Sir Gawaine kiss'd that Lady brighte,
Lying there by his side:

"The fairest flower is not soe faire:
"Thou never can'st bee my bride."

-"I am thy bride, mine owne deare Lorde, "The same whiche thou didst knowe,

"That was soe lothlye, and was wont

"Nowe, gentle Gawaine, chuse," quoth shee,
"And make thy choice with care;
"Whether by night, or else by daye,
"Shall I be foule or faire ?"—

"To have thee foule still in the night, "When I with thee should playe! “I had rather farre, my lady deare, "To have thee foule by daye."

-"What, when gaye ladyes goe with their lordes "To drinke the ale and wine; "Alas! then I must hide myself,

"I must not goe with mine?"

My faire ladyè," Sir Gawaine sayd, " I yield me to thy skille;

“Because thou art mine owne ladyè

"Thou shalt have all thy wille.".

-"Nowe blessed be thou, sweete Gawaine,
"And the daye that I thee see;
"For as thou seest mee at this time,
"Soe shall I ever bee.

My father was an aged knighte, "And yet it chanced soe,

"He tooke to wife a false ladyè,

"Whiche broughte me to this woe.

"Shee witch'd mee, being a faire

yonge maide,

"In the greene forèst to dwelle;

"And there to abyde in lothlye shape,

"Most like a fiend of helle.

"Midst mores and mosses; woods, and wilds;

"To lead a lonesome life:

..Till some yong

faire and courtlye knighte

"Wolde marrye me to his wife:

"Nor fully to gaine mine owne trewe shape, "Such was her devilish skille;

"Until he wolde yielde to be ruled by mee, "And let mee have all my wille.

She witchd my brother to a carlish boore, " And made him stiffe and stronge: "And built him a bowre on magicke grounde, "To live by rapine and wronge.

"But now the spelle is broken throughe,
"And wronge is turnde to righte;
"Henceforth I shall be a faire ladyè,

"And hee be a gentle knighte."—

No. XLVI.

KING ARTHUR'S DEATH.

A FRAGMENT.

From "Percy's Reliques of Ancient English Poetry."

ON Trinitye Mondaye in the morne,

This sore battayle was doom'd to bee;

Where

manye a knighte cried-" Well-awaye !"Alacke, it was the more pittie.

Ere the first crowinge of the cocke,
When as the Kinge in his bed laye,
He thoughte Sir Gawaine to him came,*

And there to him these wordes did saye.

*Sir Gawaine had been killed at Arthur's landing, on his return from abroad.

-"Nowe, as you are mine unkle deare,
"And as you prize your life, this daye
"O meet not with your foe in fighte:
"Putt off the battayle, if yee maye;

"For Sir Launcelot is nowe in Fraunce, "And with him many an hardye knighte: "Who will within this moneth be backe, "And will assiste in the fighte."

yee

The Kinge then call'd his nobles all,
Before the breakinge of the daye ;

And tolde them howe Sir Gawaine came,

And there to him these wordes did saye.

His nobles all this counsayle gave,
That earlye in the morning, hee
Shold send awaye an herauld at armes,
To aske a parley faire and free.

Then twelve good knightes King Arthure chose,

The best of all that with him were:

To parley with the foe in fielde,

And make with him agreement faire.