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.

"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."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"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."

A loud laughter the lady laughed;
O Lord, she smilèd wondrous high;

"I have dwelled in France since I was born;
Such a shepherd's boy I did never see!

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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."

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."

When the lady came before her father,
She fell low down upon her knee;
"Grant me, father," the lady said,
"This boy my chamberlain to be."

"But O nay, nay," the duke did say, "So, my daughter, it may not be; The lord that is come a-wooing to you Will be offended with you and me."

Then came down the false steward

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Which called himself the lord of Learne, truly: When he looked that bonny boy upon,

An angry man i-wis was he.

"Where was thou born, thou vagabond?
Where?" he said, "and in what country?"

Says, "I was born in fair Scotland
That is so far beyond the sea."

"What is thy name, thou vagabond?
Have done quickly, and tell it to me."
"My name," he says, "is poor Disaware;
I tend sheep on the lonely lea."
"Thou art a thief," the steward said,
"And so in the end I will prove thee."

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Then bespake the lady fair,

"Peace, lord of Learne, I do pray thee; 250 For if no love you show this child,

No favour can you have of me."

"Will you believe me, lady fair, When the truth I do tell ye? At Aberdonie beyond the sea

His father he robbed a hundred and three."

But then bespake the duke of France

Unto the boy so tenderly,

Says, "Boy, if thou love horses well,

My stable groom I will make thee."
And thus that that did pass upon

Till the twelve months did draw to an end;
The boy applied his office so well,
Every man became his friend.

[PART III]

He went forth early one morning

To water a gelding at the water so free;
The gelding up, and with his head.
He hit the child above his eye.

"Woe be to thee, thou gelding!" he said,
66 And to the mare that foaled thee!
Thou has stricken the lord of Learne
A little tiny above the eye.

First night I was born, a lord I was;
An earl after my father doth die;
My father is the worthy lord of Learne;
His child he hath no more but me;

He sent me over the sea with the false steward,
And thus that he hath beguilèd me."

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The lady was in her garden green,

Walking with her maids, truly,

And heard the boy this mourning make,
And went to weeping truly.

"Sing on thy song, thou stable groom,
I pray thee do not let for me,
And as I am a true lady

I will be true unto thee."

"But nay, now nay, madam!" he said, "So that it may not be,

I am ta'en sworn upon a book,

And forsworn I will not be."

"Sing on thy song to thy gelding, And thou dost not sing to me; And as I am a true lady

I will ever be true unto thee."

He said, "Woe be to thee, gelding,
And to the mare that foalèd thee!
For thou hast stricken the lord of Learne
A little above mine eye.

"First night I was born, a lord I was;

An earl after my father doth die; My father is the good lord of Learne,

And child he hath no other but me.

My father sent me over with the false steward, And thus that he hath beguiled me.

"Woe be to the steward, lady," he said,
"Woe be to him verily!

He hath been above this twelve months' day
For to deceive both thee and me.

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"If you do not my counsel keep

That I have told you with good intent, And if you do it not well keep,

Farewell! my life is at an end.”

"I will be true to thee, lord of Learne, Or else Christ be not so unto me; And as I am a true lady,

I'll never marry none but thee!"

She sent in for her father, the duke,
In all the speed that e'er might be;
"Put off my wedding, father," she said,
"For the love of God, these months three.

"Sick I am," the lady said,

"O sick, and very like to die!

Put off my wedding, father duke,

For the love of God, these months three."

The duke of France put off this wedding
Of the steward and the lady, months three;
For the lady sick she was,

Sick, sick, and like to die.

She wrote a letter with her own hand,

In all the speed that ever might be;

She sent over into Scotland

That is so far beyond the sea.

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When the messenger came before the old lord of Learne,

He kneeled low down on his knee, And he delivered the letter unto him

In all the speed that ever might be.