And she has broken her finger-ring, And to Beichan half of it gave she: "Keep it, to mind you in foreign land Of the lady's love that set you free. "And set your foot on good ship-board, And haste ye back to your ain countrie, And before that seven years have an end, Come back again, love, and marry me." But lang ere seven years had an end, She longed full sore her love to see, So she's set her foot on good ship-board, And turned her back on her ain countrie. She sailèd east, she sailèd west, Till to fair England's shore she came, Where a bonny shepherd she espied, Was feeding his sheep upon the plain. "What news, what news, thou bonny shepherd? What news hast thou to tell to me?" "Such news I hear, ladie," he says, "The like was never in this countrie. "There is a wedding in yonder hall, And ever the bells ring merrilie; It is Lord Beichan's wedding-day Wi' a lady fair o' high degree." She's putten her hand into her pocket, Gi'en him the gold and white monie; "Hay, take ye that, my bonny boy, All for the news thou tell'st to me." When she came to young Beichan's gate, She tirlèd saftly at the pin; So ready was the proud porter To open and let this 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, And this is the day o' his weddin." "And has he wed anither love? And has he clean forgotten me?" And sighin said that ladie gay, "I wish I were in my ain countrie." And she has ta'en her gay gold ring That with her love she brake sae free; Says, "Gie him that, ye proud porter, And bid the bridegroom speak wi' me." When the porter came his lord before, He kneeled down low upon his knee: "What aileth thee, my proud porter, Thou art so full of courtesie?" "I've been porter at your gates, It's now for thirty years and three; But the lovely lady that stands thereat, The like o' her did I never see. "For on every finger she has a ring, And on her mid-finger she has three, And meikle gold aboon her brow. Sae fair a may did I never see." It's out then spak the bride's mother, And an angry woman, I wot, was she: "Ye might have excepted our bonny bride, And twa or three of our companie." "O hold your tongue, thou bride's mother, Of all your folly let me be; She's ten times fairer nor the bride, And all that's in your companie. "And this golden ring that's broken in twa, This half o' a golden ring sends she: 'Ye'll carry that to Lord Beichan,' she says, 'And bid him come an' speak wi' me.' "She begs one sheave of your white bread, But and a cup of your red wine, And to remember the lady's love That last relieved you out of pine." "O well-a-day!" said Beichan then, "That I so soon have married me! For it can be none but Susie Pye, That for my love has sailed the sea."