Classic Poem

[Part III.]

 By the time he had heard masse,
 the Gyant to this place come was,
  & cryed as hee were wood;
 “S i r King,” he said, “send vnto mee
 Arnada thy daughter ffree,
  or I shall spill thy blood.”

44

 S i r Eglamore anon-right
 in good armour he him dight,
  & vpon the walles he yode;
he camanded a squier to beare
the bores head vpon a speare,
  tha t the Gyant might itt see
& when he looked on the head,
“alas!” he said, “art thou dead?
 my trust was all in thee!
now by the Law tha t I liue in,
my litle speckeled hoglin,
 deare bought shall thy death bee!”

45

the Gyant on the walls donge;
att euery stroke fyer out spronge;
 for nothing wold he spare.
towards the castle gan he crye,
“false traitor! thou shalt dye
 for slaying of my bore!
yo u r strong walles I doe downe ding,
& w i th my hands I shall the hange
 ere tha t I ffurther passe”
but through the grace of god almight,
the Gyant had his ffill of fight,
 & therto some deale more.

46

S i r Eglamore was not agast;
on might-ffull god was all his trust,
 & on his sword soe good.
to Eglamore said the K ing then,
“best is to arme vs euerye man;
 this theefe, I hold him woode”

47

S i r Eglamore sware by the roode,
“I shall him assay if hee were wood;
 mickle is gods might!”
he rode a course to say his steed,
he tooke his helme & forth hee yeede;
 All men prayed for tha t K nigh t

48

S i r Eglamore into the ffeild taketh;
the Gyant see him, & to him goeth;
 “welcome,” he said, “my ffeere!
thou art hee tha t slew my bore!
tha t shalt thou repent ffull sore,
 & buy itt wonderous deere!”
S i r Eglamore weened well what to doe;
w i th a speare he rode him to,
 as a man of armes cleere.
against him the Gyant was redy bowne,
but horsse & man he bare all downe,
  tha t dead he was ffull nere

49

S i r Eglamore cold noe better read,
but what time his horsse was dead,
 to his ffoote he hath him tane;
& then Eglamore to him gan goe;
the right arme he smote him froe,
 euen by the sholder bone;
& tho he had lost his hand,
all day hee stood a ffightand
 till the ssun to rest gan goe;
the sooth to say, w i thouten lye,
he sobbed & was soe drye
  tha t liffe him lasteth none.

50

all tha t on the walles were,
when they heard the Gyant rore,
 ffor ioy the bells thé ring.
Edmond was the K ing s name,
swore to S i r Eglamore, “by St. Iame,
 here shalt thou be K ing !
“to-morrow thow shalt crowned bee,
& thou shalt wed my daughter ffree
 w i th a curyous rich ringe!”
Eglamore answered w i th words mild:
“god giue you ioy of yo u r child!
 ffor here I may not abyde longe.”

51

“S i r Eglamore, for thy doughtye deede
thou shalt not be called lewd
 in noe place where thou goe!”
then said Arnada, tha t sweete thing,
“haue here of me a gold ring
 w i th a p re cyous stone;
where-soe you bee on water or Land,
& this ring vpon yo u r hand,
 nothing may you slone.”

52

“gramercy!” sayd Eglamore ffree.
“this 15 yeeres will I abyde thee,
 soe tha t you will me wed;
this will I sweare, soe god me saue,
K ing ne Prince nor none will haue,
 if they be comlye cladd!”
“damsell,” he said, “by my ffay,
by tha t time I will you say
 how tha t I haue spedd.”
he tooke the Gyants head & the bore,
& towards Artoys did he ffare,
 god helpe me att neede!

53

by tha t 7 weekes were comen to end,
euen att Artoys he did lend,
 wheras Prinsamoure was.
the Erle therof was greatly faine
tha t Eglamore was come againe;
 soe was both more and lesse
when Christabell as white as swan,
heard tell how Eglamore was come,
 to him shee went full yare;

54

the K nigh t kissed tha t Lady gent,
then into the hall hee went
 the Erle for to teene.
The Erle answered, & was ffull woe
“what devill! may nothing thee sloe?
 forsooth, right as I weene,
thou art about, as I vnderstand,
for to winn Artoys & all my Land,
 & alsoe my daughter cleane”

55

S i r Eglamore said, “soe mote I thee,
not but if I worthy bee;
 soe god giue me good read!”
the Erle said, “such chance may ffall,
tha t one may come & quitt all,
 be thou neuer so prest.”
“but good Lo rd , I you pray,
of 12 weekes to giue me day,
 my weary body to rest.”
12 weekes were granted then
by prayer of many a gentleman
 & comforted him w i th the best.

