A Bundle of Ballads [9]
alone."
HE. "I can believe, it shall you grieve, And somewhat you distrain; But, afterward, your pain-es hard Within a day or twain Shall soon aslake; and ye shall take Com-fort to you again. Why should ye nought? for, to make thought, Your labour were in vain. And thus I do; and pray you, lo, As heartily as I can: For I must to the green wood go, Alone, a banished man."
SHE. "Now, sith that ye have shewed to me The secret of your mind, I shall be plain to you again, Like as ye shall me find. Sith it is so, that ye will go, I will not leave behind. Shall never be said, the Nut-brown Maid Was to her love unkind: Make you read-y, for so am I, Although it were anone: For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone."
HE. "Yet I you re-de, take good heed When men will think and say: Of young, of old, it shall be told, That ye be gone away Your wanton will for to fulfil, In green wood you to play; And that ye might from your delight No longer make delay. Rather than ye should thus for me Be called an ill wom-an, Yet would I to the green wood go, Alone, a banished man."
SHE. "Though it be sung of old and young, That I should be to blame, Theirs be the charge that speak so large In hurting of my name: For I will prove, that faithful love It is devoid of shame In your distress and heaviness To part with you the same: And sure all tho that do not so, True lovers are they none: For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone."
HE. "I counsel you, Remember how It is no maiden's law Nothing to doubt, but to run out To wood with an out-law; For ye must there in your hand bear A bow to bear and draw; And, as a thief, thus must ye live, Ever in dread and awe; By which to you great harm might grow: Yet had I liever than That I had to the green wood go Alone, a banished man."
SHE. "I think not nay, but as ye say, It is no maiden's lore; But love may make me for your sake, As ye have said before, To come on foot, to hunt and shoot To get us meat and store; For so that I your company May have, I ask no more; From which to part, it maketh mine heart As cold as any stone: For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone."
HE. "For an out-law, this is the law, That men him take and bind; Without pit-ie, hang-ed to be, And waver with the wind. If I had nede (as God forbede!) What rescues could ye find? Forsooth, I trow, you and your bow Should draw for fear behind. And no mervayle: for little avail Were in your counsel than: Wherefore I to the wood will go, Alone, a banished man."
SHE "Full well know ye, that women be Full feeble for to fight; No womanhede it is indeed To be bold as a knight; Yet, in such fear if that ye were Among enemies day and night, I would withstand, with bow in hand, To grieve them as I might, And you to save; as women have From death many a one: For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone."
HE. "Yet take good hede; for ever I drede That ye could not sustain The thorny ways, the deep vall-eys, The snow, the frost, the rain, The cold, the heat: for dry or wet, We must lodge on the plain; And, us above, none other roof But a brake bush or twain: Which soon should grieve you, I believe: And ye would gladly than That I had to the green wood go, Alone, a banished man."
SHE. "Sith I have here been partynere With you of joy and bliss, I must al-so part of your woe Endure, as reason is: Yet am I sure of one pleas-ure; And, shortly, it is this: That, where ye be, me seemeth, perde, I could not fare amiss. Without more speech, I you beseech That we were soon agone: For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone."
HE. "If ye go thyder, ye must consider, When ye have lust to dine, There shall no meat be for to gete, Nor drink, beer, ale, ne wine. Ne sheet-es clean, to lie between, Ymade of thread and twine; None other house, but leaves and boughs, To cover your head and mine; Lo mine heart
HE. "I can believe, it shall you grieve, And somewhat you distrain; But, afterward, your pain-es hard Within a day or twain Shall soon aslake; and ye shall take Com-fort to you again. Why should ye nought? for, to make thought, Your labour were in vain. And thus I do; and pray you, lo, As heartily as I can: For I must to the green wood go, Alone, a banished man."
SHE. "Now, sith that ye have shewed to me The secret of your mind, I shall be plain to you again, Like as ye shall me find. Sith it is so, that ye will go, I will not leave behind. Shall never be said, the Nut-brown Maid Was to her love unkind: Make you read-y, for so am I, Although it were anone: For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone."
HE. "Yet I you re-de, take good heed When men will think and say: Of young, of old, it shall be told, That ye be gone away Your wanton will for to fulfil, In green wood you to play; And that ye might from your delight No longer make delay. Rather than ye should thus for me Be called an ill wom-an, Yet would I to the green wood go, Alone, a banished man."
SHE. "Though it be sung of old and young, That I should be to blame, Theirs be the charge that speak so large In hurting of my name: For I will prove, that faithful love It is devoid of shame In your distress and heaviness To part with you the same: And sure all tho that do not so, True lovers are they none: For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone."
HE. "I counsel you, Remember how It is no maiden's law Nothing to doubt, but to run out To wood with an out-law; For ye must there in your hand bear A bow to bear and draw; And, as a thief, thus must ye live, Ever in dread and awe; By which to you great harm might grow: Yet had I liever than That I had to the green wood go Alone, a banished man."
SHE. "I think not nay, but as ye say, It is no maiden's lore; But love may make me for your sake, As ye have said before, To come on foot, to hunt and shoot To get us meat and store; For so that I your company May have, I ask no more; From which to part, it maketh mine heart As cold as any stone: For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone."
HE. "For an out-law, this is the law, That men him take and bind; Without pit-ie, hang-ed to be, And waver with the wind. If I had nede (as God forbede!) What rescues could ye find? Forsooth, I trow, you and your bow Should draw for fear behind. And no mervayle: for little avail Were in your counsel than: Wherefore I to the wood will go, Alone, a banished man."
SHE "Full well know ye, that women be Full feeble for to fight; No womanhede it is indeed To be bold as a knight; Yet, in such fear if that ye were Among enemies day and night, I would withstand, with bow in hand, To grieve them as I might, And you to save; as women have From death many a one: For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone."
HE. "Yet take good hede; for ever I drede That ye could not sustain The thorny ways, the deep vall-eys, The snow, the frost, the rain, The cold, the heat: for dry or wet, We must lodge on the plain; And, us above, none other roof But a brake bush or twain: Which soon should grieve you, I believe: And ye would gladly than That I had to the green wood go, Alone, a banished man."
SHE. "Sith I have here been partynere With you of joy and bliss, I must al-so part of your woe Endure, as reason is: Yet am I sure of one pleas-ure; And, shortly, it is this: That, where ye be, me seemeth, perde, I could not fare amiss. Without more speech, I you beseech That we were soon agone: For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone."
HE. "If ye go thyder, ye must consider, When ye have lust to dine, There shall no meat be for to gete, Nor drink, beer, ale, ne wine. Ne sheet-es clean, to lie between, Ymade of thread and twine; None other house, but leaves and boughs, To cover your head and mine; Lo mine heart