University of Virginia Library

Thir Knights ryding towardis their contrie,
Out of Ingland quhen thay war jornayis thrie
Thay enterit in ane vaill lustie and greine,
Throw quhilk thair ran ane seimlie river scheine;
On it was maid ane brig with pilleris wight,
Whair that on bread ane man micht pas furth right,
By quhilk to thame was no readie way;
And on the brig alse soune as enterit thay,
Ane armit Knicht thay met, with speir in hand,
Sayand to them, Fair Siris ȝe mone stand,
Or ȝe ower pas ȝe sall have mair adoe.
Soberlie said Clariodus him to,
What beine the caus that ȝe wald stop our way?
Then said the Knicht, I sall it to ȝow say;
Ane of ȝow thre rycht heir man gif me feild,
And if that I him vinquise under scheild,
Incontinent ane uthar I sall say,
Or ower the brig ȝe sal pas on na way.
If that it may na uthar wayis be,
Then, said Clariodus, cum on thy way to me.
Togidder joynis thir knightis of renowne,
Thair meiting was baith hard and felloun,
And on thair steidis them togidder bair;
Thair speiris flew in peissis in the air;
Thair bodies met with sik ane michtie force,
Quhilk to the eard this Knicht sent man and horse.
Clariodus ȝit held his sadill still,
The uther raise with force and eiger will.
Clariodus discendit from his steid,
And to this Knicht hardilie he ȝeid.
They met with awfull swordis scharpe of steill,
Full cruellie as can thair heidis feill;
They smote at uther as bairis wode and keine,
Or as twa rampand lyounis in thair teine,
That in thair breists furious was and wode;
Endlang thair sydis streimit doune the blude;
The rivar dymit with thair dints in ire;
Heich from thair helmis the sparkis flew of fyre.
Full awfull war thir knichtis to behold,
With irefull straikis quhilk micht not be told;
Ather from uther feirclie dang the scheild,
As alse the mailȝeis scatterit in the feild;
They hew throw helme, throw habergeone and plait,
Whill that thair swordis with bluid war wat.
Palexis than and Amadur also
Was for thair Eame in heartis wounder woe,
Beholding on the michtie campioun,
Whilk was in fight alse feirce as ane lyoun,
Full mikill of bodie and alse of height,
With gyen corpis wounder strong and wicht.
So cruell battell had they never seine,
They seamit as two dragounis wode and keine;
Thay wint thair had not beine sic fighting fell
Bot gif it had beine betwix twa feinds of hell.
This asper batell wode and wehement
Wox tham betwine so scharpe and violent,
That long it might not indure nor lest,
On ather syd behuifit them to rest;
Baith akit was thair armis and thair handis,
Thay stand abake and leanit them on thair brandis,
And up thay put thair visouris from thair face
The air to take, and braith for to purchas.
When they had lang tyme them reposit thus,
We ar weill restit, said Clariodus,
Now let us enter new to our combat.
The uther said, Be him that me creat,
Thow may weill thinke it is aneuch to thé,
It is ane fill and sum pairt mair to me;
Ȝit had I never half sa mikill adoe;
I thé beseike that first thow schaw me to
Thy name, that I aske for thy knichtheid,
Againe or we to new battell proceid;
This aske I only for thy nobilnes.
The uther said, That dar I doe doubtles,
Clariodus to name men dois me call.
The Knicht then inclynit law withall,
And fra his head his hewmund did unplace,
And be the point his sword, with humbill face,
He tuike, and to Clariodus he ȝeid,
Sayand, O flour of armis and of knichtheid,
To thé I ȝeild me as to the worthiest Knicht
Of all this warld, and to the gentilest wicht;
And unto him anone his sword he gave,
And said, My lord Clariodus, resave
My manreid for now and ever mair;
I knew ȝow not, quhilk me repentis sair.
Clariodus him receaves sweitlie
Into his armis, quha thankis him heartfullie.
This Knicht him askit forgiveines
That he of folie was sa rackles,
To fight with him quha rather he sould serve;
Sayand, My lord, greate blame I do deserve;
I have this long tyme levit wickitlie,
Of my trespas I ask God mercie;
For throw my cruell lyfe and tyrranie,
Men callis me The Felloun but peitie,
For Joysa Ramose they war wount me to call,
The caus of this I sall ȝow tell at all.
He schew him furth the maner les and more
Of his lady as ȝe have hard before,
Fra him how scho was revischit be ane knicht.
Clariodus all wnderstud at ryght,
Palexis had tauld him ever ilke deale.
He said, Sir Knicht, the caus I know full weill,
It was me tauld or this quhair that I raid;
Thairfor forȝet it, sen thair is no remeid
For to make cair for it or ȝit regrate,
Alse fair ane lady ȝe may have I waite.
He said, Sir, full suith it is that ȝe say;
Bot of ȝour gentilnes I ȝow pray
To go with me this nicht to my ludging,
For it is now rycht lait in the evining,
And far alse to ane uthar harberie place.
Clariodus him glaidlie grauntit hes.
Now togidder thir Knichtis went in feir
Unto this Lordis castell schyning cleir,
With courious kirnellis and goldin chainis bricht.
[When the varlotis saw The Felloun knicht]
Then doune they let the draw brig fall anone;
And thay glaidlie ar to the castell gone,
Whair that with mikle myrrines and joy
The Knichtis to ane chalmer thay convoy,
Whilk was arayit wounder pretiouslie
With gold, and silk and arais full michtie.
When that the supper was alredie dicht,
And all to hall went, this said Knicht
Unto Clariodus said in this maneir,
Ten prissoneris I have with me heir,
Whilk for ȝour saik full glaidlie salbe fred;
And syn he gart them to the hall be led,
And bad them say, Clariodus that he
Them lousit out of prissoun ransoune fre;
And syne anone, dispuilȝeit of his hate,
Befor thir prissoneris on kneis sate,
And askit thame forgivennes everie knicht,
Saying, he sould amend at all his micht.
Thir wordis he said so lamentabill,
The knichtis wox in heartis merciabill,
And him forgave with tender imbracing.
Clariodus, with rewth to se this thing,
The teiris ower his cheikis haillit doun,
So pitious was thair meitting and sermoune.
When this was done, they all to supper went
Of nobill cheir, quhair nought was indigent;
Full royallie thay fure with aboundance
Of everie thing that might do them plesance.
In mides of this supper raise this Knicht,
Whilke lord was of this place, and passit rycht
Unto ane closit, and with him brocht againe
Rose water cleir, doing thir wordis saine,
I am callit The Felloun but pitie,
For all men speikis of my crueltie;
Now think I to leive so vertouslie,
That my gud word sall go alse opinlie:
Thairfor if it micht please ȝour Lordschipis all,
From thence Le Fortoun de Amure ȝe me call,
And I forever renunce all fellonie.
Clariodus weill wnderstud the quhy
That he the water brocht in coup of gold,
With ane new name that he be baptisit wold;
Whairfor the coup he held with hand on height,
And let the water fall upon the Knicht,
Sayand, Le Fortoun de Amouris I thé call;
Fra laughter then ilk ane could neer devall;
Ane noyis up raise that mirrie was to heir,
When he was baptisit on this maneir.
When they had soupit with mirrines and joy,
Clariodus to chalmer thay did convoy
And his two cousingis, quhilk to bed ar gone
Whill bricht Phebus on morrow com anone.
Rycht as Clariodus anone up rose,
Le Fortoun de Amouris to his chalmer gois,
And with him brocht baith harneis, scheild and speir,
And all that ganit to ane knicht to weir,
And tham presentit to Clariodus,
First helsing him, than saying to him thus,
Sir, brokin ar ȝour harnes in sum part,
Quhairfor I ȝow beseike with all my heart
That ȝe wald weir this harnes for my saike.
He thankit him, and did the harnes taike,
And him inarmit in it lustilie.
And eike this Fortoun de Amouris nobillie
The ten Knichtis rewairdit on this wyse
With ten fair harneissis gudlie to devyse,
And ten steidis the best in that cuntrie.
When thay rewairdit war on this degrie,
Thay thankit him, and tuike thair leave to wend.
Clariodus did on his horse ascend
Whill it was neir awcht houris in the day,
Fortoun de Amouris convoyit him away.
The way depairtit of thir Knichtis than,
Thay tuike thair leave at uther everilke man.
Ane reale rob gave Sir Clariodus
To Fortoun de Amouris quhen they pairtit thus.
Ather to uther did heartlie them commend,
Imbraicing uther, then fra uther wend.
And the ten Knichtis on this same maneir,
Thair leave hes taine, [and] hamwart went ifeir.
Clariodus, thus furth the way ryding,
Ane messinger come in his [gait] meitting
From fair Meliades his lady deir,
Whilk was hir awin varlat Bonvaleir.
He was rejosit thairof greatumlie,
And him resavit wounder tenderlie.
When he had speirit all things as he list,
He tuike hir letteris and for joy tham kist;
And bad his cousingis ryd befor sumthing,
Whill he advysit war with hir wryting.

“My best belovit Knicht, and joy onlie,
To ȝow I me commend rycht heartfullie
Abone all uther eardlie creature.
As I that lang thinkis abone measure,
I have sent ȝow this secreit messinger
And varlot of my chalmer Bonvaleir
In proper persoun with ȝow to speik, [and] se
If ȝe be blyth, that he may say to me
That he ȝow saw, and with ȝour self inspak,
In mikill thing quhilk will me glaider make.
Send wird with him, my Knicht, I ȝow beseike,
Of ȝour estait, and of ȝour weilfair eike.
I bad Palexis me to ȝow commend,
And eike with him ane writting wald have send
War not that alse awtentike beine his saw
As ony dyt in letter, as ȝe knaw.
And for to schaw to ȝow of my estait,
Ȝe have my hart all haill ȝouris, God wait.
Ȝe left me with no weilfair nor plesance,
Bot cruell siching, sorrow and pennance:
Quhairfor ane thousand tymes I ȝow pray,
To visit me in all the heast ȝe may;
For I may never be in joy perfite
Whill I ȝow se, the grund of my delyt.
Whairfor, my Knicht and only paramour,
I have ȝow sent ane ballat of amour,
Beseiking ȝow that freschlie for my saike
Ȝe hald it, seing I did it make.
No more as now, bot God that is above
Keip ȝow, my Knicht, quhom ower all I love.”

