‘Mair meat, mair meat, ye King Henry, Mair meat ye gie to me!’-- ‘An’ what meat’s in this house, ladye, That ye’re not welcome tae?’-- ‘O do ye kill your gay goss-hawks An’ bring them a’ to me.’ XII O whan he fell’d his gay goss-hawks, Wow but his heart was sair! She’s ate them a’ up, skin an’ bane, Left naethin’ but feathers bare. XIII ‘Some drink, some drink, now, King Henry, Some drink ye bring to me!’-- ‘O what drink’s in this house, ladye, That ye’re not welcome tae?’-- ‘O ye sew up your horse’s hide, An’ bring in drink to me.’ XIV O he’s sew’d up the bluidy hide, A puncheon o’ wine put in; She’s drunk it a’ up at a waught[153], Left na ae drap ahin’[154]. XV ‘A bed, a bed, now King Henry, A bed ye’se mak’ to me!’-- ‘An’ what’s the bed in this house, ladye, That ye’re not welcome tae?’-- ‘O ye maun pu’ the heather green, An’ mak’ a bed to me.’ XVI Syne pu’d he has the heather green, An’ made to her a bed, An’ up has he ta’en his gay mantle, An’ o’er it he has spread. XVII ‘Tak’ off your claiths now, King Henry, An’ lie down by my side!’-- ‘O God forbid,’ says King Henry, ‘That ever the like betide; That ever a fiend that wons in hell Shou’d streak[155] down by my side!’ XVIII But whan day was come, and night was gane, An’ the sun shone thro’ the ha’, The fairest ladye that ever was seen [Cam’ to his armès twa]. XIX ‘O weel is me!’ says King Henry, ‘How lang’ll this last wi’ me?’ Then out an’ spake that fair ladye, ‘Even till the day you dee. XX ‘For I’ve met wi’ many a gentle knight That’s gien me sic a fill; But never before wi’ a courteous knight That ga’e me a’ my will.’ FOOTNOTES: [140] routh = plenty. [141] burd-alone = lone as a maid. [142] jelly = jolly, jovial. [143] bierly = stout, handsome. [144] fleer = floor. [145] hat = hit. [146] mot = might. [147] hap = cover. [148] lingcan _for_ lycam = body. [149] teather stakes = tether pegs. [150] mell = mallet. [151] wons = dwells. [152] ye’se gae = you shall go. [153] waught = draught. [154] ahin’ = behind. [155] streak = stretch. _17. The Boy and the Mantle_ _A Ballad of King Arthur’s Court._ I In the third day of May To Carleile did come A kind curteous child That co’ld[156] much of wisdome. II A kirtle and a mantle This child had uppon, With brauches and ringes Full richelye bedone[157]. III He had a sute of silke About his middle drawne; Without he co’ld of curtesye He thought it much shame. IV ‘God speed thee, King Arthur, Sitting at thy meate; And the goodly Queene Guenever! I cannot her forget. V