54 'Marry, master, yett that matter is vntryde;
Within two dayes tryed itt must bee;
He is a lord, and I am but a seruing-man,
I doubt I must loose her through pouertye.'
'Why, Thomas a Pott, take thou no care;
Thou'st neuer loose her through pouertye.
55 'Thou shalt haue halfe my land a yeere,
And that will raise thee many a pound;
Before thou shalt loose thy bonny ladye,
Thou shalt drop angells with him to the ground.
56 'And thou shalt haue forty of thy ffellowes ffaire,
And forty horsses to goe with thee,
And forty speres of the best I haue,
And I my-selfe in thy companye.'
57 'I thanke you, master,' sayd Thomas a Potts,
'But of one thinge, sir, I wold be ffaine;
If I shold loose my bonny ladye,
How shall I increase your goods againe?'
58 'Why, if thou winn thy lady ffaire,
Thou maye well fforth for to pay mee;
If thou loose thy lady, thou hast losse enoughe;
Not one penny I will aske thee.'
59 'Master, you haue thirty horsses in one hold,
You keepe them ranke and royallye;
There's an old horsse,—for him you doe not care—
This day wold sett my lady ffree.
60 'That is a white, with a cutt tayle,
Ffull sixteen yeeres of age is hee;
Giffe you wold lend me that old horsse,
Then I shold gett her easilye.'
61 'Thou takes a ffoolish part,' the Lord Iockye sayd
'And a ffoolish part thou takes on thee;
Thou shalt haue a better then euer he was,
That forty pounds cost more nor hee.'
62 'O master, those horsses beene wild and wicked,
And litle they can skill of the old traine;
Giffe I be out of my saddle cast,
They beene soe wild they'le neuer be tane againe.
63 'Lett me haue age, sober and wise;
Itt is a part of wisdome, you know itt plaine;
If I be out of my sadle cast,
Hee'le either stand still or turne againe.'