IX.
SIR ALDINGAR.
This old fabulous legend is given from the Editor's folio MS. with conjectural emendations, and the insertion of some additional stanzas to supply and compleat the story.
It has been suggested to the Editor that the author of this poem seems to have had in his eye the story of Gunhilda, who is sometimes called Eleanor, and was married to the Emperor (here called King) Henry.
Percy's MS. note in his folio is as follows: "Without some corrections this will not do for my _Reliques_." Readers will be able to judge for themselves as to the relative beauties of the two, now that the original is printed at the end of Percy's amended copy. To make the interpolations more apparent, Percy's added verses are placed between brackets, and it will be seen that these contain much of the phraseology and many of the stock prettinesses of the polite ballad-monger; some of the most vivid bits of the old ballad being passed over. Percy keeps tolerably to the story, except that he makes the second messenger one of the queen's damsels instead of a man. Sir Walter Scott supposes _Sir Aldingar_ to be founded upon the kindred ballad of _Sir Hugh le Blond_, but, as Professor Child says, without any reason. The story occurs in most of the literatures of Europe.
* * * * *
Our king he kept a false stewàrde, Sir Aldingar they him call; [A falser steward than he was one, Servde not in bower nor hall.]
He wolde have layne by our comelye queene, 5 Her deere worshippe to betraye: Our queene she was a good womàn, And evermore said him naye.
Sir Aldingar was wrothe in his mind, With her hee was never content, 10 [Till traiterous meanes he colde devyse,] In a fyer to have her brent.[328]
There came a lazar[329] to the kings gate, A lazar both blinde and lame: He tooke the lazar upon his backe, 15 Him on the queenes bed has layne.
"Lye still, lazàr, wheras thou lyest, Looke thou goe not hence away; Ile make thee a whole man and a sound In two howers of the day."[330] 20
Then went him forth sir Aldingar, [And hyed him to our king:] "If I might have grace, as I have space, ["Sad tydings I could bring."]
Say on, say on, sir Aldingar, 25 Saye on the soothe[331] to mee. "Our queene hath chosen a new new lòve, And shee will have none of thee.
"If shee had chosen a right good knight, The lesse had beene her shame; 30 But she hath chose her a lazar man, A lazar both blinde and lame."
If this be true, thou Aldingar, The tyding thou tellest to me, Then will I make the a rich rich knight, 35 Rich both of golde and fee.
But if it be false, sir Aldingar, [As God nowe grant it bee! Thy body, I sweare by the holye rood,] Shall hang on the gallows tree. 40
[He brought our king to the queenes chambèr, And opend to him the dore.] A lodlye[332] love, king Harry says, For our queene dame Elinore!
If thou were a man, as thou art none, 45 [Here on my sword thoust dye;] But a payre of new gallowes shall be built, And there shalt thou hang on hye.
[Forth then hyed our king, I wysse, And an angry man was hee; 50 And soone he found queene Elinore, That bride so bright of blee.[333]]
Now God you save, our queene, madame, And Christ you save and see; Heere you have chosen a newe newe love, 55 And you will have none of mee.
If you had chosen a right good knight, The lesse had been your shame: But you have chose you a lazar man, A lazar both blinde and lame. 60
[Therfore a fyer there shall be built, And brent all shalt thou bee.----] "Now out alacke!" said our comly queene, "Sir Aldingar's false to mee.
Now out alacke!" sayd our comlye queene, 65 [My heart with griefe will brast.[334]] I had thought swevens[335] had never been true, I have proved them true at last.
I dreamt in my sweven on thursday eve, In my bed wheras I laye, 70 I dreamt a grype[336] and a grimlie beast Had carryed my crowne awaye;
My gorgett[337] and my kirtle[338] of golde, And all my faire head-geere: And he wold worrye me with his tush[339] 75 And to his nest y-beare:
Saving there came a litle 'gray' hawke,[340] A merlin him they call, Which untill the grounde did strike the grype, That dead he downe did fall. 80
Giffe[341] I were a man, as now I am none, A battell wold I prove, To fight with that traitor Aldingar; Att him I cast my glove.
But seeing Ime able noe battell to make, 85 My liege, grant me a knight To fight with that traitor sir Aldingar, To maintaine me in my right."
