The Child of Ell
EARL BRAND—F
[_]
Percy MS., p. 57; ed. Hales and Furnivall, i, 133.
1
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Sayes ‘Christ thee saue, good Child of Ell!
Christ saue thee and thy steede!
2
‘My father sayes he will [eat] noe meate,
Nor his drinke shall doe him noe good,
Till he haue slaine the Child of Ell,
And haue seene his harts blood.’
3
‘I would I were in my sadle sett,
And a mile out of the towne;
I did not care for your father
And all his merry men!
4
‘I wold I were in my sadle sett,
And a little space him froe;
I did not care for your father
And all that long him to!’
5
He leaned ore his saddle bow
To kisse this lady good;
The teares that went them two betweene
Were blend water and blood.
6
He sett himselfe on one good steed,
This lady on a palfray,
And sett his litle horne to his mouth,
And roundlie he rode away.
7
He had not ridden past a mile,
A mile out of the towne,
[OMITTED]
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8
Her father was readye with her seuen brether,
He said, ‘Sett thou my daughter downe!
For it ill beseemes thee, thou false churles sonne,
To carry her forth of this towne!’
9
‘But lowd thou lyest, Sir Iohn the knight,
Thou now doest lye of me;
A knight me gott, and a lady me bore;
Soe neuer did none by thee.
10
‘But light now downe, my lady gay,
Light downe and hold my horsse,
Whilest I and your father and your brether
Doe play vs at this crosse.
11
‘But light now downe, my owne trew loue,
And meeklye hold my steede,
Whilest your father [and your seuen brether] bold
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