62. And they were a' weel clad.
After 6 is inserted F 6, with the first line changed to
So on we lap, and awa we rade.
APPENDIX.
This piece is found in Cotton MS., Julius, A, V, the ninth article in the manuscript, fol. 175, ro, (otherwise 180, ro). It is here given nearly as printed by Mr Thomas Wright in his edition of the Chronicle of Pierre de Langtoft, II, 452. It had been previously printed in Ritson's Ancient Songs, ed. 1829, I, 40; Finlay's Scottish Ballads, II, 168; the Retrospective Review, Second Series, II, 326. The prophecies, omitted here, are given by all the above.
1
Als y yod on ay Mounday
Bytwene Wyltinden and Walle,
Me ane aftere brade waye,
Ay litel man y mette withalle;
The leste that ever I sathe, [sothe] to say,
Oithere in boure, oithere in halle;
His robe was noithere grene na gray,
Bot alle yt was of riche palle.
2
On me he cald, and bad me bide;
Well stille y stode ay litel space;
Fra Lanchestre the parke syde
Yeen he come, wel fair his pase.
He hailsed me with mikel pride;
Ic haved wel mykel ferly wat he was;
I saide, Wel mote the bityde!
That litel man with large face.
3
I biheld that litel man
Bi the stretes als we gon gae;
His berd was syde ay large span,
And glided als the fethere of pae;
His heved was wyte als any swan,
His hegehen ware gret and grai alsso;
Brues lange, wel I the can
Merke it to five inches and mae.
4
Armes scort, for sothe I saye,
Ay span seemed thaem to bee;
Handes brade, vytouten nay,
And fingeres lange, he scheued me.
Ay stan he toke op thare it lay,
And castid forth that I mothe see;
Ay merke-soote of large way
Bifor me strides he castid three.
5
Wel stille I stod als did the stane,
To loke him on thouth me nouthe lange;
His robe was alle golde bigane,
Wel craftlike maked, I underestande;
Botones asurd, everlke ane,
Fra his elbouthe on til his hande;
Eldelike man was he nane,
That in myn herte icke onderestande.