"Methinks I hear the thresel-cock,
Methinks I hear the jaye;
Methinks I hear my Lord Barnard,—
And I would I were away."60
"Lye still, lye still, thou little Musgrave,
And huggell me from the cold;
Tis nothing but a shephards boy,
A driving his sheep to the fold.
"Is not thy hawke upon a perch?65
Thy steed eats oats and hay,
And thou [a] fair lady in thine armes,—
And wouldst thou bee away?"
With that my lord Barnard came to the dore,
And lit a stone upon;70
He plucked out three silver keys,
And he open'd the dores each one.
He lifted up the coverlett,
He lifted up the sheet;
"How now, how now, thou little Musgrave,75
Doest thou find my lady sweet?"
"I find her sweet," quoth little Musgrave,
"The more 'tis to my paine;
I would gladly give three hundred pounds
That I were on yonder plaine."80
"Arise, arise, thou littell Musgrave,
And put thy clothés on;
It shal ne'er be said in my country,
I have killed a naked man.
"I have two swords in one scabberd,85
Full deere they cost my purse;
And thou shalt have the best of them,
And I will have the worse."
The first stroke that little Musgrave stroke,
He hurt Lord Barnard sore;90
The next stroke that Lord Barnard stroke,
Little Musgrave ne're struck more.