Young Susie Pye had a tender heart,
Tho' she was come of a cruel kin;
And sore she sigh'd, she knew not why,
For him who lay that dungeon in.
"Oh, were I but the prison keeper,
As I'm a lady of high degree,
I soon wou'd set this youth at large,
And send him to his own countrie."
She gave the keeper a piece of gold,
And many pieces of white monie,
To unlock to her the prison doors,
That she Lord Beichan might go see.
Lord Beichan he did marvel sore,
The Moor's fair daughter there to see;
But took her for some captive maid,
Brought from some land in Christendie.
For when she saw his wretched plight,
Her tears fell fast and bitterlie;
And thus the Moor's fair daughter spake
Unto Lord Beichan tenderlie:
"Oh, have ye any lands," she said,
"Or castles in your own countrie,
That ye cou'd give to a lady fair,
From prison strong to set you free?"
"Oh, I have lands both fair and braid,
And I have castles fair to see;
But I wou'd give them all," he said,
"From prison strong to be set free."
"Plight me the truth of your right hand,
The truth of it here plight to me,
That till seven years are past and gone,
No lady ye will wed but me."
"For seven long years I do make a vow,
And seven long years I'll keep it true,
If you wed with no other man,
No other lady I'll wed but you."
Then she has bribed the prison-keeper,
With store of gold and white monie,
To loose the chain that bound him so,
And set Lord Beichan once more free.