4
He had not servd the savage Moor
A week, nay scarcely but only three,
Till he has casten him in prison strong,
Till he with hunger was like to die.
5
It fell out once upon a day
That Young Bichen he made his moan,
As he lay bound in irons strong,
In a dark and deep dungeon.
6
'An I were again in fair England,
As many merry day I have been,
Then I would curb my roving youth
No more to see a strange land.
7
'O an I were free again now,
And my feet well set on the sea,
I would live in peace in my own country,
And a foreign land I no more would see.'
8
The savage Moor had but one daughter,
I wot her name was Susan Py;
She heard Young Bichen make his moan,
At the prison-door as she past by.
9
'O have ye any lands,' she said,
'Or have you any money free,
Or have you any revenues,
To maintain a lady like me?'
10
'O I have land in fair England,
And I have estates two or three,
And likewise I have revenues,
To maintain a lady like thee.'
11
'O will you promise, Young Bichen,' she says,
'And keep your vow faithful to me,
That at the end of seven years
In fair England you'll marry me?
12
'I'll steal the keys from my father dear,
Tho he keeps them most secretly;
I'll risk my life for to save thine,
And set thee safe upon the sea.'
13
She's stolen the keys from her father,
From under the bed where they lay;
She opened the prison strong
And set Young Bichen at liberty.