From Jamieson's _Popular Ballads and Songs_, i. 8. Childe Maurice hunted i' the silver[L1] wood, He hunted it round about, And noebody yt he found theren, Nor noebody without. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * And tooke his silver combe in his hand 5 To kembe his yellow lockes. He sayes, "come hither, thou litle footpage, That runneth lowly by my knee; Ffor thou shalt goe to John Steward's wiffe, And pray her speake with mee. 10 "And as it ffalls out,[L11] many times As knotts been knitt on a kell, Or merchant men gone to leeve London, Either to buy ware or sell, * * * * * * * * * * * * * * And grete thou doe that ladye well, 15 Ever soe well ffroe mee. "And as it ffalls out, many times As any harte can thinke, As schoole masters are in any schoole house, Writting with pen and inke, 20 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Ffor if I might as well as shee may, This night I wold with her speake. "And heere I send a mantle of greene, As greene as any grasse, And bid her come to the silver wood,[L25] 25 To hunt with Child Maurice. "And there I send her a ring of gold, A ring of precyous stone; And bid her come to the silver wood, Let for no kind of man." 30 One while this litle boy he yode, Another while he ran; Until he came to John Steward's hall, Iwis he never blan. And of nurture the child had good; 35 He ran up hall and bower ffree, And when he came to this lady ffaire, Sayes, "God you save and see. "I am come ffrom Childe Maurice, A message unto thee, 40 And Childe Maurice he greetes you well, And ever soe well ffrom me. "And as it ffalls out, oftentimes As knotts been knitt on a kell, Or merchant men gone to leeve London 45 Either to buy or sell; "And as oftentimes he greetes you well, As any hart can thinke, Or schoolemaster in any schoole, Wryting with pen and inke. 50 "And heere he sends a mantle of greene, As greene as any grasse, And he bidds you come to the silver wood, To hunt with child Maurice. "And heere he sends you a ring of gold, 55 A ring of precyous stone; He prayes you to come to the silver wood, Let for no kind of man." "Now peace, now peace, thou litle fotpage, Ffor Christes sake I pray thee; 60 Ffor if my lord heare one of those words, Thou must be hanged hye."