Part II
Sir Lancelott, & Sir Steven, bold,They rode with them that day;And the formost of the company,There rode the steward Kay.
Soe did Sir Banier, & Sir Bore,Sir Garrett with them, soe gay;Soe did Sir Tristeram, that gentle knight,To the forrest, fresh & gay.
And when he came to the greene forrest,Vnderneath a greene holly tree,Their sate that lady in red scarlet,That vnseemly was to see.
Sir Kay beheld this ladys face,And looked vppon her suire,--"Whosoeuer kisses this lady," he sayes,"Of his kisse he stands in feare!"
Sir Kay beheld the lady againe,And looked vpon her snout;"Whosoeuer kisses this lady," he saies,"Of his kisse he stands in doubt!"
"Peace, cozen Kay," then said Sir Gawaine,"Amend thee of thy life;For there is a knight amongst us all,That must marry her to his wife."
"What! wedd her to wiffe," then said Sir Kay,"In the diuells name anon,Get me a wiffe whereere I may,For I had rather be slaine!"
Then some[L144] tooke vp their hawkes in hast,And some tooke vp their hounds;And some sware they wold not marry her,For citty nor for towne.
And then bespake him noble King Arthur,And sware there, "by this day,For a litle foule sight & misliking,
Then shee said, "choose thee, gentle Gawaine,Truth as I doe say;Wether thou wilt haue me in this liknesse,In the night, or else in the day."
And then bespake him gentle Gawaine,With one soe mild of moode;Sayes, "well I know what I wold say,God grant it may be good!
"To haue thee fowle in the night,When I with thee shold play--Yet I had rather, if I might,Haue thee fowle in the day."
"What, when lords goe with ther feires[L163]," shee said,"Both to the ale and wine;Alas! then I must hyde my selfe,I must not goe withinne."
And then bespake him gentle Gawaine,Said, "Lady, thats but a skill;And because thou art my owne lady,Thou shall haue all thy will."
Then she said, "blessed be thou, gentle Gawaine,This day that I thee see;For as thou see me att this time,From hencforth I wil be.
"My father was an old knight,And yett it chanced soe,That he married a younge lady,That brought me to this woe.
"Shee witched me, being a faire young lady,To the greene forrest to dwell;And there I must walke in womans liknesse,Most like a feeind of hell.
That looked soe foule, and that was wontOn the wild more to goe."Come kisse her, brother Kay," then said Sir Gawaine,"And amend the of thy liffe;I sweare this is the same ladyThat I marryed to my wiffe."
Sir Kay kissed that lady bright,Standing vpon his ffeete;He swore, as he was trew knight,The spice was neuer soe sweete.
"Well, cozen Gawaine," sayes Sir Kay,"Thy chance is fallen arright;For thou hast gotten one of the fairest maids,I euer saw with my sight."
"It is my fortune," said Sir Gawaine;"For my vnckle Arthurs sake,I am glad as grasse wold be of raine,Great joy that I may take."
Sir Gawaine tooke the lady by the one arme,Sir Kay tooke her by the tother;They led her straight to King Arthur,As they were brother and brother.
King Arthur welcomed them there all,And soe did lady Geneuer, his queene;With all the knights of the Round Table,Most seemly to be seene.
King Arthur beheld that lady faire,That was soe faire & bright;He thanked Christ in TrinityFor Sir Gawaine, that gentle knight.
Soe did the knights, both more and lesse,Rejoyced all that day,For the good chance that hapened wasTo Sir Gawaine and his lady gay.
Words in this poem 17
- steven n.
- Voice; speech; language. [AS. stefn, stemn, voice; akin to D. stem, G. stimme, Goth. stibna.]
- rode n.
- Redness; complexion. [See Rud.]
- garrett n.
- A turret; a watchtower. [OE. garite, garette, watchtower, place of lookout, OF. garite, also meaning, a place of refuge, F. guérite a place of refuge, donjon, sentinel box, fr. OF. gari]
- sate v. t.
- To satisfy the desire or appetite of; to satiate; to glut; to surfeit. [Probably shortened fr. satiate: cf. L. satus full. See Satiate.]
- cozen v. t.
- To cheat; to defrand; to beguile; to deceive, usually by small arts, or in a pitiful way. [From cousin, hence, literally, to deceive through pretext of relationship, F. cousiner.]
- amongst prep.
- Mixed or mingled; surrounded by. [OE. amongist, amonges, amonge, among, AS. onmang, ongemang, gemang, in a crowd or mixture. For the ending -st see Amidst. See Mingle.]
- wedd n.
- A pledge; a pawn. Gower. Piers Plowman. [AS. wedd; akin to OFries. wed, OD. wedde, OHG, wetti, G. wette a wager, Icel. veedh a pledge, Sw. vad a wager, an appeal, Goth. wadi a pledge, Lith. vaduti to r]
- anon adv.
- Straightway; at once. [OE. anoon, anon, anan, lit., in one (moment), fr. AS. on in + an one. See On and One.]
- hast
- , 2d pers. sing. pres. of. Fave, contr. of havest.
- wold n.
