Classic Poem

Childe Maurice hunted ithe siluen wood,
he hunted itt round about,
& noebodye tha t he ffound therin,
nor none there was w i th-out.

& he tooke his siluer combe in his hand,
to kembe his yellow lockes;
he sayes, " come hither, thou litle ffoot page,
tha t runneth lowlye by my knee;
ffor thou shalt goe to Iohn stewards wiffe
& pray her speake w i th mee.

" & as itt ffalls out many times,
as knotts beene knitt on a kell,
or Marchant men gone to Leeue London
either to buy ware or sell,

" I, and greete thou doe tha t Ladye well,
euer soe well ffroe mee, —
And as itt ffalles out many times
as any hart can thinke,

" as schoole masters are in any schoole house
writting w i th pen and Iinke, —
ffor if I might, as well as shee may,
this night I wold w i th her speake.

" & heere I send her a mantle of greene,
as greene as any grasse,
& bidd her come to the siluer wood
to hunt w i th Child Maurice;

" & there I send her a ring of gold,
a ring of p re cyous stone,
& bidd her come to the siluer wood;
let ffor no kind of man. "

one while this litle boy he yode,
another while he ran;
vntill he came to Iohn Stewards hall,
I-wis he neuer blan.

& of nurture the child had good;
hee ran vp hall & bower ffree,
& when he came to this Lady ffaire,
sayes, " god you saue and see!

" I am come ffrom Ch[i]ld Maurice,
a message vnto thee;
& Child Maurice, he greetes you well,
& euer soe well ffrom mee.

" & as itt ffalls out oftentimes,
as knotts beene knitt on a kell,
or Marchant men gone to leeue London,
either ffor to buy ware or sell,

" & as oftentimes he greetes you well
as any hart can thinke,
or schoolem aster s in any schoole
wryting w i th pen and inke;

" & heere he sends a Mantle of greene,
as greene as any grasse,
& he bidds you come to the siluer wood,
to hunt w i th Child Maurice

" & heere he sends you a ring of gold,
a ring of the p re cyous stone,
he prayes you to come to the siluer wood,
let ffor no kind of man. "

" now peace, now peace, thou litle ffootpage,
ffor Christes sake, I pray thee!
ffor if my lo rd heare one of these words,
thou must be hanged hye! "

Iohn steward stood vnder the Castle wall,
& he wrote the words euerye one,
& he called vnto his horskeep er ,
" make readye you my steede! "
I, and soe hee did to his Chamberlaine,
" make readye then my weede! "

& he cast a lease vpon his backe,
& he rode to the siluer wood;
& there he sought all about,
about the siluer wood,

& there he ffound him Child Maurice
sitting vpon a blocke,
w i th a siluer combe in his hand
kembing his yellow locke.

he sayes, " how now, how now, Child Maurice?
alacke! how may this bee? "
but then stood vp him Child Maurice,
& sayd these words trulye:

" I doe not know yo u r Ladye, " he said,
" if tha t I doe her see. "
" ffor thou hast sent her loue tokens,
more now then 2 or 3;

" ffor thou hast sent her a Mantle of greene,
as greene as any grasse,
& bade her come to the siluer woode
to hunt w i th Child Maurice;

" & thou [hast] sent her a ring of gold,
a ring of p re cyous stone,
& bade her come to the siluer wood,
let ffor noe kind of man.

" and by my ffaith, now, Child Maurice,
the tone of vs shall dye! "
" Now be my troth, " sayd Child Maurice,
" & tha t shall not be I. "

but hee pulled forth a bright browne sword
& dryed itt on the grasse,
& soe ffast he smote att Iohn Steward,
I-wisse he neuer rest.

then hee pulled fforth his bright browne sword,
& dryed itt on his sleeue;
& the ffirst good stroke Iohn stewart stroke,
Child Maurice head he did cleeue;

& he pricked itt on his swords poynt,
went singing there beside,
& he rode till he came to tha t Ladye ffaire
wheras this ladye Lyed;

and sayes, " dost thou know Child Maurice head
if tha t thou dost itt see?
& lapp itt soft, & kisse itt offt,
ffor thou louedst him better then mee. "

but when shee looked on Child Maurice head,
she neuer spake words but 3,
" I neuer beare no Child but one,
& you haue slaine him trulye "

sayes, " wicked be my merrymen all,
I gaue Meate, drinke, & Clothe!
but cold they not haue holden me
when I was in all tha t wrath?

" ffor I haue slaine one of the curteouse[s]t K nigh ts
tha t euer bestrode a steed!
soe haue I done one [of] the fairest Ladyes
tha t euer ware womans weede! "