PART II.

The fisherman was one time at an inn, And several gentlemen drinking with him, The wife sent this girl to call her man home. But when she did into the drinking room come, The gentlemen all were amazed to see The fisherman’s daugter so full of beauty, They presently ask’d him if she was his own, So he told the whole story before he went home: As I was a fishing within my own bound, One Monday morn this sweet baby I found; ’Tis a eleven years past since her life I did save, Or she would have found then a watery grave. The cruel Knight was in this company, And hearing the fisherman telling his story, Was vexed at his heart for to see her alive, And how to destroy her again did contrive; Then spoke to the good man, and to him he said, If that you will part with this pretty young maid, I’ll give you whatever your heart can devise, For she, in good time, to great riches will rise. The fisherman answered with modest grace, I cannot unless my dear wife is in place; Get first her consent--you shall have her for me, And then to go with you, dear sir, she is free. He got his wife’s leave, and the girl with him went, But little they thought of his cruel intent: He kept her a month, very bravely, they say, And then he contrived to make her away. For he had a brother in fair Lancashire, A noble rich man, worth two thousand a year; He sent this young girl unto him with speed, In hopes he would act a most barbarous deed. He sent a man with her, likewise they did say, But as they did lodge at an inn by the way, A thief in the house with an evil intent, To rob the portmanteau immediately went. But the thief was amazed, when he could not find, Clothes, gold or silver, or ought to his mind; But only a letter, the which he did read, And then put an end to this desperate deed. The cruel Knight wrote to his brother that day, To take this young innocent girl’s life away With sword or with poison, that very same night, And not let her live till the next morning light. When the thief read the letter, he had the grace, As to tear it, and write in the very same place:-- Dear brother, receive this young maiden from me, And bring her up well as a lady should be. Let her be esteemed, dear brother, I pray. Let servants attend her by night and by day, For she is a lady of noble great worth, A more noble lady ne’er lived in the north. Let her have good learning, dear brother, I pray, And you for the same I’ll sufficiently pay; So loving brother, my letter I end, Subscribing myself your dear brother and friend. The maid and the servant were both innocent, And onward next morning their journey they went, Before the sun set, to the Knight they did come, When the servant did leave her, and turned home, The girl was attended most bravely indeed, With men and with maidens to serve her at need, Where she did continue a whole twelve-month’s space, Till this cruel Knight came to the place. As he and his brother together did talk, He spied the fair maid in the garden to walk, She looked most beautiful, pleasant and gay, Like to fair Aurora, the goddess of May. He was in a passion when her he did spy, And said very angrily, Brother, O why, Pray did you not do as in the letter I wrote? His brother replied, It is done every whit. No, no, said the Knight, it is not I see, Therefore she shall back again go with me; But his brother did show him the letter that day, Then he was amazed, but nothing did say.