worthy steward!
My life,' he said, 'lend it to me!
And all that I am heir upon,'
Says, 'I will give unto thee.'

22.
Mercy to him the steward did take,
And pull'd the child out of the brim;
Ever alack! the more pity,
He took his clothes even from him.

23.
Says, 'Do thou me off that velvet gown,
The crimson hose beneath thy knee,
And do me off thy cordivant shoon
Are buckled with the gold so free.

24.
'Do thou me off thy satin doublet,
Thy shirtband wrought with glistering gold,
And do me off thy golden chain
About thy neck so many a fold.

25.
'Do thou me off thy velvet hat
With feather in that is so fine,
All unto thy silken shirt
That's wrought with many a golden seam.'

26.
The child before him naked stood,
With skin as white as lily flower;
For his worthy lord's beauty
He might have been a lady's paramour.

27.
He put upon him a leather coat,
And breeches of the same beneath the knee,
And sent that bonny child him fro,
Service for to crave, truly.

28.
He pull'd then forth a naked sword
That hange[d] full low then by his side,
'Turn thy name, thou villain,' he said,
'Or else this sword shall be thy guide.'

29.
'What must be my name, worthy steward?
I pray thee now tell it me.'
'Thy name shall be poor Disaware,
To tend sheep on a lonely lea.'

30.
The bonny child, he went him fro,
And looked to himself truly,
Saw his apparel so simple upon;
O Lord! he weeped tenderly.

31.
Unto a shepherd's house that child did go,
And said, 'Sir, God you save and see!
Do you not want a servant boy
To tend your sheep on a lonely lea?'

32.
'Where was thou born?' the shepherd said,
'Where, my boy, or in what country?'
'Sir,' he said, 'I was born in fair Scotland
That is so far beyond the sea.'

33.
'I have no child,' the shepherd said,
'My boy, thou'st tarry and dwell with me;
My living,' he said, 'and all my goods,
I'll make thee heir [of] after me.'

34.
And then bespake the shepherd's wife,
To the lord of Learne thus did she say,
'Go thy way to our sheep,' she said,
'And tend them well both night and day.'

35.
It was a sore office, O Lord, for him
That was a lord born of a great degree!
As he was tending his sheep alone,
Neither sport nor play could he.

36.
Let us leav