The princess, armed by him,
And by true desire,
Wandering all that night,
Without dread at all,
Still unknown, she past45
In her strange attire,
Coming at the last
Within echo's call.
"You fair woods," quoth she,
"Honoured may you be,50
Harbouring my heart's delight,
Which doth encompass here,
My joy and only dear,
My trusty friend, and comely knight.
Sweet, I come unto thee,55
Sweet, I come to wooe thee,
That thou may'st not angry be;
For my long delaying,
And thy courteous staying,
Amends for all I make to thee."60
Passing thus alone
Through the silent forest,
Many a grievous groan
Sounded in her ear;
Where she heard a man65
To lament the sorest
Chance that ever came,
Forc'd by deadly fear.
"Farewel, my dear!" quoth he,
"Whom I shall never see,70
For why, my life is at an end;
For thy sweet sake I die,
Through villain's cruelty,
To shew I am a faithful friend.
Here lie I a-bleeding,75
While my thoughts are feeding
On the rarest beauty found;
O hard hap that may be,
Little knows my lady
My heart-blood lies on the ground!"80
With that he gave a groan
That did break asunder
All the tender strings
Of his gentle heart:
She, who knew his voice,85
At his tale did wonder;
All her former joys
Did to grief convert.
Straight she ran to see
Who this man should be,90
That so like her love did speak;
And found, whenas she came,
Her lovely lord lay slain,
Smeer'd in blood which life did break.
Which when that she espied,95
Lord, how sore she cried!
Her sorrows could not counted be;
Her eyes like fountains running,
While she cryed out, "My darling,
Would God that I had dy'd for thee!"100
His pale lips, alas!
Twenty times she kisséd,
And his face did wash
With her brinish tears;
Every bleeding wound105
Her fair face bedewed,
Wiping off the blood
With her golden hairs.
["Speak, my love," quoth she,]
"Speak, fair prince, to me;110
One sweet word of comfort give;
Lift up thy fair eyes,
Listen to my cries,
Think in what great grief I live."
All in vain she sued,115
All in vain she wooed,
The prince's life was fled and gone;
There stood she still mourning
'Till the sun's returning,
And bright day was coming on.120
In this great distress
Quoth this royal lady,
"Who can now express
What will become of me?
To my father's court125
Never will I wander,
But some service seek
Where I may placed be."
Whilst she thus made her moan,
Weeping all alone,130
In this deep and deadly fear,
A forester all in green,
Most comely to be seen,
Ranging the wood did find her there,
Round beset with sorrow.135
"Maid," quoth he, "good morrow.
What hard hap hath brought you here?"
"Harder hap did never
Chance to a maiden ever;
Here lies slain my brother dear.140
"Where might I be plac'd,
Gentle forester tell me;
Where might I procure
A service in my need?
Pains I will not spare,145
But will do my duty;
Ease me of my care,
Help my extream need."
The forester all amazed
On her beauty gazed,150
'Till his heart was set on fire:
"If, fair maid," quoth he,
"You will go with me,
You shall have your heart's desire."
He brought her to his mother,155
And above all other
He set forth this maiden's praise:
Long was his heart inflamed,
At length her love he gained,
So fortune did his glory raise.160