23 ‘Why, you old cuckold, blind cuckold, can’t you very well see? They are three skimming-dishes, my mother sent to me.’ 24 ‘Heyday! Godzounds! Skimming-dishes with hat-bands on! the like was never known!’ Old Wichet a cuckold went out, and a cuckold he came home. 25 I went into the chamber, and there for to see, And there I saw three men in bed lie, by one, by two, and by three. 26 I called to my loving wife, and ‘Anon, kind sir!’ quoth she: ‘O what do these three men in bed, without the leave of me?’ 27 ‘Why, you old cuckold, blind cuckold, don’t you very well see? They are three milking-maids, my mother sent to me.’ 28 ‘Heyday! Godzounds! Milking-maids with beards on! the like was never known!’ Old Wichet a cuckold went out, and a cuckold he came home. * * * * * =A.= 1^1. _Or_, Our goodman came hame at een. 2^1. _Or_, How came this horse here? 2^2. _Or_, How can this be? 3^1. _Or_, Ye ald blind dottled carl. 3^2. _Or_, Blind mat ye be! 3^3. _Or_, a bonny milk-cow. 3^4. My minny _is an alternative and necessary reading for_ The miller. 4^1. _Or_, travelld. 4^2. _Or_, And meikle hae I seen. 4^4. [_Or_,] Saw I. 5^1. _Or_, Our goodman came hame. 7^4. The cooper sent. _9-12. At the end, with a direction as to place: not completely written out._ 9^1. Hame, etc. 10^3. O how. 12^{1,2}. Weel far hae I travelled, And muckle hae I seen. 12^4. Saw I never nane. _The regular readings have been inserted or substituted. In printing, Herd gave sometimes the alternative readings, sometimes not._ =B.= _Printed in seven staves, or stanzas, of eight long lines._ 1^1, 2^1. Oh. 15^3, 19^3. the three. Notes and Queries, First Series, VI, 118 (“Shropshire Ballad”). I went into the stable, To see what I could see; I saw three gentlemen’s horses, By one, by two, by three. I called to my loving wife, ‘Coming, sir!’ says she: ‘What meaneth these three horses here, Without the leave of me?’ ‘You old fool! you blind fool! Can’t you, won’t you, see? They are three milking-cows, That my mother sent to me.’ ‘Odds bobs, here’s fun! Milking-cows with saddles on! The likes I never see! I cannot go a mile from home But a cuckold I must be.’ I went into the parlour, To see what I could see; I saw there three gentlemen, By one, by two, by three. I called to my loving wife, ‘Coming, sir!’ said she: ‘What bringeth these three gentlemen here, Without the leave of me?’ ‘You old fool! you blind fool! Can’t you, won’t you, see? They are three milking-maids, That my mother sent to me.’