There was a Queen of England, And a good Queen too. She had a house in Powis Land With the Severn running through; And Men-folk and Women-folk Apprenticed to a trade; But the prettiest of all Was a Little Serving Maid. II “Oh Madam, Queen of England! Oh will you let me go! For there’s a Lad in London And he would have it so. And I would have it too, Madam, And with him would I bide; And he will be the Groom, Madam, And I shall be the Bride!” III “Oh fie to you and shame to you, You Little Serving Maid! And are you not astonied? And are you not afraid? For never was it known Since Yngelonde began That a Little Serving Maid Should go a-meeting of a man!” IV Then the Little Serving Maid She went and laid her down, With her cross and her bede, In her new courting gown. And she called in Mother Mary’s name And heavily she sighed: “I think that I have come to shame!” And after that she died. V The good Queen of England Her women came and ran: “The Little Serving Maid is dead From loving of a man!” Said the good Queen of England “That is ill news to hear! Take her out and shroud her, And lay her on a bier.” VI They laid her on a bier, In the court-yard all; Some came from Foresting, And some came from Hall. And Great Lords carried her, And proud Priests prayed. And that was the end Of the Little Serving Maid. THE END OF THE ROAD IN THESE BOOTS AND WITH THIS STAFF Two hundred leaguers and a half Walked I, went I, paced I, tripped I, Marched I, held I, skelped I, slipped I, Pushed I, panted, swung and dashed I; Picked I, forded, swam and splashed I, Strolled I, climbed I, crawled and scrambled, Dropped and dipped I, ranged and rambled; Plodded I, hobbled I, trudged and tramped I, And in lonely spinnies camped I, And in haunted pinewoods slept I, Lingered, loitered, limped and crept I, Clambered, halted, stepped and leapt I; Slowly sauntered, roundly strode I, And ... (Oh! Patron saints and Angels That protect the four Evangels! And you Prophets vel majores Vel incerti, vel minores, Virgines ac confessores Chief of whose peculiar glories Est in Aula Regis stare Atque orare et exorare Et clamare et conclamare Clamantes cum clamoribus Pro Nobis Peccatoribus.) Let me not conceal it.... _Rode I._ (For who but critics could complain Of “riding” in a railway train?) Across the valley and the high-land, With all the world on either hand Drinking when I had a mind to, Singing when I felt inclined to; Nor ever turned my face to home Till I had slaked my heart at Rome. AUVERGNAT There was a man was half a clown (It’s so my father tells of it). He saw the church in Clermont town And laughed to hear the bells of it.