Classic Poem

Queen Eleanor was a sick woman,
And afraid that she should die;
Then she sent for two friars of France
To speak with her speedily.

The king called down his nobles all,
By one, by two, by three;
"Earl Marshall, I'll go shrive the queen,
And thou shalt wend with me."

"A boon, a boon," quoth Earl Marshall,
And fell on his bended knee,
"That whatsoever Queen Eleanor say,
No harm thereof may be."

"I'll pawn my lands," the king then cried,
"My scepter, crown, and all,
That whatsoever Queen Eleanor says,
No harm thereof shall fall.

"Do thou put on a friar's coat,
And I'll put on another;
And we will to Queen Eleanor go,
Like friar and his brother."

Thus both attired then they go:
When they came to Whitehall,
The bells did ring, and the choristers sing,
And the torches did light them all.

When that they came before the queen
They fell on their bended knee;
"A boon, a boon, our gracious queen,
That you sent so hastily."

"Are you two friars of France," she said,
"As I suppose you be?
But if you are two English friars,
You shall hang on the gallows tree."

"We are two friars of France," they said,
"As you suppose we be;
We have not been at any mass,
Since we came from the sea."

"The first vile thing that ever I did
I will to you unfold:
Earl Marshall had my maidenhead,
Beneath this cloth of gold."

"That's a vile sin," then said the king,
"May God forgive it thee!"
"Amen, amen," quoth Earl Marshall;
With a heavy heart spoke he.

"The next vile thing that ever I did,
To you I'll not deny:
I made a box of poison strong,
To poison King Henry."

"That's a vile sin," then said the king,
"May God forgive it thee!"
"Amen, amen," quoth Earl Marshall;
"And I wish it so may be."

"The next vile thing that ever I did,
To you I will discover:
I poisoned fair Rosamond,
All in fair Woodstock bower."

"That's a vile sin," then said the king,
"May God forgive it thee!"
"Amen, amen," quoth Earl Marshall;
"And I wish it so may be."

"Do you see yonder's little boy,
A tossing of the ball?
That is Earl Marshall's eldest son
And I love him the best of all.

"Do you see yonder's little boy,
A catching of the ball?
That is King Henry's youngest son,
And I love him the worst of all.

"His head is fashioned like a bull;
His nose is like a boar--"
"No matter for that," King Henry cried,
"I love him the better, therefore."

The king pulled off his friar's coat,
And appeared all in red.
She shrieked, and cried, and wrung her hands,
And said she was betrayed.

The king looked over his left shoulder,
And a grim look looked he:
"Earl Marshall," he said, "but for my oath,
Or hanged thou shouldst be."