Library of the University of Cambridge, Manuscript Ee. iv, 35.
1, fol. 19 b. Written mostly in couplets of long lines, sometimes
in stanzas of four short lines, with omissions, transpositions,
and other faults.
It will be observed that neither in this tale nor in the
"history" which follows does the tanner become aware that he has
been dealing with "our kyng." In both he calls the king "good
fellow" to the very last. What happens at the meeting with Lord
Basset, 30, is not made quite intelligible. It must be that Lord
Basset and his men fall on their knees, but the conviction that
"this" is the king seems to make no great difference in the
tanner's bearing.
| 1 |
Well yow here a god borde
to make yow all low,
How get ffell apon a tyme,
or eney man het know? |
| 2 |
The kyng rod a hontyng,
as þat tyme was;
Ffor to hont a dere
Y trow hes hope was. |
| 3 |
As he rode, he houer-
toke yn the wey
A tannar off Dantre,
yn a queynte araye. |
| 4 |
Blake kow-heydes sat he apon,
the hornys heyng be seyde;
The kyng low and had god game
to se the tannar reyde. |
| 5 |
Howre kyng bad hes men abeyde,
and he welde sper of hem the wey;
'Yffe Y may here eney now tythyng,
Y schall net to yow saye.' |
| 6 |
Howre kyng prekyd and seyde,
Ser, God the saffe!
The tannar seyde,
Well mot yow ffare! |
| 7 |
'God ffellow,' seyde yowre kyng,
'offe on thyiig Y þe pray;
To Drayton Baset well Y reyde,
wyche ys the wey?' |
| 8 |
That can Y tell the
ffro hens þat Y stonde;
When þow comest to the galow-tre,
torne vpon þe lyft honde.' |
| 9 |
'Gramercy, ffellow,' seyde owre kyng,
'withowtyn eney wone,
I schall prey the lord Baset
thanke the sone. |
| 10 |
'God ffellow,' seyde owre kyng,
'reyde þow with me
Tell Y com to Drayton Baset,
Now Y het se.' |
| 11 |
'Nay, be mey ffeyt,'
seyde the barker thoo,
'Thow may sey Y were a ffole,
and Y dyd so. |
| 12 |
'I hast yn mey wey as well
as þow hast yn theyne;
Reyde fforthe and seke they wey;
þi hors ys better nar meyne.' |
| 13 |
The tanner seyde,
What maner man ar ye?
'A preker abowt,' seyd þe kyng,
'yn maney a contre.' |
| 14 |
Than spake the tanner,
ffoll scrodeley ayen;
Y had a brother vowsed the same,
tell he cowde never the[n]. |
| 15 |
Than yowre kyng
smotley gan smeyle:
'Y prey the, ffelow,
reyde with me a meyle.' |
| 16 |
'What, devell!' quod the tanner,
'art þou owt off they wet?
Y most horn to mey deynere,
ffor I am ffastyng yet.' |
| 17 |
'Good ffelow,' seyde owre kyng,
'Care þe not ffor no mete;
Þou schalt haffe mete ynow to neyȝt,
and yeffe þou welt ette.' |
| 18 |
The tanner toke gret skorne of hem,
and sware be Creystys pyne,
Y trow Y hafe more money yn mey pors
nar thow hast yn theyne. |
| 19 |
'Wenest thow Y well be owt on neyȝt?
nay, and God beffore;
Was Y neuer owt a-neyt
sen Y was bore.' |
| 20 |
The tanner lokyd a bake tho;
the heydes began to ffall;
He was war of the keynges men,
where they cam reydyng all. |
| 21 |
Thes ys a theffe, thowt the tanner,
Y prey to God geffe hem care;
He well haffe mey hors, mey heydes,
and all mey chaffare. |
| 22 |
'Ffor ffeleyschepe,' seyde the tannar,
'y[e]t well Y reyde with the;
Y wot, ware Y mete with the affterward,
thow mast do as meche ffor me.' |
| 23 |
'God amar[sey],' seyde owre kyng,
'withowt eney wone,
Y schall prey þe lord Baset
to thanke the sone.' |
| 24 |
Owre kyng seyde, What now tydyng
herest [þou] as þou [dost] ryd?