When this ballet was red be Sir Clariodus,
He was in heart richt blisfull and joyous;
He clossit it, and laid it nixt his heart
Under his arme, rejoysing him inwart;
Syne haistilie efter his fellowis raid,
Calling to him Bonvaleir, and thus said,
[Of England Court the tydingis tell. And than]
Bonvaleir first at the King began,
Syne at the Queine, and tauld that thay war glaid,
And syne at fair Meliades the maide;
Syne of the Court he tauld of everie stait.

Be they had speirit all it waxit lait;
And fast thay raid quhile they com to the plane
Quhair they saw stand ane fair horse it alleane
Neir by ane wode, quhair, throw the way richt,
Thay raid full fast, for cumand was the nicht;
Whair soune thay hard into the wode tham by
Ane cairfull voice, lyke to ane manis cry:
Unto the voice they sped them haistily,
Whair that they saw ane man bundin ly;
Twa litill duerffis was sitting him neir,
Upon his breist thair sat ane lady cleir
With cruell feir, and in hir hand ane knyfe,
Saying, False trator, thow sall lose thy lyfe;
Heir sall thou sterve all only of my hand,
Me may thou not remeid nor [ȝit] gainstand;
Fals theif, I sall me wraike on thé full weill,
This knyfis poynt thy dowbill heart sall feill,
And eike I sall thy heart heir carve in two,
Never me thow sall begyle nor ȝit no mo.
Clariodus discendit from his horse rycht thair,
Seing this cruell Lady, sa merciles fair;
He said, Madame, do never that felloun deid,
Have rewth and pitie for ȝour womanheid;
With that he tuike hir in his armis two,
And to hir spake fare monie wirdis mo.
This Lady, birning in hir crueltie,
With tygir mynd, and attrie face to se,
Full tyrranlie as feindlie coccatrice,
Unto the Knicht scho answeirit on this wyse,
Pas on, and intromet ȝow not with me,
For at ȝour counsall think I never to be,
This trator salbe dead, or ellis I.
He said, Have patience, O my fair Ladie,
And that ȝe ar ane woman have in mynd,
And never to ane man be so unkynde
As him to slay, doing ȝour self defame,
Bring everlasting reproch to ȝour name.
Scho said, I winit ȝe had beine ane Knicht,
And ȝe ane preacher ar becumin richt;
So furth and in sum paroch church go teache,
For heir it helpis ȝow no thing to fleich,
He salbe deid, or I myself sall slay.
And quhen Clariodus hard hir so say,
For lawghter uneis micht [himself] conteine,
For scho was as ane lyoun alse keine;
And said, Madam, this tyme for my saike
Ȝe salbe gratious; I undertaike,
Gif he hes faillit, he sall to ȝow amend,
And his offence war to me maid kend.
Sir, scho said, I am this Knichtis wyfe,
Whom to I have beine trew in all my lyfe,
And him I have taine in adulterie
As false tratour with ane far worse nor I;
For scho is nothing in comparisoun
To me, nether in beawtie nor renoune;
Think ȝe not this ane thing impertinat,
That this false tratour, theif and renegat,
Defaice sould [thus] ane lady as am I,
Quhilk am mair nobill of genealogie
Nor he, or ony of his parentille?
Think ȝe not deid he hes deservit weill?
Clariodus began to smyll a litt,
And said, Lady, in him lyis all the wyt;
Bot ȝit for worschip of ȝour womanheid,
Ȝe sall have mercie heir of his misdeid;
And in tyme cuming, if he to ȝow offend,
Menteine I sall ȝour quarreland defend.
So with fair wordis and with humbilnes,
Relaxit he this Knicht that bundin wes,
And tham agreit, schortlie for to say,
Syne wald his leave have taine and went his way;
Bot thay him prayit that nicht to remaine
With tham, quhilke he grantit, the suth to saine.
This Knicht lape on behind Clariodus,
Him gyding hamwart, myrrie and joyous
That so had skaipit betuix the bow and string.
Clariodus said, How befell this thing,
That ȝe war with this Lady bundin so?
The trewth, he said, I sall not hyd ȝow fro;
Scho fand me with ane woman in quyet,
And secreit in hir heart it buire full great,
And never schew me ane luike of displisance
Whill in the wood it happinit thus perchance
Me to unarme me, and ly doune to sleipe;
To quhilk scho and ȝon dwerfis tuike [gude] keip,
And on me semblit sleiping as I lay,
And band me thus, the suith if I ȝow say;
And had not beine ȝe come in this cace,
I had bein deid, but mercie or but grace:
Whairfor not sufficis my wittis all,
Ȝow for to thanke; bot heir heicht I sall,
Ȝouris to be for terme of all my lyfe,
That hes me succurit from my cruell wyfe.
So raid thay furth unto the Knichts palace,
Wher they recevit war with great solace;
Anone they soupit and maid rycht myrrie cheir,
And syne to bedis went they all in feir.
Clariodus lay in bed him alone,
And quhen his cousingis sleiping war, anone
He callit Bonvaleir, and did him say,
Go fetch ȝe me ane instrument to play
Fra ȝone ladie; furth went this Bonvaleir,
Whilk hes him brocht ane herp with stringis seir;
Inke and paper he gart him bring also,
And syne commandit him to bed to go,
Saying, he had to do sum bissines.
He passit furth quhen all men sleiping was,
And enterit in ane lustie garth of flouris,
And tuike his Ladyis ballet of amouris,
And set it on ane note plesant and richt sweit;
And quhen it was all finischit and compleit,
He sang it with the harpe rycht myrrillie,
To heir whilk was ane joyous melodie:
When this was doune he begane to wryte,
Unto his ladie as followis the indyt.

“Lodstar of love, and lampe of lustieheid,
Blossome of beautie, and rose of gudliheid,
Illustar lillie, and leime of my delyt,
To ȝow, the fairest flour of collour quhyt,
I me commend ane hundreth thowsand syis,
Whom in my daith my lyfe and comfort lyis;
Ȝow thanking ofter nor I can heir report,
Of ȝour fresch ballat of plesance and comfort,
Of ȝour tender wryting so winder sweit,
Whilke for to heir rejosis all my spreit.
Amadure and Palexis baith ifeir
Into the court I send with Bonvaleir,
And with no wicht I will discoverit be,
My heartis Lady, whill that I ȝow se:
And speciallie, Madam, I ȝow requyre,
If ȝe will doe ocht for my desyre,
The postrum of your garth ȝe gar unclose;
To be thair this nicht is my purpose,
The tent hour withouttin ony dread,
To speike at lasour with ȝour Ladyheid,
Whom God in gud prosperitie conserve,
And in honour quhidder I leif or sterve.”

When endit hade Clariodus this thing,
To bed he ȝeid withoutin tarying.
At morne he hard ane mese with gud intent;
Syn to the lord that awcht the paleice he went,
And quyetlie thir wirdis said him to,
For secreit materis that I have adoe,
I wald ane chalmer of ȝow borrow heir,
Whill that my bissines compleitit ware.
The Lord answeirit and said, Not ane only,
Bot all my chalmers, house and harberie,
Or then I war wyld, wode, or out of mynd,
Considdering ȝe have beine to me sa kynd.
He thankit him; syne to his chalmer went,
Saying to thame, Loe this is my intent,
To pas to Denmark I have maid ane vow,
The caus quhairof I will not schaw as now,
Perchance heirefter ȝe may have witting.
Ȝe two sall pas in Ingland to the King,
And schaw to him that I am haill and feir,
And of my jurnay on this maneir;
Me recommending on most humbill wyse,
[And that full oft, to fair Meliades,]
To hir, and eik unto the court ower all;
And quhen I may have lasour cum I sall.
Heiring this taill, thir knichtis war full wo;
Bot, for his great displeasour dread they so,
No thing they said, bot rycht at his command
They wald obey withouttin mair demand.
Then efter callit he on Bonvaleir,
Saying, Commend me to my Lady deir,
And unto hir ȝe say that in schort space,
I thinke to se hir fair and gudlie face;
Geive hir this letter in ane taikining
That I fair weill: and so, at thair depairting,
Fyifte florings of gold he gave him thair;
And then Bonvaleir tuike [his] leave to fair.
His cousignis tuik thair leave with imbracing;
And in Palexis hand he did inthring
Ane rich flour of lustie diamand,
The quhilke bricht was and illuminand;
And him commandit in secreit wayes,
That he sould geive it to Meliades.

Bonvaleir and thir nobill Knichtis two
Thair leave hes taine hamwart for to go;
Thir Knichtis two did on thair horse ascend,
And Bonvaleir hamwart with them wend.
Thir Knichtis, with this varlot Bonvaleir,
In thair voyage so softlie can them steir
Whill they com neir the cuntrie of Ingland.
Bonvaleir, to thir Knightis inclynand,
Said, I wald ryd before war it ȝour will.
Thir Knichtis baith consentit him till.
Bonvalier haistit him on sike wyse
That in schort tyme into the toune he hyis,
As for that tyme quhair lugit was the King;
Anone also he changit his clothing,
As he had not beine fra hame nor absent.
Rycht soune unto Meliades he went,
And fand hir in hir wairdrope quyetlie,
Playand on ane hearpe rycht mirrilie.
And quhen scho of Bonvaleir had ane sicht,
Greatlie rejosit was this Lady bricht,
And hastilie scho speirit of his tyding.
And then Bonvaleir, on his kneis sitting.
Said, Gud tyding I have to ȝow, Madame;
Clariodus the Knicht of mekle fame
Commending him unto ȝour Ladieheid,
And bad me say unto ȝow but dread
That in schort tyme he sould ȝour beawtie see;
And heir ar letteris that he derectit me,
And bad me to ȝour Hienes them present.
Scho them resavit than incontinent,
And rede; bot quhen scho had witting
Of all his trysting and of his cuming,
Thairfor scho tuike sic comfort and plesance,
Scho thocht hir heart for joy begouth to dance;
Then said to Bonvalier, I have seine
Ȝour letteris, quhilk sum centensis dois conteine,
Within few dayis that Clariodus
Salbe in this cuntrie heir with ws.
Bonvalier said, Madame, sa traist ȝe me,
That he sall cum quhen he may readie be;
He me rewairdit sa michtilie,
And alse hes gevin me of gold sa larglie
That I sall rich man be for ever moir,
I ȝow requyre that ȝe him thank thairfore.
I sall him thanke, scho said, at his cuming,
For ȝe have donne ȝour pairt in everie thing;
Go furth and fetch me Romaryn alswith.
At hir command scho com with visage blyth,
And said, Madam, with me quhat war ȝour will?
Tydings, scho said, I have to tell ȝow till;
The nobill and worthie Clariodus, my Knicht,
Salbe heir, God willing, with ws this nicht.
Romaryn answeirit and said, God me save,
Those beine the tydandis fainest I wald have.
This nicht he cumis, said Meliades,
At ten houris but dread on this wayis,
In at the gardine postrum thinkis he
All privilie to have his entrie;
Thairfoir I pray that ȝe the postrum keip,
So that the tyme [appoynted] we not sleip.
Romaryn said, Madame, not this onlie,
To keip the postrum, bot I readilie
Wald go for ȝow to the warldis end,
To bring to purpose quhilk ȝe two pretend:
Considering that, bot villanie or blame,
Ȝour love to the incressing of ȝow fame,
My part I sall sa weill doe to ȝow baith,
That it sall never returne to ȝow no skaith.
Thir two as now thay spike no more
For persaving; Meliades thairfore
Unto hir Ladies went hir to disport,
Fulfillit with all glaidnes and comfort.

