22 There were four and twenty ladyes, Were playing att the ball, And Ellen, was the ffairest ladye, Must bring his steed to the stall. 23 There were four and twenty faire ladyes Was playing att the chesse; And Ellen, shee was the ffairest ladye, Must bring his horsse to grasse. 24 And then bespake Child Waters sister, And these were the words said shee: You haue the prettyest ffootpage, brother, _Tha_t euer I saw w_i_th mine eye; 25 'But _tha_t his belly it is soe bigg, His girdle goes wonderous hye; And eu_er_ I pray you, Child Waters, Let him goe into the chamber w_i_th mee.' 26 'It is more meete for a little ffootpage, _Tha_t has run through mosse and mire, To take his supper vpon his knee And sitt downe by the kitchin fyer, Then to goe into the chamber w_i_th any ladye That weares soe [rich] attyre.' 27 But when thé had supped euery one, To bedd they took the way; He sayd, Come hither, my little footpage, Harken what I doe say. 28 And goe thee downe into yonder towne, And low into the street; The ffairest ladye _that_ thou can find, Hyer her in mine armes to sleepe, And take her vp in thine armes two, For filinge of her ffeete. 29 Ellen is gone into the towne, And low into the streete; The fairest ladye _tha_t shee cold find Shee hyred in his armes to sleepe, And tooke her in her armes two, For filing of her ffeete. 30 'I pray you now, good Child Waters, _That_ I may creepe in att yo_u_r bedds feete; For there is noe place about this house Where I may say a sleepe.' 31 This [night] and itt droue on affterward Till itt was neere the day: He sayd, Rise vp, my litle ffoote-page, And giue my steed corne and hay; And soe doe thou the good blacke oates, _Tha_t he may carry me the better away. 32 And vp then rose Ffaire Ellen, And gaue his steed corne and hay, And soe shee did and the good blacke oates, _Tha_t he might carry him the better away. 33 Shee layned her backe to the manger side, And greiuouslye did groane; And _tha_t beheard his mother deere, And heard her make her moane. 34 Shee said, Rise vp, thou Child Waters, I thinke thou art a cursed man; For yonder is a ghost in thy stable, _Tha_t greiuouslye doth groane, Or else some woman laboures of child, Shee is soe woe begone. 35 But vp then rose Child Waters, And did on his shirt of silke; Then he put on his other clothes On his body as white as milke. 36 And when he came to the stable-dore, Full still _tha_t hee did stand, _Tha_t hee might heare now Faire Ellen, How shee made her monand.