56

S i r Eglamore after supp er
went to Christabells chamber
 w i th torches burning bright
the Ladye was of soe great pride,
shee sett him on her bedside,
 & said, “welcome, S i r Knight!”
then Eglamore did her tell
of adventures tha t him befell,
 but there he dwelled all night.
“damsell,” he said, “soe god me speed,
I hope in god you for to wedd!”
 & then their trothes they plight.

57

by tha t 12 weekes were come & gone,
Christabbell tha t was as faire as sunn,
 all wan waxed her hewe.
shee said vnto her maidens ffree,
“in tha t yee know my priuitye,
 looke tha t yee bee trew!”
the Erle angerlye gan ffare,
he said to Eglamore, “make thee yare
 for thy Iourney a-new!”
When Christabell therof heard tell,
shee mourned night & day,
  tha t all men might her rue.

58

the Erle said, “there is mee told long,
beside Roome there is a dragon strong;
 forsooth as I you say,
the dragon is of such renowne
there dare noe man come neere the towne
 by 5 miles and more;
arme thee well & thither wend;
looke tha t thou slay him w i th thy hand,
 or else say mee nay.”

59

S i r Eglamore to the chamber went,
& tooke his leaue of the Ladye gent,
 white as fflower on ffeelde;
“damsell,” he said, “I haue to doone;
I am to goe, & come againe right soone
 through the might of Marry mild.
a gold ring I will giue thee;
keepe itt well for the loue of mee
 if christ send me a child.”
& then, in Romans as wee say,
to great roome he tooke his way,
 to seeke the dragon wild.

60

if he were neuer soe hardye a K nigh t,
when of the dragon he had a sight,
 his hart began to be cold.
anon the dragon waxed wrothe,
he smote S i r Eglamore & his steed bothe,
  tha t both to ground they ffell.
Eglamore rose, & to him sett,
& on tha t ffowle worme hee bett
 w i th stroakes many and bold;

61

the dragon shott fire w i th his mouth
 like the devill of hell;
S i r Eglamore neere him gan goe,
& smote his taile halfe him ffroe;
 then he began to yell,
& w i th the stumpe tha t yett was leaued
he smote S i r Eglamore on the head;
  tha t stroake was ffeirce and ffell.

62

“S i r Eglamore neere him gan goe,
the dragons head he smote of thoe,
 fforsooth as I you say,
his wings he smote of alsoe,
he smote the ridge bone in 2,
 & wan the ffeild tha t day
the Emperour of Roome Lay in his tower
& ffast beheld S i r Eglamore,
 & to his K nigh ts gan say,
“doe cry in Roome, the dragons slaine!
a knigh[t] him slew w i th might & maine,
 manfully, by my ffay!”
through Roome they made a crye,
euery officer in his baylye,
 “the dragon is slaine this day!”

63

& then the Emperour tooke the way
 to the place where Eglamore Lay,
 beside tha t ffoule thing,
w i th all tha t might ride or gone
S i r Eglamore they haue vp tane,
 & to the towne they can him bring;
ffor ioy tha t they dragon was slaine,
they came w i th p ro cession him againe,
 and bells they did ringe.
the Emperour of Roome brought him soone,
Constantine, tha t was his name,
 a Lo rd of great Longinge.

64

all tha t eu er saw his head,
thé said tha t Eglamore was but dead,
  tha t K nigh t S i r Eglamore.
the Emperour had a daughter bright,
shee vndertooke to heale the K nigh t,
 her name was vyardus
w i th good salues shee healed his head
& saued him ffrom the dead,
  tha t Lady of great valours:
& there w i thin a little stond
shee made S i r Eglamore whole & sound;
 god giue her honor!