Percy Manuscript, p. 20; Hales and Furnivall, I, 47.
| * |
* * *
. . . .
. . . .
. . beggar,' he sayes,
'With none such fellows as thee.' |
| 2 |
'I am not in iest,' said Litle Iohn,
'I sweare all by the roode;
Change with mee,' said Little Iohn,
'And I will giue thee some boote.' |
| 3 |
But he has gotten on this old mans gowne,
It reacht not to his wrist;
'Christ's curse on's hart,' said Litle Iohn,
'That thinkes my gowne amisse.' |
| 4 |
But he has gotten on this old mans shoes,
Are clouted nine fold about;
'Beshrew his hart,' said Litle Iohn,
'That bryer or thorne does doubt. |
| 5 |
'Wilt teach me some phrase of thy begging?' says Iohn;
'I pray thee, tell it mee,
How I may be as beggar-like
As any in my companie.' |
| 6 |
'Thou must goe two foote on a staffe,
The third upon a tree;
Full loud that thou must cry and fare,
When nothing ayleth thee.' |
| 7 |
But Iohn he walket the hills soe high,
Soe did [he] the hills soe browne;
The ready way that he could take
Was towards Nottingham towne. |
| 8 |
But as he was on the hills soe high,
He mett with palmers three;
Sayes, God you saue, my brethren all,
Now God you saue and see! |
| 9 |
This seuen yeere I haue you sought;
Before I cold neuer you see!
Said they, Wee had leuer such a cankred carle
Were neuer in our companie. |
| 10 |
But one of them tooke Litle Iohn on his head,
The blood ran over his eye;
Little Iohn turned him twise about
. . . .
* * * * * |
| 11 |
'If I . . . .
As I haue beene but one day,
I shold haue purcchased three of the best churches
That stands by any highway.' |