To court then cuming was [Sir] Palexis
And Amadour, quhilk with all bissines
Went to the King, quha full tenderlie
Speirit for Clariodus, and quhy
That he not cam. And they have answeir maid,
Saying, This is the caus of his abaid,
He man in Denmark pass for causis seir;
Bot he will speid him hame soune to be heir:
He bad ws that we sould him recommend
Unto ȝour Grace, on quhòme he will depend
Abone all princes aneth the firmament.
The nobill King in heart was not content
That cuming was not ȝit Clariodus,
And baith his cousings com him fra thus.
He speirit at them uther tydings new;
And they him plainlie all the maner schew
Of all the justing and the tornament
Of Spaine, and how the praise and loving went
All onlie with Clariodus and no mo.
And word be word they tauld him also,
How that he manfullie vinquist the lyoun,
And all the cace they tauld with lang sermoune;
And how that with The Felloun but petie
He faught, and gart him leave his crueltie.
And quhen the King this hard sa great ferlie,
He blissit him and said, I trew suithlie,
That sic ane Knicht be not in all the warld as he,
Of strenth, and nurtur, and magnanimitie.
Thir wordis said the King, and bad them go
Unto the Queine, and to hir tell also
The ferlie thing, quhilk unto him they schew;
To quhom they went anone, and did salew
Hir nobilnes; and scho maid them to go
With hir into ane garding to and fro
Whill they had tauld hir all the circumstance,
And word be word without dissimulance;
Quhilk was to hir ane thing maist mervellous,
How that he micht acheive sic acts perrellous.
Sir Amadour went walking with the Queine;
And Sir Palexis with the Ladie scheine,
And said, Madame, Clariodus the Knicht,
Oft him commendis unto ȝour bewtie bricht,
And sendis to ȝow this flour of diament;
Saying, Within few dayis in verament
He sall ȝow se. Then said Meliades,
Sa lang from ws he bydis on sik wyse,
I trow the plesance of his awin cuntrie
Sall gar this land with him forgottin be.
Palexis for to blind scho said this thing,
For he nocht wist of Bonvaleiris wryting.
Palexis said, For suith Madam I trow,
He had rather die than forgettin ȝow;
Uneis scho micht from lawghter then contine,
And thocht that he knew litill them betwine;
Bot weill scho did consider his lawtie,
For to his Eame ane gud parte keipit he.
Be this was said, the night aprochit neir;
The King then dressit him to his suppeir;
For joy that cuming war thir knichtis, he
Sent for the Queine and Ladies of beawtie,
To soup with them that night into the hall.
The coursis com with trumpits sound royall;
Rycht nobill cheir they had, with aboundance
Of dilicat meits and wynis of plesance.
When they had soupit and chirit nobillie,
And eftir supper dansit mirrilie
With joyous play anone and gud disport,
The Queine unto hir chalmer went at schort,
And with hir went Meliades the bricht,
Wha ay thocht on the cuming of hir Knicht.
And quhen it did aproch neir the hour,
Scho said unto the Ladyis of hir boure
That scho was evill disposit, and wald ly
Into hir wairdrop that nicht quyetlie.
Hir Ladyis hir convoyit to the doure,
Quhilk Romaryn closit eftir hir sure.
This Lady langer thocht this nicht perfay
Nor scho befor had thocht ane moneth day;
Whairfor scho gart Romareine go full oft
To hir postrum and set hir paissis soft,
That naine sould hir heir. So, oft scho past
Whill that scho fand him standing at the last;
Then scho undid the port full bissilie,
And syn kneillit to him full humbillie,
Sayand, My Lord, ȝe ar full welcum heir.
He said, Grand mercie! with ane knichtlie cheir;
Bot he wald not hir kiss quhill he had seine
His awin Lady, quhilk he avowit beine.
When scho the ȝet had closit sikerlie
They com togidder befor this ȝoung Ladie.
When he hir saw he sat doun on his kne,
Bot ane long tyme ane word not [say] micht he,
Nor ȝit this Lady, for ower great comforting;
Full war thair hearts of blisfull rejosing;
Ouercum thay war with love in everie syd,
Whilk in thair breistis was so multiplied
That they abaisit lang war in this wyse.
And unto him first spake Meliades,
Welcum my Knicht, welcum my sufficence,
Welcum my warldis joy and haill plesance,
Welcum my heartis love, Clariodus,
Whais lang absence hes beine to me noyous.
Then answeirit he and said full courteslie,
My heartis Ladie and my joy onlie,
How have ȝe fairne sen our last depairting?
Now fair I weill, quod scho, in everie thing,
Sen ȝe ar cum, the caus of my weilfair.
With that scho strenthit him in hir armis thair,
And he also did hir softlie imbrace,
And kissit uther oft into that place.
This Knycht then besyd hir doun scho sat
Upon ane cuschoun of rich velvat.
Speikand syne of divers materis of plesance
Belonging unto loves observance,
My paramour, said fair Meliades,
To me it is reveallit in secreit wyse,
That ȝe sould have beine wadit into Spaine;
This jelusie did hote in me remaine;
For ever, great love as it dois oft befall,
Hot jelusie ower love does dwell at all.
Clariodus said, Madam, be not adred,
Quhen that the King of Bethingham sall ȝow wed,
The King of Spainis sister sall me have,
And that salbe rycht suith, sa God me save.
And suith it was, of Bethingam the King
And hir freindis had spokin of hir wadding;
Quhairfor scho leuch, and said, Ȝe know ȝour sell,
All is not trew that everie man dois tell.
Amongis them thus mirrilie they sporte,
They thocht the night to tham was all to schort.
Clariodus said, I have ane interpryse
To do in armis, quhairfor ȝe mon devyse
What cullour I sall weir; for if that I
Be into reid, then sall I verily
Be knowin to all the court in everie steid,
For wait ȝe weill that long I wore the reid.
Then said Meliades in this maneir,
Now it is Mayis moneth fair and cleir;
Wharfor, according to the seasoun scheine,
Convenient war that ȝe sould weir the greine.
Clariodus hir thankit courteslie
Of hir cullour, and said, Madame, glaidlie
At ȝour command that cullour I sall use
For saike of ȝow, and no man to refuse
In tournament, in peace, nor ȝit in weir,
Alse long as I ȝour gudlie cullour beir.
Ane chaine of gold scho gave him lang and small,
With love knotis that cassin war ower all;
And bad that he sould weir it for hir saike
Abone his geir; quhilk he did wndertake.
And he hir gave ane lustie braslet,
All wrocht with gold and pretious stonis set;
And for his saike he prayit hir to weir it.
The day aprocht, quhairof they war effeirit.
Romaryn said, It wilbe day alsweith,
And thairof war thir lovers nothing blyth;
They tuike thair leave at uthers imbracing,
With pitious wirdis, and with kissing,
With sorrowfull sighing, and with tirie face;
Into thair myndis thinking oft, Alleace,
That ever thay sould depairt so suddantlie;
Assuring uthers with aithes sikerlie
Trewth and gude love for ever more to lest.
Depairting syne with heartis sore opprest,
To the postrum went Clariodus,
With sichis sad and heart dolorus;
Whom convoyit the Lady Romaryn,
And at the postrum did to him inclyne;
Whom at he tuike his leave richt courteslie,
And thankit hir baith oft and heartfullie
Of all hir secreit service donne before,
Sayand, He sould think on it evermore.
Then stickit scho the postrum privilie,
And to hir Ladie com up haistilie,
Whair scho hir fand makand ane pitious mone,
Hir gudlie face with tearis all wobegone
For sorrow of the suddane depairting
Of him quhom that scho lovit ower all thing.
Bot Romaryn did comfort hir so fast
Whill to hir bed scho bounit at the last,
Whair scho lay waiking, and thinking on her knicht
Whill Phebus schynit in her chalmer bricht;
And then scho raise and hir arrayit anone,
And with hir Ladies to the Queine is gone.

Clariodus, or that [the] sun up schyne,
Was at the forsaid knichtis place againe.
The portar trowit, for he was ane valiand knicht,
He had beine seikand eventures all nicht.
To bed he went, and sleipit quhile it was day;
And syne he raise and soune did him aray.