"Now forty dayes I will give thee To seeke thee a knight therin: 90 If thou find not a knight in forty dayes Thy bodye it must brenn."
[Then shee sent east, and shee sent west, By north and south bedeene:[342] But never a champion colde she find,] 95 Wolde fight with that knight soe keene.
[Now twenty dayes were spent and gone, Noe helpe there might be had; Many a teare shed our comelye queene And aye her hart was sad. 100
Then came one of the queenes damsèlles, And knelt upon her knee, "Cheare up, cheare up, my gracious dame, I trust yet helpe may be:
"And here I will make mine avowe,[343] 105 And with the same me binde; That never will I return to thee, Till I some helpe may finde."
Then forth she rode on a faire palfràye Oer hill and dale about: 110 But never a champion colde she finde, Wolde fighte with that knight so stout.
And nowe the daye drewe on a pace, When our good queene must dye; All woe-begone was that faire damsèlle, 115 When she found no helpe was nye.
All woe-begone was that faire damsèlle, And the salt teares fell from her eye:] When lo! as she rode by a rivers side, She met with a tinye boye. 120
[A tinye boye she mette, God wot, All clad in mantle of golde;] He seemed noe more in mans likenèsse, Then a childe of four yeere olde.
[Why grieve you, damselle faire, he sayd, 125 And what doth cause you moane? The damsell scant wolde deigne a looke, But fast she pricked on.]
Yet turn againe, thou faïre damsèlle, And greete thy queene from mee: 130 When bale[344] is att hyest, boote[345] is nyest, Nowe helpe enoughe may bee.
Bid her remember what she dreamt In her bedd, wheras shee laye; How when the grype and the grimly beast 135 Wolde have carried her crowne awaye,
Even then there came the litle gray hawke, And saved her from his clawes: Then bidd the queene be merry at hart, [For heaven will fende[346] her cause.] 140
Back then rode that faire damsèlle, And her hart it lept for glee: And when she told her gracious dame A gladd woman then was shee.
[But when the appointed day was come, 145 No helpe appeared nye: Then woeful, woeful was her hart, And the teares stood in her eye.
And nowe a fyer was built of wood; And a stake was made of tree; 150 And now queene Elinor forth was led, A sorrowful sight to see.
Three times the herault he waved his hand, And three times spake on hye: Giff any good knight will fende this dame, 155 Come forth, or she must dye.
No knight stood forth, no knight there came, No helpe appeared nye: And now the fyer was lighted up, Queen Elinor she must dye. 160
And now the fyer was lighted up, As hot as hot might bee;] When riding upon a little white steed, The tinye boy they see.
"Away with that stake, away with those brands, 165 And loose our comelye queene: I am come to fight with sir Aldingar, And prove him a traitor keene."
Forthe then stood sir Aldingar, But when he saw the chylde, 170 He laughed, and scoffed, and turned his backe, And weened[347] he had been beguylde.
"Now turne, now turne thee, Aldingar, And eyther fighte or flee; I trust that I shall avenge the wronge, 175 Thoughe I am so small to see."
The boye pulld forth a well good sworde So gilt it dazzled the ee; The first stroke stricken at Aldingar Smote off his leggs by the knee. 180
"Stand up, stand up, thou false traitòr, And fight upon thy feete, For and thou thrive, as thou begin'st, Of height wee shall be meete."
A priest, a priest, sayes Aldingàr, 185 While I am a man alive. A priest, a priest, sayes Aldingàr, Me for to houzle and shrive.[348]
I wolde have laine by our comlie queene, Bot shee wolde never consent; 190 Then I thought to betraye her unto our kinge In a fyer to have her brent.
There came a lazar to the kings gates, A lazar both blind and lame: I tooke the lazar upon my backe, 195 And on her bedd had him layne.
[Then ranne I to our comlye king, These tidings sore to tell.] But ever alacke! sayes Aldingar, Falsing never doth well. 200
Forgive, forgive me, queene, madame, The short time I must live. "Nowe Christ forgive thee, Aldingar, As freely I forgive."
Here take thy queene, our king Harryè, 205 And love her as thy life, [For never had a king in Christentye, A truer and fairer wife.
