16 'If you had chosen a right good k_nigh_t, The lesse had beene yo_u_r shame; But you haue chosen a lazar man, That is both blind and lame.' 17 'Euer alacke!' said our comly queene, 'S_i_r Aldingar is false to mee; But euer alacke!' said our comly queene, 'Euer alas, and woe is mee! 18 '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, 19 'I dreamed a grype and a grimlie beast Had carryed my crowne away, My gorgett and my kirtle of golde, And all my faire heade-geere. 20 'How he wold haue worryed me w_i_th his tush, And borne me into his nest, Saving there came a little hawk, Flying out of the east. 21 'Saving there came a little hawke, W_hi_ch men call a merlion; Vntill the ground he stroke him downe, _Tha_t dead he did fall downe. 22 'Giffe I were a man, as I am none, A battell I would proue; I wold fight w_i_th that false traitor; Att him I cast my gloue! 23 'Seing I am able noe battell to make, You must grant me, my leege, a k_nigh_t, To fight w_i_th _tha_t traitor, S_i_r Aldingar, To maintaine me in my right.' 24 'I'le giue thee forty dayes,' said our k_ing_, 'To seeke thee a man therin; If thou find not a man in forty dayes, In a hott fyer thou shall brenn.' 25 Our queene sent forth a messenger; He rode fast into the south; He rode the countryes through and through, Soe ffar vnto Portsmouth. 26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . He cold find never a man in the south country _Tha_t wold fight w_i_th the k_nigh_t soe keene. 27 The second messenger the queen forth sent Rode far into the east; But, blessed be God made sunn and moone! He sped then all of the best. 28 As he rode then by one riuer side, There he mett w_i_th a little child; He seemed noe more in a mans likenesse Then a child of four yeeres old. 29 He askt the queenes messenger how far he rode; Loth he was him to tell; The little one was offended att him, Bid him adew, farwell. 30 Said, Turne thou againe, thou messenger, Greete our queene well from me; When bale is att hyest, boote is att next; Helpe enough there may bee. 31 'Bid o_u_r queene remember what she did dreame In her bedd wheras shee lay; Shee dreamed the grype and the grimly beast Had carryed her crowne away; 32 'Her gorgett and her kirtle of gold, Alsoe her faire head-geere; He wold haue werryed her w_i_th his tushe, And borne her into his nest.