When he to God had prayit devotlie,
And dynit eik, he said full courteslie
Unto the Lord, Len me ane servitour
That can ane erand doe with bissie cure.
The Lord him grantit hes rycht heartfully,
And callit on ane servand neir him by,
And him betaucht, saying, Ȝe sall resave
This ȝour man quhilk I in dewtie have;
For he is secreit, wyse and trew in all,
Whairfoir to name we Diligence him call;
He sall ȝour varlot be withoutin dreid,
If ȝe him list, for tearme of lyfe poseid.
Clariodus him thankit reverentlie;
This Diligence he hes sent haistilie
For diverse things that was convenient
For him to weir into [the] tornament;
And bad him alse ane browderer him bring,
And eike ane armurar that was cuning,
And diverse silkis baith greine and uther hew.
This Diligence full weill the waris knew;
He tuike the money, and went on his erand;
And everilk thing, rycht as he did command,
He furnischit hes, and bocht into schort space;
And brocht with him the workmen to the place
Whair that he bade. And then Clariodus
Went to the Lord againe, and said him thus,
Sir, ane maister of work mon ȝe be;
Heirefterwart as ȝe wald, Sir, charge me;
Gar put ȝon workmen in sum quyet hous,
And se that they be verie laborus
Whill thay have maid ane harnes fair and sure;
And bid that they with greine satine it cure,
Of Tutabone weill all broderit with the floure,
For ȝonder cumin is ane good broderour;
My uther harnes they may as patroun taike,
And thay thairby the meitter sall it make.
The Knight all undertuike with diligence;
Bot he himself wald not cum in presence
Of tham that maid his harnes, dread that thay
Sould him reveale againe in the tornay.
He gart them alse make gounis of satine greine,
For men and wemen, gudlie for to seine;
The varlots of the place he gart aray
Of satine greine all of ane leveray,
Imbrowderit with the flour of Tutabon;
So that he left not unrewairdit one.
Clariodus sex virginis fair to seine
Gart all be clothit into satine greine;
The ȝoungest he gart aray hir lustilie
With gold and stonis winder plesandlie;
Abone hir tressit hair of delyte
Was set ane chaplet all of pearlis quhyt.
And sex squyeris he hes gart cleath also
In greine satine, with this Madin to go
Unto the King. He teichit hir parqueir
What scho sould say, as efter ȝe sall heir.
This Madine richt to Windischore is went,
Wher that the King as than was resident,
And lichtit at the palice ȝet adoune,
Whair monie men rycht gudlie of renoune.
Four awfull bearis was to the King present,
[With quhilk his Knichts sould fight incontinent.]
Great prease of pepill com them to behold.
This damisell, bot of fyftine ȝeiris old,
Went throw the preise whill scho com to the King,
Whair kneillit doune this gudlie Madine benign;
And first scho helsit him and syne the Queine,
And then Meliades the lustie ladie scheine;
Syne with he voice scho said before them all
Thir wordis, that rehearse to ȝow I sall:
King Philipon, unto ȝour Excellence
The Grein Knicht hes me sent with reverence;
The quhilk plainlie commandis me to say,
Ane tornay set is for ane moneth day
Be him, bot heir ane litill ȝow besyde;
Gif ony Knicht, that dois with ȝow abyde,
Will him assay, he sall resavit be
In justing, for those dayes thinkis he
Them to assay, if thay will cum him till;
And he that is win sall be at the will
Of him that straike him doun but let,
To quhat prissoun he will him in set.
The Grein Knicht beiris the flour of Tutabon,
Wha will assay let him cum on anone
To joyous Mason not far ȝow fro,
Four myllis of space it is and no mo,
The Lord of it Sir Pennent hecht dreidles
Of La Carere, ane knicht of worthines.
When scho had said thir wordis oppinlie,
The King and all the court had great ferlie
Of hir language, that scho, sa ȝoung of age,
So nobillie compleitit had hir message.
Among the rout great prease was hir to se,
So weill arayit, and of so great bewtie.
The King said, Lady, I have great joy to heir
Ȝour speache pronuncit with womanlie maneir;
And for to se ȝour bewtie maist bening,
Ȝour port, ȝour cheir, ȝour speach and gud having;
Ȝow and ȝour gyding greatlie I commend,
And eike the Greine Knicht that ȝow heir send.
We ar to him beholdin in great maneir,
That hes ws send so gratious ane messinger;
If that ȝe pleis, ane quhill ȝe sall abyd,
Whill I speik with thir Knichtis me besyd;
Syn ȝe sall answeir have and that anone.
He with his Knichtis ar to counsall gone.
Thay war content and blyth everie Knicht,
Consenting at thair power and thair micht
To mak them redie to the turnament,
Whairon accordit thay with ane consent.
Befor the King sat doune ane Knicht,
Sir Broun de la Mere hardie and wicht,
And askit thair that he the formost day,
To just micht enter in the said tornay.
The King him grantit; and syne returnit sweith
Unto this Virgine so bening and blyth,
Saying to the fair Madine, To the Greine Knicht say,
He salbe servit all out ane moneth day
At his desyre, and thanke him hartfullie
That hes ws chargit so honorabillie
Unto so nobill ane act and fair disport.
Then he delyverit hes this Madine at schort;
At quhais passing into rememberance,
Ane diamond he gave hir of plesance;
The quhilke scho did resave with humbill cheir,
And thankit him upon ane fair maneir.
This lustie Madine returning haistilie,
Hir squyeris ryding lustilie hir by,
Syn to Clariodus did hir dres,
And tauld him the maner mair and les,
How all the court had joy of hir cuming,
And how scho was delyverit with the King,
And how that hir beheld Meliades,
Quhilk was the rose of everie lustines;
Abone mesour commending the bewtie
Of hir that was so angill lyke to see;
And suith it was that ilk Meliades
Beheld hir with all cure and bisines,
For weill scho wist quhairfra scho was send,
The mair scho did unto the Madine attend.

Quhen scho had tauld him all the remanent,
Clariodus unto Sir Pennent went,
And said, ȝe mon ane chalmer gar provide,
That is of herberie mekill roume and wyde,
And gar aray it lustilie and fair,
Perchance in it sum strangers sall repair.
When this was said, Clariodus furth went,
And twa paviliouns lustilie gart upstent
Of greine silk wrocht, and in ane large plaine,
Ane flicht schot syndrie, the suith if I sould saine,
With silkin roppis also of the samine hew;
Ane for him self, quhair, of the bricht gold new
Inbrowderit was the flour of Tutabone;
For his companioun the uther was anone.
Within thir twa was ordanit everie thing
That langit unto tornay or justing.
Be all was put to poynt and dune at rycht
The day was gone, and cuming was the nicht;
Clariodus his bodie did devest,
Syne to his bed he ȝeid, him for to rest.
The mirrie day displaying in the morrow,
The glaid foullis, devoid of nichtis sorrow,
With sugarit nots making ane mirrie sound
Aganis bricht Phebus blyth ascentioun,
Whilk with his asour beamis of delyt
Oppinit on bread the tender blomes quhyt,
Doing the blossumes breke in the spray,
And everilk bank in grein dois he aray.
Clariodus, the flour of Mars, his knichts
Full lustilie into his weidis him dichts,
With knichtlie cheir and curage leoneine,
Thinking or Phebus in the wast declyne,
That he sould for his soverane Ladyis saike,
With speir in hand, ane manlie counter make.
When he ane mess had hard, and tane disjune,
He gart four gudlie squyeris enter soune
Into the Knichtis pailȝeon, and that anone
Sould with him just; to serve him thay ar gone;
Syne ordanit he two virginis that war cleir,
By the reinȝeis to leid his awin courseir;
The Ladie of the place his helme did beir,
Hir following foure fresche virginis of effeir;
The Lord himself to serve him of his lance;
And all in greine arrayit for plesance;
His four squyers upon the samine wyse
War all in greine, maist gudlie to devyse.
Then to his pailȝeoun went he spedilie,
Inearmit at all poyntis full richlie,
On his companioun thair abyding still.
He had with him baith trumpit and clarioun chill,
Garring await if they saw ony Knicht
Cum from the Kingis court enarmit bricht.
And be it was of the day houris ten,
Againis the sune ane Knicht cumand thai ken,
Lucent as lampe and leming in his weid,
Withe lance in hand, upon ane snaw quhyt steid;
Two knichtis him convoyit nobilly,
And gud Sir Amadur raid him by,
And uther fyve him for to serve at all;
He seimit feirce and strong as ony wall.
When he aprochit neir the pailȝeoun,
The four squyers with rycht bening sermoun
Recevit him, and offerit him entrie,
And prayit him to licht thair; bot he
Wald not licht doune, bot thankis to them ȝold.
Anone quhen thus Clariodus can behold,
Alse suift as falcoun he sprang upon his steid,
As glorious angill schyning in his weid;
Fret full of stonis radious and licht,
All browderit with gold depaintit full bricht,
Out throw the greine gudlie to decerne,
Whair ilk gilt mailȝe glemit as ane sterne;
And for the Lady had his helme to beir,
Ane false visar for kening he did weir;
Hir ladies all, as ȝe have hard me say,
Convoyit him furth all into greine aray.
When that Sir Broun and his fellowis beheld
The Greine Knicht cum so nobillie to the feild,
Unto his feiris he said that stude him by,
Ȝone is the knichtliest sicht aluterly,
And the most gudlie that ever I saw with ey;
And so said all the rest of his meinȝe.
Clariodus threw on his helme anone,
Sir Pennent with his speir is to him gone.
The trumpits blew and heraldis cryit all,
The menstrellis playit with gle angellicall.
Thir Knichts as two lampis leiming licht
Of aureat splendor schynit as stonis bricht;
They smot thair steidis with spuris hardelie,
And ran togidder wonder feircelie,
Whill that thair schaftis scharp and squaire
Flew all in peices abone them in the aire;
They tuike new speirris and ran togidder in feir,
Full knichtlie com thir men of armis cleir,
Girdand so fast as ane fireflochtis glance,
Sir Broun on Clariodus brake his lance,
And he him hit againe with sic force
That he ane speir lenth strake him fra his hors.
The Greine Knicht thene returnit to his tent.
Four gudlie squyeris to Sir Broun ar went,
Sayand, Sir Knicht, the cunand weill ȝe knaw,
Ȝe mon to prissoun with on ane law.
Sir Broun answeirit and said, Richt weill
Ȝour willis I sall obey everilk deill.
They led him to ane prisson of plesance,
Be the Greine Knichtis nobill ordinance;
Quhilk chalmer was arrayit nobillie,
With clothes of gold and arais full michtie.
The squyeris said, Ȝe most heir abyd,
Whill we unto our lord the Greine Knicht ryd.
The squyeris com unto Clariodus,
Quhilk was hame rydand mirrie and joyous
Toward the place of Sir Pennent the Knicht;
And at the ȝettis quhen he did alicht,
They tauld to him all the maner cleir,
How they demainit had the prissoneir.
Clariodus unto his chalmer went,
And him unearmit thair incontinent;
Then hes he for Sir Pennent sent belyve,
Sayand, Sir Knicht, ȝe pas and eike ȝour wyfe,
And take with ȝow the sex virginis in hy,
With other squyeris in ȝour companie,
And with Sir Broun ȝe soupe and make ȝow blyth.
Sir Pennent said, It salbe donne alsueith.
The Knicht furth went as he commandit was,
With all the forsaidis ladyes more and les,
And gart bring furth with them ches and tabill,
And instrumentis that war delectabill,
With herp, and lute, and instruments for to play;
And in this chalmer, put in gud aray,
They enterit soune, and said on this maneir,
Sir, the Greine Knicht hes sent us to ȝow heir,
To do ȝow plesance and hold ȝow companie.
Sir Broun answeirit and said, I traist gif I
Have no worse prissoun nor this I sall not pleine;
And so to tell the trewth and not to feine,
The fairest man of armis and the best
Is the Greine Knicht, and the seimliest
That leives now, I trow, under the sone,
He seimis nocht lichtlie to be wone.
Sir Pennant said, And he is thair withall,
The gentilest and the most liberall
That ever I knew in the dayis of my lyfe,
None lawlier in the world is borne of wyfe.
When they had soupit and fairne rycht reallie,
Sir Pennent tuike his leive rycht humbillie,
And left with him four squyeris that war wyse,
In all his deidis to doe him service.

