Classic Poem

S ir Lyonell wold on hunting ryde
vntill the forrest him beside,

And as the rode thorrow the wood
where trees & harts & all were good,

And as he rode over the plaine,
there he saw a knight lay slaine.

And as he rode still on the plaine,
he saw a lady sitt in a graine:

" Say thou, lady, & tell thou me,
what blood shedd heere had bee. "

" Of this blood shedd we may all rew,
both wife & childe and man alsoe,

" for it is not past 3 days right
since S ir Broninge was mad a k nigh t,

" Nor it is not more than 3 dayes agoe
since the wild bore did him sloe. "

" Say thou, lady, & tell thou mee,
how long thou wilt sitt in tha t tree. "

She said, " I wilt sitt in this tree
till my friends doe feitch me. "

" Tell me, lady, & doe not miste,
where that yo u r friends dwellings is. "

" downe, " shee said, " in yonder towne,
there dwells my freinds of great renowne. "

Says, " Lady, Ile ryde into yonder towne
& see wether yo u r friends beene bowne;

" I my self wilbe the formost man
that shall come, lady, to feitch you home. "

But as he rode then by the way,
he thought it shame to goe awaw,

and vnbethought him of a while,
how he might that wilde bore beguile.

" S i r Egrabell, " he said, " my father was,
he neuer left lady in such a case;

" Noe more will I " . . . . . .

" and a[fter] that thou shalt doe mee
thy hawkes & thy lease alsoe;

" soe shalt thou doe at my com m and
the litle fingar on thy right hand. "

" Ere I wold leaue all this w i th thee,
vpoon this ground I rather dyee. "

The Gyant gaue S i r Lyon el l such a blow,
the fyer out of his eyen did throw.

He said then, " if I were saffe & sound
as w i th-in this hower I was in this ground,

" It shold be in the next towne told
how deare thy buffett it was sold;

" And it shold haue beene in the next towne s ai d
how well thy buffett it were paid. "

" Take 40 daies into Spite
to heale thy wounds that beene soe wide;

" when 40 dayes beene at an end,
heere meete thou me both safe & sound,

" And till thou come to me againe,
w i th me thoust leaue thy lady alone. "

when 40 dayes was at an end,
Sir Lyon el l of his wounds was healed sound,

He tooke w i th him a litle page, —
he gaue to him good yeomans wage, —

And as he rode by one hawthorne,
even there did hang his hunting horne.

He sett his bugle to his mouth,
& blew his bugle still full south;

He blew his bugle lowde & shrill;
the lady heard, & came him till,

Sayes, " the Gyant lyes vnder yond low,
& well he heares yo u r bugle blow,

" And bidds me of good cheere be,
this night heele supp w i th you & me. "

Hee sett that lady vppon a steede,
& a litle boy before her yeede,

And said, " lady, if you see that I must dye,
as euer you loued me, from me flye;

" But, lady, if you see tha t I must liue, "