The Eldridge knight he pricked his steed;

Sir Cauline bold abode,

Then either shook his trusty spear,

And the timber these two children bare (children, knights.

So soon in sunder slode.

Then took they out their two good swords,

And layden on full fast,

Till helm and hawberk, mail and shield,
They all were well-nigh brast.

The Eldridge knight was mickle of might,
And stiff in stower did stand,

But Sir Cauline, with a backward stroke,
He smote off his right hand;

That soon he with pain and lack of blood,
Fell down on that lay-land.

Then up Sir Cauline lift his brand,
All over his head so high:

And here I swear by the holy rood,

Now, caitiff, thou shalt die!

(slode, fractured.

(brast, burst.

(stower, conflict.

The Eldridge knight gave up his arms

With many a sorrowful sigh,

And sware to obey Sir Cauline's hest
Till the time that he should die.

And he then up, and the Eldridge knight
Set him in his saddle anon,

And the Eldridge knight and his lady
To their castle are they gone.

Then he took up the bloody hand
That was so large of bone,
And on it he found five rings of gold
Of knights that had he slone.

Then he took up the Eldridge sword,
As hard as any flint,

And he took off those rings five,
As bright as fire and brent.

Home then pricked Sir Cauline,

As light as leaf on tree,

I wis he neither stint nor blanne
Till he his lady see.

Then down he knelt upon his knee

Before that lady gay,

[ped nor staid.

(stint nor blanne, stop

O lady! I have been on the Eldridge hills,

These tokens I bring away.

Now welcome, welcome! Sir Cauline,

Thrice welcome unto me!

For now I perceive thou art a true knight,
Of valour bold and free.

O lady! I am thy own true knight,
Thy hests for to obey,

And might I hope to win thy love,——
No more his tongue could say.

The lady blushed scarlet red,

And fetched a gentle sigh,

Alas! sir knight, how may this be,

For my degree's so high?

But sith thou hast hight, thou comely youth, (hight, chosen. To be my bacheleere,

I'll promise, if thee I may not wed,

I will have none other feere.

Then she held forth her lily white hand
To that knight so free;

He

gave to it one gentle kiss

His heart was brought from bale to bliss,
The tears start from his eye.

But keep my counsel, Sir Cauline,
Nor let no man it know,

For and ever my father should it ken,

I wot he would us sloe.

From that day forth that lady fair
Loved Sir Cauline the knight,
From that day forth he only joyed
When she was in his sight.

Yea, and oftentimes they met
Within a fair arbour,

Where they in love and sweet dalliance,
Past many a pleasant hour.

(sloe, slay.

PART II.

EVERY white will have its black,
And every sweet its sour:
This found the Lady Christabellė,
In an untimely hour.

For so it befell, as Sir Cauline
Was with that lady fair,

The king her father walked forth
To take the evening air.

And into the arbour as he went,
To rest his weary feet,

He found his daughter and Sir Cauline
There set in dalliance sweet.

The king he started forth I wis,
And an angry man was he;

Now, traitor! thou shalt hang or draw,
And rue shall thy lady.

Then forth Sir Cauline he was led,
And thrown in dungeon deep;
And the lady into a tower so high,
There left to wail and weep.

The queen she was Sir Cauline's friend,
And to the king said she,—

I

pray you save Sir Cauline's life,

And let him banished be.

Now, dame, that traitor should be sent

Across the salt sea foam:

But here I will make thee a band-
If ever he come within this land,

A foul death is his doom.

All woe-begone was that gentle knight,

To part from his lady:

And many time he sighed sore,

And cast a wistful eye,—

Fair Christabelle, from thee to part,

Far lever had I die!

Fair Christabelle, that lady bright,

Was had forth of the tower:
But ever she droopeth in her mind,
As nipped by an ungentle wind,
Doth some fair lily flower.

(lever, rather.

And ever she doth lament and weep

To tint her lover so:

(tint, lose.

Sir Cauline, thou little think'st on me,

But I will still be true.

Many a king, and many a duke,
And lord of high degree,

Did sue to that fair lady, of love,

But ever she would them nee.

When many a day was passed and gone,

No comfort she could find:

The king proclaimed a Tournament,

To cheer his daughter's mind.

And there came lords, and there came knights,

From many a far country,

To break a spear for their lady's love,

Before that fair lady.

And many a lady there was set

In purple and in pall:

But fair Christabelle so woe-begone,

Was the fairest of them all.

Then many a knight was mickle of might,
Before his lady gay:

But a Stranger wight, whom no man knew,
He won the prize each day.

His acton it was all of black,

His hawberk, and his shield;

Nor no man wist whence he did come,
Nor no man knew where he had gone,
When they came from the field.

And now three days were prestly past
In feats of chivalry,

When lo! upon the fourth morning,
A sorrowful sight they see.

A hugye giant stiff and stark,

All foul of limb and lere,

Two goggling eyen, like fire farden,

A mouth from ear to ear.

Before him came a dwarf full low,

That waited at his knee;

And at his back five heads he bore,

All wan and pale of blee.

Sir, quoth the dwarf, and louted low,

Behold that hend Soldan,

Behold these heads I bear with me,

They are kings which he hath slain.

(nee, deny.

(prestly, quickly.

(lere, face. (farden, flushed.

(blee, complexion.

(hend, noble.