'Christopher White,' Percy Manuscript, p. 513;
Hales and Furnivall, III, 494.
| 1 |
As I walked forth one morninge,
By one place that pleased mee,
Wherin I heard a wandering wight,
Sais, Christopher White is good companye. |
| 2 |
I drew me neere, and very neere,
Till I was as neere as neere cold bee;
Loth I was her councell to discreene,
Because I wanted companye. |
| 3 |
'Say on, say on, thou well faire mayd,
Why makest thou moane soe heauilye?'
Sais, All is for one wandering wight,
Is banished forth of his owne countrye. |
| 4 |
'I am the burgesse of Edenburrow,
Soe am I more of townes three;
I haue money and gold great store,
Come, sweet wench, and ligg thy loue on mee.' |
| 5 |
The merchant pulled forth a bagg of gold
Which had hundreds two or three;
Sais, Euery day throughout the weeke
I'le comt as much downe on thy knee. |
| 6 |
'O merchant, take thy gold againe,
A good liuing 'twill purchase thee;
If I be false to Christopher White,
Merchant, I cannott be true to thee.' |
| 7 |
Sais, I haue halls, soe haue I bowers,
Sais, I haue shipps sayling on the sea;
I ame the burgess of Edenburrowe;
Come, sweete wench, ligge thy loue on mee. |
| 8 |
Come on, come, thou well faire mayde,
Of our matters lett vs goe throughe,
For to-morrowe I'le marry thee,
And thy dwelling shalbe in Edenburrough. |
| 9 |
The lady shee tooke this gold in her hand,
The teares th fell fast from her eye;
Sais, Siluer and gold makes my hart to turne,
And makes me leaue good companye. |
| 10 |
They had not beene marryed
Not ouer monthes two or three,
But tydings came to Edenburrowe
That all the merchants must to the sea. |
| 11 |
Then as this lady sate in a deske,
Shee made a loue-letter full round;
She mad a lettre to Christopher White,
And in itt shee put a hundred pound. |
| 12 |
She lin'd the letter with gold soe red,
And mony good store in itt was found;
Shee sent itt to Christopher White,
That was soe far in the Scotts ground. |
| 13 |
Shee bade him then frankely spend,
And looke that hee shold merry bee,
And bid him come to Edenburrowe,
Now all the merchants be to the sea. |
| 14 |
But Christopher came to leeue London,
And there he kneeled lowly downe,
And there hee begd his pardon then,
Of our noble king that ware the crowne. |
| 15 |
But when he came to his true-loue's house,
Which was made both of lime and stone,
Shee tooke him by the lily-white hand,
Sais, True-loue, you are welcome home! |
| 16 |
Welcome, my honey, welcome, my ioy,
Welcome, my true-loue; home to mee!
Ffor thou art hee that will lengthen my dayes,
And I know thou art good companye. |
| 17 |
Christopher, I am a merchant's wiffe;
Christopher, the more shall be your gaine;
Siluer and gold you shall haue enough,
Of the merchant's gold that is in Spaine. |
| 18 |
'But if you be a merchant's wiffe,
Something t'o much you are to blame;
I will thee reade a loue-letter
Shall sture thy stumpes, thou noble dame.' |
| 19 |
'Althoug I be a marchant's wiffe,
. . . shall . . mine
. and g . . . . .
Into England I'le goe with the.' |
| 20 |
They packet vp both siluer and plate,
Siluer and gold soe great plentye,
And they be gon into Litle England,
And the marchant must them neuer see. |
| 21 |
And when the merchants they came home,
Their wiues to eche other can say,
Heere hath beene good Christopher White,
And he hath tane thy wiffe away. |
| 22 |
They haue packett vp spoone and plate,
Siluer and gold great plenty,
And they be gon into Litle England,
And them againe thow must neuer see. |
| 23 |
'I care nott for my siluer and gold,
Nor for my plate soe great plentye,
But I mourne for that like-some ladye
That Christopher White hath tane from mee. |
| 24 |
'But one thing I must needs confesse,
This lady shee did say to me,
If shee were false to Christopher White,
Shee cold neuer be true to mee. |
| 25 |
'All young men a warning take,
A warning, looke, you take by mee;
Looke that you loue your old loues best,
For infaith they are best companye.' |