- A wood; a forest. [OE. wold, wald, AS. weald, wald, a wood, forest; akin to OFries. & OS. wald, D. woud, G. wald, Icel. völlr, a field, and probably to Gr. va a garden, inclosure.]
- misliking n.
- Dislike; aversion.
- wether n.
- A castrated ram. [OE. wether, AS. we; akin to OS. wethar, withar, a ram, D. weder, G. widder, OHG. widar, Icel. ver, Sw. vädur, Dan. vædder, Goth. wiprus a lamb, L. vitulus calf,]
- withinne prep.
- In the inner or interior part of; inside of; not without; as, within doors. [OE. withinne, withinnen, AS. withinnan; with with, against, toward + innan in, inwardly, within, from in in. See With, prep., In, prep.]
- shall v. i.
- To owe; to be under obligation for. [OE. shal, schal, imp. sholde, scholde, AS. scal, sceal, I am obliged, imp. scolde, sceolde, inf. sculan; akin to OS. skulan, pres. skal, imp. skolda, D. zullen,]
- yett n.
- Any one of several species of large marine gastropods belonging to the genus Yetus, or Cymba; a boat shell.
- dwell v. i.
- To delay; to linger. [OE. dwellen, dwelien, to err, linger, AS. dwellan to deceive, hinder, delay, dwelian to err; akin to Icel. dvelja to delay, tarry, Sw. dväljas to dwell, Dan. dv]
- liffe n.
- The fiber by which the petioles of the date palm are bound together, from which various kinds of cordage are made. [Written also lief.]
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
Part II is in the public domain. This text is taken from English and Scottish Ballads, Volume I, Project Gutenberg ebook #37031; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Francis James Child, Part II, in English and Scottish Ballads, Volume I (1857), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #37031, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/child-ballads/part-ii.html, id L08567.
Form and metre
Part II is 101 lines in 25 stanzas. The metre is common measure, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 80%). 96% of its stressed syllables fall where the metre puts the beat. The lines average 7.6 syllables. 13 lines end on an unstressed syllable, a feminine ending.
See other poems in common measure.
Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.
Rhyme words, stanza by stanza
The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.
- 1 -A-A bold · dayA · company · kayA
- 2 -A-A bore · gayA · knight · gayA
- 3 -A-A forrest · treeA · scarlet · seeA
- 5 -A-A againe · snoutA · saies · doubtA
- 6 -A-A gawaine · lifeA · all · wifeA
- 7 A-A- kayA · anon · mayA · slaine
- 10 -A-A gawaine · sayA · liknesse · dayA
- 11 -A-A gawaine · moodeA · say · goodA
- 12 ABAB nightA · playB · mightA · dayB
- 14 -A-A gawaine · skillA · lady · willA
- 15 -A-A gawaine · seeA · time · beA
- 17 -A-A lady · dwellA · liknesse · hellA
- 18 ---A-A wont · goe · gawaine · liffeA · lady · wiffeA
- 19 ABAB brightA · ffeeteB · knightA · sweeteB
- 20 -A-A kay · arrightA · maids · sightA
- 21 ABAB gawaineA · sakeB · raineA · takeB
- 22 -A-A arme · totherA · arthur · brotherA
- 23 ABAB allA · queeneB · tableA · seeneB
- 24 -A-A faire · brightA · trinity · knightA
- 25 AA-A lesseA · dayA · was · gayA
Scansion, line by line
Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against common measure. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| Sir Lancelott, & Sir Steven, bold, | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| They rode with them that day; | 6 | ······ |
| And the formost of the company, | 9 | ······/˘˘ |
| There rode the steward Kay. | 6 | ···/˘· |
| Soe did Sir Banier, & Sir Bore, | 7 | ······· |
| Sir Garrett with them, soe gay; | 7 | ·/˘···· |
| Soe did Sir Tristeram, that gentle knight, | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| To the forrest, fresh & gay. | 6 | ··/˘·· |
| And when he came to the greene forrest, | 9 | ·······/˘ |
| Vnderneath a greene holly tree, | 7 | ····/˘· |
| Their sate that lady in red scarlet, | 9 | ···/˘··/˘ |
| That vnseemly was to see. | 6 | ······ |
| Sir Kay beheld this ladys face, | 8 | ··˘/·/˘· |
| And looked vppon her suire,-- | 5 | ····· |
| "Whosoeuer kisses this lady," he sayes, | 9 | ··/˘·/˘·· |
| "Of his kisse he stands in feare!" | 7 | ······· |
| Sir Kay beheld the lady againe, | 9 | ··˘/·/˘·· |
| And looked vpon her snout; | 5 | ····· |
| "Whosoeuer kisses this lady," he saies, | 9 | ··/˘·/˘·· |
| "Of his kisse he stands in doubt!" | 7 | ······· |
| "Peace, cozen Kay," then said Sir Gawaine, | 9 | ·/˘······ |
| "Amend thee of thy life; | 6 | ˘/···· |
| For there is a knight amongst us all, | 9 | ········· |
