Sayes, Chrift you fave, good Childe Waters;
Sayes, Christ you fave, and fee:

5

My girdle of gold that was too longe,
Is now too fhort for mee.

And all is with one chyld of yours,

I feele fturre att my fide:

My gowne of greene it is too straighte;

10

Before, it was too wide.

If the child be mine, faire Ellen, he fayd,
Be mine as you tell mee;

Then take you Cheshire and Lancashire both, 15
Take them your owne to bee.

If the childe be mine, faire Ellen, he fayd,

Be mine, as you doe fweare:

Then take you Cheshire and Lancashire both,

And make that child your heyre.

Shee faies, I had rather have one kiffe,

Child Waters, of thy mouth;

20

Than I wolde have Cheshire and Lancashire both,

That lye by north and fouth.

And I had rather have one twinkling,

Childe Waters, of thine ee:

Then I wolde have Cheshire and Lancashire both,

To take them mine owne to bee.

Ver. 13. be inne. MS.

E 4

25

Το

To morrow, Ellen, I must forth ryde

Farr into the north countrie;
The fairest lady that I can find,
Ellen, must goe with mee.

Thoughe I am not that lady fayre,
'Yet let me go with thee':

And ever I pray you, Child Waters,

Your foot-page let me bee.

If you will my foot-page be, Ellèn,

As

you doe tell to mee;

Then you muft cut your gowne of greene,

An inch above your knee:

Soe muft you doe your yellowe lockes,

An inch above your ee:

30

35

40

You must tell no man what is my name;

My foot-page then you fhall bee.

:

Shee, all the long day Child Waters rode,
Ran barefoote by his fide;

45

Yett was he never foe courteous a knighte,

To fay, Ellen, will you ryde?

Shee, all the long day Child Waters rode,
Ran barefoote thorow the broome;
Yett hee was never foe curteous a knighte,

50

To fay, put on your fhoone.

Ride foftlye, fhee fayd, O Childe Waters,

Why doe you ryde foe fast?

The childe, which is no mans but thine,

55

My bodye itt will brast,

Hee fayth, feeft thou yonder water, Ellen,

That flows from banke to brimme.

I trust to God, O Child Waters,

You never will fee* mee swimme.

60

But when thee came to the waters fide,

Shee fayled to the chinne:*

Except the Lord of heaven be my speed,

Now muft 1 learne to fwimme.

The salt waters bare up her clothes;
Our Ladye bare upp her chinne:

Childe Waters was a woe man, good Lord,

To fee faire Ellen fwimme.

65

And when shee over the water was,

Shee then came to his knee:

70

He faid, Come hither, thou faire Ellèn,

Seest thou not yonder hall, Ellèn?

Of redd gold fhines the towre:

There are twenty four faire ladyes there,

80

The fairest is my paramoure.

I fee the hall now, Child Waters,
Of redd gold fhines the yate:
God give you good now of yourselfe,
And of your worthye mate.

I fee the hall now, Child Waters,
Of redd golde fhines the towre:
God give you good now of yourselfe,
And of your paramoure.

There twenty four fayre ladyes were

A playing att the ball:

And Ellen the fairest ladye there,

Must bring his steed to the stall.

There twenty four fayre ladyes were
A playinge at the cheffe ;
And Ellen the fayreit ladye there,
Muft bring his horse to greffe.

And then befpake Childe Waters fifter,

Thefe were the wordes faid fhee:

You have the prettyeft foot-page, brother,
That ever I faw with mine ee.

85

90

195

100

Ver. 84. worldlye. MS.

But that his bellye it is foe bigg,

His girdle goes wonderous hie:

And let him, I pray you, Childe Watèrs,

Goe into the chamber with mee.

105

It is not fit for a little foot-page,

That has run throughe moffe and myre, To go into the chamber with any ladye, That weares foe riche attyre.

It is more meete for a litle foot-page,
That has run throughe moffe and myre,

To take his fupper upon his knee,

And fitt downe by the kitchen fyer.

But when they had fupped every one,

To bedd they tooke theyr waye:

He fayd, come hither, my little foot-page,

115

And hearken what I faye.

Goe thee downe into yonder towne,

And low into the street;

The fayreft ladye that thou can finde,
Hyer her in mine armes to fleepe,
And take her up in thine armes twaine,
For filinge of her feete.

**

Ellen is gone into the towne,
And low into the streete:

* i. e. defiling. See Warton's Obferv. Vol. II. p. 158.

120

The