Chapter XLIII: Part I

On yonder hill a castle stands,
With walls and towers bedight,
And yonder lives the Child of Elle,
A young and comely Knight.

The Child of Elle to his garden went,
And stood at his garden pale,
When, lo! he beheld Fair Emmeline’s page
Come tripping down the dale.

The Child of Elle he hied him thence
Y-wis he stood not still,
And soon he met Fair Emmeline’s page
Come climbing up the hill.

“Now Christ thee save, thou little foot-page!
Now Christ thee save and see!
Oh! tell me how does thy Lady gay,
And what may thy tidings be?”

“My Lady, she is all woe-begone,
And the tears they fall from her eyne;
And aye she laments the deadly feud
Between her house and thine.

“And here she sends thee a silken scarf,
Bedewed with many a tear,
And bids thee sometimes think on her,
Who loved thee so dear.

“And here she sends thee a ring of gold,
The last boon thou mayst have,
And bids thee wear it for her sake,
When she is laid in grave.

“For, ah! her gentle heart is broke,
And in grave soon must she be,
Sith her father hath chose her a new, new love,
And forbid her to think of thee.

“Her father hath brought her a carlish Knight,
Sir John of the North Countraye,
And within three days she must him wed,
Or he vows he will her slay.”

“Now, hie thee back, thou little foot-page,
And greet thy Lady from me,
And tell her that I, her own true love,
Will die or set her free.

“Now, hie thee back, thou little foot-page,
And let thy fair Lady know,
This night will I be at her bower-window
Betide me weal or woe!”

The boy he tripped, the boy he ran,
He neither stint nor stayed
Until he came to Fair Emmeline’s bower,
When kneeling down he said:--

“O Lady, I’ve been with thy own true love,
And he greets thee well by me;
This night will he be at thy bower-window,
And die or set thee free.”