"Saving there came a little gray hawke,
A merlin him they call,
Which untill the grounde did strike the grype,
That dead he downe did fall.80
"Giffe I were a man, as now I am none,
A battell wold I prove,
To fight with that traitor Aldingar:
Att him I cast my glove.
"But seeing Ime able noe battell to make,85
My liege, grant me a knight
To fight with that traitor, Sir Aldingar,
To maintaine me in my right."
"Now forty dayes I will give thee
To seeke thee a knight therin:90
If thou find not a knight in forty dayes,
Thy bodye it must brenn."
Then shee sent east, and shee sent west,
By north and south bedeene;
But never a champion colde she find,95
Wolde fight with that knight soe keene.
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.100
Then came one of the queenes damselles,
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,105
And with the same me binde,
That never will I return to thee,
Till I some helpe may finde."