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And, as þe story tellus ful right, vij tymes be hir he lay.


 

Thomas radly vp he rose,
and ran ouer þat mounteyn hye,
and certanly, as þe story sayes,
he hir mette at Eldryne Tre.

He knelid down vpon his kne,
vndurneth þe grenewode spray ;
Louely Lady! þou rew on me ;
Qwene of Heuen, as þou well may !

Then seid þat Lady bright,
Thomas, let such wordis be !
ffor Quen of Heuon am I noght,
I toke neuer so hye degre. 
But I am a Lady of anoþer cuntre,
if I be parellid moost of price ;
I ride aftur þe wilde fee,
my raches rannen at my deuyse.

If thou be pareld most of price, 
and ridis here in þi balye,
Lufly Lady, as þou art wyse,
to gif me leve to lye þe by.

Do way, Thomas, þat were foly ;
I pray þe hertely let me be ;
ffor I say þe securly,
þat wolde for-do my bewte.

Lufly Lady, þou rew on me, 
and I shall euermore with þe dwell,
here my trouth I plight to þe,
whedur þou wilt to Heuon or Hell.

Man of molde ! þou wilt me marre,
but ȝet þou shalt haue þi wille ;
but trow þou well, þou thryuist þe warre,
ffor alle my beute þou wille spille. 

Down þen light þat Lady bright,
vndurneth a grenewode spray ;
and, as þe story tellus ful right,
vij tymes be hir he lay.

She seid, Thomas, þou likis þi play :
what byrde in boure may dwell with þe ?
þou marris me here þis lefe long day,
I pray þe, Thomas, let me be !

Thomas stondard in þat sted,
and beheld þat Lady gay ;
hir here þat hong vpon hir hed,
hir een semyd out, þat were so gray.

And alle hir clothis were away,
þat here before saw in þat stede ;
þe too þ blak, þe toþur gray,
þe body bloo as beten leed.

Thomas seid, Alas ! Alas !
In faith þis is a dolfull sight ;
þat þou art so fadut in þe face,
þat before schone as sunne bright !

Take þi leve, Thomas, at sune & mone,
and also at levys of eldryne tre ;
þis twelmond shall þou with me gon,
þat mydul erth þou shalt not se.

He knelyd downe vpon his kne, 
to Mary Mylde he made his mone :
Lady ! but þou rew on me,
alle my games fro me ar gone. 
Alas ! he seyd, woo is me,
I trow my dedis wil wyrk me woo ;
Ihesu, my soule beteche I þe,
where so euer my bonys shall goo.

She led hym to þe Eldryn Hill,
vndurneth þe grenewode lee, 
wher hit was derk as any hell,
and euer water tille þe knee. 


Thomas 
arose
with care
crossed 
quick
that mountain high
and surely

as
the story
says

her 
he met
at Eldryn tree

he
kneeled
upon one knee
under 
the greenwood spray

Lovely Lady!
pity me
Queen of Heaven
so you be!

Said
that Lady bright

Thomas
knock that off
Queen of Heaven
I am not
never
had I
so high degree
no
I am a lady
of
another country
costly bedecked
though I be
ride I
with
the wild fae
my hounds
run free
at my call

Very nicely
dressed
aye
thou ridden here
for folly
Lovely Lady
as thou are wise
give me leave
to lie with thee

Shut up
Thomas
folly 
I pray thee
really
let me be
confide I
that sin would 
quite undo
my beauty

Lovely Lady
pity me
evermore 
with thee
will I dwell
here
now
plight I
my troth
to thee
where'er
thou wander
in Heaven
or in Hell

Man of Clay!
thou'd marry me
would thee?
very well
you'll 
your wish
but
know thee well
thou chose 
for my beauty
what thou will spill

Down she climbed
that Lady bright
under the greenwood spray
and

as the story
tells us
truly

vij times
together
they lay

Said she
Thomas
likes thou to play
what bird in a bower
may dwell with thee?
this lief long day
married thou me
Thomas
I pray thee
let me be!

Thomas
stood
looked upon
his lady gay
long her hair
grey her eye
all her clothes
now
black and grey
blue her body
like beaten lead
said Thomas

Alas!
Alas!
O 
doleful sight!
thy face
now faded
that shone
sunshine
bright!

Thomas
take thy leave
of sun and moon
of green leaves too
of Eldryn Tree
this twelve-month
thou with me
shall go
no more
Middle Earth
thou shall see

Knelt he down
upon one knee
opened his heart
to mild Mary

Lady!
have pity on me!
all my games
have played amiss
alas!
woe is me!
my deeds 
have led me here
to woe
Jesu
my soul
to thee
pledge I
where'er
my bones
shall go

She led him
into Eldryn Hill
under the greenwood lee
where all is dark
as any hell
and water 
ever to the knee








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