Ballads of Mystery and Miracle and Fyttes of Mirth Part 39

He pull'd then forth a naked sword That hange[d] full low then by his side, 'Turn thy name, thou villain,' he said, 'Or else this sword shall be thy guide.'

29.

'What must be my name, worthy steward?

I pray thee now tell it me.'

'Thy name shall be poor Disaware, To tend sheep on a lonely lea.'

30.

The bonny child, he went him fro, And looked to himself truly, Saw his apparel so simple upon; O Lord! he weeped tenderly.

31.

Unto a shepherd's house that child did go, And said, 'Sir, G.o.d you save and see!

Do you not want a servant boy To tend your sheep on a lonely lea?'

32.

'Where was thou born?' the shepherd said, 'Where, my boy, or in what country?'

'Sir,' he said, 'I was born in fair Scotland That is so far beyond the sea.'

33.

'I have no child,' the shepherd said, 'My boy, thou'st tarry and dwell with me; My living,' he said, 'and all my goods, I'll make thee heir [of] after me.'

34.

And then bespake the shepherd's wife, To the lord of Learne thus did she say, 'Go thy way to our sheep,' she said, 'And tend them well both night and day.'

35.

It was a sore office, O Lord, for him That was a lord born of a great degree!

As he was tending his sheep alone, Neither sport nor play could he.

36.

Let us leave talking of the lord of Learne, And let all such talking go; Let us talk more of the false steward That caused the child all this woe.

37.

He sold this lord of Learne his clothes For five hundred pounds to his pay [there], And bought himself a suit of apparel, Might well beseem a lord to wear.

38.

When he that gorgeous apparel bought That did so finely his body upon, He laughed the bonny child to scorn That was the bonny lord of Learne.

39.

He laughed that bonny boy to scorne; Lord! pity it was to hear!

I have heard them say, and so have you too, That a man may buy gold too dear.

40.

When that he had all that gorgeous apparel That did so finely his body upon, He went a wooing to the duke's daughter of France, And called himself the lord of Learne.

41.

The duke of France heard tell of this; To his place that worthy lord was come truly; He entertain'd him with a quart of red Rhenish wine.

Says, 'Lord of Learne, thou art welcome to me!'

42.

Then to supper that they were set, Lords and ladies in their degree; The steward was set next the duke of France; An unseemly sight it was to see.

43.

Then bespake the duke of France, Unto the lord of Learne said he there, Says, 'Lord of Learne, if thou'll marry my daughter, I'll mend thy living five hundred pounds a year.'

44.

Then bespake that lady fair, Answered her father so alone, That she would be his married wife If he would make her Lady of Learne.

45.

Then hand in hand the steward her he took, And plight that lady his troth alone, That she should be his married wife, And he would make her the lady of Learne.

46.

Thus that night it was gone, The other day was come truly.

The lady would see the roe-buck run Up hills and dales and forest free.

47.

Then she was ware of the young lord of Learne Tending sheep under a briar, truly; And thus she called unto her maids, And held her hands up thus on high, Says, 'Fetch me yond shepherd's boy, I'll know why he doth mourn, truly.'

48.

When he came before that lady fair He fell down upon his knee; He had been so well brought up He needed not to learn courtesy.

49.

'Where wast thou born, thou bonny boy, Where or in what country?'

'Madam, I was born in fair Scotland, That is so far beyond the sea.'

50.

'What is thy name, thou bonny boy?

I pray thee tell it unto me.'

'My name,' he says, 'is poor Disaware, That tends sheep on a lonely lea.'

51.

'One thing thou must tell me, bonny boy, Which I must needs ask of thee: Dost not thou know the young lord of Learne?

He is come a wooing into France to me.'

52.

'Yes, that I do, madam,' he said; And then he wept most tenderly; 'The lord of Learne is a worthy lord, If he were at home in his own country.'

53.

'What ails thee to weep, my bonny boy?

Tell me or ere I part thee fro.'

'Nothing but for a friend, madam, That's dead from me many a year ago.'

54.

A loud laughter the lady laughed; O Lord, she smiled wondrous high; 'I have dwelled in France since I was born; Such a shepherd's boy I did never see.

55.

'Wilt thou not leave thy sheep, my child, And come unto service unto me?

And I will give thee meat and fee, And my chamberlain thou shalt be.'

56.

'Then I will leave my sheep, madam,' he said, 'And come into service unto thee; If you will give me meat and fee, Your chamberlain that I may be.'