I wolde ffayne wot,
ffor þow reydest weyde. |
| 25 |
'Y know [no] now teytheyng,' þe tanner seyde,
herke and þou schalt here;
Off al the chaffar that Y know,
kow-heydys beyt dere.' |
| 26 |
Owre keyng seyde, On theyng
on mey loffe Y the prey;
What herest sey be the lord Baset
yn thes contrey? |
| 27 |
'I know hem not,' seyde the tanner,
'with hem Y hafe lytyll to don;
Wolde he neuer bey of me
clot-lether to clowt with schon.' |
| 28 |
Howre kyng seyde, Y loffe the well,
of on thyng I þe praye;
Thow hast harde hes servantes speke,
what wolde þey saye? |
| 29 |
'Ye, ffor God,' seyde the tanner,
'þat tell Y can;
Thay sey thay leke hem well,
ffor he ys a god man.' |
| 30 |
Thos they reyd together talkyng,
for soyt Y yow tell,
Tell he met þe lord Baset;
on kneys downe fey ffell. |
| 31 |
Alas, the tanner thowt,
the kyng Y leue thes be;
Y schall be honged, well Y wot,
at men may me se. |
| 32 |
He had no meynde of his hode nor cape
nere a dell [more],
Al ffor drede off hes leyffe
he wende to haffe lore. |
| 33 |
The tanner wolde a stole awey,
whyle he began to speke;
Howre kyng had yever an ey on hem,
that he meyt not skape. |
| 34 |
'God ffelow', seyd owre kyng,
'with me thow most abeyde,
Ffor þow and Y
most an hontyng reyde.' |
| 35 |
Whan they com to Kyng Chas,
meche game þye saye;
Howre kyng seyde, Ffelow, what schall Y do,
my hors ys so hey? |
| 36 |
'God ffelow,' [seyde owre kyng,]
lend þow me theyne,
. . .
and hafe here meyne.' |
| 37 |
Tho the tannar leyt do[w]ne
and cast a downe hes heydys;
Howre kyng was yn hes sadell,
no leyngger he beydes. |
| 38 |
Alas, þeyn the tanner thowt,
with mey hors he well reyde awey;
Y well after,
to get hem and Y may. |
| 39 |
He welde not leffe his heydys beheynde
ffor no theyng ...;
He cast them yn the kynges schadyll;
Þat was a neys seyte. |
| 40 |
Þo he sat aboffe them,
as Y [y]ouw saye,
He prekyd ffast after,
and ffond þe redey wey. |
| 41 |
The hors lokyd abowt hem,
and sey on euery seyde
. . .
the kow-hornes blake and wheyte. |
| 42 |
The hors went he had bore
þe deuell on hes bake;
The hors prekyd as he was wode,
het mestoret to spor hem not. |
| 43 |
The barker cleynt on hem ffast,
he was sore afferde ffor to ffall;
. . .
. . . |
| 44 |
The kyng lowhe [and had gode game,]
and was glad to ffollow þe chas;
Lest þe tanner wolde bere hem downe
yette he was agast. |
| 45 |
The hors sped hem sweythyli,
he sped hem wonderley ffast;
Ayen a bow of an oke
the tanneres hed he brast. |
| 46 |
With a stombellyng as he rode,
þe tanner downe he cast;
The kyng lowhe and had god game,
and seyde, Ser, þou rydyst to ffast. |
| 47 |
The kyng lowhe and had god game,
and sware be Sent John,
Seche another horsman
say Y neuere none. |
| 48 |
Owre kyng lowhe and had god bord,
and sware be Sent Jame,
Y most nedys lawhe,
and thow were mey dame. |
| 49 |
'Y bescro the same son,'
seyde the barker tho,
'þat seche a bord welde haffe
to se hes dame so wo.' |
| 50 |
When her hontyng was ydo,
þey changyd hors agen;
Þo the barker had hes howyn,
þeyrof he was ffayne. |
| 51 |
'God a marsey,' seyd owre kyng,
'of þey serueyse to daye;
Yeffe thow hafe awt to do with me,
or owt to saye, |
| 52 |
'They ffrende schall Y yeffor be,
Be God [þat] ys bet on;
. . .
