The ball being ended, the young squire said,
‘Where is it you live?’ She again answerèd,
‘Sir, because you ask me, account I will give,
At the sign of the broken skimmer I live.’
Being dark when she left him, she homeward did hie,
And in her catskin robes she was dressed presently,
And into the kitchen amongst them she went,
But where she had been they were all innocent.
When the squire dame home, and found Catskin there,
He was in amaze and began for to swear;
‘For two nights at the ball has been a lady,
The sweetest of beauties that ever I did see.
‘She was the best dancer in all the whole place,
And very much like our Catskin in the face;
Had she not been dressed in that costly degree,
I should have swore it was Catskin’s body.
Next night to the ball he did go once more,
And she askèd his mother to go as before,
Who, having a basin of water in hand,
She threw it at Catskin, as I understand.
Shaking her wet ears, out of doors she did run,
And dressèd herself when this thing she had done.
To the ball once more she then went her ways;
To see her fine dancing they all gave her praise.
And having concluded, the young squire said he,
‘From whence might you come, pray, lady, tell me?’
Her answer was, ‘Sir, you shall soon know the same,
From the sign of the basin of water I came.’
Then homeward she hurried, as fast as could be;
This young squire then was resolvèd to see
Whereto she belonged, and, following Catskin,
Into an old straw house he saw her creep in.
He said, ‘O brave Catskin, I find it is thee,
Who these three nights together has so charmèd me;
Thou’rt the sweetest of creatures my eyes e’er beheld,
With joy and content my heart now is filled.
‘Thou art our cook’s scullion, but as I have life,
Grant me but thy love, and I’ll make thee my wife,
And thou shalt have maids for to be at thy call.’
‘Sir, that cannot be, I’ve no portion at all.’