To hear the villain speak;70
"Alas," quoth she, "what shall I do?
With grief my heart will break."
With that he took her in his arms;
She straight for help did cry;
"Content yourself, lady," he said,75
"Your husband is not nigh:
The bridge is drawn, the gates are shut,
Therefore come lie with me,
Or else I do protest and vow,
Thy butcher I will be."80
The crystal tears ran down her face,
Her children cried amain,
And sought to help their mother dear,
But all it was in vain;
For that egregious filthy rogue85
Her hands behind her bound,
And then perforce with all his might,
He threw her on the ground.
With that she shriek'd, her children cried,
And such a noise did make,90
That town-folks, hearing her laments,
Did seek their parts to take:
But all in vain; no way was found
To help the lady's need,
Who cried to them most piteously,95
"O help! O help with speed!"
Some run into the forest wide,
Her lord home for to call;
And they that stood still did lament
This gallant lady's fall.100
With speed her lord came posting home;
He could not enter in;
His lady's cries did pierce his heart;
To call he did begin:
"O hold thy hand, thou savage moor,105
To hurt her do forbear,
Or else be sure, if I do live,
Wild horses shall thee tear."
With that the rogue ran to the wall,
He having had his will,110
And brought one child under his arm,
His dearest blood to spill.
The child, seeing his father there,
To him for help did call:
"O father! help my mother dear,115
We shall be killed all."
Then fell the lord upon his knee,
And did the moor intreat,
To save the life of this poor child,
Whose fear was then so great.120
But this vile wretch the little child
By both the heels did take
And dash'd his brains against the wall,
Whilst parent's hearts did ake:
That being done, straightway he ran125
The other child to fetch,
And pluck'd it from the mother's breast,
Most like a cruel wretch.