And when I learned at the schole,

Something shee taught itt me.

There groweth an hearbe within this fielde,

And iff it were but knowne,

His color, which is whyte and redd,

It will make blacke and browne:

His color, which is browne and blacke,

Itt will make redd and whyte; That sword is not in all Englande, Upon his coate will byte.

145

150

And you shal be a harper, brother,

155

Out of the north countrée;

And Ile be your boye, so faine of fighte,

And thus they renisht them to ryde,

On towe good renish steedes;

And whan they came to king Adlands hall,

Of redd gold shone their weedes.

And whan the came to kyng Adlands hall

Untill the fayre hall yate,

There they found a proud portèr

Rearing himselfe theratt.

170

Sayes, Christ thee save, thou proud portèr; 175

Sayes, Christ thee save and see.

Nowe you be welcome, sayd the portèr,

Of what land soever ye bee.

We been harpers, sayd Adler yonge,

Come out of the northe countrèe;

We beene come hither untill this place,
This proud weddinge for to see.

Sayd, And your color were white and redd,

As it is blacke and browne,

Ild saye king Estmere and his brother

Were comen untill this towne.

Then they pulled out a ryng of gold,
Layd itt on the porters arme:
And ever we will thee, proud portèr,

Thow wilt saye us no harme.

VOL. I.

180

185

190

E

Sore he looked on kyng Estmère,

And sore he handled the ryng,

Then opened to them the fayre hall yates,
He lett for no kind of thyng.

Kyng Estmere he light off his steede

Up att the fayre hall board;

The frothe, that came from his brydle bitte,
Light on kyng Bremors beard.

Sayes, Stable thy steede, thou proud harpèr,

Go stable him in the stalle;

Itt doth not beseeme a proud harper

To stable him in a kyngs halle.

My ladd he is so lither, he sayd,

195

200

He will do nought that's meete;

And

aye that I cold but find the man,

205

Were able him to beate.

Thou speakst proud words, sayd the Paynim king,

Thou harper here to mee:

There is a man within this halle,

That will beate thy lad and thee.

210

O lett that man come downe, he sayd,
A sight of him wold I see;
And whan hee hath beaten well my ladd,
Then he shall beate of mee.

Downe then came the kemperye man,

And looked him in the eare;

For all the gold, that was under heaven,

He durst not neigh him neare.

215

And how nowe, kempe, sayd the kyng of Spayne,

And how what aileth thee?

He sayes, Itt is written in his forhead

All and in gramaryè,

That for all the gold that is under heaven,

I dare not neigh him nye.

220

Kyng Estmere then pulled forth his harpe, 225

And played thereon so sweete:

Upstarte the ladye from the kynge,

As hee sate at the meate.

Now stay thy harpe, thou proud harper,

Now stay thy harpe, I say;

For an thou playest as thou beginnest,

He strucke upon his harpe agayne,

And playd both fayre and free;

230

The ladye was so pleasde theratt,

235

She laught loud laughters three.

* i.e. entice. Vide Gloss. For gramarye, see the end of this

ballad.

Nowe sell me thy harpe, sayd the kyng of Spayne,

Thy harpe and stryngs eche one,

And as many gold nobles thou shalt have,

As there be stryngs thereon.

240

And what wold ye doe with my harpe, he sayd,

Iff I did sell it yee?

"To playe my wiffe and me a FITT,

When abed together we bee."

*

Now sell me, quoth hee, thy bryde soe gay, 245

As shee sitts laced in pall,

And as many gold nobles I will give,

As there be rings in the hall.

And what wold ye doe with my bryde soe gay,

"O ladye, this is thy owne true love;

255

Noe harper, but a kyng.

O ladye, this is thy owne true love,

As playnlye thou mayest see;

* i. e. a tune, or strain of music. See Gloss.