When cumin was to court Sir Amadoure,
To heir his tydingis the King had great langour,
And bad him schaw as he had hard and seine;
And he him tauld the veritie all cleine,
Richt as it was, dissimuling in no thing;
Of quhilk rehearse great mervell had the King,
To Amadur saying, halfe as it war in play,
Be of gude curage, the morne ȝe mon assay.
Amadur said, Availl quhat may availl,
However it be, the game I sall assaill.
The nicht passit, the morrow com alsuith.
Sir Amadur, sa sone as day could kyth,
Inarmit him and in the close discendit,
And fand awcht squyeris that on him dependit,
With Sir Palexis and uther knichtis two.
Sueith at the King he tuike his leave to go,
And raid furth to the place of justing.
When the Greine Knicht had of him persaving,
He come furth cleir enarmit under scheild,
Convoyit with his Ladyis in the feild;
Whom on Palexis had great joy to behold,
And said, My brother Amadur, be bold,
For ȝow befor ȝe have alse fair ane Knicht
As ever was cled in helme or birnie bricht.

When thay war redie on ather syd,
Full manlie can thai to uther ryd;
They smot thair steidis with spurris haistilie,
And ran togidder wounder ferselie,
That baith thair speiris abone tnem flew asunder,
And baith thair steidis did bakward founder;
Thair squyeris did them serve with speiris new,
And thay anone raid utheris to persew,
Whill all to fruschit thair lansis in the feild,
That all men mervellit that about beheld.
Palexis said, Gif that Clariodus
War in the land, quhilk is unkend to us,
I wald say surlie the Greine Knicht war he,
He is so lyke to him in all degree.
They ran at uther sa withoutin ho,
Whill sevin speiris brokine war in two.
Weill knew Clariodus, be his valoure,
He was his cousing, nobill Amadure,
And blyth [he] was that he into him fand
Sic strenth, and micht, and deidis valiand.
[Clariodus then tuike the auchten speir]
Both great and strong, and, in ane knichtlie feir,
He drave at him with sik ane feirfull micht,
All to the eard he drave baith horse and Knicht
With sike ane force, that all that was about
Wint that he had beine dead withoutin doubt.
The Greine Knicht raid richt unto his tent.
The squyeris to Sir Amadur ar went,
And speirit if he was hurt, and he said, Nay,
Bot he ane littil fruschit was perfay.
Thus Amadur [eik] was to prissoune led,
Whairof Sir Broun was wounder blyth and glaid,
And said, Welcum, [maist] gentill Amadur,
That sik compassioun hes on ȝour nichbour,
That ȝe vouchsafe to cum and visit me.
Then, smyling, said Sir Amadur, Pardie
Ȝe neid me not to thanke so greatumly,
For ȝow to visit aganis my will com I;
I ryd heir that we tak no grevance,
For of this justing cum the uterance;
I traist that we sall get mo companie,
Or then I am dissavit verilie.

Clariodus [did] pass to his ludging,
And him unarmit but tarying,
And bad Sir Pennent tak his Ladie bricht,
With all hir madinis, and go unto the Knicht,
And make him cheir and companie weill more
Nor to the uther Knicht was donne before.
And they so did with all thair cure and micht,
He wantit nocht perteinit to ane knicht.
Palexis past and schew unto the King
As ȝe have hard, and feinȝet in no thing.
The King studiit, and had great ferlie
Of the Greine Knicht, and of his chevalrie.
Thus quhen that Amadour was strikin doun,
That was ay praissit of sic renoune,
Abaisit was this nobill King, and said
Unto Palexis, Ȝon grein Knicht sall degraid
Our Knichtis all, bot ȝe remeid us fynd;
Whairfor ȝe sall no langer duell behind,
For ay the mair that we thus vinquist be,
The mair degraidis it our honestie;
Ȝe ar our comfort nixt Clariodus,
Whilk absent is in this great neid from us.
Sir, said the nobill and worthie Palexis,
I sall againis the Grein Knicht me adres,
Although he war ane infernall creatour
I dar my bodie againis him aventour
Whidder that fortoun be my freind or fa,
Thair sall no dreidour bandis me him fra;
Although he straik me doun I have no schame,
For Knichtis that ar alse worthie of name
Befor his speir poynt hes lyine full law,
What fault war it thocht with my feiris I faw.

At morne as Phebus markit up his face,
Palexis did his harneis on him brace,
And him enarmit surelie close and joynt.
When that he was all readie and at poynt,
With him Sir Gilȝeam de la Forrest raid,
Unto the feild he dressit but abaid;
Richard de Maianis, with uther squyeris mo;
Thus all on front unto the feild thay go.
And quhen he com unto the first pailȝeoun,
The foure squyers to meit him maid tham boune,
And him resavit wonder thankfullie,
And treitit him richt fair honorabillie.
He thankit them, and wald not with them licht,
Bot hovit still abyding the Greine Knicht.
Soune this was tauld unto Clariodus,
Quhilk [glad] was of his cousing cumand thus;
For weill he knew that he was Palexis,
Ane Knicht full great of fame and worthines,
Brother unto his cousing Amadur,
That valiant was for to manteine ane stour,
And was in armis his awin fellow deir,
Whom he ever lovit weill in all maneir;
And he againe him lovit over all thing,
Thocht then he had of him no knowledging.
The Greine Knicht assendit on his steid,
Bricht as Apollo, schyning in his weid.
His Lady him convoyit on ane space,
Upon his heid he did his bricht helme lace.
The Knicht, Sir Pennent, raucht to him a speir,
He steirit his coursour with ane knichtlie feir.
Gylȝeam de la Forrest, and Richard de Maianis,
When they beheld his knichtlie governance,
Thay said anone to nobill Palexis,
To doe thy devore with courage thé adrese,
For of this wyde warld aluterlie,
Ȝonder rydis the flour of chevalrie;
And whoso list to se ane gudlie sicht,
Let him cum furth and luike upon ȝon Knicht.
Sir Palexis, that ever was gud at neid,
Delyverlie he lansit furth his steid;
Nocht better forge could Deame Natur,
For he was seimlie of corpis and statur,
Lyk to his eame the gud Clariodus.
Thir two aprochit to uther thus,
Up gois the weirlyke sound of clariouns,
Togidder gois thir michtie champiouns
With speir set all sadlie into the reist;
With manlie heartis baith fordward they preist,
And large alse fast as spuris could them speid,
And they have met withouttin aw or dreid.
Thair speiris flew in peices in the aire,
Whill throw the reard the cludis can all to rare,
As it had beine ane crake of thunder fell,
The castell wall redoundit with the ȝell;
Baith hurlit bakward thair steidis with a grane,
Whill that the noyse dinlit baith aird and staine.
The rumour raise throw all the feild about,
Of the two Knichtis haveing mikill doubt
That thay sould have fruschit throw the steill
With the ilke dasch; bot thay recoverit weill:
Also of new two speiris have they hint,
And ran togidder as ferce fyre and flynt
Whill that the trinschouns ower thair heidis ȝeid,
And fyr out followit alse reid as ony gleid;
They restit never quhile they awcht speiris brake,
So them betwine thair was ay rap for rap:
As fearce as dragouns wood and violent
Thair course had fetchit from the firmament,
And breist for breist had met with all thair mane,
Whyll with thair fetheris coverit was the plaine;
So strawit was the feild thir Knichtis under
Of fettering schafts, and trinschouns broke in sunder,
That folkis all winderit that about them hovit,
That they nocht go from thair steidis behovit.
With the last counter thay maid that day,
Than to himself can Palexis say,
Thow art no man, for be thy force I feill,
Thou art ane feind forgit into steill;
For never more, sen I could sit on horse,
Was I so machit with no manis force.
The samine thing thocht Clariodus,
And with ane mynd ferce and curagious
Ane speir he gripit winder great and wicht,
And with sic force he ran upon the Knicht,
He drave him and his hors doun togidder,
If they wer dead or not, no man could tell quhidder,
To grund thay ruschit with sic ane vehemence,
All throw his michtie straike and violence;
Bot he, throw Godis grace, full weill eschewit;
His nobill squyeris him haistilie relevit.
Upon the hand he hurt was a lyt,
Of quhilk but dread he rekit not ane myt.
Clariodus returnit to his tent.
Foure of his squyeris unto Palexis went,
And did with him as with the uther two,
Quhilk full glaidlie schup with them to go.
Sir Amadur had joy and great blythnes,
Quhen that he saw his brother Palexis;
Sir Broun was glaid also of his cuming,
And then alsuith they fell in commoning
Of the Greine Knicht, and of his [great] valour,
His praise, bewtie, his face, and his figoure.
Sir Pennent com as thay war speiking thus,
Be the cunning of Sir Clariodus;
With him he brocht his Lady bricht and scheine,
With all the virginis freschlie cled in greine,
Harping, singing, and making melodie,
With joyous sound of hevinlie menstrellie.
Unto Palexis he maid feist far more
Nor he did to the uther twa before.
This Ladie, quhilke was ane leich wonder gud,
Hes stemit of Palexis hand the blude,
And maid it to be haill in litill space,
As be the Greine Knicht scho commandit was;
The quhilke wald [fain] have seine [Sir] Palexis,
And his fellowis, to doe them glaidnes,
Bot for discovering he wald not wend
Whill that his enterpryse was at ane end.
The prissoneris remainis into firmance,
They feill no thing of sorrow nor penance.
Of Palexis went hame the companie,
And did the maneir plainlie sertifie
Of all the justing word be word;
Whairof the guid King thocht bot litill bourd,
That prissoneris his Knichts war so caucht
Be sic ane stranger to quhom he nothing awcht.

