57 ‘Then I will leaue my sheepe, madam,’ he sayd, ‘And come into service vnto thee, If you will giue me meate and fee, Yo_u_r chamberlaine _tha_t I may bee.’ 58 When the lady came before her father, Shee fell low downe vpon her knee; ‘Grant me, father,’ the lady said, ‘This boy my chamberlaine to be.’ 59 ‘But O nay, nay,’ the duke did say, ‘Soe my daughter it may not bee; The lo_rd_ _tha_t is come a woing to you Will be offended w_i_th you and mee.’ 60 Then came downe the false steward, W_hi_ch called himselfe the Lo_rd_ of Learne, trulie; When he looked that bonny boy vpon, An angry man i-wis was hee. 61 ‘Where was thou borne, thou vagabond? Where?’ he sayd, ‘and in what country?’ Says, I was borne in fayre Scotland, _Tha_t is soe far beyond the sea. 62 ‘What is thy name, thou vagabond? Haue done qu[i]cklie, and tell it to me;’ ‘My name,’ he sayes, ‘is Poore Disaware, I tend sheep on the lonelie lee.’ 63 ‘Thou art a theefe,’ the steward said, ‘And soe in the end I will prooue thee;’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Then be-spake the ladie fayre, ‘Peace, Lord of Learne! I doe pray thee; Ffor if noe loue you show this child, Noe favor can you haue of mee.’ 65 ‘Will you beleeue me, lady faire, When the truth I doe tell yee? Att Aberdonie, beyond the sea, His father he robbed a hundred three.’ 66 But then bespake the Duke of France Vnto the boy soe tenderlie; Saies, Boy, if thou loue harsses well, My stable-groome I will make thee. 67 And thus _tha_t _tha_t did passe vppon Till the twelve monthes did draw to an ende; The boy applyed his office soe well Euery man became his freind. 68 He went forth earlye one morning To water a gelding at the water soe free; The gelding vp, and with his head He hitt the child aboue his eye. 69 ‘Woe be to thee, thou gelding,’ he sayd, ‘And to the mare _tha_t foled thee! Thou hast striken the Lo_rd_ of Learne A litle tinye aboue the eye. 70 ‘First night after I was borne, a lo_rd_ I was, An earle after my father doth die; My father is the worthy Lo_rd_ of Learne, And child he hath noe more but mee; He sent me over the sea with the false steward, And thus that he hath beguiled mee.’ 71 The lady [wa]s in her garden greene, Walking with her mayds, trulye, And heard the boy this mourning make, And went to weeping, trulie. 72 ‘Sing on thy song, thou stable groome, I pray thee doe not let for mee, And as I am a true ladie I wilbe trew vnto thee.’ 73 ‘But nay, now nay, madam!’ he sayd, ‘Soe _tha_t it may not bee; I am tane sworne vpon a booke, And forsworne I will not bee.’