. . . |
| 53 |
'God a marsey,' seyde þe barker þo,
'thow semyst a ff elow god;
Yeffe Y met the yn Dantre,
þow schalt dreynke, be [þe] rode.' |
| 54 |
'Be mey ffeyt,' seyde owre kyng,
'or els were Y to blame,
Yeffe Y met the yn Lecheffelde,
þow schalt hafe the same.' |
| 55 |
Þus they rode talkyng togeder
to Drayton Hall;
Tho the barker toke hes leffe
of the lordes all. |
| 56 |
Owre kyng comand þe barker
yn that tyde
A c. s'. yn hes pors,
to mend hes kow-heydys. |
| 57 |
There owre kyng and the barker
partyd ffeyre atwyn;
God þat set yn heffen so hey
breyng os owt of sen! |
| Explycyt
þe Kyng and the Barker. |
A merrie, pleasant and delectable Historic, betweene King
Edward the Fourth and a Tanner of Tarn worth, etc.
| 1 |
In summer-time, when leaues grou greene,
and blossoms bud on euery tree,
King Edward would a hunting ride,
some pastime for to see. |
| 2 |
With hawke and hound he made him bound,
with home and eke with bow;
Toward Drayton Basset he tooke his way,
whosoeuer doth it know. |
| 3 |
But as our king on his way rode forth,
by eight a clocke of the day,
He was ware of a tanner of mery Tamworth,
was in a quaint aray. |
| 4 |
A good russet coat the tanner had on,
he thought it mickle pride;
He rode on a mare cost foure shillings,
and vnder him a good cow-hide. |
| 5 |
A paire of rough mittens the tanner did weare,
his hood was buckled vnder his chin;
'Yonder comes a good fellow,' said our king,
'that cares not whether he lose or win.' |
| 6 |
The tanner came singing on his mare,
with one so merry a note;
He sung out of tune, he was past care,
he had no neede to grease his throte. |
| 7 |
'Stand you here still, my lordes now,
vnder the greene wood spray,
And I will ride to yonder fellow,
to wit what he will say. |
| 8 |
'God speede, good fellow,' said our king;
'thou art welcom, sir,' quoth he;
'Which is the way to Drayton Basset,
I pray thee tell to me.' |
| 9 |
'Marry, that I will,' quoth the tanner,
'right as here I stand;
The next paire of gallows that thou comes to,
turne in vpon thy right hand.'
|
| 10 |
'It is an vnready way,' said our king,
'I tell you, so mote I thee;
I pray you show me the readiest way
the towne that I may see.' |
| 11 |
'Go play the great jauel!' quoth the tanner,
'I hold thee out of thy wit;
All day haue I ridden on Brocke, my mare,
and I am fasting yet.' |
| 12 |
'Why, we will to the towne,' said our king,
'and of dainties [we will none lacke];
We will eate and drinke and fare of the best,
and I will pay for the shot.' |
| 13 |
'God haue mercy for nothing,' quoth the tanner,
'thou paiest for none of mine,
For I haue as many nobles in my purse
as thou hast pence in thine.' |
| 14 |
'God giue you ioy of yours,' said our king,
'and send thee well to priefe;'
The tanner would faine haue beene away,
for he wend he had beene a thiefe. |
| 15 |
'What art thou, good fellow?' quoth the tanner,
'of thee I am in great feare,
For the clothes that thou wearest on thy back
are not for a lord to weare.' |
| 16 |
'I neuer stole them,' said our king,
'I tell you, sir, by the rood;'
'No, thou plaiest as many an vnthrift doth,
thou standst in the mids of thy good.' |
| 17 |
'What tidings heare you,' said our king,
'as you ride f arre and neare?'
