Then Kyng Estmere pulld forth his harpe,
And plaid thereon so sweete:
Upstart the ladye from the kynge,
As hee sate at the meate.
"Now stay thy harpe, thou proud harpèr,
Now stay thy harpe, I say
For an thou playest as thou beginnest,
Thou'lt till[14] my bryde awaye".
He strucke upon his harpe agayne,
And playd both fayre and free;
The ladye was so pleasde theratt,
She laught loud laughters three.
"Nowe sell me thy harpe," sayd the Kyng of Spayne,
"Thy harpe and stryngs eche one,
And as many gold nobles thou shalt have,
As there be stryngs thereon"
And what wold ye doe with my harpe," he sayd,
"Iff I did sell it yee?"
"To playe my wife and me a FITT,[15]
When abed together we bee."
"Now sell me," quoth hee, "thy bryde soe gay,
As shee sitts laced in pall,
And as many gold nobles I will give,
As there be rings in the hall"
"And what wold ye doe with my bryde soe gay,
Iff I did sell her yee?
More seemelye it is for her fayre bodye
To lye by mee than thee."
[16] Hee played agayne both loud and shrille,
And Adler he did syng,
"O ladye, this is thy owne true love;
Noe harper, but a kyng.
"O ladye, this is thy owne true love,
As playnlye thou mayest see;
And Ile rid thee of that foule paynim,
Who partes thy love and thee."
The ladye looked, the ladye blushte,
And blushte and lookt agayne,
While Adler he hath drawne his brande,
And hath the Sowdan slayne
Up then rose the kemperye men,
And loud they gan to crye
"Ah! traytors, yee have slayne our kyng,
And therefore yee shall dye."