A Bundle of Ballads [25]
to the gate. Then bespake that gentle knight Unto his meyn-e, "Now put on your simple weeds That ye brought from the sea." And cam-e to the gates anone, The porter was ready himself, And welcom-ed them every one.
"Welc-ome, sir knyght," said the port-er, "My lord to meat is he, And so is many a gentle man, For the love of thee." The porter swore a full great oath, "By him that mad-e me, Here be the best cores-ed horse That ever yet saw I me. Lead them into the stable," he said, "That eas-ed might they be."
"They shall not come therein," said the knight, "By him that died on a tree."
Lord-es were to meat iset In that abb-ot-es hall, The knight went forth and kneel-ed down, And salved them great and small. "Do gladly, sir abb-ot," said the knight, "I am come to hold my day."
The first word the abbot spake, "Hast th-ou brought m-y pay?"
"Not one penny," said the knight, "By him that mak-ed me."
"Thou art a shrewd debtor!" said the abb-ot; "Sir justice, drink to me! What dost thou here," said the abb-ot, "But thou hadst brought thy pay?"
"For-e God," then said the knight, "To pray of a longer day."
"Thy day is broke," said the justice, "Land gettest thou none."
"Now, good sir justice, be my friend, And fend me of my fone."
"I am hold with the abbot," said the justice, "Both with cloth and fee."
"Now, good sir sheriff, be my friend."
"Nay, for-e God," said he.
"Now, good sir abbot, be my friend, For thy curteys-e, And hold my land-es in thy hand Till I have made thee gree; And I will be thy true serv-ant, And truly serv-e thee, Till ye have fo-ur hundred pound Of money good and free."
The abbot sware a full great oath, "By him that died on a tree, Get the land where thou may, For thou gettest none of me."
"By dere-worthy God," then said the knight, "That all this world wrought, But I have my land again, Full dear it shall be bought; God, that was of a maiden borne, Lene us well to speed! For it is good to assay a friend Ere that a man have need."
The abb-ot loathl-y on him gan look, And villainousl-y gan call; "Out," he said, "thou fals-e knight! Speed thee out of my hall!"
"Thou liest," then said the gentle knight, "Abbot in thy hall; Fals-e knight was I nev-er, By him that made us all."
Up then stood that gentle knight, To the abb-ot said he, "To suffer a knight to kneel so long, Thou canst no courtes-y. In joust-es and in tournem-ent Full far then have I be, And put myself as far in press As any that e'er I see."
"What will ye give more?" said the just-ice, "And the knight shall make a release; And ell-es dare I safely swear Ye hold never your land in peace."
"An hundred pound," said the abb-ot.
The justice said, "Give him two."
"Na-y, by God," said the knight, "Yet get ye it not so: Though ye would give a thousand more, Yet were thou never the nere; Shall there never be mine heir, Abb-ot, just-ice, ne frere."
He stert him to a board anon, To a table round, And there he shook out of a bag Even fo-ur hundred pound.
"Have here thy gold, sir abb-ot," said the knight, "Which that thou lentest me; Haddest thou been curteys at my com-ing, Rewarded shouldst thou have be." The abb-ot sat still, and ate no more. For all his royal cheer, He cast his hood on his should-er, And fast began to stare. "Take me my gold again," said the abb-ot, "Sir just-ice, that I took thee."
"Not a penny," said the just-ice, "By him that died on a tree."
"Sir abbot, and ye men of law, Now have I held my day, Now shall I have my land again, For aught that you can say." The knight stert out of the door, Away was all his care, And on he put his good cloth-ing, The other he left there. He went him forth full merry sing-ing, As men have told in tale, His lady met him at the gate, At home in Uterysdale.
"Welc-ome, my lord," said his lady; "Sir, lost is all your good?"
"Be merry, dam-e," said the knight, "And pray for Robin Hood, That ever his soul-e be in bliss,
"Welc-ome, sir knyght," said the port-er, "My lord to meat is he, And so is many a gentle man, For the love of thee." The porter swore a full great oath, "By him that mad-e me, Here be the best cores-ed horse That ever yet saw I me. Lead them into the stable," he said, "That eas-ed might they be."
"They shall not come therein," said the knight, "By him that died on a tree."
Lord-es were to meat iset In that abb-ot-es hall, The knight went forth and kneel-ed down, And salved them great and small. "Do gladly, sir abb-ot," said the knight, "I am come to hold my day."
The first word the abbot spake, "Hast th-ou brought m-y pay?"
"Not one penny," said the knight, "By him that mak-ed me."
"Thou art a shrewd debtor!" said the abb-ot; "Sir justice, drink to me! What dost thou here," said the abb-ot, "But thou hadst brought thy pay?"
"For-e God," then said the knight, "To pray of a longer day."
"Thy day is broke," said the justice, "Land gettest thou none."
"Now, good sir justice, be my friend, And fend me of my fone."
"I am hold with the abbot," said the justice, "Both with cloth and fee."
"Now, good sir sheriff, be my friend."
"Nay, for-e God," said he.
"Now, good sir abbot, be my friend, For thy curteys-e, And hold my land-es in thy hand Till I have made thee gree; And I will be thy true serv-ant, And truly serv-e thee, Till ye have fo-ur hundred pound Of money good and free."
The abbot sware a full great oath, "By him that died on a tree, Get the land where thou may, For thou gettest none of me."
"By dere-worthy God," then said the knight, "That all this world wrought, But I have my land again, Full dear it shall be bought; God, that was of a maiden borne, Lene us well to speed! For it is good to assay a friend Ere that a man have need."
The abb-ot loathl-y on him gan look, And villainousl-y gan call; "Out," he said, "thou fals-e knight! Speed thee out of my hall!"
"Thou liest," then said the gentle knight, "Abbot in thy hall; Fals-e knight was I nev-er, By him that made us all."
Up then stood that gentle knight, To the abb-ot said he, "To suffer a knight to kneel so long, Thou canst no courtes-y. In joust-es and in tournem-ent Full far then have I be, And put myself as far in press As any that e'er I see."
"What will ye give more?" said the just-ice, "And the knight shall make a release; And ell-es dare I safely swear Ye hold never your land in peace."
"An hundred pound," said the abb-ot.
The justice said, "Give him two."
"Na-y, by God," said the knight, "Yet get ye it not so: Though ye would give a thousand more, Yet were thou never the nere; Shall there never be mine heir, Abb-ot, just-ice, ne frere."
He stert him to a board anon, To a table round, And there he shook out of a bag Even fo-ur hundred pound.
"Have here thy gold, sir abb-ot," said the knight, "Which that thou lentest me; Haddest thou been curteys at my com-ing, Rewarded shouldst thou have be." The abb-ot sat still, and ate no more. For all his royal cheer, He cast his hood on his should-er, And fast began to stare. "Take me my gold again," said the abb-ot, "Sir just-ice, that I took thee."
"Not a penny," said the just-ice, "By him that died on a tree."
"Sir abbot, and ye men of law, Now have I held my day, Now shall I have my land again, For aught that you can say." The knight stert out of the door, Away was all his care, And on he put his good cloth-ing, The other he left there. He went him forth full merry sing-ing, As men have told in tale, His lady met him at the gate, At home in Uterysdale.
"Welc-ome, my lord," said his lady; "Sir, lost is all your good?"
"Be merry, dam-e," said the knight, "And pray for Robin Hood, That ever his soul-e be in bliss,