'I heare no tidings,' quoth the tanner,
'but that cow-hides are deare.' |
| 18 |
'Cow-hides? cow-hides?' then said our king,
'I know not what they be;'
'Lo, here thou maist see one;' quoth the tanner,
I here lyeth one vnder me. |
| 19 |
'Knowst thou not a cow-hide,' quoth the tanner,
'and hast gone so long to schoole?
If euer thou coine to dwell in the country,
thou wilt be made a foole.' |
| 20 |
'What craftsman are you?' said our king,
'I pray you tell me now;'
'I am a barker,' quoth the tanner,
['What craftsman art thou?']
|
| 21 |
I am a courtier,' said our king,
'forth of seruice I am worne;
Full faine I would be your prentise,' he said,
'your cunning for to learne.' |
| 22 |
'Marrie, God forbid,' quoth the tanner,
'that such a prentise I should haue;
He wold spend me more than he would get
by fortie shillings a yere.' |
| 23 |
One thing would I wit,' said our king,
'if you will not seeme strange;
Thou my horse be better than your mare,
with you faine would I change.' |
| 24 |
'Nay, there thou liest yet,' quoth the tanner,
'by Christ, thou shalt abide;
For, if thou haue Brocke, my mare,
thou gets not my good cow-hide.' |
| 25 |
'I will not haue it,' said our king,
'I tell thee, so mote I thee;
I will not carrie it away
though you would giue it me.' |
| 26 |
'Why, then we must change,' quoth the tanner,
'as needs me thinke thou woot;
But if you haue Brocke, my mare,
I will looke to haue some boote.' |
| 27 |
'That were against reason,' said our king,
'I tell you, so mote I thee;
My horse is much better than your mare,
and that you may well see.' |
| 28 |
'Avise a vous now,' sayd the tanner,
'whether thou wilt or no,
For my mare is gentle and will not kicke,
but softlie she will go. |
| 29 |
'And thy horse is vnhappie and vnwieldie,
[and will neuer goe in rest,]
But alwaies skipping here and there,
and therefore my mare is best.' |
| 30 |
'What boot will you haue?' then said our king,
'tell me now in this tide;'
'Neuer a single pennie,' quoth the tanner,
'but a noble of gold so red.' |
| 31 |
'Why, there is your noble,' said our king,
'well paid looke that you be;'
'I would haue sworne on a book,' quoth the tanner,
'thou hadst not one pennie.' |
| 32 |
Now hath the king the tanner's mare,
she is nothing faire, fat nor round,
And the tanner hath the king's good steede,
the saddle is worth fortie pound. |
| 33 |
The tanner tooke vp the good cowhide,
off the ground where he stood,
He threw it vpon the king's steede,
in the saddle that was so good. |
| 34 |
The steed stared vpon the homes,
vnder the greene wood spraie;
He had weende the diuell of hell had bin come,
to carrie him thence away. |
| 35 |
The tanner looked as fast on the stirrops,
astonied sore he was;
He meruailed greatly in his minde
whether they were gold or bras. |
| 36 |
'Help me [vp], good fellow,' quoth the tanner,
'lightly that I were gone;
My wife and my neighbours more and lesse
will say I am a gentleman.' |
| 37 |
The king tooke the tanner by the leg,
and lift him vp a loft;
The tanner girded out a good round fart,
his belly it was so soft. |
| 38 |
'You make great waste,' said our king,
'your curtesie is but small;'
Thy horse is so high,' quoth the tanner againe,
I feare me of a fall.'
