"
Here, gentles, ends the foremost fytte of the Lay of the Bloody
Vest.
"Thou hast changed the measure upon us unawares in that last
couplet, my Blondel," said the King.
"Most true, my lord," said Blondel. "I rendered the verses from
the Italian of an old harper whom I met in Cyprus, and not having
had time either to translate it accurately or commit it to
memory, I am fain to supply gaps in the music and the verse as I
can upon the spur of the moment, as you see boors mend a quickset
fence with a fagot."
"Nay, on my faith," said the King, "I like these rattling,
rolling Alexandrines. Methinks they come more twangingly off to
the music than that briefer measure."
"Both are licensed, as is well known to your Grace," answered
Blondel.
"They are so, Blondel," said Richard, "yet methinks the scene
where there is like to be fighting will go best on in these same
thundering Alexandrines, which sound like the charge of cavalry,
while the other measure is but like the sidelong amble of a
lady's palfrey.
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