Classic Poem

They called Pallyas to their cou n cell,
& he assented soone w i thouten fayle,
for he loued S i r Egar both Euen & morne
as well as he did Gryme his brother borne
" & iff you will to this battell goe,
yee had neede of good councell betwene vs 2.
Gryme, if thou wilt fight w i th S i r Gray-steele,
thou had neede of weapons tha t stand wold weele;
for weapons may be both fresh & new,
fikle, false, & full vntrue;
when a weapon faileth when a man hath need,
all the worse then may hee speede;
And all I say by S i r Egar,
where was a better K nigh t knowen any where?
when his weapon faild him att most need,
all the worse then did he speede "
Palyas said, " there was somtimes in this countrye,
Egar, yo u r vnckle S i r Egranye,
& when tha t Egramye was liuand
he had the guiding of a noble brand,
the name of itt was called Erkyin;
well were tha t man had it in keeping!
first when tha t sword was rought,
to K ing ffundus it was brought
full far beyond the greekes sea,
for a Iewell of high degree.
when the K ing dep ar ted this world hence,
he left it w i th the younge prince;
& some sayd tha t Egramye
shold loue tha t ladye in priuitye;
he desired the sword in borrowing;
the K ing deceased at that time;
& when tha t Egrame was liuande,
he had the guiding of tha t noble brand;
tha t man was neu er of a woman borne,
durst abyde the winde his face beforne.
the Ladyes dwelling is heere nye;
shee saith, " there is noe man tha t sword shall see
till her owne sonne be att age & land,
& able to welde his fathers brande." "
Grime sayd, " I will goe thither to-morrow at day
to borrow tha t sword if tha t I may. "
on the morrow when the sun shone bright,
to Egrames Ladie went Grime the K nigh t;
kindley he halcht tha t ladye faire:
she saith, " how doth my Cozin S ir Egar? "
" hee will forth, maddam, w i th all his might
to take a new battell on yonder K nigh t;
he prayeth you to lend him his vnckeles brand,
& there he hath sent you the deeds of his land,
& all mine I will leaue w i th you in pawne
tha t yo u r sword shall safelye come againe. "
soe he desired tha t sword soe bright
tha t shee was loth to w i th-say that K nigh t;
then shee feitched him forth tha t Noble brand,
& rec eiued the deeds of both their lands;
she said, " there was noe fault with Egeking,
but for want of grace and gouerninge;
for want of grace & good gou er ninge
may loose a Kingdome & a K ing ,
for there is neither Lin nor light
tha t Egeking my sword meeteth w i th,
but gladlye it will through itt gone,
tha t biting sword, vnto the bone;
but I wold not for both yo u r Lands
tha t Egeking came in a cowards hands. "
& yett was faine S i r Gryme the K nigh t:
to Egar he went againe tha t night;
Pallyas he said, " I read you be councelled by mee,
& take some gifts to that faire Ladye,
to tha t Ladye faire & bright
tha t Lodged S i r Egar soe well the first night. "
" the best tokens, " said S i r Egar,
beene her sarkes of raines; I haue them here. "
he tooke broches & beads in tha t stonde,
& other Iewells worth 40 li
& to reward tha t fayre Ladye,
& thanke her of her curtesie
" wherby, " sayd Gryme, " shall I her know
amongst other Ladyes tha t stands on a row? "
" I shall tell you tokens, " sayd S i r Egar,
Wherby you may know tha t Ladye faire:
shee hath on her nose, betweene he[r] eyen,
like to the Mountenance of a pin;
& tha t [hew] is red, & the other is white,
there is noe other Ladye her like,
for shee is the gentlest of hart & will
tha t eu er man came vntill. "
Early on the other day
theese 2 knights did them array:
into a window S i r Egar yeede,
bookes of Romans for to reede
tha t all the court might him heare.
the K nigh t was armed & on steere;
he came downe into the hall,
& tooke his leaue both of great & small.
the Erle tooke Egars hand in his fist,
the countesse comlye cold him Kisse;
his oune lady stood there by,
shee wold bere the K nigh t noe companye:
he sayd, " ffarwell my Lady faire! "
shee sayd, " god keepe you better then he did ere! "
& all tha t eu er stoode her by,
did Marueill her answer was soe dry.
he went to the chamber or he wold blin;
S i r Gryme came forth as he went in,
Stepped into the stirropp tha t stiffe were in warr,
& Palyas his brother wrought him a spere.
then wold he noe longer abyde,
but towards Gray-steele can he ryde
to the walls went winglaine, tha t Lady faire,
for to see the waygate of her loue S i r Egar;
& Gryme the spurres spared not; soe weele
to the steeds sides he let them feele,
his horsse bouted forth with Noble cheere,
he spowted forward as he had beene a deere
till he was passed out of her sight.
to Grymes chamber went tha t Ladye bright:
yett long time or shee came there
Palyas had warned S i r Egar,
drawen double curtaines in tha t place
tha t noe man of S i r Egar noe knowledg hath.
Palyas was full of curtesie,
& sett a chaire for tha t faire Ladye:
shee said, " at the walls, Palyas, I haue beene there
to see the ryding forth of S i r Egar;
he rydeth feircely out of the towne
as he were a wild Lyon.
alas! hee may make great boast & shoure
when there is noe man him before;
but when there is man to man, & steed to steede,
to proue his manhood, then were it neede! "
oftentimes Egar both cruell & keene
for her in strong battells oft hath beene,
& oftentimes had put himselfe in warr;
& lay & heard her lowte him like a knaue:
he wist not how he might him wrecke,
but cast vp his armes, & thought to speake.
& Palyas was p er ceiued of that,
& by the sholders he him gatt;
he held him downe both sad & sore,
tha t he lay still & sturrd noe more.
Palyas was full of curtesie,
& thus answered tha t faire ladye;
he said, " Maddame, by gods might,
Egar is knowne for the Noblest K nigh t
That euer was borne in the land of Beame,
& most worshipp hath woon to tha t Relme!
tha t was well proued in heathenesse
when the K ing of Beame did thither passe;
soe did the L ord s of this countrye,
& alsoe yo u r father, tha t Erle soe free.
there came a sowdan to a hill,
tha t many christen men had done ill,
the name of him was Gornordine,
tha t many a christen man had put to pine;
& he becalled any cristen K nigh t,
or any 5 tha t w i th him wold fight.
500 K night s were there tha t day,
& all to tha t battell they saydden nay.
Egar thought on you att home,
& stale to tha t battell all alone;
they fought together, as I heard tell,
on a mountaine top till Gornordine fell.
60 Hethen were in a busment neere,
& all brake out vpon S i r Egar:
or any reshcew came to him then,
he had kild Gornordine & other ten.
then was he rescewed by a Noble K nigh t
tha t eu er was proued both hardye & wight,
the name of him was Kay of Kaynes,
a Northeren K nigh t I trow he is;
there were but Egar & other ten,
& the killed 60 or more of the heathen men;
thus they reschewd the Noble Egar,
& brought him to the host, as you shall hear.
the K ing of Beame in tha t stage
offered S i r Egar his daughter in Marryage;
yet tha t gentle K nigh t wold not doe soe,
he loued you best [that] now be his foe.
you be his foe, he knowes tha t nowe
when he standeth in dread, I know. "
the Lady was soe wrath w i th Palyas,
shee tooke her leaue & forth shee goth.
Now lett vs leaue chyding att home,
& speake of S i r Gryme tha t is to the battell gone.