|
| 39 |
But when the tanner was in the saddle
the steede began to blow and blast,
And against the roote of an old tree
the tanner downe he cast. |
| 40 |
'Abide, good fellow,' said our king,
'ye make ouer great hast;'
'Thou shalt haue thy horse, with a vengeance, againe,
for my necke is well nigh brast.' |
| 41 |
'Why then we must change,' said our king,
'as me thinke needs thou woot;
But if you haue your mare againe
I will looke to haue some boote.' |
| 42 |
What boote wilt thou haue?' quoth the tanner,
'tell me in this stound;
'Neuer a groat nor pennie,' said our king,
'but of thy gold twentie pound.' |
| 43 |
'Nay, here is thy noble,' quoth the tanner again,
'and Christ's blessing and mine;
Yea, here is twentie good groats more,
goe drinke them at the wine.' |
| 44 |
'So mote I thee,' then said our king,
'it shall not slacke my woe;
For when a noble is in small monie
full soone it is agoe.' |
| 45 |
'Dost thou loue to keepe gold?' quoth the tanner,
the king answered and said, Ye;
' Then I would thou were my neere kinsman,
for I thinke thou wilt thriue and thee.' |
| 46 |
Now hath the tanner Brocke, his mare,
and vnder him his good cowhide,
Our noble king his horse againe,
which was a well faire steede. |
| 47 |
'Now farewell, good fellow,' quoth the tanner,
'I will bide no longer with thee;'
'Tarrie yet a little while,' said our king,
'and some pastime we will see.' |
| 48 |
Our king set a bugle to his mouth,
and blew a blast lowd and small;
Seuen score lords, knights, squires and yeomen
came riding ouer a dale. |
| 49 |
'Now out alas!' quoth the tanner,
'that euer I saw this tide;
Thou art a strong thiefe, yonder be thy fellowes,
will haue my mare and my cowhide.' |
| 50 |
'They are no theeues,' then said our king,
'I tell you, so mote I thee;
It is my lord of Drayton Basset
is come a hunting to me.' |
| 51 |
But when before the king they came,
they fell downe on their knees;
The tanner had leuer than a thousand pound
he had beene from their companies. |
| 52 |
'A coller! a coller!' our king gan call,
quoth the tanner, It will breede sorrow;
For after a coller commeth a halter,
I trow I shall be hangd tomorrow. |
| 53 |
'Be not afraid, tanner,' said our king,
'I tell thee, so mote I thee;
Lo, here I make thee the best esquier
in all the North Countrie. |
| 54 |
'And Plumton Parke I will giue thee,
and lacie in [t]his tide
It is worth three hundred pounds by yeare
to prepare thy good cowhide.' |
| 55 |
'God a mercie, good fellow,' quoth the tanner,
'for this that thou hast done;
The next time thou comest to Tamworth town,
thou shalt haue clouting-leather for thy shon.' |
| 56 |
Now God aboue speed well the plough,
and keepe vs from care and woe,
Vntill euerie tanner in [t]his countrie
[doe ride a hunting so.] |
A merrie, pleasant and delectable Historic, betvveene King
Edward the fourth and a Tanner of Tamworth, as he rode vpon a
time with his nobles a (b, on) hunting toward Drayton Basset:
Verie pleasant and merrie to read.
| 1 |
Henry, our royall king, wold goe a huntinge,
To the greene ffo / rrest soe pleasant and fayre;
To haue the harts chased, the daintye does tripping,
To merry Sherwood his nobles repayre;
Hauke and hound was vnbound, all things prepared
For the same to the game with good regard. |
| 2 |
All a longe summers day rode the king pleasantlye,
With all his princes and nobles eche one,
Chasing the hart and hind and the bucke gallantlye,
Till the darke euening inforced them turne home.
Then at last, ryding fast, he had lost quite
All his lords in the wood in the darke night. |
| 3 |
Wandering thus wearilye, all alone vp and downe,
With a rude miller he mett att the last;
Asking the ready way vnto fayre Nottingham,
'Sir,' quoth the miller,' I meane not to iest,
Yett I thinke what I thinke; truth for to say,
You doe not lightlye goe out of your way.' |
| 4 |
'Why, what dost thou thinke of me?' quoth our king merrily,
'Passing thy iudgment vpon me soe breefe.'
