15 The ladye frownd, and sadly blushd,
And oh, but she thought shame!
Says, If you are a knight at all,
You surely will tell me your name.
16 'In some places they call me Jack,
In other some they call me John;
But when into the queen's court,
O then Lithcock it is my name!'
17 'Lithcock! Lithcock!' the ladye said,
And oft she spelt it ower again;
'Lithcock! it's Latin,' the ladye said,
'Richard's the English of that name.'
18 The knight he rode, the ladye ran,
A live-long summer's day.
Till they came to the wan water
That all men do call Tay.
19 He set his horse head to the water,
Just thro it for to ride,
And the ladye was as ready as him
The waters for to wade.
20 For he had never been as kind-hearted
As to bid the ladye ride,
And she had never been so low-hearted
As for to bid him bide.
21 But deep into the wan water
There stands a great big stone;
He turned his wight horse head about,
Said, Ladye fair, will ye loup on?
22 She's taken the wand was in her hand
And struck it on the faem,
And before he got the middle-stream
The ladye was on dry land:
'By help of God and our Lady,
My help lyes not in your hand!
23 'I learned it from my mother dear,
Few are there that have learned better,
When I come to deep water,
I can swim thro like ony otter.
24 'I learned it from my mother dear,
I find I learnd it for my weel,
When I come to a deep water,
I can swim thro like ony eel.'