Unto the mayor then,

He did a letter write;

Wherein his own and Sarahs faults

He did at large recite.

She apprehended was,

And then to Ludlow sent:

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Where she was judg'd, condemn'd, and hang'd,|

For murder, incontinent.

KING HENRY THE SECOND AND THE MILLER OF MANSFIELD.

[THE FIRST PART.]

HENRY our royal king, would ride a hunting,
To the green forest, so pleasant and fair;
To have the hart chased, and dainty does tripping;
Untò merry Sherwood his nobles repair:

Hawk and hound was unbound, all things prepar'd
For the same, to the game, with good regard.

All a long summers day rode the king pleasantly,
With all his princes and nobles each one;

Chasing the hart and hind, and the buck gallantly,
Till the dark evening enforc'd them turn home. 10
Then at last, riding fast, he had lost quite

All his lords in the wood, late in dark night.

Wandering thus wearily, all alone, up and down,
With a rude miller he met at the last;
Asking the ready way unto fair Nottingham,
Sir, quoth the miller, your way you have lost:
Yet I think what I think, truth for to say,
You do not likely ride out of your way.

Why, what dost thou think of me? quoth our king merrily,

Passing thy judgement upon me so brief.

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Good faith, quoth the miller, I mean not to flatter thee;

I

guess thee to be but some gentleman thief:

Stand thee back, in the dark; light thee not down,

Lest that I presently crack thy knaves crown.

Thou dost abuse me much, quoth our king, saying thus: I am a gentleman; lodging I lack.

Thou hast not, quoth the miller, one groat in thy purse: All thy inheritance hangs on thy back.

"I have gold to discharge all that I call; If it be forty pence, I will pay all."

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If thou beest a true man, then said the miller,

I swear by my toll-dish, I'll lodge thee all night. Here's my hand, quoth the king, that was I ever.

Nay, soft, quoth the miller, thou may'st be a sprite:
Better I'll know thee, ere hands I do take;
With none but honest men hands will I shake.

Thus they went all along unto the millers house,
Where they were seething of puddings and souse:
The miller first enter'd in, then after him the king;
Never came he in so smoky a house.
Now, quoth he, let me see here what you are.
Quoth our king, Look your fill, and do not spare.

40

"I like well thy countenance, thou hast an honest face;
With my son Richard this night thou shalt lie.”
Quoth his wife, By my troth, it is a handsome youth;
Yet it is best, husband, for to deal warily:

Art thou not a run-away, I pray thee, youth, tell?
Show me thy passport, and all shall be well.

Then our king presently, making low courtesy,

With his hat in his hand, thus he did say:
I have no passport, nor never was servitor;

But a poor courtier, rode out of my way:
And for your kindness here offered to me,
I will requite it in every degree.

Then to the miller his wife whisper'd secretly,
Saying, It seems, this youth's of good kin,
Both by his apparel, and eke by his manners;

To turn him out, certainly 'twere a great sin,

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Yea, quoth he, you may see, he hath some grace,
When he doth speak to his betters in place.

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Well, quoth the millers wife, young man, welcome here,

And, though I say it, well lodg'd thou shalt be; Fresh straw I will have laid on thy bed so brave,

Good brown hempen sheets likewise, quoth she, Ay, quoth the good man; and when that is done, You shall lie with no worse than our own son.

Nay, first, quoth Richard, good fellow, tell me true; Hast any creepers within thy gay hose?

Or art thou not troubled with the scabado?

I pray you, quoth the king, what things are those? 70 Art thou not lousy, nor scabby? quoth he;

If thou be'st, surely thou liest not with me.

This caus'd the king suddenly to laugh most heartily,
Till the tears trickled down from his eyes.
Then to their supper were they set orderly,
With a hot bag-pudding, and good apple-pies;
Nappy ale, stout and stale, in a brown bowl,
Which did about the board merrily troul.

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Here, quoth the miller, good fellow, I drink to thee,
And to all courtnols that courteous be.
I'll pledge you, quoth our king, and thank you heartily,
For your good welcome in every degree;

And here, in like manner, I'll drink to your son.

Do so, quoth Richard; but quick let it come.

Wife, quoth the miller, fetch me forth Lightfoot,
That we of his sweetness a little may taste:

A fair venison pasty, then brought she forth presently;
Eat, quoth the miller; but, sir, make no waste.
Here's dainty lightfoot, in faith, said our king;
I never before eat so dainty a thing.

I wis, said Richard, no dainty at all it is,
For we do eat of it every day.

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In what place, said our king, may be bought like to this?

We never pay a penny for it, by my fay:

From merry Sherwood we fetch it home here;
Now and then we make bold with our kings deer.

Then I think, said our king, that it is venison.

Each fool, quoth Richard, full well may see that: Never are we without two or three under the roof, Very well flesh'd, and excellent fat: But, pray thee, say nothing where'er thou dost We would not, for two-pence, the king should it

100

go;

know.

Doubt not, then said our king, my promis'd secrecy;

The king shall never know more on't for me.
A cup of lambswool they drank unto him then,
And to their beds they pass'd presently.

The nobles, next morning, went all up and down,
For to seek out the king in every town.

VOL. II.

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