Young William

Dame Margaret dwells across in Scone,
She and her daughter too;
That lovely maiden's wedding day
How many have to rue!

There wooed her Swend of Voldislef,
A knight of royal race;
But 'twas young William won her hand,
She loved his friendly face.

Though wooed her Swend of Voldislef,
So rich in gold and fee,
Yet 'twas young William won her hand,
"So kind of heart was he.

When heard young Swend of Voldislef
What news had come to town,
For sorrow up to his room he went,
And sick he laid him down. "

Up to his room he went, and lay
For very grief so low;
His mother and sister went to him,
Went often to and fro.

His mother, while alone they sat,
Would ask him, what he ail'd;
"Hast thou with any neighbour feud,
"Or ventured aught and fail'd?"

"Feud with my neighbours none have I,
"Nor been by kinsmen crossed;
"Young William weds the maid I love,
"And all my hope is lost."

"Oh! vex no more, my dearest son,
"Nor at thy wrongs repine;
"I'll show thee a richer maid than her,
"And many times more fine.

"Her counsel let a mother give,
"The best a mother can;
"Fret thou no more about a maid
"Who weds another man/'

But evil rede his sister gave;
"Go, knock him on the head;
"When once young William thou hast slain,
"His widow thou may'st wed."

His mother spake with sound good sense,
As she was wont to speak;
"The vengeance for a father slain
"A son may live to wreak."

"Pshaw!" answer'd Swend of Voldislef,
"Such fears I well may scorn:
"Tis early time to think of that,
"Ere yet the child is born.

"I ne'er shall see another chance
"To win so fair a maid:
"Please God I live, young William's luck
"Shall with his life be paid."

Young William rode to his marriage feast,
And gay the banquet there;
How wroth was Swend of Voldislef,
He little seem'd to care.

Young William took a lonely path
To journey through the wood,
And there in most unlucky hour
Sir Swend before him stood.

"Young William, bark! Why ridest thou
"To meet me here tonight,
"And knowest thou hast won the maid
"Was all my heart's delight?

"'Tis true I've won that gentle maid,
"Dear as she was to thee,
"But had the luck been thine instead,
"She ne'er had come to me.

"Fair Lisbet I have now betroth'd,
"And will not give thee place;
"There dwell in Denmark other maids
"Will not thy rank disgrace."

Fiercely Sir Swend of Voldislef
Drew out his glittering knife;
"The gentle Lisbet thou hast won,
"But that shall cost thy life."

Young William spake no more but this,
As on the ground he fell;
"If Lisbet bear a son this year,
"Call 'William' him as well.

"If Lisbet bear a son this year,
"Ye call him after me;
"Ye call his name Young William too;
"No coward he will be."

When woodland shaws were green again,
And forty weeks had run,
The lady up to her bower retired,
And bare an infant son.

The boy was born one afternoon,
They christen'd him at night,
But told Sir Swend a girl was born,
And hid the little wight.

With mother's care she rear'd him up
Till eighteen years of age,
And gave him then a tall war-horse
To serve as royal page.

Full eighteen years of age was he.
When first he bare a shield;
He vied in games with knight and squire,
And always kept the field.

Young William with a peasant stood
The bar and stone to throw,
And in their game a brawl arose.
That led to bitter woe.

Young William struck the peasant youth.
And dragged him by the hair;
"'Twere best to venge a father's death,
"And lads like me to spare!"

Young William heard, and red by turns
And deadly pale was he;
"If foully slain my father was,
"No summer-play for me!"

Young William left the tilting field.
Drew on his scarlet cloak.
And mounting to the ladies' bower,
He thus to his mother spoke.

"My greeting, dearest mother iniaei
"The truth I prithee tell;
"If foully slain my father was,
"And by whose hand he fell."

"My son, thou'rt still too young and weak
"To buckle sword to side;
"Procure that Swend of Voldislef
"Shall at the court be tried/'

Young William got a summons wrote,
And sent it round the land,
That Swend should on the following day
At court before him stand.

"I'll off" said Swend of Voldislef,
Soon as he read the deed,
"I'll to the King's house ride, and there
"Ask of my uncle rede.

