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1.
“Now shal i telen to ye, i wis,
Of that kind Squeyere Ellis,
That wonnen in this cite;
Courtess he is, by God almtzt!
That he nis nought ymaked knizt
It is the more pitie.
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2.
“He konnen better eche glewe
Than I konnen to ye shewe,
Baith maist and least.
So wel he wirketh in eche thewe,
That where he commen, I tel ye trewe,
He is ane welcome guest.
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3.
“His eyen graye as glas ben,
And his looks ben alto kene,
Loveliche to paramour.
Brown as acorn ben his faxe,
His face is thin as bettel axe
That dealeth dintis doure,
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| VERSES BY LEYDEN—JANUARY 1803. | 369 |
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4.
“His wit ben both keene and sharpe,
To knizt or dame that carll can carpe
Either in hall or bower;
And had I not this squeyere yfonde,
I had been at the se gronde,
Which had been great doloure.
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5.
“In him Ich finden non other euil,
Save that his nostril so doth snivel,
It is not myche my choice.
But than his wit ben so perquire,
That thai who can his carpynge here
Thai thynke not of his voice.
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6.
“To speake not of his gentel dame
Ich wis it war bothe sin and shame
Lede is not to layne;
She is a ladye of sich pryce,
To leven in that dame’s service
Meni wer fill fain.
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7.
“Hir wit is ful kene and queynt
And hir stature smale and gent,
Semeleche to be seene;
Armes, hondes, and fingres smale,
Of pearl beth eche fingre nale;
She mizt be ferys Quene.
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8.
“That lady she wil giv a scarf
To him that wold ykillen a dwarf
Churl of paynim kinde;
That dwarf he is so fell of mode
Tho ye shold drynk his hert blode,
Gode wold ze never finde.
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9.
“That dwarf he ben beardless and bare
And weazelblowen ben al his hair,
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| 370 | LIFE OF SIR WALTER SCOTT. |
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Like an ympe or elfe;
And in this world beth al and hale
Ben nothynge that he loveth an dele
Safe his owen selfe” . . . . .
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