King Henrye ran to claspe his queene, And loosèd her full sone: 210 Then turnd to look for the tinye boye; ----The boye was vanisht and gone.
But first he had touchd the lazar man, And stroakt him with his hand: The lazar under the gallowes tree 215 All whole and sounde did stand.]
The lazar under the gallowes tree Was comelye, straight and tall; King Henrye made him his head stewàrde To wayte withinn his hall. 220
[***]
* * * * *
[The following is the original version from the folio MS reprinted from Hales and Furnivall's ed. vol. i. p. 166:
Our king he kept a ffalse steward, men called him Sir Aldingar he wold haue layen by our comely queene, her deere worshipp to haue betraide. 4 our queene shee was a good woman, & euer more said him nay.
Aldingar was offended in his mind, with her hee was neuer content, 8 but he sought what meanes he cold find out, in a fyer to haue her brent.
There came a lame lazer to the Kings gates, a lazer was [b]lind & lame; 12 he tooke the lazer vpon his backe, vpon the queenes bed he did him lay:
he said, "lye still, lazer, wheras thou lyest, looke thou goe not away, 16 Ile make thee a whole man & a sound in 2 howres of a day."
& then went forth Sir Aldingar our Queene for to betray, 20 and then he mett with our comlye King, saies, "god you saue & see!
"If I had space as I haue grace, A message I wold say to thee." 24 "Say on, say on, Sir Aldingar, say thou on and vnto me."
"I can let you now see one of [the] greiuos[est] sights that euer Christen King did see: 28 Our Queene hath chosen a New New loue, She will haue none of thee;
"If shee had chosen a right good Knight, the lesse had beene her shame, 32 but she hath chosen a Lazar man which is both blinde & lame."
"If this be true, thou Aldingar, that thou dost tell to me, 36 then will I make thee a rich Knight both of gold and fee;
"But if it be false, Sir Aldingar, that thou doest tell to me, 40 then looke for noe other death but to be hangd on a tree. goe with me," saide our comly king, "this Lazar for to see." 44
When the King he came into the queenes chamber, standing her bed befor, "there is a lodly lome," says Harry King "for our dame Queene Elinor! 48
"If thou were a man, as thou art none, here thou sholdest be slaine; but a paire of new gallowes shall be biil[t] thoust hang on them soe hye; 52
"and fayre fyer there shalbe bett, and brent our Queene shal bee." fforth then walked our comlye King, & mett with our comly Queene, 56
saies, "God you saue, our Queene, Madam, and Christ you saue & see! heere you [haue] chosen a new new loue, and you will haue none of mee. 60
"If you had chosen a right good Knight the lesse he beene your shame, but you haue chosen a lazar man that is both blind & lame." 64
"Euer alacke!" said our comly Queene, "Sir Aldingar is false to mee; but euer alacke!" said our comly Queene, "Euer alas, & woe is mee! 68
"I had thought sweuens had neuer been true; I haue prooued them true at the last; I dreamed in my sweauen on thursday at eueninge in my bed wheras I lay, 72
"I dreamed the grype & a grimlie beast had carryed my crowne away, my gorgett & my kirtle of golde, and all my faire heade geere; 76
"How he wold haue worryed me with his tush & borne me into his nest, saving there came a litle hawk flying out of the East, 80 "saving there came a litle Hawke which men call a Merlion, vntill the ground he stroke him downe, that dead he did fall downe. 84
"giffe I were a man, as I am none, a battell I would proue, I wold fight with that false traitor; att him I cast my gloue! 88
"Seing I am able noe battell to make, you must grant me, my leege, a Knight to fight with that traitor, Sir Aldingar, to maintaine me in my right." 92
"Ile giue thee 40 dayes," said our King, "to seeke thee a man therin; if thou find not a man in 40 dayes, in a hott fyer thou shall brenn." 96
Our Queene sent forth a Messenger, he rode fast into the south, he rode the countryes through & through, soe ffar vnto Portsmouth; 100
he cold find never a man in the south country that wold fight with the knight soe keene.
the second messenger the Queen forth sent, rode far into the east, 104 but--blessed be God made sunn and moone!-- he sped then all of the best:
as he rode then by one riuer side, there he mett with a litle child, 108 he seemed noe more in a mans likenesse then a child of 4 yeeres old;
He askt the Queenes Messenger how far he rode: loth he was him to tell; 112 the litle one was offended att him, bid him adew, farwell!
