Some told him riches, pompe, or state;
Some rayment fine and brighte;
Some told him mirthe; some flatterye,

And some a jollye knighte.

*This was a common phrase in our old writers; so Chaucer, in his Prologue to the Cant. Tales, says of the wife of Bath: Her hosen were of fyne scarlet red.

What

What wight art thou, the ladye sayd,
That wilt not speake to mee;
Sir, I may chance to ease thy paine,

Though I bee foule to see.

If thou wilt ease my paine, he sayd,

And helpe me in my neede;

Ask what thou wilt, thou grimme ladyè,

And it shall bee thy meede.

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110

Now this shall be my paye, sir king,

And this my guerdon bee,

That some yong fair and courtlye knight,

Thou bringe to marrye mee.

Fast then pricked king Arthure

Ore hille, and dale, and downe :

And soone he founde the barone's bowre:

And soone the grimme baroùne.

125

He

He bare his clubbe upon his backe,

Hee stoode bothe stiffe and stronge;

130

And, when he had the letters reade,

Awaye the lettres flunge.

Nowe yielde thee, Arthur, and thy lands,

This morne, as I came over a more,

I saw a ladye sette

Betwene an oke, and a greene hollèye,

All clad in red scarlette.

Shee sayes, all women will have their wille,

145

This is their chief desyre;

Now yield, as thou art a barone true,

But here I will make mine avowe,

To do her as ill a turne:

For an ever I may that foule theefe gette,

155

In a fyre I will her burne.

PART THE SECONDE.

HOMEWARDE pricked king Arthure,
And a wearye man was hee;

And soone he mette queene Guenever,

That bride so bright of blee!

What newes! what newes! thou noble king,

5

Howe, Arthur, hast thou sped?

Where hast thou hung the carlish knighte?

And where bestow'd his head?

The carlish knight is safe for mee,

And free fro mortal harme :

On magicke grounde his castle stands,

And fenc'd with many a charme.

To bowe to him I was fulle faine,

And yielde mee to his hand: And but for a lothly ladye, there I sholde have lost my land.

10

15

And

That lothly ladye I will wed;

I swore a yonge and courtlye knight,
Sholde marry her to his wife.

Then bespake him sir Gawàine,
That was ever a gentle knighte:

Therefore be merrye and lighte.

20

Nowe naye, nowe naye, good sir Gawàine;

25

My sister's sonne yee bee;

This lothlye ladye's all too grimme,

And all too foule for yee.

Her nose is crookt and turn'd outwarde ;

Her chin stands all awrye;

A worse form'd ladye than shee is

Was never seen with eye.

30

What though her chin stand all

awrye,

35

And shee be foule to see :

I'll marry her, unkle, for thy sake,

And I'll thy ransome bee.

Nowe thankes, nowe thankes, good sir Gawaine ;

And a blessing thee betyde !

To-morrow wee'll have knights and squires,

And wee'll goe fetch thy bride.

40

And