'Good faith,' qwoth the miller, 'I meane not to flatter thee,
I gesse thee to bee some gentleman-theefe;
Stand thee backe in the darke! light not adowne,
Lest I presentlye cracke thy knaues cro[wn]e!' |
| 5 |
'Thou doest abuse me much,' quoth our king, 'saying thus;
I am a gentleman, and lodging doe lacke.'
'Thou hast not,' qwoth the miller, 'a groat in thy pursse;
All thine inheritance hanges on thy backe.'
'I haue gold to discharge for that I call;
If itt be forty pence, I will pay all.' |
| 6 |
'If thou beest a true man,' then said the miller,
'I sweare by my tole-dish I'le lodge thee all night.'
'Heere's my hand,' quoth our king, 'that was I euer.'
'Nay, soft,' quoth the miller, 'thou mayst be a sprite;
Better I'le know thee ere hands I will shake;
With none but honest men hands will I take.' |
| 7 |
Thus they went all alonge unto the millers house,
Where they were seething of puddings and souce.
The miller first entered in, then after went the king;
Neuer came he in soe smoakye a house.
'Now,' quoth hee, 'let me see heere what you are;'
Quoth our king, Looke you[r] fill, and doe not spare. |
| 8 |
'I like well thy countenance; thou hast an honest fac[e];
With my sonne Richard this night thou shalt lye.'
Qwoth his wiffe, By my troth, it is a good hansome yout[h];
Yet it is best, husband, to deale warrilye.
Art thou not a runaway? I pray thee, youth, tell;
Show vs thy pasport and all shalbe well. |
| 9 |
Then our king presentlye, making lowe curtesie,
With his hatt in his hand, this he did say:
I haue noe pasport, nor neuer was seruitor,
But a poore courtyer, rode out of the way;
And for your kindnesse now offered to me,
I will requite it in euerye degree. |
| 10 |
Then to the miller his wiffe whispered secretlye,
Saing, It seemeth the youth is of good kin,
Both by his apparell and by his manners;
To turne him out, certainely it were a great sin.
'Yea,' quoth hee, 'you may see hee hath some grace,
When as he speaks to his betters in place.' |
| 11 |
'Well,' quoth the millers wiffe, 'younge man, welcome heer!
And tho I say 't, well lodged shalt thou be;
Fresh straw I will lay vpon your bed soe braue,
Good browne hempen sheetes likwise,' quoth shee.
'I,' quoth the goodman, ' and when that is done,
Thou shalt lye [with] noe worse then our owne sonne.' |
| 12 |
'Nay first,' quoth Richard, 'good fellowe, tell me true,
Hast thou noe creepers in thy gay hose?
Art thou not troubled with the scabbado?'
'Pray you,' quoth the king, 'what things are those?'
'Art thou not lowsye nor scabbed?' qwoth hee;
'If thou beest, surely thou lyest not with me.' |
| 13 |
This caused our kin<7 suddenly to laugh most hartilye
Till the teares trickled downe from his eyes.
Then to there supper were the sett orderlye,
To hott bag-puddings and good apple-pyes;
Nappy ale, good and stale, in a browne bowle,
Which did about the bord merrilye troule. |
| 14 |
'Heere,' quoth the miller, good fellowe, I'le drinke to thee,
And to all the courtnolls that curteous bee.'
'I pledge thee,' quoth our king, 'and thanke thee heartilye
For my good welcome in euerye degree;
And heere in like manner I drinke to thy sonne.'
'Doe then,' sales Richard, 'and quicke let it come.' |
| 15 |
'Wiffe,' quoth the miller, 'feitch me forth light-foote,
That wee of his sweetnesse a litle may tast.'
A faire venson pastye shee feiched forth presentlye.
