English and Scottish Ballads
Chapter 145 : Whan she cam to the king's court, She rappit wi' a ring; Sae ready was the k

Whan she cam to the king's court, She rappit wi' a ring; Sae ready was the king himsel'

To lat the lady in.

"Gude day, gude day, my liege the king, 55 Gude day, gude day, to thee;"

"Gude day," quo' he, "my lady fair, What is't ye want wi' me?"

"There is a knicht into your court, This day has robbed me;" 60 "O has he tane your gowd," he says, "Or has he tane your fee?"

"He has na tane my gowd," she says, "Nor yet has he my fee; But he has tane my maiden-head, 65 The flow'r o' my bodie."

"O gin he be a single man, His body I'll gie thee; But gin he be a married man, I'll hang him on a tree." 70

Then out bespak the queen hersel', Wha sat by the king's knee: "There's na a knicht in a' our court Wad hae dune that to thee, Unless it war my brither, Earl Richard, 75 And forbid it, it war he!"

"Wad ye ken your fause love, Amang a hundred men?"

"I wad," said the bonnie ladie, "Amang five hundred and ten." 80

The king made a' his merry men pa.s.s, By ane, by twa, and three; Earl Richard us'd to be the first man, But was hindmost man that day.

He cam hauping on ae foot, 85 And winking wi' ae ee; "Ha! ha!" cried the bonnie ladie, "That same young man are ye."

He has pou'd out a hundred pounds, Weel lockit in a glove; 90 "Gin ye be a courteous may, Ye'll chose anither love."

"What care I for your hundred pounds?

Nae mair than ye wad for mine; What's a hundred pounds to me, 95 To a marriage wi' a king!

"I'll hae nane o' your gowd, Nor either o' your fee; But I will hae your ain bodie, The king has grant.i.t me." 100

"O was ye gentle gotten, maid?

Or was ye gentle born?

Or hae ye onie gerss growin'?

Or hae ye onie corn?

"Or hae ye onie lands or rents 105 Lying at libertie?

Or hae ye onie education, To dance alang wi' me?"

"I was na gentle gotten, madam, Nor was I gentle born; 110 Neither hae I gerss growin', Nor hae I onie corn.

"I hae na onie lands or rents, Lying at libertie; Nor hae I onie education, 115 To dance along wi' thee."

Whan the marriage it was oure, And ilk ane took their horse,-- "It never sat a beggar's brat, At na knicht's back to be." 120

He lap on ae milk-white steed, And she lap on anither, And syne the twa rade out the way Like sister and like brither.

The ladie met wi' a beggar-wife, 125 And gied her half o' crown-- "Tell a' your neebours whan ye gae hame, That Earl Richard's your gude-son."

"O haud your tongue, ye beggar's brat, My heart will brak in three;" 130 "And sae did mine on yon bonnie hill-side, Whan ye wad na lat me be."

Whan she cam to yon nettle-d.y.k.e-- "An my auld mither was here, Sae weill as she wad ye pou; 135 She wad boil ye weill, and b.u.t.ter ye weill, And sup till she war fou, Syne laye her head upo' her dish doup, And sleep like onie sow."

And whan she cam to Tyne's water, 140 She wylilie did say-- "Fareweil, ye mills o' Tyne's water, With thee I bid gude-day.

"Fareweil, ye mills o' Tyne's water, To you I bid gude-een; 145 Whare monie a time I've fill'd my pock, At mid-day and at een."

"Hoch! had I drank the well-water, Whan first I drank the wine, Never a mill-capon 150 Wad hae been a love o' mine."

Whan she cam to Earl Richard's house, The sheets war Hollan' fine; "O haud awa thae linen sheets, And bring to me the linsey clouts, 155 I hae been best used in."

"O haud your tongue, ye beggar's brat, My heart will brak in three;"

"And sae did mine on yon bonnie hill-side, Whan ye wadna lat me be." 160

"I wish I had drank the well-water, Whan first I drank the beer; That ever a shepherd's dochter Shou'd hae been my only dear!"

"Ye'll turn about, Earl Richard, 165 And mak some mair o' me: An ye mak me lady o' ae puir plow, I can mak you laird o' three."

"If ye be the Earl o' Stockford's dochter, As I've some thouchts ye be, 170 Aft hae I waited at your father's yett, But your face I ne'er could see."

Whan they cam to her father's yett, She tirled on the pin; And an auld belly-blind man was sittin' there, 175 As they were entering in:--

"The meetest marriage," the belly-blind did cry, "Atween the ane and the ither; Atween the Earl o' Stockford's ae dochter, And the Queen o' England's brither." 180