Chapter XXVIII: Part II: Wherein King Alfred Becomes a Shepherd

“The Devil thou art!” the Shepherd said,
“Thou go’st in rags all torn;
Thou rather seem’st, I think, to be
Some beggar basely born.

“But if thou wilt mend thy estate,
And here a shepherd be;
At night, to Gillian, my sweet wife,
Thou shalt go home with me:

“For she’s as good a toothless dame
As mumbleth on brown bread;
Where thou shalt lie in hurden sheets,
Upon a fresh straw bed.

“Of whig and whey we have good store,
And keep good pease-straw fire;
And now and then good barley cakes,
As better days require.

“But for my master, which is Chief
And Lord of Newton-Court,
He keeps, I say, his shepherd swains
In far more braver sort;

“We there have curds and clouted cream
Of red cow’s morning milk;
And now and then fine buttered cakes
As soft as any silk.

“Of beef and reifed bacon store,
That is most fat and greasy,
We have likewise, to feed our chaps
And make them glib and easy.

“Thus if thou wilt my man become,
This usage thou shalt have;
If not, adieu; go hang thyself;
And so farewell, Sir Knave.”

King Alfred hearing of this glee
The churlish Shepherd said,
Was well content to be his man;
So they a bargain made;

A penny round the Shepherd gave
In earnest of this match,
To keep his sheep in field and fold,
As shepherds use to watch.

His wages shall be full ten groats,
For service of a year,
Yet was it not his use, old lad,
To hire a man so dear:

“For, did the King himself,” quoth he,
“Unto my cottage come,
He should not, for a twelve-month’s pay,
Receive a greater sum.”