Francis James Child

“ Saies, Itt had beene as fitt now for a king
To be in his chamber with his ladye,
Then to be pleading with traitors out of England,
Kneeling low vppon their knee.
But then bespake him proud Spencer,
For noe man else durst speake but hee:
You haue not wiped your mouth, madam,
Since I heard you tell a lye. ”

“ With minstrells playing, and trumpetts soundinge,
With drummes strikeing loud and hye.
The second race that Spencer run,
I-wis hee ridd itt in much pride,
And he hitt the knight vpon the brest,
And draue him ore his horsse beside.
But he run thorrow the Ffrench campe;
Such a race was neuer run beffore;
He killed of King Charles his men
Att hand of thirteen or fourteen score.
But he came backe againe to the K [ing] ,
And kneeled him downe vpon his knee;
Saies, A knight I haue slaine, and a steed I haue woone,
The best that is in this countrye. ”

“ Or open warr kept still must bee.
'Thou'st haue thy shipp at thy comande,
Thou'st neither want for gold nor fee;
Thou'st haue a hundred armed men,
All att thy bidding for to bee.'
The wind itt serued, and they sayled,
And towards Ffrance thus they be gone ”