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The English and Scottish Popular Ballads

Edited by Francis James Child.

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QUEEN ELEANOR'S CONFESSION—B

[_]

Skene MS., p. 39.

1

Our queen's sick, an very sick,
She's sick an like to die;
She has sent for the friars of France,
To speak wi her speedilie.

2

‘I'll put on a friar's robe,
An ye'll put on anither,
An we'll go to Madam the Queen,
Like friars bath thegither.’

3

‘God forbid,’ said Earl Marishall,
‘That ever the like shud be,
That I beguile Madam the Queen!
I wad be hangit hie.’

4

The King pat on a friar's robe,
Earl Marishall on anither;
They're on to the Queen,
Like friars baith thegither.

5

‘Gin ye be the friars of France,
As I trust well ye be —
But an ye be ony ither men,
Ye sall be hangit hie.’

6

The King he turnd him roun,
An by his troth sware he,

260

We hae na sung messe
Sin we came frae the sea.

7

‘The first sin ever I did,
An a very great sin't was tee,
I gae my maidenhead to Earl Marishall,
Under the greenwood tree.’

8

‘That was a sin, an a very great sin,
But pardond it may be;’
‘Wi mendiment,’ said Earl Marishall,
But a heavy heart had he.

9

‘The next sin ever I did,
An a very great sin't was tee,
I poisened Lady Rosamond,
An the King's darling was she.’

10

‘That was a sin, an a very great sin,
But pardond it may be;’
‘Wi mendiment,’ said King Henry,
But a heavy heart had he.

11

‘The next sin ever I did,
An a very great sin't was tee,
I keepit poison in my bosom seven years,
To poison him King Henrie.’

12

‘That was a sin, an a very great sin,
But pardond it may be;’
‘Wi mendiment,’ said King Henry,
But a heavy heart had he.

13

‘O see na ye yon bonny boys,
As they play at the ba?
An see na ye Lord Marishal's son?
I lee him best of a'.

14

‘But see na ye King Henry's son?
He's headit like a bull, and backit like a boar,
I like him warst awa:’
‘And by my sooth,’ says him King Henry,
‘I like him best o the twa.’

15

The King he turned him roun,
Pat on the coat o goud,
[OMITTED]
The Queen turnd the King to behold.

16

[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
‘Gin I hadna sworn by the crown and sceptre roun,
Earl Marishal sud been gart die.’