Beneathe an ancient oake one daye A holye friar kneeled to praye; Scarce hadde he mumbled Aves three, When lo! a voice within the tree! Straighte to the friar’s hearte it wente, A voice as of some spirit pente Within the hollow of the tree, That cried, “Good father, sette me free!” Quoth he, “This hath an evil sounde.” Ande bente him lower to the grounde. But ever tho’ he prayed, the more The voice hys pytie didde implore, Untyl he raised hys eyes ande there Behelde a mayden ghostlie faire. Thus to the holy manne she spoke: “Within the hollow of this oak, Enchanted for a hundred yeares, Have I been bounde—yet vain my teares; Notte anything can breake the banne Till I be kiss’d by holye manne.” “Woe’s me!” thenne sayd the friar; “if thou Be sente to tempt me breake my vowe; Butte whether mayde or fiende thou be, I’ll stake my soul to sette thee free.” The holye manne then crossed hym thrice, And kissed the mayde—when in a trice She vanished— “Heaven forgive me now!” Exclaimed the friar—“my broken vowe. “If I have sinned—I sinned to save Another fromme a living grave.” Thenne downe upon the earth he felle, And prayed some sign that he might telle If he were doomed for-evermore; When lo! the oake, alle bare before, Put forth a branch of palest greene, And fruited everywhere betweene With waxen berries, pearlie white, A miracle before hys sight. The holye friar wente hys waye And told hys tale— And from thatte daye It hath been writ that anye manne May blamelesse kiss what mayde he canne Nor any one shall say hym “no” Beneath the holye mistletoe. |