4 To that ladye ffayre Lord Phenix came,
And to that like-some dame said hee,
Now God thee saue, my ladye ffaire,
The heyre of all my land tho'st bee.
5 'Leaue of your suite,' the ladye sayd;
'You are a lord of honor ffree;
You may gett ladyes enowe att home,
And I haue a loue in mine owne countrye.
6 'I haue a louer true of mine owne,
A servinge-man of a small degree;
Thomas a Pott, itt is his name,
He is the ffirst loue that euer I had, and the last that hee shalbee.'
7 'Giue Thomas a Pott then be his name,
I wott I ken him soe readilye;
I can spend forty pounds by weeke,
And hee cannott spend pounds three.'
8 'God giue you good of your gold,' said the ladye,
'And alsoe, sir, of your ffee!
Hee was the ffirst loue that euer I had,
And the last, sir, shall hee bee.'
9 With that Lord Phenix was sore amoued;
Vnto her ffather then went hee;
Hee told her ffather how itt was proued,
How that his daughter's mind was sett.
10 'Thou art my daughter,' the Erle of Arrndell said,
'The heyre of all my land to bee;
Thou 'st be bryde to the Lord Phenix,
Daughter, giue thou'le be heyre to mee.'
11 For lacke of her loue this ladye must lose,
Her foolish wooing lay all aside;
The day is appoynted, and ffreinds are agreede;
Shee is fforcte to be the Lord Phenix bryde.
12 With that the lady began to muse—
A greeued woman, God wott, was shee—
How shee might Lord Phenix beguile,
And scape vnmarryed ffrom him that day.
13 Shee called to her her litle ffoote-page,
To Iacke her boy, soe tenderlye;
Sayes, Come thou hither, thou litle ffoote-page,
For indeed I dare trust none but thee.