When he had hard that Palexis and his hors
War baith to grund [thus] strikin with his force,
He ferliet greatlie, so did the court all haill,
Of the Greine Knicht and of his [great] availl,
Saying, Gif that Clariodus in feild
And he alse [came] enarmit under scheild,
The two best Knichtis in the warld war met.
The King said, Sir Gilȝeam, do ȝour debt,
With him the morne ȝour strenth ȝe mone assay.
Then can Gylȝeam de la Forrest say,
Full littil or nocht my strenth it may availl
Againis his micht, quhen Knichtis did assaill
Stronger nor I, and nobiller [of] renoune,
And faillit not for to be strikin doune;
Bot as my fellowis ȝit I sall assay,
And sall not faill to do the best I may.
Be he had answeirit thus it waxit lait,
And unto bedis went hé and law estait.
Gilȝeam de la Forrest raise up with the day,
And at the King tuike leave and went away,
And with his squyeris raid to Mason le Joyous;
Whom soune persavit Sir Clariodus,
Quhilke smartlie hes donne af his false visage,
And threw on him his helmet with curage,
And with his michtie speir into his hand
He met Sir Gilȝeam fairlie on the land,
And straike him from [his] horse without delay;
And syne unto his pailȝeoun went his way:
To prissoun was he taine, and that anone;
His fellowis hamwart to the King ar gone,
And tauld how Gilȝeam soune was strikin doune,
Richt as ane bairne full febill of persoun.
The court greatlie mervellit of this thing,
Of the Greine Knicht was all thair comoning;
So to and fro thay spake quhile it was nicht,
And then anone to bed went everilk knicht.

Richard de Maianis nixt did him persew,
And nixt him Sir Theman de la Hew,
Syn straike he doune Sir Tristrame de Beaufort,
And efter him Sir Clarius de la Port,
Syne vinquist he Sir Cardron de la Conȝe,
And efter him Sir Leoport de la Gonȝe;
So furth induring quhile did ane moneth lest,
He counterit with ane Knicht ay of the best
Whill threttie Knichtis he had strikin doun
Of tham that war in court of best renoune.

On this ilk moneth in the letter day,
The King inquirit of ane squyer or tway,
How the last Knight did him impartie.
The Knight of Estur lichtit suddanlie,
And did assend into the hall anone;
Unto the King full glaidlie is he gone.
The King resavit him with great blythnes,
And so did all the lordis baith mair and les;
The Queine and all the ladies did him kis,
And him resavit [alse] with mikill blise,
As he quho for the commoun profite haill
Exerceisand justice had taine great travell.
The King him tauld, with everie circumstance,
Of the Greine Knight the rule and governance;
And all the maner, as ȝe heard before,
How on the morne he sould just and no more.
And quhan the Earle hard of this tyding,
How on the morne that it sould taike ending,
So lawlie he inclynit to the King,
And besought him atoure all uther thing
That he wald releive him of his regall micht,
Upon the morne to fight with the Greine Knight.
The King was laith to grant him his asking,
For he the realme had haill in his governing,
And thocht, if [that he] had beine strikin doune
That nixt himself was greatest of renowne,
It had to his realme dishonour more
Nor all the rest that vinquist war before:
Bot this he him besought so earnistlie,
That be na maner he could him it deny;
Bot grantit him, and said, If ȝe will so,
My self with ȝow in companie sall go,
[The Quein, and alse the fair Meliades,]
With all my house; sa help us Godis grace
That we may vinquise upon the letter day.
His houshald all commandit he that thay
Sould redie make the morne with him to [go]
To Joyous Mason a litill space them fro.
Now rest I will to speike more of the King
Whill I say of Clariodus sum thing.

Clariodus hes gart ane varlot go
To Windieschor, to fetch him speiris mo.
This varlot hard rehearsing in the toun,
How that the King at morne sould make him boune
To se the justing upon the letter day;
Whairfor he sped him hame but mair delay.
And quhen he com before Clariodus,
He presentit him the speiris, saying thus,
My Lord, I hard rehearsing in the toune,
The nobill King, with monie bauld barroun,
Sall cum the morne the justing for to sie,
In all his hee triumph and royaltie;
The lustie Queine, and eike hir dochter fair,
With monie ane seamlie ladie wilbe thair;
Ane Lord is cum unto the court this night,
He seimes baith to be wyse and wicht,
The morne quhilk hes taine the justing on hand,
The governour they call him of Ingland;
The King himself he schaipis him to convoy
With great triumph of plesance and of joy.
I saw the Queine furth at ane windo ly,
With monie ane lady and damosell hir by.
And thair I saw the fair Meliades,
The tender blome of ȝouth and lustines,
Disteinȝeand the rest about with hir bewtie;
As the day star full of benignitie
Surmuntis everie star situat
In the illuminus hevinis stellat
Scho is the lodstar full of lustines,
Of womanheid baith ladie and maistres:
My Lord, I trow in trewth had ȝe hir seine,
That scho schould greatlie [by ȝow] praisit beine.
When of this tyding hard Clariodus,
In breist he was wonder glaid and joyous,
That uneis for glaidnes he micht conteine,
Remembering on Meliades the scheine,
Quhilk was of bewtie the verie flour and rose;
Hir cuming so greatlie did him rejose,
Within his breist his heart dancit aloft,
Of his fair fortoun thanking God full oft.
Unto the varlot for his gud tydings,
He gart be gevin fortie French florings;
Syne gart he fetch the gud Lord of that place,
And of this thing he tauld him all the cace;
Commanding him anone to caus be maid,
For sight of Lordis, skaffaldis heich and braid
On ather half, quhen the justing sould be,
Heicher and lower efter thair degree
Of nobillis and barrouns on tham sould stand;
And efter that to cover them, so ordand,
With leves greine, and flouris reid and quheit,
And bricht main blossomis bluming with delyt,
That na tre salbe seine for leif and floure;
Ouerspred with Mayis carpits of verdoure.
He ordanit eike two skaffaldis to be maid
[In reall stait, and all with purpour claid,]
And syne arayit with silkis thair abone
And claith of gold, as michtie Mars his throne;
The ane he ordanit for the Kings Majestie,
Ane uther for the Queinis royaltie
And for hir dochter Meliades the bricht.
He ordanit eike ane fair hall sould be dicht
Of turnour warke, owercled with leves greine,
And brightest blossomis that on bewes beine;
And bad tham thair all necessaris intake,
Heir ane triumphand banquet for to make.
Sir Pennent said, My Lord, goe ȝow repose,
And I anone sall follow ȝour purpose.
This forsaid Knicht gart search all the cuntrie,
And fetchit thair all workmen that war slee,
Wrichtis, and maisters of geometrie,
And maist practitioneris of theotrie,
Carvors, painters, and subtillest devysers,
To make the listis to the interprisers,
Quha in that land of cunning was or pryse,
Or had ane curious mynd or devyse.
Name bot it was in fortrese or in touris,
Or in the hall was depaintit lustie flouris,
Or in the hinging of the tapestrie,
Or in the listis buildit royallie,
Was never hard, of so schort provisioun,
So curious wark in no regioun.
Clariodus went to [his] bed to sleipe,
Bot of his Ladie ever in mynd tuke keipe,
Now braiding in his dreime for joy,
And now escarting for langour and for noy;
Now slumbering soft, now braid awaiking,
Now siching deip, [and] now for joy singing.
How oft in breistis flitis joy and blis,
As weill ȝe know that lovers beine I wise,
Of thame that loves servandis beine alway.
Into his bed now musing as he lay,
He thocht if that his Father come in field
Againest him in armes under scheild,
Then that he wald aluterlie forbeir,
And not tuich his bodie with ane speir;
Bot onlie that he wald his helme unlace,
And ȝeild him to his Father with bair faice:
For certanlie my Author tellis me thus,
That wounder wyse was this Clariodus,
Richt just and [gude and] mercifull in heart,
Having all tyme the dreid of God inwart;
Devote he was, and full of humbilnes,
Rycht gentill, and repleit with nobilnes;
Quhilke maid him forwart ay in all maneir,
And lovit with the peple far and neir.

Richt as the lustie candill matutine
Begouth with cristall visage for to schyne,
Befor Aurora, I meine the Morrow star,
For bewtie that clippit is Lucifer,
Throw persing licht of quhais beimis scheine,
Walknit for love the rewthfull Philomen,
With angillis voice singand befor the day;
Clariodus, quhilk langer sleipe no may,
Furth walkit into his mantill and his sarke
For bissines, to gar men heast his warke,
Quhilk all that nicht had not sleipit with ey,
Bot bissie war in labour eydentlie;
Craftis men haistit thair wark perfay,
The Knicht Sir Pennent standing thame by,
Devising thingis maist expedient
For honour of his Lord armipotent.
Quhen that the worthie, wicht Clariodus
About the lists ane quhyle had passit thus,
Seing that everie thing was donne aricht,
Becaus he litill sleipit had that nicht,
He went unto his chalmer and tuike rest
Quhill that the prince of planits him up drest;
The goldin glemes of gleiting skyis cleir,
Did hevinlie in the orient appeir;
Up raise bricht Phebus with the morrow soft,
Up raise the noise of birdis upon loft,
Up raise the nobill King and eike the Queine,
Up raise also Meliades the scheine,
Up raise the court, and did them all adrese
In pretious weidis of great lustines.
The Queine did hir aray full richlie,
And hir atyrit full pretiouslie;
And eike the lustie madin Meliades
Into hir heart could na mair joy devise
Nor scho had for to go se the justing,
To se him that scho did love abone all thing.
Quhen of this passage scho was full assurit,
With pretious stonis, and rich pearle and purit,
Scho did hir fresche and lustilie atyre;
Hir schyning hair as [the] bricht gold wyer
Hang schyning into gyltine traces cleir,
With croun upon hir heid baith rich and deir
Set full of roobies and sapheiris blew;
Ane fairer princes in all the warld nane knew.
The Count of Estur enarmit him rycht anone
At all pairtis, save of his helme alone.

