Eglamore - Part 1
[Part I.]
1
I ESUS : christ, heauen king!
grant vs all his deere blessinge,
& builde vs [in] his bower!
& giue them [ioye] tha t will heare
of Elders tha t before vs were,
tha t liued in great honor.
I will tell you of a Knight
tha t was both hardye & wight,
& stiffe in euerye stower;
& wher any deeds of armes were,
hee wan the prize w i th sheeld & speare,
& euer he was the fflower
2
In Artoys the K nigh t was borne,
& his ffather him beforne;
listen; I will you say.
S i r Prinsamoure the Erle hight;
& Eglamore thé hight [the] Knight
tha t curteous was alway;
& he was for a man verament,
w i th the Erle was he bent,
to none he wold say nay.
the Erle had noe Child but one,
a maiden as white as whalles bone,
tha t his right heyre shold bee;
Christabell was the Ladyes name;
a ffairer maid then shee was ane
was none in christentye
Christabell soe well her bore;
the Erle loued nothing more
then his daughter ffree;
soe did tha t gentle knight
tha t was soe full of might;
it was the more pittye.
3
the knight was both hardy & snell,
& knew the ladye loued him well
listen a while & dwell:
Lords came ffrom many a Land
her to haue, I vnderstand,
w i th fforce ffold and ffell.
S i r Prinsamoure then did crye
strong Iusting & turnamentrye
for the loue of Christabell.
what man tha t did her craue,
such stroakes Eglamore him gaue,
tha t downe right he ffell.
4
to his chamberlaine then gan he saw,
“ffrom thee I cann hyde nought away,”
(where they did together rest;)
“ffaire ffrand, nought to laine,
my councell thou wold not saine;
On thee is all my trust.”
“M aster ,” hee said, “p er ma fay,
what soeuer you to me say,
I shall itt neuer out cast.”
“the Erles daughter, soe god me saue,
the loue of her but tha t I haue,
my liffe itt may not Last.”
5
“M aster ,” said the young man ffree,
“you haue told me yo u r priuitye;
I will giue you answere
to this tale: I vnderstand
you are a knight of litle Land,
& much wold haue more;
If I shold to tha t Ladye goe
& show yo u r hart & loue,
shee lightlye wold let me fare;
the man tha t heweth ou er hye,
some chipp ffalleth on his eye;
thus doth it euer fare.
6
“remember M aster , of one thing,
tha t shee wold haue both Erle & K ing ,
& many a bold Barron alsoe;
the Ladye will haue none of those,
but in her maidenhead hold;
ffor wist her ffather, by heauen K ing ,
tha t you were sett on such a thinge,
right deere itt shold be bought.
trow yee shee wold King fforsake,
& such a simple knight take,
but if you haue loued her of old?”
7
the knight answerd ffull mild:
“euer since I was a Child
thou hast beene loued of mee
in any iusting or any stower,
saw you me haue any dishonor
in battell where I haue bee?”
“Nay, M aster , att all rights
you are one of the best knights
in all Christentye;
in deeds of armes, by god aliue,
thy body is worth other 5.”
“gramercy, S i r,” sayd hee:
8
Eglamore sighed, & said noe more,
but to his Chamber gan hee ffare,
tha t richelye was wrought.
to god his hands he held vp soone,
“Lo rd !” he said, “grant me a boone
as thou on roode me bought!
the Erles daughter, ffaire & ffree,
tha t shee may my wiffe bee,
ffor shee is most in my thought;
tha t I may wed her to my wiffe,
& in Ioy to lead our liffe;
from care then were I brought.”
9
on the morrow tha t maiden small
eate w i th her ffather in the hall,
tha t was soe faire & bright
all the knights were at meate saue hee;
the Ladye said, “for gods pittye!
where is S i r Eglamore my K nigh t?
his squier answerd w i th heauye cheere,
“he is sicke, & dead ffull neere,
he prayeth you of a sight;
he is now cast in such a care,
but if he mends not of his fare
he liueth not to night.”
10
the Erle vnto his daughter spake,
“damsell,” he said, “for god sake
listen vnto mee!
after me, doe as I thee hend;
to his chamber see thou wend,
ffor hee was curteous & ffree;
ffull trulye w i th his intent,
w i th Iusting & in Turnament,
he said vs neu er nay;
if any deeds of armes were,
he wan the prize w i th turnay cleere;
our worshippe for eu er and aye.”
11
then after meate tha t Ladye gent
did affter her fathers comandement,
shee busked her to wend.
forth shee went w i thouten more,
for nothing wold shee spare,
but went there as hee Lay
“M aster ,” said the squier, “be of good cheere,
heere cometh the Erles daughter deere,
some words to you to say.”