| That must marry her to his wife." | 8 | ··/˘···· |
| "What! wedd her to wiffe," then said Sir Kay, | 9 | ········· |
| "In the diuells name anon, | 6 | ····˘/ |
| Get me a wiffe whereere I may, | 8 | ········ |
| For I had rather be slaine!" | 7 | ···/˘·· |
| Then some[L144] tooke vp their hawkes in hast, | 9 | ········· |
| And some tooke vp their hounds; | 6 | ······ |
| And some sware they wold not marry her, | 9 | ······/˘· |
| For citty nor for towne. | 6 | ······ |
| And then bespake him noble King Arthur, | 10 | ·····/˘·/˘ |
| And sware there, "by this day, | 6 | ······ |
| For a litle foule sight & misliking, | 10 | ··/˘/˘·˘/˘ |
| Then shee said, "choose thee, gentle Gawaine, | 9 | ·····/˘·· |
| Truth as I doe say; | 5 | ····· |
| Wether thou wilt haue me in this liknesse, | 10 | /˘········ |
| In the night, or else in the day." | 8 | ········ |
| And then bespake him gentle Gawaine, | 9 | ·····/˘·· |
| With one soe mild of moode; | 6 | ······ |
| Sayes, "well I know what I wold say, | 8 | ········ |
| God grant it may be good! | 6 | ······ |
| "To haue thee fowle in the night, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| When I with thee shold play-- | 6 | ······ |
| Yet I had rather, if I might, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Haue thee fowle in the day." | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| "What, when lords goe with ther feires[L163]," shee said, | 10 | ·········· |
| "Both to the ale and wine; | 6 | ······ |
| Alas! then I must hyde my selfe, | 8 | ˘/······ |
| I must not goe withinne." | 6 | ····˘/ |
| And then bespake him gentle Gawaine, | 9 | ·····/˘·· |
| Said, "Lady, thats but a skill; | 7 | ·/˘···· |
| And because thou art my owne lady, | 9 | ·······/˘ |
| Thou shall haue all thy will." | 6 | ······ |
| Then she said, "blessed be thou, gentle Gawaine, | 10 | ······/˘·· |
| This day that I thee see; | 6 | ······ |
| For as thou see me att this time, | 8 | ········ |
| From hencforth I wil be. | 6 | ······ |
| "My father was an old knight, | 7 | ·/˘···· |
| And yett it chanced soe, | 5 | ····· |
| That he married a younge lady, | 8 | ··/˘··/˘ |
| That brought me to this woe. | 6 | ······ |
| "Shee witched me, being a faire young lady, | 9 | ···/···/˘ |
| To the greene forrest to dwell; | 7 | ···/˘·· |
| And there I must walke in womans liknesse, | 10 | ······/˘·· |
| Most like a feeind of hell. | 6 | ······ |
| That looked soe foule, and that was wont | 9 | ···/˘···· |
| On the wild more to goe. | 6 | ······ |
| "Come kisse her, brother Kay," then said Sir Gawaine, | 11 | ···/˘······ |
| "And amend the of thy liffe; | 7 | ·˘/···· |
| I sweare this is the same lady | 8 | ······/˘ |
| That I marryed to my wiffe." | 8 | ··/˘˘··· |
| Sir Kay kissed that lady bright, | 8 | ···˘·/˘· |
| Standing vpon his ffeete; | 5 | /˘··· |
| He swore, as he was trew knight, | 7 | ······· |
| The spice was neuer soe sweete. | 7 | ···/˘·· |
| "Well, cozen Gawaine," sayes Sir Kay, | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| "Thy chance is fallen arright; | 7 | ···/˘·· |
| For thou hast gotten one of the fairest maids, | 11 | ···/˘···/˘· |
| I euer saw with my sight." | 6 | ······ |
| "It is my fortune," said Sir Gawaine; | 9 | ···/˘···· |
| "For my vnckle Arthurs sake, | 6 | ···/˘· |
| I am glad as grasse wold be of raine, | 9 | ········· |
| Great joy that I may take." | 6 | ······ |
| Sir Gawaine tooke the lady by the one arme, | 11 | ·····/˘···· |
| Sir Kay tooke her by the tother; | 8 | ········ |
| They led her straight to King Arthur, | 8 | ······/˘ |
| As they were brother and brother. | 8 | ···/˘·/˘ |
| King Arthur welcomed them there all, | 8 | ·/˘/˘··· |
| And soe did lady Geneuer, his queene; | 9 | ···/˘···· |
| With all the knights of the Round Table, | 9 | ·······/˘ |
| Most seemly to be seene. | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| King Arthur beheld that lady faire, | 9 | ·/˘˘/·/˘· |
| That was soe faire & bright; | 5 | ····· |
| He thanked Christ in Trinity | 8 | ··˘··/˘˘ |
| For Sir Gawaine, that gentle knight. | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Soe did the knights, both more and lesse, | 8 | ········ |
| Rejoyced all that day, | 5 | ····· |
| For the good chance that hapened was | 8 | ········ |
| To Sir Gawaine and his lady gay. | 9 | ······/˘· |
The reader shows the same poem with its rhymes coloured and a stress row above each line, the notes beside their stanzas, and any word's definition on a tap; the analysis page takes the whole book apart. How every part of this site was made.