Reliques of ancient English poetry: consisting of old heroic ballads ...

A N D B A L L A D S. 59
But that his bellye it is foe bigge,
His girdle Hands foe hye :
And ever I pray you, Childe Waters,
Let him in my chamber lye.
It is not fit for a little foot page, 105
That has run throughe moffe and myre,
To lye in the chamber of any ladye,
That weares foe riche attyre.
It is more meete for a little foot page,
That has run throughe moife and myre, no
To take his fupper upon his knee,
And lye by the kitchen fyre.
Now when they had fupped every one,
To bedd they tooke theyr waye
He fayd, come hither, my little foot-page, 115
And hearken what I faye.
Goe theedowne into yonder tovvne,
And lowe into the ftreete
The fayreft ladye that thou canft finde,
Hyre in mine armes to fleepe, 1 20
And take her up in thine armes twaine,
For filing* of her feete.
Ellen is gone into the towne,
And lowe into the ftreete :
* i. e. defiling. See Walton's Obferv. VqL 2. p. 158.
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