12
& then said tha t Ladye bright,
“how fareth S i r Eglamore my K nigh t,
tha t is a man right ffaire?”
“forsoothe, Ladye, as you may see,
w i th woe I am bound for the loue of yee,
in longing & in care.”
“S i r,” shee said, “by gods pittye,
if you be agreeued ffor mee,
itt wold greeue me full sore!”
“damsell, if I might turne to liffe,
I wold haue you to my wiffe,
if itt yo u r will were.”
13
“S i r,” shee said, “soe mote I thee,
you are a Noble K nigh t and ffree,
& come of gentle blood;
a manfull man you are in ffeild
to win the gree w i th speare & sheeld
nobly by the roode;
S i r, att my ffather read you witt,
& see what hee will say to itt;
or if his will bee good,
& if tha t hee be att assent,
as I am true Ladie & gent,
my will it shalbe good.”
14
the K nigh t desired noe other blisse
when he had gotten his grantesse,
but made royall cheere;
he comanded a Sqiuer to goe
to ffeitch gold, a 100 or towe,
& giue the Maidens cleere.
S i r Eglamore said, “soe haue I blisse!
to yo u r marriage I giue you this,
ffor yee neuer come heere yore.”
the Lady then thanked & kissed the K nigh t;
shee tooke her leaue anon-right,
“farwell, my true sonne deere.”
15
then homeward shee tooke the way.
“welcome!” sayd the Erle, “in ffay,
tell mee how haue yee doone.
say, my daughter as white as any flower,
how ffareth my knight S i r Eglamore?”
& shee answered him soone:
“fforsooth, to mee he hartilye sware
he was amended of his care,
good comfort hath hee tane;
he told me & my maidens hende,
tha t hee vnto the riuer wold wend
w i th hounds & hawkes right.”
16
the Erle said, “soe Mote I thee,
w i th him will I ryde tha t sight to see,
to make my hart more light.”
on the morrow, when itt was day,
S i r Eglamore tooke the way
to the riuer ffull right.
the Erle made him redye there,
& both rode to they riuer
to see some ffaire fflight.
all they day they made good cheere:
a wrath began, as you may heare,
long ere itt was night.
17
as they rode homeward in the way,
S i r Eglamore to the Erle gan say,
“My lord, will you now heare?”
“all ready, Eglamore; in ffay,
whatsoeuer you to me say,
to me itt is ffull deere;
ffor why, the doughtyest art thou
that dwelleth in this Land now,
for to beare sheeld & speare”
“my Lord,” he said, “of charitye,
Christabell yo u r daughter ffree,
when shall shee haue a ffeere?”
18
the Erle said, “soe god me saue,
I know noe man tha t shee wold haue,
my daughter faire and cleere.”
“now, good Lo rd , I you pray,
for I haue serued you many a day,
to giue me her w i thouten nay.”
the Erle said, “by gods paine,
if thou her winne as I shall saine,
by deeds of armes three,
then shalt thou haue my daughter deere,
& all Artois ffarr & neere.”
“gramercy, S i r!” said hee.
19
S i r Eglamore [sware], “soe mote I thee,
att my iourney ffaine wold I be!”
right soone he made him yare.
the Erle said, “here by west
dwelleth a Gyant in a fforrest,—
ffowler neuer saw I ere;—
therin be trees ffaire & long,
3 harts run them amonge,
the fairest tha t on ffoot gone.
S i r, might yee bring one away,
then durst I boldly say
tha t yee had beene there.”
20
“fforsooth,” said Eglamore then,
“if tha t hee be a Christyan man,
I shall him neuer fforsake”
the Erle said in good cheere,
“w i th him shalt thou ffight in feere;
his name is S i r Marroccke”
the K nigh t thought on Christabell;
he swore by him tha t harrowed hell,
him wold he neuer fforsake.
“S i r, keepe well my Lady & my Land!”
therto the Erle held vp his hand,
& trothes they did strike.
21
then afterwards, as I you say,
S i r Eglamore tooke the way
to tha t Ladye soe ffree:
“damsell,” hee said to her anon,
“ffor yo u r Loue I haue vndertane
deeds of Armes three.”
“good S i r,” shee said, “be merry & glad;
ffor a worsse Iourney you neuer had
in noe christyan countrye.
if god grant ffrom his grace
tha t wee may ffrom tha t Iourney apace,
god grant it may be soe!
22
“S i r, if you be on hunting ffound,
I shall you giue a good greyhound
tha t is dun as a doe;
ffor as I am a true gentle woman,
there was neu er deere tha t he att ran
tha t might scape him ffroe:
alsoe a sword I giue thee,
tha t was ffound in the sea;
of such I know noe moe.
if you haue happ to keepe itt weele,
there is no helme of Iron nor steele
but itt wold carue in 2.
