A nobler king had never breath- I say it now, and said it then. Who weds with such is wed till death And wedded stays in Heaven. Amen. (And oh, the shirts of linen-lawn, And all the armor, tagged and tied, And church on Sundays, dusk and dawn. And bed a thing to kneel beside!) The bravest one stood tall above The rest, and watched me as a light. I heard and heard them talk of love; I'd naught to do but think, at night. The bravest man has littlest brains; That chalky fool from Astolat With all her dying and her pains!- Thank God, I helped him over that. I found him not unfair to see- I like a man with peppered hair! And thus it came about. Ah, me, Tristram was busied otherwhere.... A nobler king had never breath- I say it now, and said it then. Who weds with such is wed till death And wedded stays in Heaven. Amen.