Kyng Estmere he light off his steede,195
Up att the fayre hall board;
The frothe that came from his brydle bitte
Light on kyng Bremors beard.
Sayes, "Stable thy steede, thou proud harper,
Go stable him in the stalle;200
Itt doth not beseeme a proud harper
To stable him in a kyngs halle."
"My ladd he is so lither," he sayd,
"He will do nought that's meete;
And aye that I cold but find the man,205
Were able him to beate."
"Thou speakst proud words," sayd the paynim king,
"Thou harper, here to mee;
There is a man within this halle,
That will beate thy lad and thee."210
"O lett that man come downe," he sayd,
"A sight of him wold I see;
And whan hee hath beaten well my ladd,
Then he shall beate of mee."
Downe then came the kemperye man,215
And looked him in the eare;
For all the gold that was under heaven,
He durst not neigh him neare.
"And how nowe, kempe," sayd the kyng of Spayne,
"And how what aileth thee?"220
He sayes, "Itt is written in his forhead,
All and in gramarye,
That for all the gold that is under heaven,
I dare not neigh him nye."
Kyng Estmere then pulled forth his harpe,225
And played thereon so sweete: