Sir Bruin Byph, a witless peer,
To Palestine went riding,
A foolish knight—you see him here
His mettled steed bestriding.
His squire was a personage
Of very few pretensions;
A pensive, inoffensive page,
A youth of no dimensions.
And when Sir Bruin smiled and smirked
The page would raise no laughter;
And if Sir Bruin quipped and quirked
The page came silent after:
And silent kept till fond Sir Byph
Was slaughtered by a Paynim,
O then he laughed, _and_ laughed, as if
No power could restrain him!
[Illustration: _A Foolish Knight (you see him here)._]