Quhen they hard mese and syne disjunit,
The silver trumpit syne uptunit.
For hors they cryit: the King lape on rycht thair,
All coverit with his armis gud and fair:
The Queine raid in ane chariot on height,
All coverit with ane claith of gold full bricht
Browderit with pretious stonis and pearlis quhyt,
Quhilk to behold it was [ane] great delyte:
Ilke in ane chariot raid this ȝoung Princes;
Of gold and stonis great was the riches
About hir schynit freschlie as the day;
Two snaw quhyt palfrayes led hir furth the way,
With harnisching more nor I can schaw;
For gold and stonis micht no man hir knaw;
Threttie ladies followit hir weill beseine,
Alse bricht of bewtie as the blossume scheine:
The Count of Estur ascendit on his steid,
With mony ane knicht [attyrit] in fresch weid,
Quhilk buire his speiris and with him abaid;
With his bricht helme ane Lord before him raid.
I let them pase rycht glad and soberly,
And of the Greine Knicht [sum thing] speik will I.

The Greine Knicht redie was into his tent.
The Knicht Sir Pennent ay full bissie went,
Putting all things in rule and governance,
Great policie he maid at all plesance.
When he thocht everie thing was at poynt,
That from perfectioun thair was no disjoynt,
For Lordis that war dwelling neir thame by
He sent for twelf, abuilȝeit reallie,
For to resave the King with great honour,
Quhilk neir aprochit with court of great valour.
And or the King com neir the justing place,
They micht his minstrellis heir ane long space;
Heich was the noyse, and curious was the sound
Of talbert, trumpit, and of clarioun.
Quhen that the King was cuming neir the feild,
He hovit still, and attentivlie beheld
The gudlie entres raisit upon heicht,
All browderit and depaintit with leves bricht,
With gudlie flouris wounder fresche to be seine,
The blumes quhyt, and the leves greine,
The variant hewis without of purpour thine,
With cloath of gold arayit all within,
The curious kirnellis ryseing upon heicht
Glittering and schyning so winder fair and bricht.
Great was the joy thay had on everie syd,
For to behold the Greine Knicht as he did ryd.
The King said that it was the gudliest sicht,
That ever he saw in eard of ony wicht;
So said the lordis and knichtis all in feir.
The nobill Queine and all the ladies cleir
Great joy had him to se on sik ane wyse;
And maist of all, the fair Meliades
Rejosit was that Knicht for to behold,
Whom to hir heart withoutin straike was ȝold;
To se him ryd so knichtlie in his weid,
That love hir sa streinȝeit withoutin dreid,
That it ane seikness grew about hir heart,
That suddant start scho micht it not escart
Of Cupidis bow so big againis hir bent,
From quhilk ane hundreth awfull dartis went
Ilk efter uther, with woundis greine and new,
Throw quhais stoundis scho oft changit hew,
Almaist hir passioun insusserabill,
Amongs them also scho is to sune abill;
And efter that scho wald recover a stound,
And with sic comfort and great joy abound,
That uneis for glaidnes [scho] micht conteine;
And thus for love this lusty] Lady beine.

Quhen redie war thir nobill Knichtis two,
The Kingis herald cryit, Let them go.
Full haistilie than rowmit was the feild,
And to thair meiting everie man beheld.
The Count of Eftur com redie in his geir:
And the Greine Knicht anone hes taine his speir;
Bot he his helme no way wald let lace,
Whairof his felow grit mervell hes;
The caus quhairof ȝe sall wit efter soune.
Anone the trumpits blew a mirrie toune;
The Knichtis baith com to so wonder fair,
That all men them commendit that war thair.
The Grein Knicht softlie did his courser steir;
Bot quhen he did aproch his Father neir,
Alsweith his lance fourth of his reist he threw,
And from his heid his helme he af drew,
And to his Father he hes offerit his speir,
Saying, with glaidsume visage and with faire,
My Lord, I ȝeild me to ȝow but straike,
So as ȝe list of me ȝour conquise make.
The Count of Estur him beholding thus,
And saw it was his sonne Clariodus,
Also his speir to grund he caist him fro,
And af hes hivit his helme or he wald ho,
And in his armis heir he did him brace,
And tenderlie him kissit in that place.
Great wounder had the peple all about,
Upon this thing had ferlie all the rout;
Bot quhen they wist it was Clariodus,
The clamour raise and noyse mervellous
Amongis them, over all baith auld and ȝing,
For, certes, they him lovit over all thing,
And with ane clamour rysing to the sky,
Vive, Vive Clariodus, they cry.
The Lordis lape from skaffald heir and thair,
And maid him for to licht with freindlie fair;
Bot they uneis in armes micht him fang
For preise of peple that about him thrang.
The nobill King so glaid was this to seine,
For joy the teiris ran doune from his eine;
Glaid was the Queine, and all hir Ladies eik:
Bot maist of all Meliades the meike,
Intill hir eyis full plesand was the sicht
Of him that was hir servand and hir Knicht,
Quhilk conqueist had hir honour and renoune
Over all uther Knichts but comparisoun.
What sall I of hir joyes to ȝow wryt?
I can not have hir gladnes put in dyte.
The King discendit from his skaffald thair;
So did the Queine, and eik hir dochter fair.
Clariodus tham met full courteslie,
And on his kneis sat doun full reverentlie,
Helsing the King, quho him he tuike up alsweith
Up in his armes, and with his visage blyth
Him kissit sweitlie, and eik so did the Queine,
And syne Meliades that Lady scheine.
Lordis and ladies did so about him thrist,
Him welcuming, that redlie he no wist
Whom to answeir or to thank in thair;
Bot ay inclynand with ane visage fair.

Quhen knicht and lord, lady and baitcheleir
Had him resavit with ane frindlie cheir,
Richt courteslie the King he did beseike,
And syne the Queine, and the ȝoung Ladie eik,
To pas and tham repose into the place;
Thay grantit him, and went furth with solace;
They enterit in the place, and syne anone
In ane fair chalmer he maid them for to gone;
The Lord syne of the place he gart him bring,
And his aquentance thair maid with the King,
And with the Queine, and with Meliades.
When this was donne, he said upon this wyse
Unto the King, Sir, most it ȝow effeiris,
To go and louse ȝon werie prissoneris;
To quhilk the King hes grantit with gud will,
The Count of Estur he gart remaine thair still,
And eik with him his sone Clariodus,
To make the Ladies mirrie and joyous.
He enterit in the chalmer of plesance,
Whair that the prissoners sould dre thair pennance.
Thir nobill Knichtis quhen they saw the King,
They war rejosit into mikle thing;
Thay did inclyne and did him reverence,
Richt as effeirit to his excellence.
He speirit of thair fassioun and thair cheir
Sen the first tym thay enterit prissoneir;
And thay have tauld him all the circumstance
Of all thair feisting, and thair great plesance.
The King beheld the chalmer then wislie;
And seing it arayit so richlie,
Espying all thair playing instruments,
Thair feisting, and thair plesant abaitments,
Thair dancing, singing, with sound of minstrellie,
The King said, Ȝe ar beholdin grittumlie
To the Greine Knicht hes ȝow prissoned so,
Ȝe have felt mair of glaidnes nor of wo;
Syne them befor Clariodus he brocht,
Saying to them, Know ȝe the Greine Knicht ocht?
How lykis it ȝow ȝour taiker, schaw to us?
And quhen they saw it was Clariodus,
Mirrier Knights war never under the sone;
Thair men micht se ane game new begune,
Thay did inclyne to him full courteslie,
And he imbracit tham full tenderlie;
He kissit Amadur and also Pallexis,
Quhilk was his cousings of sik nobilnes.
The Knichts then deliverit war anone.
The King then to the triumph hall is gone,
Quhilk browderit was [with] leives and with flours,
Richt lustie fair and plesant ower missours.
The King commendit it rycht greattumlie,
So did the Queine, and eik the ȝoung Ladie;
The Count of Estur praisit it also.
They wosche and to the denner syne did go.
To the tabill anone was set the King,
The Queine, and eik Meliades the ȝing;
At the same burd sat the Earle of Estur.
The Merchellis of discretion and nurture
Full bissilie went ben and but the hall;
At uther buirdis that war collaterall
They set the Lordis efter thair degrees,
With potent barouns, knichtis, and ladies.
And as the first cours com in randound,
The mirrie trumpits maid ane mirrie sound;
Of clariouns schill, and uther minstrellie,
I wist thair was ane hevinlie melodie;
The sound out throw the silver mettel thrang,
Whill all the grit hall throw the noyise rang.
Thair monie diverse course for to declair
Ane houris lenth sould occupie and mair,
Quhilk neidis not for to be tauld all heire;
Great was the feist with hie triumph and cheir.
When silence beine of windand minstrellie,
And buird beine servit, by and by
The luits beine sayit and the strings,
The squyeris dansing alway in the springs,
The harpis beine sayit at the full
To make hearts mirrie that war dull;
The guthtrone with triumph did record,
The cleare symball with the mirriecord,
The dulcat playit also with portative
Sad hevie myndis to make exultative;
The dulse, base fiddell, with the recordour
Assayit war and set at ane missoure;
Out of Irland ther was ane clerscheo.
[The King begouth to lauch, the Quein also,]
And then luich all, and maid grit game,
He could not mirrie be that thair was drame;
For thair nocht wantit of all warldlie joy
That ever had fair Priamus of Troy.
The mekill hall was servit far and neir
Of rich wynis in goldin coupis cleir.
And betwix coursis was ane padȝeane playit,
Into play coats they curiouslie war arayit,
By great inchanters and subtill magicianis.
Sweit singing was of crastiest musicianis,
And mirrie dansing of tender virginis quhyt,
With plesant stories all of Homer's indyte;
And mirrie fabillis of Guido de Colune,
Eik was thair synis of padȝeanis playit dumbe.
If I sould tell ȝow all the long proces,
I sould ȝow irk be surfat of exces;
For best is ane discretioun moderat,
For everie thing aucht to be temperat.
The Kingis heralds larglie cryit aloud,
Of gold and silver, and of seimlie schroud,
Gevin to them be Sir Clariodus,
That was both wicht, wittie, and famous;
Quhilk all this quhyle was on his feit standing,
For he was maister carver to the King.
Bot soune anone he passit af the hall,
And tuike with him his prissoneris all;
Saying to them, My frindis trest and deire,
ȝe do me now the plesour I require,
That ȝe wald gounis weir in suit with me.
Thairto full glaidlie can [they] all agre.
He gart furth bring to everie man a goune,
That at the listis he had strikin doun,
Of claith of gold, hevinlie hewit greine,
Furrit with mertrix gudlie for to seine.
Quhilk gouns he gart make for thame onlie,
Of his great wisdome, and his courtasie.
To Sir Pennent ane goun gave he also,
[And he] himself that day wore ane of tho.
With him thay dynit in the chalmer thair,
Syne to the hall [thay] all togider fair,
Quhair that the King sat [at] his denner still.
This lustie sort of Knichtis went him till,
And thankit him of his great gentilnes,
To thame donne be his passing nobilnes.
Of Sir Clariodus of great renoune
Then said the King with richt bening sermoune
Unto the Count of Estur; Fair cousingne,
I weinit our Knichts sould thair ransoum bring,
For to have gevin Clariodus ȝour sone;
Bot to gif them he hes first begune.
The Count of Esture [ansuerit] Per mon fay,
The nobill Knichtis speikis more largly
Anents my sone I wait, nor he hes deservit;
Ane greater guerdoun for to have thay servit.

