw the way-gate of tha t Ladye.
" what is tha t? " said Egar, " maketh tha t dinn? "
Grime sayd, " my spanyell hound wold come in. "
to his fellow S i r Egar he said noe more,
but he repented tha t she came there.
Gryme hath gotten tha t same night
Leeches tha t beene of great sleight,
coning men w i th for to deale,
tha t had good happ wounds to heale.
yett Long ere day word is gone
tha t Egar the K night is comen home,
& hath moe wounds w i th sword & kniffe
then had eu er man tha t bare liffe:
17 wounds hee hath tane,
7 beene thorrow his body ran;
the Leeches cold doe him noe remede,
but all said " Egar wold be dead. "
In the morning the Erle & the countesse,
to Grymes chamber can the passe;
the Erle said, " how doth S i r Egar the K nigh t? "
then answered Grime both wise and wight:
" he doth, my Lo rd , as you may see. "
" alas! " said the Erle, " how may this bee? "
Grime answered him hastilye,
" my Lo rd , I shall tell you gentleye:
& vncoth Land he happened in,
where townes where both few & thinn;
giffe he rode neu er soe fast,
7 dayes the wildernesse did last.
he heard tell of a venterous K night
tha t kept a forbbidden countrye day & night,
& a mile by the salt sea,
castles fayre & towers hye;
On the other side a fayre strand,
a faire fforrest on the other hand,
on the one side run a fresh riuere,
there might noe man nighe him nere;
for he tha t ou er tha t riuer shold ryde,
strange aventures shold abyde;
hee shold either fight or flee,
or a weed in that Land leaue shold hee;
the wedd tha t he shold leaue in this land
shold be the litle ffingar of his right hand;
& or he knew himselfe to slowe,
his litle fingar he wold not forgoe.
boldlye Egar gaue him battell tho;
his helme and his hawberckes he tooke him fro,
soe did he his sword & his spere
& much more of his golden gayre;
& homewards as he rode apace
thorrow the wylde forrest & the wyldenesse,
he thought to haue scaped withouten Lett.
then 15 theeves w i th Egar Mett;
they thought Egar for to have him sloe,
his gold and his good to haue tooke him froe:
thrise through them w i th a spere he ran,
7 he slew, and the m aster man,
yett had hee scaped for all tha t dread;
they shott att him, & slew his steed;
hee found a steed when they were gone,
wheron Sir Egar is come home;
for if S i r Egar dye this day,
farwell flower of K night -hoode for eu er & aye! "
then the Erle p ro ferred 40 in Land
for a Leeche tha t wold take Egar in hand
9 dayes were comen & gone
or any Leeche wold Egar vndertane;
it was 9 dayes and some deale more
or his ladye wold come there;
& att the coming of tha t fayre Ladye,
her words they were both strange & drye:
shee saies, " how doth tha t wounded K night ? "
then answered Gryme both wise & wight,
" he doth, Madam, as yee may see. "
" in faith, " said the Lady " tha ts litle pittye:
he might full well haue bidden att home;
worshipp in tha t Land gatt he none;
he gaue a ffingar to lett him gange,
the next time he will offer vp the whole hand. "
Gryme was eu er wont to gange
in councell w i th the ladye to stand,
& eu er told Egar a fayre tale
till the K night Sir Egar was whole;
for & her want & will had beene to him lenging,
it wold have letted him of his mending.
soe long the Leeches delt w i th S i r Egar
till he might stoutlye goe & stirr;
till itt once beffell vppon a day
Gryme thought the Ladye to assaye
whether shee loued S i r Egar his brother
as well as eu er shee did before:
Grime said, " Madame, by godds might,
Egar will take a new battell w i th yonder K night ;
he is to sore wounded yett for to gone;
itt were worshipp to cause him to abyde at home,
for he will doe more for you then mee. "
then answered tha t fayre Lady,
" all tha t while tha t Egar was the K night
tha t wan the degree in euery fight,
for his sake verelye
Manye a better I haue put by;
therfor I will not bidd him ryde,
nor att home I will not bid him abyde,
Nor of his Marriage I haue Nothing adoe;
I wott not, Gryme, what thou saist therto "
Gryme turned his backe of the Ladye faire,
& went againe to his brother S i r Egar,
sett him downe on his bed side,
& talked these words in tha t tyde:
" Egar, " he said, " thou & I are brethren sworne,
I loued neu er better brother borne;
betwixt vs tow let vs make some cast,
& find to make our formen fast,
for of o ur enemies wee stand in dread,
& wee Lye sleeping in our bedd. "
Egar said, " what mistrust haue yee w i th mee?
for this 7 monthes if I here bee,
shall neu er a man take my matter in hand
till I bee able to auenge my-selfe in Land. "
A kinder K nigh t then Gryme was one,
was neu er bredd of blood nor bone:
" methinke you be displeased w i th mee,
& tha t is not yo u r p ar t for to bee,
for sith the last time tha t ye came home,
I haue knowen priuie messengers come & gone
betwixt yo u r Ladye & Erle Olyes,
a Noble K nigh t tha t doughtye is,
of better blood borne then eu er were wee,
& halfe more liuings then such other 3. "
then Egar vp his armes sprang,
& ffast together his hands dange,
w i th still mourning & siking sore
saith, " alas! my loue & my Ladye fayre,
what haue I done to make you rothe
tha t was eu er leeue, & now soe Lothe? "
Gryme had of him great pittye,
" brother, " he said, " be councelled by mee;
if you will doe after my counsaile,
p er adventure it will greatly p re vaile:
another thing, my liffe I dare Lay
tha t yee shall wed tha t Ladye w i thin this monthes day. "
" how now? " q uo th Egar, " how may tha t bee? "
" peace! " said Gryme, " & I shall tell thee:
I haue a brother tha t men call Palyas,
a noble squier & worthye is,
he is welbeloued w i thin this court
of all the Lords round about;
wee will him call to our councell,
p er adventur he will vs p re vayle;
& I my selfe will make me sicke at home
till a certen space be comen & gone,
& tha t such a disease hath taken mee
tha t I may noe man heare nor noe man see.
Palyas my brother shall keepe you att home,
& I my selfe will to tha t battell gone,
& I shall feitch Gray-steeles right hand,
or I shall leaue another fingar in tha t Land. "