Wife, quoth the miller, fetch me forth Lightfoot, I wis, faid Richard, no dainty at all it is, For we do eat of it every day. In what place, faid our king, may be bought like to this? From merry Sherwood we fetch it home here; Then I think, faid our king, that it is venifon. Each fool, quoth Richard, full well may fee that: But, pray thee, fay nothing where'er thou doft go; Doubt not, then faid our king, my promis'd fecrecy; A cup of lambswool they drank unto him then, And to their beds they pafs'd presently. The nobles, next morning, went all up and down, At At laft, at the millers houfe, foon they efpied him plain, To whom they came presently, falling down on their knees; The king perceiving him fearful and trembling, Gave him a living and made him a knight. THE SECOND PART. When as our royal king came home from Nottingham, And now, my lords, quoth the king, I am determined That this old miller, our laft confirmed knight, With his fon Richard, shall both be my guest : For, in this merriment, 'tis my defire, To talk with the jolly knight, and the brave fquire. When as the noblemen faw the kings pleasantnefs, God fave your worship, then faid the meffenger, And to your fon Richard good fortune and happiness, Our king greets you all, and thus doth fay, You must come to the court on Saint Georges day. Therefor, in any cafe, fail not to be in place. What should we do there? he faid: faith, I am half afraid, Nay, quoth the meffenger, you do mistake; Then faid the miller, Now by my troth, meffenger, Hold, here's three farthings, to quit thy great gentleness, We'll wait on his mastership in every thing. The The pursuivant smiled at their fimplicity, When as he was gone away, thus did the miller fay: Here comes expences and charges indeed ; Now we must needs be brave, though we spend all we have; For of new garments we have great need : Of horses and serving-men we must have store, Tufh, fir John, quoth his wife, neither do fret nor frown; You fhall be at no more charges for me, For I will turn and trim up my old ruffet gown, In this most stately fort, rode they unto the court, Who fet up, by good hap, a cocks feather in his cap; The king and his nobles, that heard of their coming, Meeting this gallant knight, with his brave train; Welcome, fir knight, quoth he, with this your gay lady; Good fir John Cockle, once welcome again : Quoth our king gently, How fhould I forget thee? Thou waft mine own bed fellow, well that I wot. "But I do think on a trick."-Tell me that, prithee Dick. "How we with farting did make the bed hot." Thou whorefon, happy knave, then quoth the knight, Speak cleanly to our king, or elfe go fhite. The king and his counsellors heartily laugh'd at this, With ladies and their maids, like to the Queen of Spades, A milk maids curtesy at every word; Where the king royally, in princely majesty, When he had eaten well, to jefting then 'he' fell, Quoth |