‘Sing on thy song, thou stable groom, I will release thee of thy pain.’-- ‘Nay, lady, I have made an oath; I dare not tell my tale again.’-- XLIX ‘Sing on thy song, then, to thy gelding, And so thy oath shall savèd be.’-- But when he told his horse the tale, O the lady wept full tenderlye. L She sent in for her father the Duke: ‘O sick I am, and like to dee! Put off my wedding, father,’ she said, ‘For the love of God, these monthës three.’ LI The lady she did write a letter Full speedily with her own hand; She has sent it to the Lord of Lorn Wheras he dwelt in fair Scotland. LII When the Lord of Lorn had read the letter His lady wept, Lord! bitterlye; ‘Peace, Lady of Lorn, for Christ his love! And wroken[474] upon him I will be.’ LIII The old lord call’d up his merry men, And all that he gave cloth and fee, With seven lords to ride beside him, And into the land of France rides he. LIV The wind was good, and they did sail Five hundred men into France land, Till they were ’ware of the Heir of Lorn, Stood with a porter’s staff in ’s hand. LV The lords then cast their hats into air, The serving-men fell on their knee. ‘What fools be yonder,’ said the steward, ‘That makes the porter courtesye?’ LVI ‘Thou’rt a false thief,’ said the Lord of Lorn, ‘[This child, thy master] to betray!’ And they set the castle round about, A swallow could not have flown away. LVII And when they had taken the false steward, By the law of France all hastilye A quest of lords there chosen was That judged this traitor he must dee. LVIII First they took him and hang’d him half, And then they lat him down anon, And quarter’d and put him in boiling lead, And there he was sodden, breast and bone. LIX O then bespake the Lord of Lorn, With many other lordës mo, ‘Sir Duke, if you be as willing as we, We’ll have a marriage before we go.’ LX But then bespake the Duke of France, Unto the Child of Lorn right there: Says, ‘Heir of Lorn, if thou’lt marry my daughter, I’ll mend thy living a thousand a year.’ LXI But then bespake that Child of Lorn, And answer’d the Duke right merrilye: ‘I had rather have her with a ring of gold Than all the gold you can proffer to me.’ FOOTNOTES: [470] hend = courteous. [471] cordinant = of Cordovan leather. [472] kelter = of undyed wool. [473] bewrail = rail at. [474] wroken = revenged. _77. Edom o’ Gordon_ I It fell about the Martinmas, When the wind blew shrill and cauld, Said Edom o’ Gordon to his men, ‘We maun draw to a hauld[475]. II