A Bundle of Ballads [36]
That di-ed on the rood! For he was a good outlaw, And did poor men much good.
KING EDWARD IV. AND THE TANNER OF TAMWORTH.
In summer time, when leaves grow green, And blossoms bedeck the tree, King Edward would a hunting ride, Some pastime for to see.
With hawk and hound he made him boun, With horn, and eke with bow; To Drayton Basset he took his way, With all his lords arow.
And he had ridden o'er dale and down By eight of clock in the day, When he was ware of a bold tann-er, Come riding along the way.
A fair russet coat the tanner had on, Fast buttoned under his chin, And under him a good cow-hide, And a mare of four shill-ing.
"Now stand you still, my good lords all Under the green wood spray; And I will wend to yonder fell-ow, To weet what he will say."--
"God speed, God speed thee," said our king.-- "Thou art welcome, sir," said he.-- "The readiest way to Drayton Basset I pray thee to show to me."--
"To Drayton Basset wouldst thou go, Fro the place where thou dost stand? The next pair of gallows thou comest unto Turn in upon thy right hand."--
"That is an unready way," said our king, "Thou doest but jest, I see; Now show me out the nearest way, And I pray thee wend with me."--
"Away with a vengeance!" quoth the tanner: "I hold thee out of thy wit: All day have I ridden on Brock my mare, And I am fasting yet."--
"Go with me down to Drayton Basset, No dainties we will spare; All day shalt thou eat and drink of the best, And I will pay thy fare."--
"Gram-ercy for nothing," the tanner replied, "Thou payest no fare of mine: I trow I've more nobles in my purse, Than thou hast pence in thine."--
"God give thee joy of them," said the king, "And send them well to prief."-- The tanner would fain have been away, For he weened he had been a thief.
"What art thou," he said, "thou fine fell-ow? Of thee I am in great fear, For the clothes thou wearest upon thy back Might beseem a lord to wear."--
"I never stole them," quoth our king, "I tell you, sir, by the rood."-- "Then thou playest, as many an unthrift doth, And standest in midst of thy good."--
"What tidings hear you," said the king. "As you ride far and near?"-- "I hear no tidings, sir, by the mass, But that cow-hides are dear."--
"Cow-hides! cow-hides! what things are those? I marvel what they be!"-- "What, art thou a fool?" the tanner replied; "I carry one under me."--
"What craftsman art thou?" said the king, "I pray thee tell me trow.""-- "I am a barker, sir, by my trade. Now tell me what art thou?"--
"I am a poor courtier, sir," quoth he, "That am forth of service worn; And fain I would thy 'prentice be, Thy cunning for to learn."--
"Marry, heaven forfend," the tanner replied, "That thou my 'prentice were! Thou'dst spend more good than I should win, By forty shilling a year."--
"Yet one thing would I," said our king, "If thou wilt not seem strange: Though my horse be better than thy mare, Yet with thee I fain would change."--
"Why, if with me thou fain wilt change, As change full well may we, By the faith of my body, thou proud fell-ow I will have some boot of thee."--
"That were against reason," said the king, "I swear, so mote I thee: My horse is better than thy mare, And that thou well may'st see."--
"Yea, sir, but Brock is gentle and mild, And softly she will fare; Thy horse is unruly and wild, i-wis; Aye skipping here and there."--
"What boot wilt thou have?" our king replied; "Now tell me in this stound."-- "No pence, nor halfpence, by my fay, But a noble in gold so round."--
"Here's twenty groats of white mon-ey, Sith thou wilt have it of me."-- "I would have sworn now," quoth the tanner, "Thou hadst not had one penni-e.
"But since we two have made a change, A change we must abide; Although thou hast gotten Brock my mare, Thou gettest not my cow-hide."--
"I will not have it," said the king, "I swear, so mote I thee; Thy foul cow-hide I would not bear, If thou wouldst
KING EDWARD IV. AND THE TANNER OF TAMWORTH.
In summer time, when leaves grow green, And blossoms bedeck the tree, King Edward would a hunting ride, Some pastime for to see.
With hawk and hound he made him boun, With horn, and eke with bow; To Drayton Basset he took his way, With all his lords arow.
And he had ridden o'er dale and down By eight of clock in the day, When he was ware of a bold tann-er, Come riding along the way.
A fair russet coat the tanner had on, Fast buttoned under his chin, And under him a good cow-hide, And a mare of four shill-ing.
"Now stand you still, my good lords all Under the green wood spray; And I will wend to yonder fell-ow, To weet what he will say."--
"God speed, God speed thee," said our king.-- "Thou art welcome, sir," said he.-- "The readiest way to Drayton Basset I pray thee to show to me."--
"To Drayton Basset wouldst thou go, Fro the place where thou dost stand? The next pair of gallows thou comest unto Turn in upon thy right hand."--
"That is an unready way," said our king, "Thou doest but jest, I see; Now show me out the nearest way, And I pray thee wend with me."--
"Away with a vengeance!" quoth the tanner: "I hold thee out of thy wit: All day have I ridden on Brock my mare, And I am fasting yet."--
"Go with me down to Drayton Basset, No dainties we will spare; All day shalt thou eat and drink of the best, And I will pay thy fare."--
"Gram-ercy for nothing," the tanner replied, "Thou payest no fare of mine: I trow I've more nobles in my purse, Than thou hast pence in thine."--
"God give thee joy of them," said the king, "And send them well to prief."-- The tanner would fain have been away, For he weened he had been a thief.
"What art thou," he said, "thou fine fell-ow? Of thee I am in great fear, For the clothes thou wearest upon thy back Might beseem a lord to wear."--
"I never stole them," quoth our king, "I tell you, sir, by the rood."-- "Then thou playest, as many an unthrift doth, And standest in midst of thy good."--
"What tidings hear you," said the king. "As you ride far and near?"-- "I hear no tidings, sir, by the mass, But that cow-hides are dear."--
"Cow-hides! cow-hides! what things are those? I marvel what they be!"-- "What, art thou a fool?" the tanner replied; "I carry one under me."--
"What craftsman art thou?" said the king, "I pray thee tell me trow.""-- "I am a barker, sir, by my trade. Now tell me what art thou?"--
"I am a poor courtier, sir," quoth he, "That am forth of service worn; And fain I would thy 'prentice be, Thy cunning for to learn."--
"Marry, heaven forfend," the tanner replied, "That thou my 'prentice were! Thou'dst spend more good than I should win, By forty shilling a year."--
"Yet one thing would I," said our king, "If thou wilt not seem strange: Though my horse be better than thy mare, Yet with thee I fain would change."--
"Why, if with me thou fain wilt change, As change full well may we, By the faith of my body, thou proud fell-ow I will have some boot of thee."--
"That were against reason," said the king, "I swear, so mote I thee: My horse is better than thy mare, And that thou well may'st see."--
"Yea, sir, but Brock is gentle and mild, And softly she will fare; Thy horse is unruly and wild, i-wis; Aye skipping here and there."--
"What boot wilt thou have?" our king replied; "Now tell me in this stound."-- "No pence, nor halfpence, by my fay, But a noble in gold so round."--
"Here's twenty groats of white mon-ey, Sith thou wilt have it of me."-- "I would have sworn now," quoth the tanner, "Thou hadst not had one penni-e.
"But since we two have made a change, A change we must abide; Although thou hast gotten Brock my mare, Thou gettest not my cow-hide."--
"I will not have it," said the king, "I swear, so mote I thee; Thy foul cow-hide I would not bear, If thou wouldst