"Now hark! and tell me, Uncle mine,
"What best I may begin?
"Young William summons me to court
"With all his wealthy kin."

"But hark thee, Swend of Voldislef,
"And tell me, why so sad?
"Have I not often heard thee say,
"That she a daughter had?"

"Now help me, Holy Virgin Queen!
"I then no better knew;
"A woman's craft in all my days
"I never shall see through."

"I'll lend thee a baud of trusty men,
"Take whom thou wilt or all;
"With them, dear Nephew, ride to court,
"And see what may befall."

To court went Swend of Voldislef,
And 'neath the penthouse strode;
"Now who has summoned rac to court
"This long and weary road?"

Then forth young William boldly stepp'd,
No softness he betray'd;
"My father thou hast foully slain,
"And fine hast never paid."

"No," answered Swend of Voldislef,
And spirted up the earth;
"Nor for thy father shalt thou get
"Penny or penny's worth."

Young William spake, as in the ground
He stuck his glittering sword;
"I for my father ought to get
"Both coin and civil word."

Over his helmet threw Sir Swend
A skein of silken thread;
"Prithee, young William, heed thee well,
"Thou dost not strike me dead."

It was young William, gallant youth,
His sword so glittering drew,
And Swend of Voldislef it was.
In open court he slew.

And while Sir Swend of Voldislef
Dead in the court-house lay,
Rode William off to Voldislef,
And seiz'd a lovely may.

To good Sir Nilus on the strand
The baleful tidings came;
His brother slain in open court,
His sister brought to shame.

A summons got Sir Nilus wrote
And sent it round the land;
That at the peasant court next day
Young William too should stand.

The good Sir Nilus call'd his swains,
Bade saddle up his steed;
"I'll to the King's house ride across,
"And ask my uncle's rede. —

"Oh! hear my grief, dear Uncle mine,
"Or hast thou heard the same?
"My brother kill'd in open court,
"My sister brought to shame?"

"I'll lend thee a troop of faithful men,
"Take whom thou wilt or all;
"Myself I'll ride with thee to court,
"And see what may befall."

Young William, bold and gallant youth,
Into the court-house strode,
And ask'd, who might have summon'd him
That long and weary road.

"Hear me, young William, hear the words,
"That now I have to say;
"My brother thou hast put to death;
"What blood-fine wilt thou pay?"

"As to thy brother, we are quits,
"For he my father slew:
"Thy sister I will wed today,
"And treat with honour due."

The good Sir Nilus he replied,
And these the words he said;
"Not so, young William; thou, I swear,
"The maid shalt never wed."

In wrath young William started forth,
And drew his glittering blade;
"If otherwise it cannot be,
"So lend me, God, thine aid!"

He kill'd Sir Nilus on the spot
In short and mortal strife;
And held his sword at the King's breast,
And begg'd him grant his life.

"Seize him!" with fierce and angry look
The King of Denmark cries;
"Young William seize, who dares to break
The peace of this Assize."

"Forgive me, Sire," young William said.
And drew him back with awe;
"Forgive and let me go in peace,
"I knew not Sessions law."

Young William left the justice hall,
To mount his noble dun;
"And now I'll to my mother ride,
"And tell her how I've won."

Young William on his prancing horse
Came riding through the gate,
And there the fair Dame Lisbet stood
Attired in robe of state.

"Welcome, young William, homo again!
"Welcome, my son, and say,
"What blood-fine for thy father's death
"They offer'd thee to pay."

"No fine the murderer offer'd me,
"Nor any did I crave,
"But dead is Swend of Voldislef,
"And moulders in his grave.

"Aye! dead is Swend of Voldislef,
"Sir Nilus too is dead;
I "Their sister Gertrude I've betroth'd,
I "And her I mean to wed."

The good Dame Lisbet took her son,
And clasp'd him to her breast;
"Since thou hast well thy father 'venged,
"Are all my cares at rest."

Well done, young William! luck to thee,
And all such brave young swains!
He fully venged a father's death,
And still at home remains.