"But howe and they chaunce to cut the downe,
And carry thie braunches into the towne?
Then will they never no more be sene
To growe againe so freshe and grene."
25 "Though that you do, yt ys no boote;
Althoughe they cut me to the roote,
Next yere againe I will be sene
To bude my branches freshe and grene.
"And you, faire maide, canne not do so;
30 For yf you let youre maid-hode goe,
Then will yt never no more be sene,
As I with my braunches can growe grene."
The maide wyth that beganne to blushe,
And turned her from the hathorne-bushe;
35 She though[t]e herselffe so faire and clene,
Her bewtie styll would ever growe grene.
Whan that she harde this marvelous dowbte,
She wandered styll then all aboute,
Suspecting still what she would wene,
40 Her maid-heade lost would never be seen.
Wyth many a sighe, she went her waye,
To se howe she made herselff so gay,
To walke, to se, and to be sene,
And so out-faced the hathorne grene.
45 Besides all that, yt put her in feare
To talke with companye anye where,
For feare to losse the thinge that shuld be sene
To growe as were the hathorne grene.
But after this never could I here
50 Of this faire mayden any where,
That ever she was in forest sene
To talke againe of the hathorne grene.