40 Glasgerion
I
Glasgerion was a King’s own son,
And a harper he was good;
He harpèd in the King’s chamber
Where cup and candle stood,
And so did he in the Queen’s chamber,
Till ladies waxèd wood286.
II
And then bespake the King’s daughter
And these words thus said she:
[‘There’s never a stroke comes over this harp,
But it glads the heart of me.’]
III
Said, ‘Strike on, strike on, Glasgerion,
Of thy striking do not blin287;
There’s never a stroke comes over thine harp
But it glads my heart within.’
IV
‘Fair might you fall, lady,’ quoth he;
‘Who taught you now to speak?
I have loved you, lady, seven year;
My heart I durst ne’er break.’—
V
‘But come to my bower, my Glasgerion,
When all men are at rest;
As I am a lady true of my promise,
Thou shalt be a welcome guest.’
VI
But home then came Glasgerion,
A glad man, Lord, was he!
’And come thou hither, Jack, my boy,
Come hither unto me.
VII
‘For the King’s daughter of Normandye
Her love is granted me;
And before the cock have crowen
At her chamber must I be.’
VIII
‘But come you hither, master,’ quoth he,
‘Lay your head down on this stone;
For I will waken you, master dear,
Afore it be time to gone.’
IX
But up then rose that lither288 lad,
And did on hose and shoon;
A collar he cast upon his neck,
He seemèd a gentleman.
X
And when he came to that lady’s chamber
He tirl’d289 upon a pin;
The lady was true of her promise,
Rose up and let him in.
XI
He did not kiss that lady gay
When he came nor when he yode290;
And sore mistrusted that lady gay
He was of some churle’s blood.
XII
But home then came that lither lad,
And did off his hose and shoon,
And cast that collar from ’bout his neck;
He was but a churlè’s son:
‘Awaken,’ quoth he, ‘my master dear,
I hold it time to be gone.
XIII
‘For I have saddled your horse, master,
Well bridled I have your steed;
Have not I served a good breakfast
When time comes I have need?’
XIV
But up then rose good Glasgerion,
And did on both hose and shoon,
And cast a collar about his neck;
He was a Kingé’s son.
XV
And when he came to that lady’s chamber,
He tirl’d upon a pin;
The lady was more than true of her promise,
Rose up, and let him in.
XVI
Says, ‘Whether have you left with me
Your bracelet or your glove?
Or are you back return’d again
To know more of my love?’
XVII
Glasgerion swore a full great oath
By oak and ash and thorn,
‘Lady, I was never in your chamber
Sith the time that I was born.’—
XVIII
‘O then it was your little foot-page
Falsely hath beguiled me’:
And then she pull’d forth a little pen-knife
That hangèd by her knee,
Says, ‘There shall never no churlè’s blood
Spring within my bodye.’
XIX
But home then went Glasgerion,
A woe man, Lord, was he;
Sayes, ‘Come hither, thou Jack, my boy,
Come thou hither to me.
XX
‘For if I had kill’d a man to-night,
Jack, I would tell it thee,
But if I have not kill’d a man to-night,
Jack, thou hast killéd three!’
XXI
And he pull’d out his bright brown sword,
And dried it on his sleeve,
And he smote off that lither lad’s head
And ask’d no man no leave.
XXII
He set the sword’s point till his breast,
The pommel till a stone;
Through the falseness of that lither lad
These three lives wern all gone.
Footnotes
286 wood = crazy, wild with delight.
287 blin = stint, cease.
288 lither = rascally, vile.
289 tirl’d = rattled.
290 yode = went.