19
'Liffe is sweet,' then, 'sir,' said shee,
'Therfore I pray you leaue mee with mine;
Before I wold dye on your swords point,
I had rather goe naked home againe.
20
'My ffather,' shee sayes, 'is a right good erle
As any remaines in his countrye;
If euer he doe your body take,
You'r sure to fflower a gallow tree.
21
'And I haue seuen brethren,' shee sayes,
'And they are all hardy men and bold;
Giff euer thé doe your body take,
You must neuer gang quicke ouer the mold.'
22
'If your ffather be a right good erle
As any remaines in his owne countrye,
Tush! he shall neuer my body take,
I'le gang soe ffast ouer the sea.
23
'If you haue seuen brethren,' he sayes,
'If they be neuer soe hardy or bold,
Tush! they shall neuer my body take,
I'le gang soe ffast into the Scottish mold.'
24
Now this ladye is gone to her fathers hall,
When euery body their rest did take;
But the Erle which was her ffather
Lay waken for his deere daughters sake.
25
'But who is that,' her ffather can say,
'That soe priuilye knowes the pinn?'
'It's Hellen, your owne deere daughter, ffather,
I pray you rise and lett me in.'
26
. . . . . . .
'Noe, by my hood!' quoth her ffather then,
'My [house] thoust neuer come within,
Without I had my red gold againe.'
27
'Nay, your gold is gone, ffather!' said shee,
. . . . . . .
'Then naked thou came into this world,
And naked thou shalt returne againe.'
28
'Nay! God fforgaue his death, father,' shee sayes,
'And soe I hope you will doe mee;'
'Away, away, thou cursed woman,
I pray God an ill death thou may dye!'