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;
