Читать книгу English and Scottish Ballads (Vol. 1-8) - Various Authors - Страница 71

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And then bespake Sir Gawaine the gay,

And these were the words said hee:

145 "Nay, seeing you have made such a hearty vow,

Here another vow make will I.

"Ile make mine avow to God,

And alsoe to the Trinity,

That I will have yonder faire lady

150 To Litle Brittaine with mee.

"Ile hose her hourly to my hart, And with her Ile worke my will;

[Half a page is wanting.

These were the words sayd hee:

"Befor I wold wrestle with yonder feend,

155 It is better be drowned in the sea."

And then bespake Sir Bredbeddle,

And these were the words said he:

"Why, I will wrestle with yon lodly feend,

God! my governor thou shalt bee."

160 Then bespake him noble Arthur,

And these were the words said he: "What weapons wilt thou have, thou gentle knight? I pray thee tell to me."

He sayes, "Collen brand Ile have in my hand,

165 And a Millaine knife fast be my knee;

And a Danish axe fast in my hands,

That a sure weapon I thinke wilbe."

Then with his Collen brand, that he had in his hand,

The bunge of the trubchandler he burst in three.

170 What that start out a lodly feend,

With seven heads, and one body.

The fyer towards the element flew,

Out of his mouth, where was great plentie;

The knight stoode in the middle, and fought,

175 That it was great joy to see.

Till his Collaine brand brake in his hand,

And his Millaine knife burst on his knee;

And then the Danish axe burst in his hand first,

That a sur weapon he thought shold be.

180 But now is the knight left without any weapone,

And alacke! it was the more pitty;

But a surer weapon then had he one,

Had never Lord in Christentye:

And all was but one litle booke,

185 He found it by the side of the sea.

He found it at the sea-side,

Wrucked upp in a floode;

Our Lord had written it with his hands,

And sealed it with his bloode.

[Half a page is wanting.

190 "That thou doe. …

But ly still in that wall of stone;

Till I have beene with noble King Arthur,

And told him what I have done."

And when he came to the King's chamber,

195 He cold of his curtesie

Saye, "Sleep you, wake you, noble King Arthur?

And ever Jesus watch yee!"

"Nay, I am not sleeping, I am waking,"

These were the words said hee:

200 "For thee I have car'd; how hast thou fared?

O gentle knight, let me see."

The knight wrought the King his booke,

Bad him behold, reede, and see;

And ever he found it on the backside of the leafe,

205 As noble Arthur wold wish it to be.

And then bespake him King Arthur,

"Alas! thou gentle knight, how may this be,

That I might see him in the same licknesse,

That he stood unto thee?"

210 And then bespake him the Greene Knight, These were the words said hee: "If youle stand stifly in the battell stronge, For I have won all the victory."

Then bespake him the King againe,

215 And these were the words said hee:

"If we stand not stifly in this battell strong,

Wee are worthy to be hanged all on a tree."

Then bespake him the Greene Knight,

These were the words said hee:

220 Saies, "I doe coniure thee, thou fowle feend,

In the same licknesse thou stood unto me."

With that start out a lodly feend,

With seven heads, and one body;

The fier towarde the element flaugh,

225 Out of his mouth, where was great plenty.

The knight stood in the middle. …

[Half a page is wanting.

… the space of an houre,

I know not what they did.

And then bespake him the Greene Knight,

230 And these were the words said he:

Saith, "I coniure thee, thou fowle feend,

That thou feitch downe the steed that we see."

And then forth is gone Burlow-beanie,

As fast as he cold hie;

235 And feitch he did that faire steed,

And came againe by and by.

Then bespake him Sir Marramile,

And these were the words said hee:

"Riding of this steed, brother Bredbeddle,

240 The mastery belongs to me."

Marramiles tooke the steed to his hand,

To ryd him he was full bold;

He cold noe more make him goe,

Then a child of three yeere old.

245 He laid uppon him with heele and hand, With yard that was soe fell; "Helpe! brother Bredbeddle," says Marramile, "For I thinke he be the devill of hell.

"Helpe! brother Bredbeddle," says Marramile.

250 "Helpe! for Christs pittye;

For without thy help, brother Bredbeddle,

He will never be rydden " for me.

Then bespake him Sir Bredbeddle,

These were the words said he:

255 "I coniure thee, thou Burlow-beane, Thou tell me how this steed was riddin in his country." He saith, "There is a gold wand, Stands in King Cornwalls study windowe.

"Let him take that wand in that window,

260 And strike three strokes on that steed;

And then he will spring forth of his hand,

As sparke doth out of gleede."

Then bespake him the Greene Knight,

[Half a page is wanting.

A lowd blast. …

And then bespake Sir Bredbeddle,

265 To the feend these words said hee:

Says, "I coniure thee, thou Burlow-beanie,

The powder-box thou feitch me."

Then forth is gone Burlow-beanie,

270 As fast as he cold hie;

And feich he did the powder-box,

And came againe by and by.

Then Sir Tristeram tooke powder forth of that box,

And blent it with warme sweet milke;

275 And there put it unto the horne,

And swilled it about in that ilke.

Then he tooke the horne in his hand,

And a lowd blast he blew;

He rent the horne up to the midst,

280 All his fellowes this they knew.

Then bespake him the Greene Knight,

These were the words said he:

Saies. "I coniure thee, thou Burlow-beanie,

That thou feitch me the sword that I see."

285 Then forth is gone Burlow-beanie,

As fast as he cold hie;

And feitch he did that faire sword,

And came againe by and by.

Then bespake him Sir Bredbeddle,

290 To the king these words said he:

"Take this sword in thy hand, thou noble King,

For the vowes sake that thou made Ile give it thee;

And goe strike off King Cornewalls head,

In bed where he doth lye."

295 Then forth is gone noble King Arthur,

As fast as he cold hye;

And strucken he hath King Cornwalls head,

And came againe by and by.

He put the head upon a swords point,

[The poem terminates here abruptly.

151, hurt.

161, they words.

210, The Greene Knight is Sir Bredbeddle.

245, sayed.

252, p' me, i.e. pro or per.

255, Burlow-leane.

280, the knew.

294, were.