4 'O hold your hand, sweet William,' she said, 'Your bull baits are wondrous sair; Sweet-hearts I may get many a one, But a father I will never get mair.' 5 She has taken a napkin from off her neck, That was of the cambrick so fine, And aye as she wiped her father's bloody wounds, The blood ran red as the wine. * * * * * * * 6 He set her upon the milk-white steed, Himself upon the brown; He took a horn out of his pocket, And they both went weeping along. F Percy MS., p. 57; ed. Hales and Furnivall, I, 133. 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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 wold I were in my sadle sett, And a mile out of the towne; I did not care for yo_u_r 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 yo_u_r 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, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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, S_i_r Iohn the k_nigh_t, 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 yo_u_r father and yo_u_r brether Doe play vs at this crosse. 11 'But light now downe, my owne trew loue, And meeklye hold my steede, Whilest yo_u_r father [and your _seuen_ brether] bold * * * * * * * * * * * * #A. a, b.#