'Eate,' quoth the miller, 'but first, make noe wast;
Heer is dainty lightfoote.' 'Infaith,' quoth our king,
'I neuer before eate of soe dayntye a thinge.' |
| 16 |
'Iwis,' said Richard, 'noe dayntye att all it is,
For wee doe eate of it euerye day.'
'In what place,' sayd our king, 'may be bought likto th[is?]'
'Wee neuer pay peennye for it, by my fay;
From merry Sherwood wee feitch it home heere;
Now and then we make bold with our kings deere.' |
| 17 |
'Then I thinke,' quoth our king, 'that it is venison.'
'Eche foole,' quoth Richard, 'full well may see that;
Neuer are we without two or three in the rooffe,
Verry well fleshed and exellent ffatt.
But I pray thee say nothing where-ere thou goe;
We wold not for two pence the king shold it know.' |
| 18 |
'Doubt not,' said our king, 'my promised secresye;
The king shall neuer know more on 't for mee.'
A cupp of lambes woole they dranke vnto him,
And to their bedds the" past presentlye.
The nobles next morning went all vp and downe
For to seeke the king in euerye towne. |
| 19 |
At last, att the millers house soone the did spye him plaine,
As he was mounting vpon his faire steede;
To whome the" came presentlye, falling downe on their knees,
Which made the millers hart wofullye bleed.
Shaking and quaking before him he stood,
Thinking he shold be hanged by the rood. |
| 20 |
The k[ing] perceiuing him fearfully tremblinge,
Drew forth his sword, but nothing he said;
The miller downe did fall crying before them all,
Doubtinge the king wold cut of his head.
But he, his kind curtesie for to requite,
Gaue him great liuing, and dubd him a knight. |
| 21 |
When as our noble king came from Nottingam,
And with his nobles in Westminster lay,
Recounting the sports and the pastime thé had tane
In this late progresse along on the way,
Of them all, great and small, hee did protest
The miller of Mansfeild liked him best. |
| 22 |
'And now, my lords,' quoth the king, 'I am determined,
Against St. Georges next sumptuous feast,
That this old miller, our youngest confirmed knight,
With his sonne Richard, shalbe both my guest;
For in this merryment it is my desire
To talke with this iollye knight and the younge squier.' |
| 23 |
When as the noble lords saw the kings merriment,
Thé were right ioyfull and glad in their harts;
A pursiuant the sent straight on this busines,
The which oftentimes vsed those parts.
When he came to the place where he did dwell,
His message merrilye then he did tell. |
| 24 |
'God saue your worshippe,' then said the messenger,
'And grant your ladye her owne harts desire;
And to your sonne Richard good fortune and happinesse,
That sweet younge gentleman and gallant squier!
Our kin*? greets you well, and thus doth say;
You must come to the court on St. Georges day. |
| 25 |
'Therfore in any case fayle not to be in place.'
'I-wis,' quoth the miller, 'it is an odd iest!
What shold wee doe there?' he sayd, 'infaith I am halfe afraid.'
'I doubt,' quoth Richard, 'to be hanged att the least.'
'Nay,' quoth the messenger, 'you doe mistake;
Our king prepares a great feast for your sake.' |
| 26 |
'Then,' said the miller, 'now by my troth, messenger,
Thou hast contented my worshipp full well:
Hold! there is three farthings to quite thy great gentleness
For these happy tydings -which thou dost me tell.
Let me see! hearest thou me? tell to our king,
Wee 'le wayte on his mastershipp in euerye thing.' |
| 27 |
The pursivant smyled at their simplicitye,
And making many leggs, tooke their reward,
And takeing then his leaue with great humilitye
To the kin^s court againe hee repayred,
Showing vnto his Grace in euerye degree
The kni^Ats most liberall giffts and great bountye. |
| 28 |
When hee was gone away, thus can the miller say;
Heere comes expences and charges indeed!
Now must wee needs be braue, tho wee spend all wee haue;
For of new garments wee haue great need.
