B. L. 45,298A, ff. 45-46

       Down, down, down, ever down the river
Where beneath our muffled oars the broken light did shiver,
              Creeping through the shadows,
                     Sweeping through the light,
              On went the black bows
                     In the quiet night.

Came we to the tower,
        Close up to the wall,
In the midnight hour
        Grim it looked, and tall.

Into the sullen moat,
        By the water-gate
Quietly swept the boat
        There my love did wait[.]

[f. 45v] Mighty sleep was there,
        Watcher was there none
But the white marsh-air
        Watched the silent moon.

O! her lips were white,
        And her hand was cold,
As she stepped light,
        I grew very bold.

Standing in the boat
        Shouted I full loud,
Back from tower to moat
        Rang the echoes loud:
                "What ho! Sir Godfrey!"

"Knight thy niece so fair
        Leaves thee in thy fen[,]
Goes to the mountains fair,
        Cometh to thee again
                Never, Sir Godfrey."
Then the bells pealed out,
Then lights flashed about,
Shouts mingled with my shout
              'Sir Godfrey, Sir Godfrey!'
Then we saw the squires
With torches, amid their fires
        Dashed out the black bows,
               Swept out the long oars,
                     Rose up our song,
As past the shadows[,]
       As `twixt the low shores
               Bore we along.

[f. 46] On, still on, down the brimming river
Where level with the green banks doth the water quiver,
        Sweeping past the willows,
                Sweeping `twixt the shores,
        On went the black bows,
                Swept out the oars.

Pub. AWS, I, 529-30.

Down, down, down, ever down the river
There beneath our muffled oars the broken light did shiver,
Creeping through the shadows,
Sweeping through the light,
On went the black bows
In the quiet night.

Came we to the tower
Close up to the wall,
In the midnight hour
Grim it looked, and tall.

Into the sullen moat,
By the water-gate
Quietly swept the boat
There my love did wait.

Mighty sleep was there,
Watcher was there none
But the white marsh-air
Watched the silent moon.

O! her lips were white,
And her hand was cold,
As she stepped light
I grew very bold.

Standing in the boat
Shouted I full loud
Back from tower to moat
Rang the echoes loud:
"What ho! Sir Godfrey!

"Knight thy niece so fair
Leaves thee in thy fen,
Goes to the mountains fair
Cometh to thee again
Never, Sir Godfrey."

Then the bells pealed out,
Then lights flashed about,
Shout mingled with my shout
"Sir Godfrey, Sir Godfrey!"

Then we saw the squires
With torches, amid their fires
Dashed out the black bows
Swept out the long oars,
Rose up our song,
As past the shadows
As `twixt the low shores
Bore we along.

On, still on, down the brimming river
Where level with the green banks doth the water quiver,
Sweeping past the willows
Sweeping `twixt the shores
On went the black bows,
Swept out the oars.