The one of them was clad in green, Another was clad in pall; And then came in my lord Barnards wife, The fairest amonst them all. She cast an eye on little Musgrave, As bright as the summer sun, And then bethought this little Musgrave, "This lady's heart have I won." Quoth she, "I have loved thee, little Musgrave, Full long and many a day:" "So have I loved you, fair lady, Yet never word durst I say." "I have a bower at Bucklesfordbery, Full daintily it is dight; If thou wilt wend thither, thou little Musgrave, Thou's lig in mine arms all night." Quoth he, "I thank ye, fair lady, This kindness thou showest to me; But whether it be to my weal or woe, This night I will lig with thee." With that he heard a little tiny page, By his lady's coach as he ran: "Allthough I am my lady's footpage, Yet I am lord Barnard's man. "My lord Barnard shall know of this, Whether I sink or swim:" And ever where the bridges were broke, He laid him down to swim. "Asleep, or wake! thou lord Barnard, As thou art a man of life; For little Musgrave is at Bucklesfordbery, Abed with thy own wedded wife." "If this be true, thou little tiny page, This thing thou tellest to me, Then all the land in Bucklesfordbery I freely will give to thee. "But if it be a lie, thou little tiny page, This thing thou tellest to me, On the highest tree in Bucklesfordbery Then hanged shalt thou be." He called up his merry men all:-- "Come saddle me my steed; This night must I to Bucklesfordbery, For I never had greater need." And some of them whistl'd, and some of them sung, And some these words did say, And ever when my lord Barnard's horn blew, "Away, Musgrave, away!" "Methinks I hear the thresel-cock, Methinks I hear the jay; Methinks I hear my Lord Barnard,-- And I would I were away." (_thresel-cock_, thrush.) "Lie still, lie still, thou little Musgrave, And huggell me from the cold; 'Tis nothing but a shephard's boy, A driving his sheep to the fold. "Is not thy hawk upon a perch? Thy steed eats oats and hay, And thou a fair lady in thine arms,-- And wouldst thou be away?" With that my lord Barnard came to the door, And lit a stone upon; He plucked out three silver keys, And he open'd the doors each one. He lifted up the coverlet, He lifted up the sheet; "How now, how now, thou little Musgrave, Doest thou find my lady sweet?" "I find her sweet," quoth little Musgrave, "The more 'tis to my pain; I would gladly give three hundred pounds That I were on yonder plain." "Arise, arise, thou little Musgrave, And put thy clothés on; It shall ne'er be said in my country, I have killed a naked man. "I have two swords in one scabbard, Full dear they cost my purse;