1
I ESUS : christ, heauen king!
grant vs all his deere blessinge,
& builde vs [in] his bower!
& giue them [ioye] tha t will heare
of Elders tha t before vs were,
tha t liued in great honor.
I will tell you of a Knight
tha t was both hardye & wight,
& stiffe in euerye stower;
& wher any deeds of armes were,
hee wan the prize w i th sheeld & speare,
& euer he was the fflower
2
In Artoys the K nigh t was borne,
& his ffather him beforne;
listen; I will you say.
S i r Prinsamoure the Erle hight;
& Eglamore thé hight [the] Knight
tha t curteous was alway;
& he was for a man verament,
w i th the Erle was he bent,
to none he wold say nay.
the Erle had noe Child but one,
a maiden as white as whalles bone,
tha t his right heyre shold bee;
Christabell was the Ladyes name;
a ffairer maid then shee was ane
was none in christentye
Christabell soe well her bore;
the Erle loued nothing more
then his daughter ffree;
soe did tha t gentle knight
tha t was soe full of might;
it was the more pittye.
3
the knight was both hardy & snell,
& knew the ladye loued him well
listen a while & dwell:
Lords came ffrom many a Land
her to haue, I vnderstand,
w i th fforce ffold and ffell.
S i r Prinsamoure then did crye
strong Iusting & turnamentrye
for the loue of Christabell.
what man tha t did her craue,
such stroakes Eglamore him gaue,
tha t downe right he ffell.
4
to his chamberlaine then gan he saw,
“ffrom thee I cann hyde nought away,”
(where they did together rest;)
“ffaire ffrand, nought to laine,
my councell thou wold not saine;
On thee is all my trust.”
“M aster ,” hee said, “p er ma fay,
what soeuer you to me say,
I shall itt neuer out cast.”
“the Erles daughter, soe god me saue,
the loue of her but tha t I haue,
my liffe itt may not Last.”
5
“M aster ,” said the young man ffree,
“you haue told me yo u r priuitye;
I will giue you answere
to this tale: I vnderstand
you are a knight of litle Land,
& much wold haue more;
If I shold to tha t Ladye goe
& show yo u r hart & loue,
shee lightlye wold let me fare;
the man tha t heweth ou er hye,
some chipp ffalleth on his eye;
thus doth it euer fare.
6
“remember M aster , of one thing,
tha t shee wold haue both Erle & K ing ,
& many a bold Barron alsoe;
the Ladye will haue none of those,
but in her maidenhead hold;
ffor wist her ffather, by heauen K ing ,
tha t you were sett on such a thinge,
right deere itt shold be bought.
trow yee shee wold King fforsake,
& such a simple knight take,
but if you haue loued her of old?”
7
the knight answerd ffull mild:
“euer since I was a Child
thou hast beene loued of mee
in any iusting or any stower,
saw you me haue any dishonor
in battell where I haue bee?”
“Nay, M aster , att all rights
you are one of the best knights
in all Christentye;
in deeds of armes, by god aliue,
thy body is worth other 5.”
“gramercy, S i r,” sayd hee:
8
Eglamore sighed, & said noe more,
but to his Chamber gan hee ffare,
tha t richelye was wrought.
to god his hands he held vp soone,
“Lo rd !” he said, “grant me a boone
as thou on roode me bought!
the Erles daughter, ffaire & ffree,
tha t shee may my wiffe bee,
ffor shee is most in my thought;
tha t I may wed her to my wiffe,
& in Ioy to lead our liffe;
from care then were I brought.”
9
on the morrow tha t maiden small
eate w i th her ffather in the hall,
tha t was soe faire & bright
all the knights were at meate saue hee;
the Ladye said, “for gods pittye!
where is S i r Eglamore my K nigh t?
his squier answerd w i th heauye cheere,
“he is sicke, & dead ffull neere,
he prayeth you of a sight;
he is now cast in such a care,
but if he mends not of his fare
he liueth not to night.”
10
the Erle vnto his daughter spake,
“damsell,” he said, “for god sake
listen vnto mee!
after me, doe as I thee hend;
to his chamber see thou wend,
ffor hee was curteous & ffree;
ffull trulye w i th his intent,
w i th Iusting & in Turnament,
he said vs neu er nay;
if any deeds of armes were,
he wan the prize w i th turnay cleere;
our worshippe for eu er and aye.”
11
then after meate tha t Ladye gent
did affter her fathers comandement,
shee busked her to wend.
forth shee went w i thouten more,
for nothing wold shee spare,
but went there as hee Lay
“M aster ,” said the squier, “be of good cheere,
heere cometh the Erles daughter deere,
some words to you to say.”
