90 The wind was good, and they did sayle, Fiue hundred men into France land, There to seeke _tha_t bonny boy _Tha_t was the worthy Lo_rd_ of Learne. 91 They sought the country through and through, Soe farr to the Duke’s place of Ffrance land; There they were ware of _tha_t bonny boy, Standing w_i_th a porter’s staffe in his hand. 92 Then the worshippfull, thé did bowe, The serving-men fell on their knee, They cast their hatts vp into the ayre For ioy _tha_t boy _tha_t they had seene. 93 The Lo_rd_ of Learne then he light downe, And kist his child both cheeke and chinne, And said, God blesse thee, my sonne and my heire! The blisse of heauen _tha_t thou may winne! 94 The false steward and the Duke of France Were in a castle-topp, trulie; ‘What fooles are yond,’ says the false steward, ‘To the porter makes soe lowe curtesie?’ 95 Then bespake the Duke of Ffrance, Calling my Lo_rd_ of Learne, trulie; He sayd, I doubt the day be come _Tha_t either you or I must die. 96 Thé sett the castle round about, A swallow cold not haue flone away; And there thé tooke the false steward That the Lo_rd_ of Learne did betray. 97 And when they had taken the false steward, He fell lowe downe vpon his knee, And craued mercy of the Lo_rd_ of Learne For the villanous dedd he had done, trulye. 98 ‘Thou shalt haue mercy,’ said the Lo_rd_ of Learne, ‘Thou vile traitor, I tell to thee, As the lawes of the realme they will thee beare, Wether it bee for thee to liue or dye.’ 99 A quest of lords _tha_t there was chosen, To goe vppon his death, trulie; There thé iudged the false steward, Whether he was guiltie, and for to dye. 100 The forman of the iury he came in, He spake his words full lowd and hie; Said, Make thee ready, thou false steward, For now thy death it drawes full nie. 101 Sayd he, If my death it doth draw nie, God forgiue me all I haue done amisse! Where is _tha_t lady I haue loued soe longe? Before my death to giue me a kisse. 102 ‘Away, thou traitor!’ the lady said, ‘Auoyd out of my company! For thy vild treason thou hast wrought, Thou had need to cry to God for mercye.’ 103 First they tooke him and h[a]ngd him halfe, And let him downe before he was dead, And quartered him in quarters many, And sodde him in a boyling lead. 104 And then they tooke him out againe, And cutten all his ioynts in sunder, And burnte him eke vpon a hyll; I-wis thé did him curstlye cumber. 105 A loud laughter the lady laught, O Lord! she smiled merrylie; She sayd, I may praise my heauenly k_ing_ That euer I seene this vile traytor die.