All this beheard her own damsel,
In her bed wherein she lay;
Quoth she, My lord shall know of this,
So I shall have gold and fee.
Awake, awake, thou baron bold!
Awake, my noble dame!
Your daughter is fled with the Childe of Elle,
To do the deed of shame.
The baron he woke, the baron he rose,
And called his merry men all:
And come thou forth, Sir John the knight,
Thy lady is carried to thrall.
Fair Emmeline scarce had ridden a mile,
A mile forth of the town,
When she was aware of her father's men
Come galloping over the down:
And foremost came the carlish knight,
Sir John of the north countrey:
Now stop, now stop, thou false traitor,
Nor carry that lady away.
For she is come of high lineage,
And was of a lady born,
And ill it beseems thee, a false churl's son,
To carry her hence to scorn.
Now loud thou liest, Sir John the knight,
Now thou dost lie of me;
A knight me got, and a lady me bore,
So never did none by thee.
But light now down, my lady fair,
Light down, and hold my steed,
While I and this discourteous knight
Do try this arduous deed.
But light now down, my dear lady,
Light down, and hold my horse;
While I and this discourteous knight
Do try our valour's force.
Fair Emmeline sighed, fair Emmeline
And aye her heart was woe,
While 'twixt her love and the carlish knight
Past many a baleful blow.