ce
Unto the boy so tenderly,
Says, 'Boy, if thou love horses well,
My stable groom I will make thee.'

65.
And thus that that did pass upon
Till the twelve months did draw to an end;
The boy applied his office so well,
Every man became his friend.

66.
He went forth early one morning
To water a gelding at the water so free;
The gelding up, and with his head
He hit the child above his eye.

67.
'Woe be to thee, thou gelding!' he said,
'And to the mare that foaled thee!
Thou has stricken the lord of Learne
A little tiny above the eye.

68.
'First night after I was born, a lord I was;
An earl after my father doth die;
My father is the worthy lord of Learne;
His child he hath no more but me;
He sent me over the sea with the false steward,
And thus that he hath beguiled me.'

69.
The lady [wa]s in her garden green,
Walking with her maids, truly,
And heard the boy this mourning make,
And went to weeping truly.

70.
'Sing on thy song, thou stable groom,
I pray thee do not let for me,
And as I am a true lady
I will be true unto thee.'

71.
'But nay, now nay, madam!' he said,
'So that it may not be,
I am ta'en sworn upon a book,
And forsworn I will not be.'

72.
'Sing on thy song to thy gelding
And thou dost not sing to me;
And as I am a true lady
I will ever be true unto thee.'

73.
He said, 'Woe be to thee, gelding,
And to the mare that foaled thee!
For thou hast stricken the lord of Learne
A little above mine eye.

74.
'First night I was born, a lord I was;
An earl after my father doth die;
My father is the good lord of Learne,
And child he hath no other but me.
My father sent me over with the false steward,
And thus that he hath beguiled me.

75.
'Woe be to the steward, lady,' he said,
'Woe be to him verily!
He hath been above this twelve months' day
For to deceive both thee and me.

76.
'If you do not my counsel keep
That I have told you with good intent,
And if you do it not well keep,
Farewell! my life is at an end.'

77.
'I will be true to thee, lord of Learne,
Or else Christ be not so unto me;
And as I am a true lady,
I'll never marry none but thee!'

78.
She sent in for her father, the duke,
In all the speed that e'er might be;
'Put off my wedding, father,'