And of nurture the child had good;35
He ran up hall and bower ffree,
And when he came to this lady ffaire,
Sayes, "God you save and see.
"I am come ffrom Childe Maurice,
A message unto thee,40
And Childe Maurice he greetes you well,
And ever soe well ffrom me.
"And as it ffalls out, oftentimes
As knotts been knitt on a kell,
Or merchant men gone to leeve London45
Either to buy or sell;
"And as oftentimes he greetes you well,
As any hart can thinke,
Or schoolemaster in any schoole,
Wryting with pen and inke.50
"And heere he sends a mantle of greene,
As greene as any grasse,
And he bidds you come to the silver wood,
To hunt with child Maurice.
"And heere he sends you a ring of gold,55
A ring of precyous stone;
He prayes you to come to the silver wood,
Let for no kind of man."
"Now peace, now peace, thou litle fotpage,
Ffor Christes sake I pray thee;60
Ffor if my lord heare one of those words,
Thou must be hanged hye."
John Steward stood under the castle wall,
And he wrote the words every one;
* * * * * * *
* * * * * * *
And he called unto his horssekeeper,65
"Make ready you my steede;"
And soe he did to his chamberlaine,
"Make readye then my weed."