"And you shall be the best harper
That ever tooke harpe in hand;160
And I will be the best singer
That ever sung in this land.
"Itt shal be written in our forheads,
All and in grammarye,
That we towe are the boldest men165
That are in all Christentye."
And thus they renisht them to ryde,
On towe good renish steedes;
And whan they came to king Adlands hall,
Of redd gold shone their weedes.170
And whan they came to kyng Adlands hall,
Untill the fayre hall yate,
There they found a proud porter,
Rearing himselfe theratt.
Sayes, "Christ thee save, thou proud porter,"175
Sayes, "Christ thee save and see:"
"Nowe you be welcome," sayd the porter,
"Of what land soever ye bee."
"We been harpers," sayd Adler yonge,
"Come out of the northe countree;180
We beene come hither untill this place,
This proud weddinge for to see."
Sayd, "And your color were white and redd,
As it is blacke and browne,
Ild saye king Estmere and his brother185
Were comen untill this towne."
[Then they pulled out a ryng of gold],
[Layd itt on the porters arme]:
"And ever we will thee, proud porter,
Thow wilt saye us no harme."190
Sore he looked on kyng Estmere,
And sore he handled the ryng,
Then opened to them the fayre hall yates,
He lett for no kind of thyng.