3
'For here I stand a courtier,
And a courtier come to thee,
And if ye will not grant me your love,
For your sake I will die.'
4
'If you die for my sake,' she says,
'Few for you will make moan;
Many better's died for my sake,
Their graves are growing green.
5
'You appear to be some false young man,
You wear your hat so wide;
You appear to be some false young man,
You wear your boots so side.
6
'An asking, asking, sir,' she said,
'An asking ye'll grant me:'
'Ask on, ask on, lady,' he said,
'What may your asking be?'
7
'What's the first thing in flower,' she said,
'That springs in mire or dale?
What's the next bird that sings,' she says,
'Unto the nightingale?
Or what is the finest thing,' she says,
'That king or queen can wile?'
8
'The primrose is the first in flower
That springs in mire or dale;
The thristle-throat is the next that sings
Unto the nightingale;
And yellow gold is the finest thing
That king or queen can wile.
9
'You have asked many questions, lady,
I've you as many told;'
'But how many pennies round
Make a hundred pounds in gold?
10
'How many small fishes
Do swim the salt seas round?
Or what's the seemliest sight you'll see
Into a May morning?
* * * * *
11
'There's ale into the birken scale,
Wine in the horn green;
There's gold in the king's banner
When he is fighting keen.'