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. 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, 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: 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, 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. 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 old. Why grieve you, damselle faire, he sayd, And what doth cause you moane? The damsell scant wolde deigne a looke, But fast she pricked on. Yet turne againe, thou faire damsèlle And greete thy queene from mee: When bale is att hyest, boote is nyest, Nowe helpe enoughe may bee. Bid her remember what she dreamt In her bedd, wheras shee laye; How when the grype and grimly beast Wolde have carried her crowne awaye, Even then there came the little gray hawke, And saved her from his clawes: Then bidd the queene be merry at hart, For heaven will fende her cause. 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, 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; 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, Come forth, or shee 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. 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, 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, He laughed, and scoffed, and turned his backe, And weened he had been beguylde. "Now turne, now turne thee, Aldingar, And eyther fighte or flee; I trust that I shall avenge the wronge, Thoughe I am so small to see."