The Knight and the Shepherd’s Daughter
No: 110; variant: 110D
- AND he was never sae discreet
As bid her loup on and ride,
And she was neer sae meanly bred
As for to bid him bide.
- And whan she cam to yon water,
It was running like a flude:
'I've learned it in my mither's bouer,
I've learned it for my gude,
That I can soum this wan water
Like a fish in a flude.
- 'I've learned it in my father's bouer,
I've learned it for my better,
And I will soum this wan water
As tho I was ane otter.'
- 'Gude day, gude day, my liege the king,
Gude day, gude day, to thee;'
'Gude day,' quoth he, 'My lady fair,
What want ye wi me?'
- 'Gin he be a single man,
His bodie I'll gie thee;
But gin he be a married man,
I'll hang him on a tree.'
- He's powd out a hundred punds,
Weel lockit in a glove;
. . . .
. . . .
- 'I'll hae nane o your gowd,' she said,
'Nor either o your fee;
But I will hae your ain bodie
The king has granted me.'
- 'O was ye gentle gotten, maid?
Or was ye gentle born?
Or hae ye onie gerss growing?
Or hae ye onie corn?
- 'Or hae ye onie lands or rents,
Lying at libertie?
Or hae ye onie education,
To dance alang wi me?'
- 'I was na gentle gotten, madam,
Nor was I gentle born;
Neither hae I gerss growing,
Nor hae I onie corn.
- 'I have na onie lands or rents,
Lying at libertie;
Nor hae I onie education,
To dance alang wi thee.'
- He lap on ae milk-white steed,
And she lap on anither,
And then the twa rade out the way
Like sister and like brither.
- And whan she cam to Tyne's water,
She wililie 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 gud-een,
Whare monie a day I hae filld my pock,
Baith at midnicht and at een.
- Whan they cam to her father's yett,
She tirled on the pin;
And an auld belly-blind man was sitting there,
As they war entering in.
- 'The meetest marriage,' the belly-blind did cry,
'Atween the ane and the ither,
Atween the Earl of Stockford's dochter
And the Queen o England's brither.'