I give thee eighteen pence a day,
And my bow shalt thou bear,
And over all the north country
I make thee chief ranger.
And I thirteen pence a day, said the queen,
By God, and by my fa';
Come fetch thy payment when thou wilt,
No man shall say thee nay.
William, I make thee a gentleman
Of clothing, and of fee:
And thy two brethren, yeomen of my chamber,
For they are so seemly to see.
Your son, for he is tender of age,
Of my wine-cellar he shall be;
And when he cometh to man's estate,
Better advanced shall he be.
And, William, bring to me your wife, said the queen,
Me longeth her sore to see:
She shall be my chief gentlewoman,
To govern my nursery.
The yeomen thanked them courteously.
To some bishop will we wend,
Of all the sins that we have done,
To be assoyld[76] at his hand.
So forth be gone these good yeomen,
As fast as they might he;[77]
And after came and dwelled with the king,
And died good men all three.
Thus ended the lives of these good yeomen;
God send them eternal bliss.
And all, that with a hand-bow shooteth,
That of heaven they never miss. Amen.
FOOTNOTES:
[35] Clem (Clement) of the cliff.