At last the King from hunting came,
And presently, upon the same,
He callèd for this good old man,
And thus to speak the King began:
XXIV
‘What news, what news, old man?’ quoth he;
‘What news hast thou to tell to me?’—
‘Brave news,’ the old man he did say,
‘Sweet William is a lady gay.’—
XXV
‘If this be true thou tell’st to me,
I’ll make thee lord of high degree;
But if thy words do prove a lie,
Thou shall be hang’d up presently.’
XXVI
But when the King the truth had found,
His joys did more and more abound:
According as the old man did say,
Sweet William was a lady gay.
XXVII
Therefore the King without delay
Put on her glorious rich array,
And upon her head a crown of gold
Which was most famous to behold.