"O who's the owner of this place,
O porter boy, tell me?"
"This place belongs unto a queen
O' birth and high degree."
She put her hand in her pocket,25
And ga'e him shillings three;
"O porter bear my message well,
Unto the queen frae me."
The porter's gane before the queen,
Fell low down on his knee;30
"Win up, win up, my porter boy,
What makes this courtesie?"
"I ha'e been porter at your yetts,
My dame, these years full three,
But see a ladie at your yetts,35
The fairest my eyes did see."
"Cast up my yetts baith wide and braid,
Lat her come in to me;
And I'll know by her courtesie,
When she came in before the queen,
Fell low down on her knee;
"Service frae you, my dame, the queen,
I pray you grant it me."
"If that service ye now do want,45
What station will ye be?
Can ye card wool, or spin, fair maid,
Or milk the cows to me?"
"No, I can neither card nor spin,
Nor cows I canno' milk;50
But sit into a lady's bower,
And sew the seams o' silk."
"What is your name, ye comely dame?
Pray tell this unto me:
"O Blancheflour, that is my name,55
Born in a strange countrie."