Classic Poem

As I walked fforth one morni[n]ge
by one place tha t pleased mee,
wherin I heard a wandering wight,
sais, " christopher white is good companye. "

I drew me neere, & very neere,
till I was as neere as neere cold bee;
loth I was her councell to discreeme,
because I wanted companye.

" Say on, say on, thou well faire mayd,
why makest thou moane soe heauilye? "
sais, " all is ffor one wandering wight,
is banished fforth of his owne countrye. "
" I am the burgesse of Edenburrow,
soe am I more of townes 3,
I haue money & gold great store,
come, sweet wench, & ligg thy loue on mee. "

the merchant pulled forth a bagg of gold
w hi ch had hundreds 2 or three,
sais, " euery day throughout the weeke
Ile count as much downe on thy knee "

" O Merchant, take thy gold againe,
a good liuing twill purchase thee;
if I be ffalse to Chr istopher white,
Merchant, I cannott be true to thee. "

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.

" Come on, come, thou well faire mayde!
of our matters lett vs goe throughe,
for to-morrowe Ile marry thee,
& thy dwelling shalbe in Edenburrough. "

The Lady shee tooke this gold in her hand,
the teares the ffell ffast ffrom her eyes;
sais, " siluer & gold makes my hart to turne,
& makes me leaue good companye. "

They had not beene marryed
not ouer monthes 2 or 3,
but tydings came to Edenburrowe
tha t all the merchants must to the sea

Then as this Lady sate in a deske,
shee made a loue letter ffull round;
she mad a l ett re to chr istopher white,
& in itt shee put a 100

She lind the letter w i th gold soe red,
& mony good store in itt was found,
shee sent itt to chr istopher white
tha t was soe ffar in the Scotts ground.

Shee bade him then ffrankely spend,
& looke tha t hee shold merry bee,
& bid him come to Edenburrowe
now all the merchants be to the sea

But chr istopher came to leeue London,
& there he kneeled lowly downe,
& there hee begd his p ar don then,
of our noble K ing tha t ware the crowne.

But when he came to his true loues house,
w hi ch was made both of lime and stone,
shee tooke him by the lilly white hand,
sais, " true loue, you are welcome home!

" welcome, my honey! welcome, my ioy!
welcome, my true loue, home to mee!
ffor thou art hee tha t will leng[t]hen my dayes,
& I know thou art good companye.

" Chr istopher , I am a merchants wiffe;
christ opher , the more shall be yo u r gaine;
siluer & gold you shall haue enough,
of the merchants gold tha t is in Spaine. "

" But if you be a Merchants wiffe,
something to much you are to blame;
I will thee reade a loue lett er
shall stu[r]e thy stumpes, thou noble dame. "

" Althoug I be a marchants wiffe,
... shall ... mine
. &g . . . . . .
into England Ile goe w i th the. "

They packet vp both siluer & p[late,]
siluer & gold soe great plentye;
& they be gon into litle England,
& the marchant must them neu er see.

And when the merchants they came home,
their wiues to eche other can say,
" heere hath beene good chr istopher white,
& he hath tane thy wiffe away;

" They haue packett vp spoone & plate,
siluer & gold great plenty,
& they be gon into litle England,
& them againe thow must neu er see. "

" I care nott ffor my siluer & gold,
nor for my plate soe great plentye,
but I mourne for tha t like-some Ladye
tha t chr istopher white hath tane ffrom mee.

" But one thing I must needs confesse,
this lady shee did say to me,
" if shee were ffalse to chr istopher white,
shee cold neu er be true to mee." "

All young [wo]men, a warning take!
a warning, looke, you take by mee!
looke tha t you loue yo u r old loues best,
for infaith they are best companye.