Sayes, "You shall ryde yourselfe, brothèr,

Ile beare you companèe;

25

Many throughe fals messengers are deceived,
And I feare lest soe shold wee."

Thus the renisht them to ryde

Of twoe good renisht steedes,

30

And when they came to Kyng Adlands halle,
Of red golde shone their weedes.

And when the came to Kyng Adlands halle

Before the goodlye yate,

Ther they found good Kyng Adlànd

35

Rearing himselfe theratt.

"Nowe Christ thee save, good Kyng Adland,

Nowe Christ thee save and see."

Sayd, "You be welcome, Kyng Estmere,

Right hartilye to mee."

40

"You have a daughter," sayd Adler yonge, "Men call her bright and sheene;

My brother wold marrye her to his wiffe,
Of Englande to be queene."

"Yesterdaye was att my dere daughter Syr Bremor the Kyng of Spayne; And then she nicked him of naye;

45

I feare sheele do youe the same."

"The Kyng of Spayne is a foule paynìm, And 'leeveth on Mahound;

50

"But grant to me," sayes Kyng Estmere, "For my love I you praye,

That I may see your daughter dere

55

Before I goe hence awaye."

'Althoughe itt is seven yeare and more
Syth my daughter was in halle,

She shall come downe once for your sake,
To glad my guestès alle."

V. 27, many a man... is. fol. MS.

V. 46, the king his sonne of Spayn. fol. MS.

60

Downe then came that mayden fayre,
With ladyes lacede in pall,

And halfe a hondred of bolde knightes,

To bring her from bowre to hall,

And eke as manye gentle squieres,

65

To waite upon them all.

The talents of golde were on her head sette,

Hunge lowe downe to her knee;

And everye rynge on her small fingèr

Shone of the chrystall free.

70

Sayes, "Christ you save, my deare Madàme;"

Sayes, "Christ you save and see;"

Sayes, "You be welcome, Kyng Estmere,

"He wold pull downe my halles and castles,

And reave me of my lyfe:

And ever I feare that paynim kyng,

85

Iff I reave him of his wyfe."

"Your castles and your towres, father,

Are stronglye built aboute;

And therefore of that foule paynìm

Wee neede not stande in doubte.

90

"Plyght me your troth nowe, Kyng Estmère,

By heaven and your righte hande,

That you will marrye me to your wyfe,
And make me queene of your land."

Then Kyng Estmere he plight his troth
By heaven and his righte hand,

That he wolde marrye her to his wyfe,
And make her queene of his land.

95

In all the spede might bee,

That he must either returne and fighte,
Or goe home and lose his ladyè.

And ever-more well by mee:

You must either turne againe and fighte,
Or goe home and lose your ladyè."

Sayes, "Reade me, reade me, deare brothèr,
My reade shall ryde 2 at thee,

Whiche way we best may turne and fighte,
To save this fayre ladyè."

135

"Now hearken to me," sayes Adler yonge,

140

3

"And your reade must rise 3 at me ; I quicklye will devise a waye

To sette thy ladye free.

And Ile be your boye, so faine of fighte,
To beare your harpe by your knee.

2 Sic MS.

thee.

See ver. 140.

3 Sic. MS.

It should probably be ryse, i. e., my counsel shall arise from

4 See note at the end of this ballad.

And thus they renisht them to ryde,

On towe good renish steedes;

And whan the came to Kyng Adlands hall,
Of redd gold shone their weedes.

170

And whan the came to Kyng Adlands hall,

Untill the fayre hall yate,

There they found a proud portèr,

Rearing himselfe theratt.

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;

180

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,

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,

195

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;

200

V. 187, There is assurance that the ryng was not the article of personal adornment, but a coin.-Vide Ring Money, Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy, vol. xvii.-Editor.

VOL. I.

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