Reliques of ancient English poetry: consisting of old heroic ballads ...

A N D B A L L A D S. 169
Aikt how he durft be fo bold
To let his wife foe weare,
And decke his children there,
In coftly robes of pearl and gold.
The forrefter replying, 1.05
And the caufe defcrying*,
To the king thefe words did fay,
Well may they, by their mother,
Weare rich clothes with other,
Being by birth a princefse gay. 200
The king aroufed thus,
More heedfullye beheld them,
Till a crimfon blufh
His remembrance croft.
The more I fix my mind 20$
On thy wife and children,
The more methinks I find
The daughter which I loft.
Falling on her knee, v
I am that child, quoth fhee ;
Pardon mee, my foveraine liege.
The king perceiving this,
His daughter deare did kifs,
While joyfuil teares did itopp his fpeeche.
210
With his traine he tourned. 215
And with them fojourned.
Strait he dubb'd her hufband knight;
Then made him erle of Flanders,
* i. e. defcribing. See Glefs.