(The Little One was offended at him); Bade him adieu, farewell! Said "Turn thou again, thou messenger! When bale is at highest, boot is at next,- "Bid our Queen remember what she did dream, She dream'd the grype, and the grimly beast, "Her gorget, and her kirtle of gold, He would have worried her with his tush 66 Saving there came a little hawk, Unto the ground he did strike him, "Bid the Queen be merry at her heart, When bale is at highest, boot is at next,- Then the Queen's messenger rode back; When he came before our [comely] Queen She gave the messenger twenty pounds, O Lord! in gold and fee: Says " Spend and spare not while this doth last; Our Queen was put in a tun, to burn; They were ware of the Little One With a Mu[le upon which he rode] He light the Queen full nigh; Said-" Draw away these brands of fire When Aldingar saw that Little One, He said "Come hither, Sir Aldingar! Says "The first stroke that's given, Sir Aldingar! I will give unto thee; And if the second give thou may, Look then thou spare not me!" The Little One pull'd forth a well good sword: He struck the first stroke at Aldingar, He struck away his legs by his knee. Says "Stand up, stand up, thou false traitor! For an thou thrive as thou begins, Of a height we shall be meet." "A priest! a priest!" says Aldingar, "Me for to howzel and shrive : A priest! a priest !" says Aldingar,— "While I'm a man living alive. "I would have lain by our comely Queen; I thought to betray her to our King, "There came a lame lazar to the King's gate, A lazar both blind and lame; "I took the lazar upon my back, In the Queen's bed I did him lay; I bade him lie still, lazar! where he lay, I would make him a whole man and a souud "Ever alack! says Sir Aldingar,— "Falsing doth never well. "Forgive, forgive me, Queen Madam ! For Christ's love forgive me! "God forgave his death, Aldingar! And freely I forgive thee." "Now take thy wife, thou King Harry! Thy wife she is as true to thee The lazar under the gallows tree Was made steward in King Henry's hall. CHILD MAURICE. Child Maurice hunted the silver wood, And nobody he found therein, Nor none there was without. And he took his silver comb in his hand To comb his yellow locks; He says-" Come hither, thou little foot page For thou shalt go to John Steward's wife, "And as it falls out, many times And merchant men gone to leave London, "And greet thou do that Lady well, Ever so well from me. "And as it falls out, many times As schoolmasters are in any school house, "For if I might as well as she may, This night I would with her speak. "And here I send her a mantle of green, And bid her come to the silver wood "And there I send her a ring of gold, A ring of precious stane; And bid her come to the silver wood, Let for no kind of man!" One while this little boy he yode, Until he came to John Steward's hall And of nurture the child had good; “I am come from Child Maurice, And Child Maurice he greets you well "And as it falls out, oftentimes As knots been knit on a kell Or merchant men gone to leave London, "And as oftentimes he greets you well Or schoolmasters in any school "And here he sends a mantle of green, As green as any grass, And he bids you come to the silver wood "And here he sends you a ring of gold, He prays you to come to the silver wood, "Now peace, now peace, thou little foot page! For Christ's sake I pray thee : |