Minstrelsy of the Scottish border - National Library of Scotland

THE SCOTTISH BORliER. 37
rated in a smoother stanza and more modern language.
A copy of the ancient romance aUuded to is preserved
in the invaluable collection (W. 4. 1.) of the Advocates
Library, and begins thus :
We redeth oft and findeth ywrite
And this clerkes wele it wite
Layes that ben in harping
Ben yfound of ferli thing
Sum beth of wer and some of wo
Sum of joye and mirthe also
And sum of trecherie and gile
Of old aventours that fel while
And sum of bourdes and ribaudy
And many ther beth of faery
Of al thinges that men seth
>faist o' love forsoth yai beth.
In Breytene bi hold time
This layes were wrought to seithe this rime
When kinges might our y here
Of ani mervailes that ther wer
They token a harp in glee and game
And niaked a lay and gaf it name
Now of this aventours that weren y falle
Y can tell sum ac nought alle
Ac herkeneth Lordinges sothe to sain
I chil you tel Lay Le Fmin
Bifel a cas in Breteyne
Whereof was made Lay le Frain
In Ingliche for to tellen y wis
Of ane ashe forsothe it is
On ane ensammple fair with alle
That sum time was bi falle &c.
A ballad, agreeing in every respect with that which
follows, exists in the Danish collection of ancient songs.