e talking of the lord of Learne,
And let all such talking go;
Let us talk more of the false steward
That caused the child all this woe.

37.
He sold this lord of Learne his clothes
For five hundred pounds to his pay [there],
And bought himself a suit of apparel,
Might well beseem a lord to wear.

38.
When he that gorgeous apparel bought
That did so finely his body upon,
He laughed the bonny child to scorn
That was the bonny lord of Learne.

39.
He laughed that bonny boy to scorne;
Lord! pity it was to hear!
I have heard them say, and so have you too,
That a man may buy gold too dear.

40.
When that he had all that gorgeous apparel
That did so finely his body upon,
He went a wooing to the duke's daughter of France,
And called himself the lord of Learne.

41.
The duke of France heard tell of this;
To his place that worthy lord was come truly;
He entertain'd him with a quart of red Rhenish wine.
Says, 'Lord of Learne, thou art welcome to me!'

42.
Then to supper that they were set,
Lords and ladies in their degree;
The steward was set next the duke of France;
An unseemly sight it was to see.

43.
Then bespake the duke of France,
Unto the lord of Learne said he there,
Says, 'Lord of Learne, if thou'll marry my daughter,
I'll mend thy living five hundred pounds a year.'

44.
Then bespake that lady fair,
Answered her father so alone,
That she would be his married wife
If he would make her Lady of Learne.

45.
Then hand in hand the steward her he took,
And plight that lady his troth alone,
That she should be his married wife,
And he would make her the lady of Learne.

46.
Thus that night it was gone,
The other day was come truly.
The lady would see the roe-buck run
Up hills and dales and forest free.

47.
Then she was ware of the young lord of Learne
Tending sheep under a briar, truly;
And thus she called unto her maids,
And held her hands up thus on high,
Says, 'Fetch me yond shepherd's boy,
I'll know why he doth mourn, truly.'

48.
When he came before that lady fair
He fell down upon his knee;
He had been so well brought up
He needed not to learn courtesy.

49.
'Where wast thou born, thou bonny boy,
Where or in what country?'
'Madam, I was born in fair Scotland,
That is so far beyond t