University of Virginia Library

6. [The Sixth Part.]

He came to a forrest a priuye way,
& leaueth his steed & his palfray;
& when he had soe doone,
he went to his chamber right soone,
& priuyle knocked on the dore,
[&] Palyas his brother stood on the flore.
Palyas was neuer more glad & blyth
when he see his brother come home aliue.
“how fareth Sir Egar?” Sir Grime can say.
“the better that you haue sped on your Iourney.”
“rise, Sir Egar, & arme thee weele
both in Iron & in steele,
& goe into yonder forreste free,
& Pallyas my Brother shall goe with thee;
& there thou shalt find Sir Gray-steeles steed,
& much more of his golden weede;
there thou shalt find his chaine of gold,
his sadle harnesse full fayre to behold,
with other more of his golden geere;
in all this land is none such to weare.
to-morrow when the sunn shineth bright,
Looke thou gett into thy Ladyes sight,
& looke thou as strange to her bee
as shee in times past hath been to thee;
for & thou doe not as shee hath done before,
thou shalst loose my loue for euermore.”
then forth went Egar & Pallyas
where the steeds & steuen was.
a scarlett Mantle Grime hath tane;
to the Erles chamber hee his gone
with still Mourning & sighing sore,
“alas! slaine is my brother Sir Egar!
for 7 dayes are comen and gone
sith he promised me to bee att home;
he rode forth wounded verry sore;
alas! my sorrow is much the more!
thy great pride of thy daughter free
made him in this great perill to bee;
alas that euer shee was borne!
the best Knight that euer was in this world is forlorne!”
Gryme vpon his way can goe;
the Erle & the Countesse were full woe;
then they bowned them both more & lesse
to the parish church to hear a Masse.
when the Masse was all done,
to the pallace thé went full soone.
one looked betwene him & the sunn,
sais, “methinkes I see tow armed Knights come.”
another sayd, “Nay indeed,
it is an armed Knight ryding, and leads a steede.”
& when they Knight came them neere,
all wist it was Sir Egar;
but Gryme was the first man
that euer welcomed Sir Egar home.
the Erle tooke Egars hand in his,
the countesse cold him comlye Kisse;
his own Lady winglaine wold haue done soe;
he turned his backe & rode her froe,
& said, “parting is a priuye payne,
but old freinds cannott be called againe!
for the great kindnesse I haue found att thee,
fforgotten shalt thou neuer bee.”
he turned his steede in that tyde,
& said to Garnwicke he wold ryde.
the Lady sooned when he did goe;
the Erle & the Countesse were full woe;
the Erle profered Gryme 40li: of Land,
of florences that were fayre & round,
for to gett the good will of Egar his daughter to:
I hope that was ethe to doe.
Grime went forth on his way,
& faire words to Egar [can he say:]
“abyde & speake a word with mee,
Brother,” he said, “for Charitye.”
Egar sayd, “here I am at your will;
whatere you command, Ile fulfill.”
a squier tooke his steeds tow,
& to a stable can he goe.
Gryme tooke Egar by the hand,
to their owne chamber they went Leadand,
& all his armour of hath done,
& laid it downe where he put it on.
Gryme feitched forth tow robes in that stond,
the worse was worth 400li:
thé were all of beaten gold begon:
he put the better Egar on;
then was Egar the seemlyest man
that was in all Christendonne.
Gryme tooke him by the hand,
to the palace thé yode Leadand:
a rich dinner there Men might see,
Meate & drinke there was plentye;—
certaine sooth if I shold say,
he was meate fellow with the Ladye gay;—
& when the dinner was all done,
Grime tooke the Erle to councell soone:
“as my Lord Egar is the Knight
that winneth the worshipp in euery fight,
& if hee shall haue your daughter free,
att your owne will I haue gotten him to bee;
I read anon that it were done.”
the Erle & the Countesse accorded soone;
the Erle sent forth his messenger
to great Lords both far & neere,
that they shold come by the 15 day
to the marryage of his daughter gay.
& there Sir Egar, that Noble Knight,
Marryed winglayne, that Ladye Bright.
the feast it Lasted fortye dayes,
with Lords & Ladyes in royall arrayes;
& at the 40 dayes end,
euerye man to his owne home wend,
eche man home into his countrye;
soe did Egar, Grime, & Pallyas, all 3,
they neuer stinted nor blan,
to Earle Gares Land till thé came.
the Erle wist he wold be there,
he mett them with a royal fere,
with a 100 Knights in royall array
mett Egar & Grime in the way,
with much myrth of Minstrelsye,
& welcomed them into that countrye;
& there Sir Gryme, that Noble Knight,
marryed Loosepine, that Ladye bright.
why was shee called Loospaine?
a better Leeche was none certaine.
a royall wedding was made there,
as good as was the other before;
& when 5 dayes done did hee,
Egar desired all the Erles meanye
to ryde with him into Gray-steeles Land,
to resigne all into his brothers hand.
they chose Pallyas to be their Captain wight;
the Erle dubd him, and made a Knight,
& by councell of Lords with him did bee,
hee gaue him a 100li: of fee.
then wold they noe longer abyde,
but into Gray-steeles Land can they ryde;
they brake his parkes & killed his deere,
rasen his hauens & shipps soe Cleere;
They tooken townes & castles of stone.
Gray-steele had neuer a child but one
that was a daughter fayre & free;
vntill that castle shee did flee;
Egar tooke that Lady, as I vnderstand,
& brought her into Earle Gares land.
when that Ladye the Earle did see,
shee kneeled downe vpon her knee,
& said, “if my father were a tyrant & your enemye,
neuer take my Land froe me.”
the Erle sayd, “for thy curtesye
all the better the matter may bee:
for to weld thy Land & thee
choose thee any Knight that thou he[r]e see.”
amongst all that there was
shee chose vnto Pallyas.
glad & blythe was Baron & Knight,
soe were Egar & Gryme that were soe wight;
& there Sir Pallyas, that Noble Knight,
marryed Emyas that was soe bright.
a royall wedding was made thore,
as good as was the other before.
I neuer wist man that proued soe weele
as did Sir Grine vpon Sir Gray-steele,
for he gate to his brother Sir Egar
an Erles Land & a ladye faire;
he gate himselfe an Erles lande,
the fairest Lady that was Liuande;
he gate his brother Pallyas
a barrons daughter & a Barronage.
Winglaine bare to Sir Egar
10 children that were fayre;
10 of them were sonnes wight,
& 5, daughters fayre in sight.
& Loosepine bare to Sir Grime
10 children in short time;
7 of them sonnes was,
& 3 were daughters faire of face.
Emyeas bare to Sir Pallyas
3 Children in short spacee;
2 of them sonnes were,
the 3 was a daughter faire and cleere;
after, shee was marryed to a Knight
that proued both hardye & wight.
there was noe man in noe countrye
that durst displease those brethren 3:
for 2 of them were Erles free,
the 3d: was a Barron in his countrye;
& thus they liued & made an end.
to the blisse of heauen their soules bringe!
I pray Jesus that wee soe may
bring vs the blisse that Lasteth Aye!