Page:Early poems of William Morris.djvu/245

 My castle, guarding well my lands:

What hinders me from taking you,

And doing that I list to do

To your fair wilful body, while

Your knight lies dead?"

Wrinkled her face, her lips grew thin,

A long way out she thrust her chin:

"You know that I should strangle you

While you were sleeping; or bite through

Your throat, by God's help—ah!" she said,

"Lord Jesus, pity your poor maid!

For in such wise they hem me in,

I cannot choose but sin and sin,

Whatever happens: yet I think

They could not make me eat or drink,

And so should I just reach my rest."

"Nay, if you do not my behest,

O Jehane! though I love you well,"

Said Godmar, "would I fail to tell

All that I know." "Foul lies," she said.

"Eh? lies, my Jehane? by God's head,

At Paris folks would deem them true!

Do you know, Jehane, they cry for you,

'Jehane the brown! Jehane the brown!

Give us Jehane to burn or drown!'—

Eh—gag me, Robert!—sweet my friend,

This were indeed a piteous end

For those long fingers, and long feet,

And long neck, and smooth shoulders sweet;

An end that few men would forget

That saw it—So, an hour yet: