To court his hairy captive soon

Sir Valentine doth bring;

And kneeling down upon his knee,

Presents him to the king.

With loss of blood and loss of strength,

The savage tamer grew;

And to sir Valentine became

A servant tried and true.

And 'cause with bears he erst was bred,

Ursine they call his name;

A name which unto future times
The Muses shall proclaim.

M

N high renown with prince and peer

Now liv'd sir Valentine :

His high renown with prince and peer
Made envious hearts repine.

It chanc'd the king upon a day

Prepar'd a sumptuous feast:

And there came lords and dainty dames,

And many a noble guest.

Amid their cups, that freely flow'd,

Their revelry, and mirth,

A youthful knight tax'd Valentine

Of base and doubtful birth.

The foul reproach, so grossly urg'd,
His generous heart did wound :

And straight he vow'd he ne'er would rest
Till he his parents found.

Then bidding king and peers adieu,

Early one summer's day,

With faithful Ursine by his side,

From court he took his way.

O'er hill and valley, moss and moor,
For many a day they pass;

At length, upon a moated lake,*
They found a bridge of brass.

Beyond it rose a castle fair,

Y-built of marble stone:

The battlements were gilt with gold,
And glittered in the sun.

Beneath the bridge, with strange device,
A hundred bells were hung;

That man, nor beast, might pass thereon, But straight their larum rung.

* i. e.

a lake that served for a moat to a castle.