44 'You are a nobleman,' sayd Thomas a Potts,
'Yee are a borne lord in Scottland ffree;
You may gett ladyes enowe att home;
You shall neuer take my loue ffrom mee.'
45 'Away, away, thou Thomas a Potts!
Thou seruing-man, stand thou a-side!
I wott there's not a serving-man this day,
I know, can hinder mee of my bryde.'
46 'If I be but a seruing-man,' sayd Thomas,
'And you are a lord of honor ffree,
A speare or two I'le with you runn,
Before I'le loose her thus cowardlye.'
47 'On Gilford Greene,' Lord Phenix saies, 'I'le thee meete;
Neither man nor boy shall come hither with mee;'
'And as I am a man,' said Thomas a Pott,
'I'le haue as ffew in my companye.'
48 With that the wedding-day was stayd,
The bryde went vnmarryed home againe;
Then to her maydens ffast shee loughe,
And in her hart shee was ffull ffaine.
49 'But all my mayds,' they ladye sayd,
'That this day doe waite on mee,
Wee will ffall downe againe vpon our knees,
For Thomas a Potts now pray will wee.
50 'If his ffortune be ffor to winn—
Wee'le pray to Christ in Trynitye—
I'le make him the fflower of all his kinn,
For the Lord of Arrundale he shalbe.'
51 Now let vs leaue talking of this lady fayre,
In her prayers good where shee can bee;
I'le tell you the troth how Thomas a Potts
For aide to his lord againe came hee.
52 And when he came to Strawberry Castle,
To try ffor his ladye he had but one weeke;
Alacke, ffor sorrow hee cannott fforbeare,
For four dayes then he ffell sicke.
53 With that his lord and master to him came,
Sayes, I pray thee, Thomas, tell mee without all doubt,
Whether hast thou gotten the bonny ladye,
Or thou man gange the ladye withoute.