“See here, my child, how fresh the colours look, 680 How fast they hold like colours of a shell That keeps the wear and polish of the wave! Why not? It never yet was worn, I trow: Look on it, child, and tell me if you know it.”
And Enid look’d, but all confus’d at first, 685 Could scarce divide it from her foolish dream; Then suddenly she knew it and rejoiced, And answer’d, “Yea, I know it; your good gift, So sadly lost on that unhappy night; Your own good gift!” “Yea, surely,” said the dame, 690 “And gladly given again this happy morn. For when the jousts were ended yesterday, Went Yniol through the town, and everywhere He found the sack and plunder of our house All scatter’d through the houses of the town; 695 And gave command that all which once was ours Should now be ours again: and yester-eve, While you were talking sweetly with your Prince, Came one with this and laid it in my hand, For love or fear, or seeking favour of us, 700 Because we have our Earldom back again. And yester-eve I would not tell you of it, But kept it for a sweet surprise at morn. Yea, truly is it not a sweet surprise? For I myself unwillingly have worn 705 My faded suit, as you, my child, have yours, And howsoever patient, Yniol his. Ah, dear, he took me from a goodly house, With store of rich apparel, sumptuous fare, And page, and maid, and squire, and seneschal, 710 And pastime both of hawk and hound, and all That appertains to noble maintenance. Yea, and he brought me to a goodly house; But since our fortune slipt from sun to shade, And all through that young traitor, cruel need 715 Constrain’d us, but a better time has come; So clothe yourself in this, that better fits Our mended fortunes and a Prince’s bride: For though you won the prize of fairest fair, And though I heard him call you fairest fair, 720 Let never maiden think, however fair, She is not fairer in new clothes than old. And should some great court-lady say, the Prince Hath pick’d a ragged-robin from the hedge, And like a madman brought her to the court, 725 Then were you shamed, and, worse, might shame the Prince To whom we are beholden; but I know, When my dear child is set forth at her best, That neither court nor country, though they sought Through all the provinces like those of old 730 That lighted on Queen Esther, has her match.”