Buchan's Gleanings, p. 77.
| 1 |
The Queen's faen sick, and very, very sick,
Sick, and going to die,
And she's sent for twa friars of France,
To speak with her speedilie. |
| 2 |
The King he said to the Earl Marischal,
To the Earl Marischal said he,
The Queen she wants twa friars frae France,
To speak with her presentlie. |
| 3 |
Will ye put on a friar's coat,
And I'll put on another,
And we'll go in before the Queen,
Like friars both together. |
| 4 |
'But O forbid,' said the Earl Marischal,
'That I this deed should dee!
For if I beguile Eleanor our queen,
She will gar hang me hie.' |
| 5 |
The King he turned him round about,
An angry man was he;
He's sworn by his sceptre and his sword
Earl Marischal should not die. |
| 6 |
The King has put on a friar's coat,
Earl Marischal on another,
And they went in before the Queen,
Like friars both together. |
| 7 |
'O, if ye be twa friars of France,
Ye're dearly welcome to me;
But if ye be twa London friars,
I will gar hang you hie.' |
| 8 |
'Twa friars of France, twa friars of France,
Twa friars of France are we,
And we vow we never spoke to a man
Till we spake to Your Majesty.' |
| 9 |
'The first great sin that eer I did,
And I'll tell you it presentlie,
Earl Marischal got my maidenhead,
When coming oer the sea.' |
| 10 |
'That was a sin, and a very great sin,
But pardoned it may be;'
'All that with amendment,' said Earl Marischal,
But a quacking heart had he. |
| 11 |
'The next great sin that eer I did,
I'll tell you it presentlie;
I carried a box seven years in my breast,
To poison King Henrie.' |
| 12 |
'O that was a sin, and a very great sin,
But pardoned it may be;'
'All that with amendment,' said Earl Marischal,
But a quacking heart had he. |
| 13 |
'The next great sin that eer I did,
I'll tell you it presentlie;
I poisoned the Lady Rosamond,
And a very good woman was she. |
| 14 |
'See ye not yon twa bonny boys,
As they play at the ba?
The eldest of them is Marischal's son,
And I love him best of a';
The youngest of them is Henrie's son,
And I love him none at a' |
| 15 |
'For he is headed like a bull, a bull,
He is backed like a boar;'
'Then by my sooth,' King Henrie said,
'I love him the better therefor.' |
| 16 |
The King has cast off his friar's coat,
Put on a coat of gold;
The Queen she's turned her face about,
She could not's face behold. |
| 17 |
The King then said to Earl Marischal,
To the Earl Marischal said he,
Were it not for my sceptre and sword,
Earl Marischall, ye should die. |
