15
'Cornewall King,' the porter sayes,
'There is none soe rich as hee;
Neither in christendome, nor yet in heathen-nest,
None hath soe much gold as he.'
16
And then bespake him noble King Arthur,
These were the words sayes hee:
'I haue two poore rings of my finger,
The better of them Ile giue thee,
If thou wilt greete him well, Cornewall King,
And greete him well from me.
17
'Pray him for one nights lodging and two meales meate,
For his love that dyed vppon a tree;
Of one ghesting and two meales meate,
For his loue that dyed vppon a tree.
18
'Of one ghesting, of two meales meate,
For his love that was of virgin borne,
And in the morning that we may scape away,
Either without scath or scorne.'
19
Then forth is gone this proud porter,
As fast as he cold hye,
And when he came befor Cornewall King,
He kneeled downe on his knee.
20
Sayes, 'I haue beene porter-man, at thy gate,
This thirty winter and three ...
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
* * * * *
21
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
Our Lady was borne; then thought Cornewall King
These palmers had beene in Brittaine.
22
Then bespake him Cornwall King,
These were the words he said there:
'Did you euer know a comely king,
His name was King Arthur?'
23
And then bespake him noble King Arthur,
These were the words said hee:
'I doe not know that comly king,
But once my selfe I did him see.'
Then bespake Cornwall King againe,
These were the words said he: