Queen
Eleanor was a sick woman and
afraid that she would die
When she sent for two friars out of
France to come to her speedle lie
When the king he heard the queen had
sent four friars from o 'er the sea
He called his noble
Earl
Marshal to come to him speedle leave
Do you put on one friar's coat
and I'll put on another
And we shall, too,
Queen
Eleanor,
Go one friar like another.
O
God forbid, said her
Marshal,
That such a thing would be!
If I should beguile
Madame the
Queen,
Then hanged I would be!
And the
King, he swore upon his oath,
His scepter and his crown,
That whatsoever
Queen
Eleanor said,
He would not write it down.
And thus a -tired, they both did go,
Till they came to
Whitehall.
The bells did ring,
and the choristers sing,
And the torches did light them all.
Be you to friars of
France, she said,
As I suppose you be.
But if you be to
English friars,
Then hang it thou wouldst be.
We are to friars of
France, they said,
As you suppose we be.
And we have not been at any mass
Since we came over the sea.
The first vile sin that e 'er I
did to you I will unfold.
Earl
Marshall had my maidenhead
Underneath this cloth of gold.
That is a vile sin, said the
King,
God may forgive it thee.
Amen, amen, quoth
Earl
Marshall,
With a heavy, heavy heart spoke he.
The next vile sin that e 'er I did
to you I'll not deny.
I brewed a pot of poison
strong to poison
King
Henry.
That is a vile sin, said the
King,
God may forgive it thee.
Amen, amen, forth,
Earl
Marshall, I wish it so may be.
Do you see yonder, little child,
a tossin' o' that ball?
That is
Earl
Marshall's son, she said,
And I love him the be st of all.
And do you see yonder, little boy,
A -catchin' o 'er that bar?
That is
King
Henry's son, she said,
And I love him the worst of all.
His head is like unto a bull,
His nose is like a boar.
No matter for that,
King
Henry said, I love him the better,
therefore.
Then the king threw off his friar's coat,
He appeared all in red.
She shrieked, she cried,
she wrung her hands,
She said she was betrayed.
Then the king looked over
his left shoulder,
And the grim look, look at he!
And he said,
O
Marshal, but for my oath,
Then hanged you would be.