Said, "turne thou againe, thou messenger, greete our Queene well from me; 116 when Bale is att hyest, boote is att next, helpe enough there may bee!
"bid our queene remember what she did dreame in her bedd wheras shee lay; 120 shee dreamed the grype & the grimly beast had carryed her crowne away,
"her gorgett & her kirt[l]e of gold, alsoe her faire head geere, 124 ne wold have werryed her with his tushe & borne her into her nest,
"Saving there came a litle hawke-- men call him a merlyon-- 128 vntill the ground he did strike him downe, that dead he did ffall downe.
"bidd the queene be merry att her hart, euermore light & glad, 132 when bale is att hyest, boote is at next, helpe enoughe there shalbe [had."]
then the Queenes Messenger rode backe, a gladed man then was hee; 136 when he came before our Queene, a gladd woman then was shee;
shee gaue the Messenger 20^{li}: O lord, in gold & ffee, 140 saies, "spend & spare not while this doth last, then feitch thou more of me."
Our Queene was put in a tunne to burne, She thought no thing but death; 144 thé were ware of the litle one came ryding forth of the East
with a Mu (_line cut away_) ... a louelie child was hee: 148 when he came to that fier, he light the Queene full nigh;
said, "draw away these brands of fire lie burning before our Queene, 152 & feitch me hither Sir Aldingar that is a knight soe keene."
When Aldingar see that litle one, ffull litle of him hee thought, 156 if there had beene halfe a 100 such, of them he wold not haue wrought.
hee sayd, "come hither Sir Aldingar, thou see-must as bigge as a ffooder! 160 I trust to god, ere I haue done with thee, God will send to vs anger."
saies, "the first stroke thats giuen, Sir Aldingar, I will giue vnto thee, 164 & if the second giue thou may, looke then thou spare not mee."
the litle one pulld forth a well good sword, I-wis itt was all of guilt, 168 it cast light there over that feild, it shone soe all of guilt:
he stroke the first stroke att Aldingar, he stroke away his leggs by his knee, 172
sayes, "stand vp, stand vp, thou false traitor, & fight vpon thy feete! "for & thou thriue as thou begins, of a height wee shalbe meete." 176
"A preist, a preist!" sayes Aldingar, "me for to houzle & shriue! A preist, a preist," sayes Aldingar, "while I am a man liuing a-liue! 180
"I wold haue laine by our comlie Queene; to it shee wold neuer consent; I thought to haue betrayed her to our King, in a fyer to haue had her brent; 184
"there came a lame lazer to the Kings gates, a lazar both blind & lame;
"I tooke the lazar vpon my backe, in the Queenes bed I did him lay, 188 I bad him 'lie still, Lazar, where he lay, looke he went not away, I wold make him a whole man & a sound in 2 houres of a day.' 192
"euer alacke!" sayes Sir Aldingar, "falsing neuer doth well;
"forgiue, forgiue me, Queene, Madam! for Christs loue forgiue me!" 196 "God forgaue his death, Aldingar, & freely I forgiue thee."
"Now take thy wife, thou K[ing] Harry, & loue her as thou shold; 200 thy wiffe shee is a[s] true to thee as stone that lies on the castle wall."
the Lazar vnder the gallow tree was a pretty man & small, 204 the Lazar vnder the gallow tree was made steward in King Henerys hall.
ffins.]
FOOTNOTES:
[328] [burnt.]
[329] [leper.]
[330] He probably insinuates that the king should heal him by his power of touching for the king's evil.
[331] [truth.]
[332] [loathsome.]
[333] [complexion.]
[334] [burst.]
[335] [dreams.]
[336] [griffin.]
[337] [neckerchief.]
[338] [petticoat.]
[339] [tooth.]
[340] Ver. 77. see below, v. 137.
[341] [if.]
[342] [immediately.]
[343] [vow or oath.]
[344] [evil.]
[345] [help.]
[346] [defend.]
[347] [supposed.]
[348] [to give the sacrament and to confess.]