J. F. Campbell Collection > Minstrelsy of the Scottish border > Volume 2

364 MINSTRELSY OF
the stanzas in the latter has been transposed. Sir Owain,
a Northumbrian knight, after many frightful adven-
tures in St Patrick's purgatory, at last arrives at the
bridge, which, in the legend, is placed betwixt purga-
tory and paradise :
The fendes han the knight ynome.
To a stinkand water thai ben ycome,
He no seigh never er non swiche ;
It stank fouler than ani hounde,
And mani mile it was to the groiinde,
And was as swart as piche.
And Owain seigh ther ouer ligge
A swithe strong naru brigge :
The fendes seyd tho ;
" Lo ! Sir Knight, sestow this ?
'* This is the brigge of paradis,
" Here ouer thou must go.
" And we the schul with stones prowe,
" And the winde the schul ouer blow,
" And wirche the full wo ;
" Thou no schalt for all this unduerd,
" Bot gif thou falle a midwerd,
" To our fewes * mo.
" And when thou art adown yfalle,
'■' Than schal com our felawes alle,
" And with her hokes the hede ;
" We schul the teche a newe play :
•• Thou hast served ous mani a day,
" And into helle the lede."
Fnifi— Probably contracted for fellows,
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