PRINCE EDWARDE AND ADAM T Adam Gordon's gloomye haunte "And coulde I but meete that bold outlawe, Prince Edwarde boldlye wounde his waye "And coulde I but finde that bolde outlawe, 66 Hys lyfe fhould not be longe. "For hee hath harrowed merrye Hampshire, "And manye a spoile poffefte; "A bolder outlawe than this wight "Ne'er trod by easte and wefte. "And now come on, my merrye men all, "Nor heede the drearye waye; "For coulde I but meete that bolde outlawe, "Fulle foone I woulde hym flaye. "And when wee meete in hardye fyghte, "Let no one come betweene; "For Adam o'Gordon's as brave a man "As ever foughte on greene." Then fpake a knighte, "It may be longe 66 Ere Gordon you fhall fynde; "For hee dothe dwelle in a drearye haunte, Remote from human kynde. 66 66 Among the woldes and deepe moraffe "And never that wand'ring wight wente in, "That ere came out agay ne. "So darke, fo narrowe, and fo dreare, "The wyndings all aboute, "That scarce the birdes that fcim the aire "Can fynde their way throoute." Prince Edwarde drewe hys darke browne fworde, And fhooke hys fhynyng lance: “And rather I'd fyghte thys bolde outlawe, "Then alle the peers of France." Prince Edwarde grafp'd his buckler strong, "And rather I'd conquer thys bolde outlawe, "Then alle the knightes o'the northe." And then befpake a valiante knyghte: “Now, prince, thy wordes make goode; "For yonder I fee that proude outlawe, "A cominge forthe the woode." Then quick the prince lit off hys steede, Brave Adam o'Gordon fawe the prince, And foone he knewe hym by hys fhielde, "Arouze," he criede, " my merrye men alle, "And ftande yee welle your grounde; "For yonder great prince Edwarde coms, "For valoure fo renownde." "Now welcom, welcom, Adam Gordon, "Nowe heare I fweare," brave Adam cried, "Had I but fo beene tolde, "I woulde have met thee longe 'ere nowe, "In citie or in wolde." Oh then began as fiercc a fyghte As 'ere was foughte in fielde; The prince was floute, the outlawe strong, Fulle manye an houre in valiante fyghte Full many a warriour floode arounde While from their woundes the gufhing bloode Thrice they agreede, o'erfpent with toyle, And thrice they flopp'd to quench their thirfte, Edward aye lov'd that braverye Which Adam prov'd in fighte, And, with congenial virtue fir'd, Refolv'd to do him righte. "Adam, thy valour charms my foule, "I ever love the brave; "And tho? I feare not thy dread fworde, "Thy honoure I woulde fave. "Here, Gordon, do I plighte my hande, "My honour and renowne, "That, if thou to my fworde wilt yeilde, "But more,-if thou wilt be my friende, "Thou, in the raging battle's houre, "When profperous fate fhall gilde my throne, "And I to thee the fame will prove, "A gentle bofom friend; "In joy to fhare thy happineffe, "In woe thy care to end. " Nowe, Adam, take thy lasting choice, 66 Thy prince awaites thy worde: "Accepte, brave man, my smile or frowne→→ "My friendship or my fworde." R |