"The gods preserve your majesty!"
The beggars all gan cry:
"Vouchsafe to give your charity
Our children's food to buy!"
The king to them his purse did cast,
And they to part it made great haste;
This silly woman was the last
That after them did hie.
The king he called her back again,
And unto her he gave his chain;
And said, "With us thou shalt remain
Till such time as we die:
"For thou," quoth he, "shalt be my wife,
And honoured for my queen;
With thee I mean to lead my life,
As shortly shall he seen:
Our wedding shall appointed be,
And every thing in its degree;
Come on," quoth he, "and follow me,
Thou shalt go shift thee clean.
What is thy name, fair maid?" quoth he.
"Zenelophon, O king," quoth she:
With that she made a low courts-ey,
A trim one as I ween.
Thus hand in hand along they walk
Unto the king's pal-ace:
The king with courteous comely talk
This beggar doth embrace:
The beggar blusheth scarlet red,
And straight again as pale as lead,
But not a word at all she said,
She was in such amaze.
At last she spake with trembling voice
And said, "O king, I do rejoice
That you will take me for your choice,
And my degree's so base.
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