He sayes, "come hither, thou litle footpage,
That runneth lowly by my knee;
Ffor thou shalt goe to John Steward's wiffe,
And pray her speake with mee.10
"And as it ffalls [out], many times
As knotts been knitt on a kell,
Or merchant men gone to leeve London,
Either to buy ware or sell,
* * * * * * *
* * * * * * *
And grete thou doe that ladye well,15
Ever soe well ffroe mee.
"And as it ffalls out, many times
As any harte can thinke,
As schoole masters are in any schoole house,
Writting with pen and inke,20
* * * * * * *
* * * * * * *
Ffor if I might as well as shee may,
This night I wold with her speake.
"And heere I send a mantle of greene,
As greene as any grasse,
[And bid her come to the silver wood,]25
To hunt with Child Maurice.
"And there I send her a ring of gold,
A ring of precyous stone;
And bid her come to the silver wood,
Let for no kind of man."30
One while this litle boy he yode,
Another while he ran;