14 Most speedily the page did haste,
Most swiftly did he runne,
And when he came to the broken bridge
He lay on his brest and swumme.
15 The page did make no stay at all,
But went to his lord with speed,
That he the truth might say to him
Concerning this wicked deed.
16 He found his lord at supper then,
Great merriment there they did keepe:
'My lord,' quoth he, 'this night, on my word,
Mousgrove with your lady does sleepe.'
17 'If this be true, my little foot-page,
And true as thou tellest to me,
My eldest daughter I'le give to thee,
And wedded thou shalt be.
18 'If this be a lye, my little foot-page,
And a lye as thou tellest to mee,
A new paire of gallowes shall straight be set,
And hanged shalt thou be.'
19 'If this be a lye, my lord,' said he,
'A lye that you heare from me,
Then never stay a gallowes to make,
But hang me up on the next tree.'
20 Lord Barnet then cald up his merry men,
Away with speed he would goe;
His heart was so perplext with griefe,
The truth of this he must know.
21 'Saddle your horses with speed,' quoth he,
'And saddle me my white steed;
If this be true as the page hath said,
Mousgrove shall repent this deed.'
22 He charg'd his men no noise to make,
As they rode all along on the way;
'Nor winde no hornes,' quoth he, 'on your life,
Lest our comming it should betray.'
23 But one of the men, that Mousgrove did love,
And respected his friendship most deare,
To give him knowledge Lord Barnet was neere,
Did winde his bugle most cleere.