Page:Wandering young gentlewoman, or, Cat-skin's garland.pdf/6

 There none shall attend me but thee, I profess,

So one day or other, when in thy rich dress,

Thou shalt be drest, if my parents come nigh,

I'll tell them 'tis for thee I’m sick and like to die.

Aving thus consulted, this couple parted,

Next day this ’squire he took his bed,

And his dear parents this thing perceiv’d,

For fear of his death they were heartily griev’d.

To tend him they sent for a nurse presently,

He said, none but Cat-skins my nurse now shall be,

His parents said no, son; he said, but she shall,

Or else I shall have no nurse to me at all.

His parents both wondered, to hear him say thus,

That none but Cat-skins must be his nurse:

So then his dear parents, their son to content,

Up to the chamber, poor Cat-skins they sent.

Sweet cordials and other rich things were prepar’d,

Which between this couple were equally shar’d,

And when they were alone, in each others arms,

Enjoy’d one another in love’s pleasant charms.

At length on a time, poor Cat-skins ’tis said,

In her rich attire, she was quickly array’d,

And when that his mother the chamber drew near,

Then much like a goddess Cat-skins did appear.

Which caus’d her to startle, and thus for to say.

What young lady is this, son, tell me, I pray?

He said, why! ’tis Cat-skins, for whom sick I ly,

And without I have her, with speed I shall die.

His mother ran down then to tell the old knight,

Who ran up to see this amazing great fight,

He said, why! ’tis Cat-skins, we hold so in scorn,

I never saw a finer dame since I was born.

The old knight said to her, I pray thee, tell me,

From whence thou dost come, and of what family,

Then who were her parents, she gave him to know,

And what was the cause of her wandering so.