The Franklin's Maid
The Franklin's Maid is a poem written by Arthur Conan Doyle. The poem was included in the 22th chapter of his novel: The White Company (1891) and republished in poem collections.
Editions
- in The White Company (1891 and various editions)
- in The Cornhill Magazine (august 1891 [UK])
- in The Sun (New York) (28 june 1891 [US])
- in Songs of Action (1898-1916, Smith, Elder & Co. [UK])
- in Songs of Action (august 1898, Charles Scribner's Sons [US])
- in Songs of Action (september 1898, Doubleday, Page & Co. [US])
- The Franklin's Maid (november 1903, Weekes & Co. [UK])
- The Franklin's Maid (1911, Metzler & Co. [UK])
- in Songs of Action (1918-1920, John Murray [UK])
- in The Poems of Arthur Conan Doyle (1922-1928, John Murray [UK])
The Franklin's Maid
The franklin he hath gone to roam,
The franklin's maid she bides at home,
But she is cold and coy and staid,
And who may win the franklin's maid?
There came a knight of high renown
In bassinet and ciclatoun;
On bended knee full long he prayed,
He might not win the franklin's maid.
There came a squire so debonair
His dress was rich, his words were fair,
He sweetly sang, he deftly played:
He could not win the franklin's maid.
There came a mercer wonder-fine
With velvet cap and gaberdine;
For all his ships, for all his trade
He could not buy the franklin's maid.
There came an archer bold and true,
With bracer guard and stave of yew;
His purse was light, his jerkin frayed;
Haro, alas! the franklin's maid!
Oh, some have laughed and some have cried
And some have scoured the country-side!
But off they ride through wood and glade,
The bowman and the franklin's maid.