Quhen this was donne, thay wosch and said grace,
Syne to the floure they went them to solace.
On instruments menstrelles playit curiouslie,
Lords, knichts, and ladies dansit mirrilie.

Be this thair enterit into the hall
The sex fair Virgins, lustie, quhite and small,
That led the Greine Knight to the justing place;
As rose and lillie cullour was thair face;
All cled in cloath of silver new and greine
Of plesant bewtie, angellyk to seine;
With hairis bundin in traces of gold,
Schyning full bricht and pleasant to behold;
All with greine hatis on thair heidis set,
With stainis and pearle michtilie ouerfret;
With sex fair Squyers cled in the same cullour
Them leading, for to se was great plesoure.
First thrie com in, of quhilk the formist had
Upon hir hand ane fair sparhalk weill maid;
And to the King scho kneillit courteslie,
And him presentit the halk delyverlie,
Saying, The Greine Knicht hes this halke ȝow send,
Doing him hartlie to ȝour Grace commend.
The King this halk resavit fra the maid,
I thanke richt heartlie the Greine Knicht, he said.
The uther thre them followit soberlie,
Quhilk gave thre leich of hundis beninglie
Unto the King, and all war cullourit quhyt.
Thus said the formist madine of delyt,
The Greine Knicht him commendis to ȝour Grace.
Then cryit all the court with mirrie face
Upon this wayis, Vive Clariodus,
Baith wyse and worthie, nobill and gratious!
Then begouth menstrellis mirrilie to play,
And for to dance ȝoung knichtis did assay;
Clariodus anone begouth to dance,
And fresch Meliades of most plesance,
Quhilk tham becam so weill and lustily,
Them for to se great joy had standing by;
The lordis, ladies, and knichtis in the hall
Dansit anone. Thus mirrie maid thay all.
When that the dance was ceisit, then the King
Clariodus besoght that he wald sing.
The quhilk begouth to sing on gudlie wyse
The song that he had maid of Meliades;
Ane squyer of his him helpit courteslie,
Whilk sang the tennour wonder plesandlie.
When he had sung it, [then] he tuike delyt,
And it into ane role clossit perfite,
And put [it] in the hand of his Ladie
Without persaving, wonder quyetlie.
Meliades glaidlie tuike the sang,
And previlie scho in hir slive it thrang;
Syne [secreitlie] his hand scho streinȝit, thus,
Half smyling, saying, Sir, ȝe ar perrellous
Amongs ladies in companie to stand,
That so can thring thir billis in thair hand.

All eardlie joy for ane quhile dois bot lest;
When his lustie triumph was mirriest
The King gart call for horse, and that anone
But more delay, for he wald hameuard gone;
Sir Pennent he rewairdit moniefold,
And held him still as knicht of his houshold;
His Ladie fair, and hir sex Virgins scheine,
He gart becum in houshold to the Queine.

To Windieschoir the King I let furth ryd.
Clariodus behind him did abyd
For to rewaird the servants of the place,
And so he did rycht larglie with solace;
Syne followit on the Court quhilk him abaid,
And rycht humblie to the King he raid,
And thankit him of his magnificence,
And eik the Queine of hir great excellence,
Quhilk gave thair nobill presence in the hall;
Meliades he thankit eik withall.
With court royall, thus raid the King furth rycht
To Windischore, and thair he did alycht,
Whair [that] the supper redie was at all.
The King and Queine ar enterit in the hall,
And to the tabill [war] set michtilie;
And everilk lord of honour, and ladie,
War set at supper efter thair degrie,
And servit syne with great solemnitie.
The King commandit Sir Pennent the Knicht
Sould feistit be, and eik his Ladie bricht,
And the sex Virgins; quhilk was donne at all.
Then menstrallis playit lustilie in the hall.

Rycht as thay souppit had and said the grace,
So com the Kingis brother Sir Thomas;
Him welcumit the King on fair maneir,
As ȝe sall efter in this proces heir.
Ȝe micht have seine ane richt triumphant thing,
Of gudlie knichtis had beine at justing;
Bot fra he saw the honnour and the feist,
That thair was maid baith more and leist
Unto the Count of Estur and Clariodus,
He grew in breist haitfull and invyous;
And in his mynd with felloune rancour fyrit
He hes ane false and feindlie fact conspyrit
Agains Clariodus the wicht and wyse,
And eike agains his neice Meliades;
Quhilk tham engreifit oft in grit maneir,
As ȝe sall efter in this Treatese heir.
The King gart have him to ane chalmer fair,
And royallie gart him be feistit thair.

When this was donne, the King to chalmer went,
With mony earlis, knichtis, and lordis potent,
With mekill glaidnes and with solacing,
With minstrellis syne, quhair thay did dance and sing
Ane weill lang space; syne everie lord anone
Hes taine his leive, syne to his Inis is gone.
Meliades hir leave hes taine at the Queine,
And went to chalmer with hir ladies scheine;
And quhen scho was in chalmer quyetlie,
With hir awin secrite servants gone onlie,
With the advyse and leive of hir maistres,
Scho causit dame Romaryn hir adrese
To fetch the Lady of Joyous Mason,
To make to hir ane mirrie collation.
Scho bad the varlot Bonvaleir also
That he for Sir Clariodus sould go.

Now Romaryn hes donne this Ladie bring,
And the sex Virgins plesant and bening;
The varlot eik hes brocht Clariodus.
Meliades was then in heart joyous,
And tham resavit with ane plesant cheir,
And with ane sweit and womanlie maneir,
Sayand to [Sir] Clariodus hir Knight,
Supple me at ȝour pouer and ȝour micht,
This Ladie for to feist, and make gud cheir.
He said, Madame, forsuith my commoun wer,
For scho hes oft me feistit [weill] for this.
Ane banquit than begane with joy and blise.
Meliades then tuike hir be the hand
With womanlie effeir, doing hir command
For to begine the tabill mirrilie;
Bot this gud Ladie full of courtesie
Excuisit hir to sit so hé at tabill
With hir that was a princes honorabill;
Bot that micht be no bute scho sat [hir] doune,
With Amadour ane Knicht of grit renoune.
And eik scho baid, with wordis amiabill,
Clariodus to stand besyd the tabill
And be ane carvour. To quhilk he did consent.
Lower sat uther ladies consequent.
Dame Romaryn with twa ladies hir by
Servit the tabill winder reverently.
Great was the banquit and plesant was the cheir,
With mirrie wordis rycht joyous for to heir,
With fair effeir and rycht glaid countinance,
With easie sichis grundit on plesance,
With law demandis of ladies by and by,
With sweit love songs and cumlie minstrelly,
With secreit blenkis and inwart beholding,
With smylling loukis full of cherising,
With birning breist of thrist and hote desyre
With quhilk ilk wicht stomakit beine in fyre;
With all thair plesant drinkis at the tabill,
With thrist of love so wode and insatiabill
Within thir lovers breistis did abound,
Whair Cupids darts had maid monie ane wounde.
Thair coursis heir I will not all indyte,
I man on neid restraine my pen alite
Or be ouer prolixt in my sermoning.

When they had long with joy and conforting,
So nobillie feistit that lang it war to tell,
All up thay raise, ladie and damosell,
And rycht demurlie ane dance thay begane,
Ane gudlier saw never leiveand man.
Efter the dance, begouth they for to sing;
Meliades with countenance bening
The tribill sang, full angill lyke and cleir,
So that it was ane paradice to heir;
Ane nobill tennor held Clariodus,
The same to heir was hevinlie and joyous.

Whill long upon this wayis thay did disporte,
The circumstance war long for to reporte.
When it was lait, than leave tuike everie wicht,
The Ladie kneillit and said, Madam, Gud nicht.
Meliades gart bring of rich collour
Ane goune of claith of gold of grit valour,
And to the Ladie of Joyous Masone
It presentit, saying with bening sermone,
Ȝe sall resavein this, gentill Cousingne,
And for my saik weir it with glaidening.
This Lady kneillit, thanking hir hartfully.
Syne gart scho bring the sex Virgins hir by
Sex fair gounis of velvot cramosie,
With rich arming reversit nobillie.
Clariodus rycht glaid was for to se,
Of this Ladie the great nobilitie;
Hir passing fredome quhen he did espy,
He was rejosit wounder grittumly.
Thay tuike thair leaves, thair is no mair to say,
Sir Clariodus convoyit all the way
This Lady to hir chalmer, and anone
He tuike his leave and unto bed is gone.

At morrow raise all the lordis in feir,
And at the Kingis palice did compeire.
The feist indurit furth ane monethes space,
With singing, dansing, and joy with solace;
Syne lordis tuike thair leave and hamewart went
In court quhilk war not daylie resident.
Sir Pennent tuike his leave with his Ladie,
Rewairdit be the King rycht honorabillie,
Whom convoyit Clariodus the Knicht,
Oft thanking thame with all his wit and micht
Of the grit kindnes that he into thame fand;
And gart delyver them, but mair demand,
Aucht hundereth florings: bot Sir Pennent I wise
Was wounder laith for to resavein this;
Bot he most neidis resave it with instance
Of Sir Clariodus, that nobill Knicht most to advance.
Than ather uther imbracit tenderlie,
And tuik thair leave rycht fair and courteslie.
Kissit the Ladie hes Clariodus,
Returning hamwart mirrie and joyous
Unto the court, quhair he remainit still,
And thair had daylie plesance at his will
Of his Ladie, and commoning also.
Whairfor thair heartis brocht war out of woe.

The Count of Estur tuike his leave to ryd
To his cuntrie, ane quhill thair to abyd
With his Ladie, to put in governance
His landis haill be gud rewle and ordinance.

The King I let dwell still at Windieschore,
Whill I ȝow tell of new tydingis more,
In historie as my Awthor dois assend,
And on this wayis the Secund Buike I end.