Percy Papers: communicated by the Duchess Dowager of
Portland.
| 1 |
Our king lay at Westminster,
as oft times he had done,
And he sent for Hugh Spencer,
to come to him anon. |
| 2 |
Then in came Hugh Spencer,
low kneeling on his knee:
'What's the matter, my liege,
you sent so speedily for me?' |
| 3 |
'Why you must go ambassadour
to France now, to see
Whether peace shall be taken,
aye, or open wars must be.' |
| 4 |
'Who shall go with me?'
says Hugh Spencer, he:
'That shall Hugh Willoughby
and John of Atherly.'
'O then,' says Hugh Spencer,
'we'll be a merry company.' |
| 5 |
When they came before the French king,
they kneeled low on the knee:
'O rise up, and stand up,
whose men soer you be.' |
| 6 |
The first that made answer
was Hugh Spencer, he:
'We are English ambassadours,
come hither to see
Whether peace shall be taken,
aye, or open wars must be.' |
| 7 |
Then spoke the French king,
and he spoke courteously:
The last time peace was broken,
it was neer along of me. |
| 8 |
For you sunk my ships, slew my men,
and thus did ye;
And the last time peace was broken,
it was neer along of me. |
| 9 |
Then in came Queen Maude,
and full as ill was she:
'A chamber of presence
is better for thee,
Then amongst English shepherds,
low bending on the knee.' |
| 10 |
The first that made answer
was Hugh Spencer, he:
'We are no English shepherds,
Queen Maude, I tell thee,
But we're knights, and knights fellows,
the worst man in our company.' |
| 11 |
O then spoke Queen Maude,
and full as ill was she:
Thou shouldst be Hugh Spencer,
thou talkst so boldly. |
| 12 |
And if thou beest Hugh Spencer,
as well thou seemst to be,
I've oft heard of thy justling,
and some of it would fain see. |
| 13 |
I have a steed in my stable
that thou canst not ride;
I have a spear in my keeping
that thou canst not guide;
And I have a knight in my realm
that thou darest not abide. |
| 14 |
Then Spencer askd Willoughby
and John of Atherly
Whether he should take this justling in hand,
aye, or let be. |
| 15 |
O then spoke Hugh Willoughby
and John of Atherly:
If you won't take it [in] hand,
why turn it unto we. |
| 16 |
'It shall neer be said in England,'
says Hugh Spencer, he,
'That I refused a good justling
and turned it to ye. |
| 17 |
'Alas,' says Hugh Spencer,
'Full sore may I moan,
I have nought here but an ambler,
my good steed's at home.' |
| 18 |
Then spoke a French knight,
and he spoke courteously:
I have thirty steeds in my stables,
the best of them take to thee. |
| 19 |
'Gramercy,' says Spencer,
'aye, and gramercy;
If eer thou comest to England,
well rewarded shalt thou be.' |
| 20 |
The first steed they brought him,
he was a milk-white:
'Take that away,' says Spencer,
'For I do not him like.' |
| 21 |
The next steed they brought him,
he was a good dun:
'Take that away,' says Spencer,
'For he's not for my turn.' |
| 22 |
The next steed they brought him,
he was a dapple-grey:
'Take that away,' says Spencer,
'For he is not used to the way.' |
| 23 |
The next steed they brought him,
he was a coal-black;
His eyes burnt in his head,
as if fire were in flax;
'Come saddle me that horse,' says Spencer,
'For I'll have none but that.' |
| 24 |
When that horse was saddled,
and Spencer got on,
With his spear at his foot,
O he was portly man! |
| 25 |
'Now I am on that steede-back
that I could not ride,
That spear in my keeping
that I could not guide,
Come shew me that French knight
that I dare not abide.' |
| 26 |
'It is a sign by thy sharp shin,
ay, and thy cropped knee,
That are no fit match
to justle with me:'
'Why it makes no matter,' says Spencer,
'you hear no brags of me.' |
| 27 |
The first time they rode together,
now Sir Hugh and he,
He turnd him in his saddle
like an apple on a tree. |
| 28 |
The next time they rode together,
now Sir Hugh and he,
He lit upon his breast-plate,
and he broke his spear in three. |
| 29 |
'A spear now,' says Spencer,
a+e spear now get me:'
' thou shalt have one,' says Willoughby,
'if in France one there be.' |
| 30 |
'O tye two together,
and the stronger they'l be,
For the French is the better,
and the better shall be:'
'Why it makes no matter,' says Spencer,
'you hear no brags of me.' |
| 31 |
The next time they rode together,
now Sir Hugh and he,
He threw him fifteen foot from his saddle,
and he broke his back in three:
'Now I have slain thy justler,
Queen Maude, I tell thee.' |
| 32 |
O then spoke Queen Maude,
and full as ill was she:
If thou'st slain my justler,
by the Kings laws thou'st dye. |
| 33 |
'It shall neer be said in England,'
says Hugh Spencer, he;
'It shall neer be said in England,'
says Hugh Willoughby; |
| 34 |
'It shall neer be said in England,'
says John of Atherly,
'That a queen of another nation
eer had her will of we.' |
| 35 |
They laid their heads together,
and their backs to the wall;
There were four score of the Queen's guards,
and they slew them all. |
| 36 |
Then spoke the French king,
and he spoke courteously:
O hold thy hand, Spencer,
I dearly pray thee. |
| 37 |
Thou art sharp as thy spear,
and as fierce as thy steed,
And the stour of thy lilly-white hand
makes my heart bleed. |
| 38 |
Thou hadst twenty ships hither,
thou'st have twenty away;
Then hold thy hand, Spencer,
I dearly thee pray. |
