Syr Cauline loveth her best of all,
But nothing durst he saye;

Ne descreeve his counsayl to no man,
But deerlye he lovde this may *.

Till on a daye, it so befell,

Great dill to him was dight‡, The maiden's love removde his mynd, To care-bed went the knighte.

One while he spred his armes him fro, One while he spred them nye; "And aye! but I winne that ladye's love, "For dole now I mun § dye."

And when our parish-masse was done,
Our king was bowne || to dyne:
He says, "Where is Syr Cauline,
"That is wont to serve the wyne ?"

* May, maiden.

† Dill, grief.

§ Mun, must.

Bowne, made ready.

Dight, wrought.

Then aunswerde him a courteous knighte,
And fast his handes* gan wringe:

"Syr Cauline is sicke and like to dye,
"Without a good leechinge +."

"Fetche me downe my daughter deere, "She is a leeche fulle fine;

"Goe take him doughe and the baken bread, "And serve him with the wyne soe red; "Lothe I were him to tine."

Fair Christabelle to his chaumber goes,
Her maydens followyng nye;

"Ò well," she sayth, "how doth my lord?" "O sicke, thou fayr ladye."

"Now ryse up wightlye, man, for shame,

"Never lye soe cowardlee;

"For it is told in my father's halle, "You dye for love of mee."

* Gan, literally began, but used here as an expletive: + Leechinge, medicinal care.

Tine, lose.

H

"Fayre ladye, it is for your love, "That all this dill I drye*:

"For, if you wold comfort me with a kisse, "Then were I brought from bale to blisse, "No lenger wold I lye."

"Sir knighte, my father is a kinge, "I am his onlye heire;

"Alas! and well you know, syr knighte, "I never can be youre fere."

"O ladye, thou art a kinges daughter, " And I am not thy peere;

"But, let me doe some deedes of armes, "To be your bacheleere.”

"Some deedes of armes, if thou wilt doe,

My bacheleere to be,

"(But ever and

aye my

heart wold rue,

"Giff harm shold happe to thee)

* Drye, suffer.

"Upon Eldridge hill there groweth a thorne,

66

Upon the mores brodinge*;

"And dare ye, syr knighte, wake there all nighte, "Untill the fayre morninge?

"For the Eldridge Knighte, so mickle of might, "Will examine you beforne;

"And never man bare life awaye,

"But he did him scath and scorne.

"That knighte he is a foul paynim,
"And large of limb and bone;
"And but if heaven may be thy speede,
Thy life it is but gone."

66

"Now on the Eldridge hills I'll walke,

"For thy sake, fair ladie;'

"And I'll either bring you a ready token, "Or I'll never more you see."

The lady is gone to her own chaumbere,
Her maydens following bright;
Syr Cauline lope from care-bed soone,
And to the Eldridge hills is gone,
For to wake there all night.

*Mores brodinge, wide downs, or moors?

Unto midnight, that the moon did rise,
He walked up and downe;

Then a lightsome bugle heard he blowe,

Over the bents soe browne;

Quoth hee, "If cryance come till my heart, "I am ffar from any good towne."

And soone he spyde on the mores so broad,
A furyous wight and fell;

A ladye bright his brydle led,

Clad in a fayre kyrtell:

And soe faste he called on syr Cauline,

"O man, I rede* thee flye,

"For " but" if cryance comes till thy heart, "I weene but thou mun dye."

He sayth, "No" cryance comes till my heart; 66 Nor, in faith, I wyll not flee;

"For, cause thou † minged not Christ before, "The less me dreadeth thee."

The Eldridge knighte, he pricked his steed;

Syr Cauline bold abode;

Then either shooke his trustye speare,

And the timber these two children bare,

Soe soone in sunder slode.

*Rede, advise.

+ Minged, mentioned.