Of horsses and serving-men wee must haue store,
With bridles and sadles and twentye things more. |
| 29 |
'Tushe, Sir John,' qwoth his wiffe, 'neither doe frett nor frowne,
You shall bee att noe more charges for mee;
For I will turne and trim vp my old russett gowne,
With euerye thing else as fine as may bee;
And on our mill-horsses full swift wee will ryd,
With pillowes and pannells as wee shall provyde.' |
| 30 |
In this most statelye sort the" rod vnto the court,
Their lusty sonne Richard formost of all,
Who sett vp by good hap a cockes fether in his cappe;
And soe the ietted downe towards the kings hall,
The merry old miller with his hands on his side,
His wiffe like Maid Marryan did mince at that tyde. |
| 31 |
The king and his nobles, that hard of their coming,
Meeting this gallant knight with this braue traine,
'Welcome, Sir Knight,' quoth hee, 'with this your gay lady!
Good Sir lohn Cockle, once welcome againe!
And soe is this squier of courage soe free.'
Quoth Dicke, A botts on you 1 doe you know me? |
| 32 |
Quoth our king gentlye, How shall I forgett thee?
Thou wast my owne bed-fellow; well that I wot.'
'But I doe thinke on a tricke,' 'Tell me, pray thee, Dicke!'
'How with farting we made the bed hott.'
'Thou horson [un]happy knaue,' the[n] quoth the knight,
'Speake cleanly to our [king,] or else goe shite!' |
| 33 |
The king and his councellors hartilye laugh at this,
While the king tooke them by the hand.
With ladyes and their maids, like to the queene of spades
The millers wiffe did most orderlye stand,
A milkemaids curtesye at euerye word;
And downe these folkes were set to the bord. |
| 34 |
Where the king royally, with princely maiestye,
Sate at his dinner with ioy and delight;
When he had eaten well, to jesting then hee fell,
Taking a bowle of wine, dranke to the knight.
1 Heere's to you both! ' he sayd, in ale, wine, and beere,
Thanking you hartilye for all my good cheere.' |
| 35 |
Quoth Sir Iohn Cockle, I'le pledge you a pottle,
Were it the best ale in Nottingam-shire.
'But then,' said our king, 'I thinke on a thinge;
Some of your lightfoote I wold we had heere.'
'Ho, ho!' quoth Richard, 'full well I may say it;
It's knauerye to eate it and then to bewray it.' |
| 36 |
'What! art thou angry?' quoth our king merrilye,
'Infaith I take it verry vnkind;
I thought thou woldest pledg me in wine or ale heartil[y].'
'Yee are like to stay,' quoth Dicke, 'till I haue dind.
You feed vs with twatling dishes soe small;
Zounds I a blacke pudding is better then all.' |
| 37 |
'I, marry,' quoth our king, 'that were a dainty e thing,
If wee cold gett one heere for to eate.'
With that, Dicke straight arose, and plucket one out of his h[ose,]
Which with heat of his breech began for to sweate.
The king made profer to snatch it away;
'It's meate for your master, good sir, you shall stay!' |
| 38 |
Thus with great merriment was the time wholy spent,
And then the ladyes prepared to dance.
Old Sir lohn Cockle and Richarrf incontinent
vnto this practise the kin^r did advance;
Where with the ladyes such sport thè did make,
The nobles with laughing did make their heads ake. |
| 39 |
Many thankes for their paines the king did giue them then,
Asking young Richard if he wold be wed:
'Amongst these ladyes faire, tell me which liketh thee.'
Quoth hee, lugg Grumball with the red head,
Shee's my loue; shee's my liffe; her will I wed;
Shee hath sworne I shall haue her maidenhead. |
| 40 |
Then Sir Iohn Cockle the king called vnto him;
And of merry Sherwood made him ouerseer,
And gaue him out of hand three hundred pound yearlye:
'But now take heede you steale noe more of my deere,
And once a quarter let's heare haue your vew;
And thus, Sir lohn Cockle, I bid thee adew!' |
