9 One while this litle boy he yode,
Another while he ran,
Vntill he came to Iohn Stewards hall,
I-wis he neuer blan.
10 And of nurture the child had good,
Hee ran vp hall and bower ffree,
And when he came to this lady ffaire,
Sayes, God you saue and see!
11 'I am come ffrom Chld Maurice,
A message vnto thee;
And Child Maurice, he greetes you well,
And euer soe well ffrom mee.
12 'And, as itt ffalls, as oftentimes
As knotts beene knitt on a kell,
Or marchant-men gone to leeue London,
Either ffor to buy ware or sell.
13 'And as oftentimes he greetes you well
As any hart can thinke,
Or schoolemasters [are] in any schoole,
Wryting with pen and inke.
14 'And heere he sends a mantle of greene,
As greene as any grasse,
And he bidds you come to the siluer wood,
To hunt with Child Maurice.
15 'And heere he sends you a ring of gold,
A ring of the precyous stone;
He prayes you to come to the siluer wood,
Let ffor no kind of man.'
16 'Now peace, now peace, thou litle ffoot-page,
Ffor Christes sake, I pray thee!
Ffor if my lord heare one of these words,
Thou must be hanged hye!'
17 Iohn Steward stood vnder the castle-wall,
And he wrote the words euerye one,
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
18 And he called vnto his hors-keeper,
'Make readye you my steede!'
I, and soe hee did to his chamberlaine,
'Make readye thou my weede!'