12
& then said tha t Ladye bright,
“how fareth S i r Eglamore my K nigh t,
tha t is a man right ffaire?”
“forsoothe, Ladye, as you may see,
w i th woe I am bound for the loue of yee,
in longing & in care.”
“S i r,” shee said, “by gods pittye,
if you be agreeued ffor mee,
itt wold greeue me full sore!”
“damsell, if I might turne to liffe,
I wold haue you to my wiffe,
if itt yo u r will were.”
13
“S i r,” shee said, “soe mote I thee,
you are a Noble K nigh t and ffree,
& come of gentle blood;
a manfull man you are in ffeild
to win the gree w i th speare & sheeld
nobly by the roode;
S i r, att my ffather read you witt,
& see what hee will say to itt;
or if his will bee good,
& if tha t hee be att assent,
as I am true Ladie & gent,
my will it shalbe good.”
14
the K nigh t desired noe other blisse
when he had gotten his grantesse,
but made royall cheere;
he comanded a Sqiuer to goe
to ffeitch gold, a 100 or towe,
& giue the Maidens cleere.
S i r Eglamore said, “soe haue I blisse!
to yo u r marriage I giue you this,
ffor yee neuer come heere yore.”
the Lady then thanked & kissed the K nigh t;
shee tooke her leaue anon-right,
“farwell, my true sonne deere.”
15
then homeward shee tooke the way.
“welcome!” sayd the Erle, “in ffay,
tell mee how haue yee doone.
say, my daughter as white as any flower,
how ffareth my knight S i r Eglamore?”
& shee answered him soone:
“fforsooth, to mee he hartilye sware
he was amended of his care,
good comfort hath hee tane;
he told me & my maidens hende,
tha t hee vnto the riuer wold wend
w i th hounds & hawkes right.”
16
the Erle said, “soe Mote I thee,
w i th him will I ryde tha t sight to see,
to make my hart more light.”
on the morrow, when itt was day,
S i r Eglamore tooke the way
to the riuer ffull right.
the Erle made him redye there,
& both rode to they riuer
to see some ffaire fflight.
all they day they made good cheere:
a wrath began, as you may heare,
long ere itt was night.
17
as they rode homeward in the way,
S i r Eglamore to the Erle gan say,
“My lord, will you now heare?”
“all ready, Eglamore; in ffay,
whatsoeuer you to me say,
to me itt is ffull deere;
ffor why, the doughtyest art thou
that dwelleth in this Land now,
for to beare sheeld & speare”
“my Lord,” he said, “of charitye,
Christabell yo u r daughter ffree,
when shall shee haue a ffeere?”
18
the Erle said, “soe god me saue,
I know noe man tha t shee wold haue,
my daughter faire and cleere.”
“now, good Lo rd , I you pray,
for I haue serued you many a day,
to giue me her w i thouten nay.”
the Erle said, “by gods paine,
if thou her winne as I shall saine,
by deeds of armes three,
then shalt thou haue my daughter deere,
& all Artois ffarr & neere.”
“gramercy, S i r!” said hee.
19
S i r Eglamore [sware], “soe mote I thee,
att my iourney ffaine wold I be!”
right soone he made him yare.
the Erle said, “here by west
dwelleth a Gyant in a fforrest,—
ffowler neuer saw I ere;—
therin be trees ffaire & long,
3 harts run them amonge,
the fairest tha t on ffoot gone.
S i r, might yee bring one away,
then durst I boldly say
tha t yee had beene there.”
20
“fforsooth,” said Eglamore then,
“if tha t hee be a Christyan man,
I shall him neuer fforsake”
the Erle said in good cheere,
“w i th him shalt thou ffight in feere;
his name is S i r Marroccke”
the K nigh t thought on Christabell;
he swore by him tha t harrowed hell,
him wold he neuer fforsake.
“S i r, keepe well my Lady & my Land!”
therto the Erle held vp his hand,
& trothes they did strike.
21
then afterwards, as I you say,
S i r Eglamore tooke the way
to tha t Ladye soe ffree:
“damsell,” hee said to her anon,
“ffor yo u r Loue I haue vndertane
deeds of Armes three.”
“good S i r,” shee said, “be merry & glad;
ffor a worsse Iourney you neuer had
in noe christyan countrye.
if god grant ffrom his grace
tha t wee may ffrom tha t Iourney apace,
god grant it may be soe!
22
“S i r, if you be on hunting ffound,
I shall you giue a good greyhound
tha t is dun as a doe;
ffor as I am a true gentle woman,
there was neu er deere tha t he att ran
tha t might scape him ffroe:
alsoe a sword I giue thee,
tha t was ffound in the sea;
of such I know noe moe.
if you haue happ to keepe itt weele,
there is no helme of Iron nor steele
but itt wold carue in 2.
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