Signelill

Malfred bade her maiden speak,
"Signelill, my maiden!
"Why so sickly pale thy cheek?"
But sorrow pinches sorely.

"No wonder if so pale I grow,
"Malfred, oh my lady!
"It is the long long hours I sew."
And sorrow pinches sorely.

"Thy cheek was once like roses red,
"Signelill, my maiden,
"But now it's like the very dead."
But sorrow pinches sorely.

"I'll hide no more the truth from thee,
"Malfred, oh my lady!
"Thine eldest son has wheedled me."
And sorrow pinches sorely,

"And did my son thy love betray,
"Signelill, my maiden?
"Then how did he thy favours pay?"
For sorrow pinches sorely.

"He gave the silver-buckled shoes,
"Malfred, oh my lady!
"That daily still with shame I use."
For sorrow pinches sorely.

"He gave me too a silken dress,
"Malfred, oh my lady!
"That still I wear in great distress."
For sorrow pinches sorely,

"He gave me a ring of gold so fine,
"Malfred, oh my lady!
"More costly are not even thine."
But sorrow pinches sorely,

"And what will all his gifts avail,
"Signelill, my maiden,
"If yet to wed thee he should fail?"
For sorrow 'pinches sorely.

"To wed me, aye! that did he swear,
"Malfred, oh my lady!
"In pledge he gave me these to wear."
But sorrow pinches sorely.

"And what will secret vows avail,
"Signelill, my maiden?
"He tells so many more the tale."
And sorrow pinches sorely.

"If I but take my harp on knee,
"Malfred, oh my lady!
"My lord will wake and send for me."
For sorrow pinches sorely.

And scarcely she a string had stirred,
Signelill the maiden,
Before the knight her music heard.
But sorrow pinches sorely.

"Bring me,' bade the knight his groom,
"My mother's gentle maiden;
"Haste and bring her to my room."
For 'sorrow pinches sorely,

Towards his bedstead rail he drew
His mother's gentle maiden;
"Now seat thee here, there's room for two."
And sorrow pinches sorely.

"O no, my lord; that would not dare
"Thy mother's humble maiden;
"I never yet have sat me there."
And sorrow pinches sorely,

"Seat thee; why this coyness feign,
"My Signelill, my maiden?
"For thou hast in my bosom lain.
And sorrow pinches sorely,

"Seat thee; thou shalt be my bride,
"My Signelill, my maiden,
"Shalt every night sleep at my side."
For sorrow pinches sorely.