"I praye you nowe, good Childe Waters,
Let mee lye at your feete;
For there is noe place about this house,130
Where I may saye a sleepe."
[He gave her leave, and faire Ellen]
[Down at his beds feet laye;]
This done the nighte drove on apace,135
And when it was neare the daye,
Hee sayd, "Rise up, my little foot-page,
Give my steede corne and haye;
And give him nowe the good black oats,
To carry mee better awaye."140
Up then rose the faire Ellen,
And gave his steede corne and hay;
And soe shee did the good black oates,
To carry him the better awaye.
She leaned her back to the manger side,145
And grievouslye did groane;
She leaned her back to the manger side,
And there shee made her moane.
And that beheard his mother deare,
[Shee heard her woefull woe:]150
Shee sayd, "Rise up, thou Childe Waters,
And into thy stable goe.
"For in thy stable is a ghost,
That grievouslye doth grone;
Or else some woman laboures with childe,155
Shee is so woe-begone."
Up then rose Childe Waters soone,
And did on his shirte of silke;
And then he put on his other clothes,
On his bodye as white as milke.160
And when he came to the stable dore,
Full still there hee did stand,
That hee mighte heare his fayre Ellen,
Howe shee made her monand.