But he has written a braid letter, Between the night and day, 30 And sent it to his own sister, By dun feather and gray.
When she had read Wise William's letter, She smiled and she leuch: Said, "Very weel, my dear brother, 35 Of this I have eneuch."
She looked out at her west window, To see what she could see, And there she spied him Reedisdale, Come riding o'er the lea. 40
Says, "Come to me, my maidens all, Come hitherward to me; For here it comes him Reedisdale, Who comes a-courting me."
"Come down, come down, my lady fair, 45 A sight of you give me:" "Go from my yetts now, Reedisdale, For me you will not see."
"Come down, come down, my lady fair, A sight of you give me; 50 And bonnie is the gowns of silk That I will give to thee."
"If you have bonnie gowns of silk, O mine is bonnie tee; Go from my yetts now, Reedisdale, 55 For me you shall not see."
"Come down, come down, my lady fair, A sight of you I'll see; And bonnie jewels, broaches, rings, I will give unto thee." 60
"If you have bonnie broaches, rings, O mine are bonnie tee; Go from my yetts now, Reedisdale, For me you shall not see."
"Come down, come down, my lady fair, 65 One sight of you I'll see; And bonnie is the halls and bowers That I will give to thee."
"If you have bonnie halls and bowers, O mine is bonnie tee; 70 Go from my yetts now, Reedisdale, For me you shall not see."
"Come down, come down, my lady fair, A sight of you I'll see; And bonnie is my lands so broad 75 That I will give to thee."
"If you have bonnie lands so broad, O mine is bonnie tee; Go from my yetts now, Reedisdale, For me you will not see." 80
"Come down, come down, my lady fair A sight of you I'll see; And bonnie is the bags of gold That I will give to thee."
"If you have bonnie bags of gold, 85 I have bags of the same; Go from my yetts now, Reedisdale, For down I will not come."
"Come down, come down, my lady fair, One sight of you I'll see; 90 Or else I'll set your house on fire, If better cannot be."
Then he has set the house on fire, And all the rest it took; He turned his wight horse head about, 95 Said, "Alas! they'll ne'er get out."
"Look out, look out, my maidens fair, And see what I do see; How Reedisdale has fired our house, And now rides o'er the lea. 100