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She sailed East, she sailed West,
till to fair England’s shore she came,
Where a bonny shepherd she espy’d,
feeding his flock upon the plain:
What news, what news, my bonny shepherd,
What news hast thou got to tell me?
Such news I hear, madam, he says,
the like was ne’er in this country;
There is a wedding in yonder hall,
has held these thirty day and three,
The bridegroom will not bed with the bride,
for love of one that’s beyond the sea.
She put her hand in her pocket,
I wat she gave him guineas three,
Pray take you that, my bonny boy,
For the good news thou tellest me.
When she came up to Beichan’s gate,
she tirled softly at the pin,
So ready was the proud porter,
to open and let the lady in.
Is this young Beichan’s hall, she said,
or is that noble Lord within?
Yea, he’s in the hall among them all,
this very day was his wedding.
She took the ring from her finger,
and to the porter she gave it free,
Run to young Beichan with all haste,
deliver my message speedily.
When that he came his Lord before,
He kneeled low down on his knee;
What aileth thee, my proud porter,
Thou art so full of courtesy?
