"Forty shilling nor forty ponnd

Would not agree this lawyer and me,
Without I would give him of my farm-ground,
And stand to his good courtesy."

He said-Nay, by his fay, that he would not do,
For wife and children would make mad wark ;
But, and he would let him and his ground alone-
He seemed a good fellow,—he would give him five mark.

He said-Nay, by his fay, that he would not do,
For five good ash-trees that he fell.

"Then I'll do as neighbours have put me in head
I'll make a submission to the King myself."

By that he had gone a day's journey,
One of his neighbours he did spy.

"Neighbour, how far off have I to our King?
I am going towards him as fast as I can hie."

"Alas to-day," said his neighbour,

"It's for you I make all this moan. You may talk of that time enough

By that ten days' journey you have gone."

But, when he came to London Street,
For an host-house he did call.

He lay so long o' the tother morning asleep
That the court was removed to Windsor Hall.

"Arise, my guest, you have great need;

You have lien too long even by a great while :
The court is removed to Windsor this morning;
He is further off to seek by twenty mile.'

"Alack to-day!" quoth the poor man,

1

"I think not your King at me got wit: Had he knowen of my coming,

I think he would have tarried yet."

"

"He foled not for you," then said his host;
"But hie you to Windsor as fast as you may;

And all your costs and your charges

Have you no doubt but the King will pay."

He hath gotten a grey russet gown on his back,
And a hood well buckled under his chin,

And a long staff upon his neck,

And he is to Windsor to our King.

1 This "not" (which is my interpolation) seems needed to reconcile the sense of line 2 with that of lines 3 and 4.

So, when he came to Windsor Hall,

The gates were shut as he there stood.
He knocked and poled with a great long staff:
The porter had thought he had been wood.

He knocked again with might and main :
Says, "Hey ho! is our King within?".
With that he proffered a great reward,

A single penny, to let him come in.

"I thank you, sir," quoth the porter then; "The reward is so great I cannot say nay. There is a nobleman standing by:

First I'll go hear what he will say."

The nobleman then came to the gates,

And asked him what his business might be. "Nay, soft," quoth the fellow; "I tell thee not yet, Before I do the King himself see.

"It was told me ere I came from home

That gentlemen's hounds eaten arrands by the way, And poor cur-dogs may eat mine :

Therefore I mean my own arrands to say." "But and thou come in," says the porter then, "Thy bumble-staff behind we must stay."

"Beshrew thee, liar!" then said the poor man ;
"Then may thou term me a fool, or a worse.
I know not what bankrouts be about our King
For lack of money would take my purse."

"Hold him back," then said the nobleman,
"And more of his speech we will have soon.
I'll see how he can answer the matter,

As soon as the match at bowls is done."

The porter took the poor man by the hand,
And led him before the nobleman.

He kneeled down upon his knees,

And these words to him said then :

And you be sir King," then said the poor man,
"You are the goodliest fellow that ever I see:
You have so many jingles-jangles about ye
I never see man wear but ye."

"I am not the King," the nobleman said,
"Although I wear now a proud coat.

"And you be not King, and you'll bring me to him, For your reward I'll give you a groat.'

"I thank you, sir," said the nobleman;
"Your reward is so great I cannot say nay.
I'll first go know our King's pleasure :

Till I come again be sure that you stay."

"Here is such a staying," said the poor man,

"I think the King's better here than in our countrie: I could have gone to farmost nook in the house, Neither lad nor man to have troubled me."

The nobleman went before our King,

So well he knew his courtesy.

"There is one of the rankest clowns at your gates That ever Englishman did see.

"He calls them knaves your highness keep; Withal he calls them somewhat worse.

He dare not come in without a long staff:

He's feared lest some bankrout should pick his purse.”

"Let him come in," then said our king;
"Let him come in, and his staff too.
We'll see how we can answer every matter,
Now the match at bowls is do."

The nobleman took the poor man by the hand,
And led him through chambers and galleries high.
'What does our king with so many empty houses,
And gars them not filled with corn and hay?"

And, as they went through one alley,
The nobleman soon the king did spy.

"Yond is the king," the nobleman said :

"Look thee, good fellow, yond he goes by."

"Belike he is some unthrift," said the poor man,
"And he hath made some of his clothes away.'
"Now hold thy tongue," said the nobleman,
"And take good heed what thou dost say.”
(The weather it was exceeding hot,

And our king had laid some of his clothes away).

And, when the nobleman came before our king,
So well he knew his courtesy,

The poor man followed after him,-

Gave a nod with his head, and a beck with his knee.

"And if you be the king," then said the poor man,
"As I can hardly think you be,

This goodly fellow that brought me hither
Seems liker to be a king than ye."

"I am the king, and the king indeed :
Let me thy matter understand."

Then the poor man fell down on his knees.
'I am your tenant on your own good land;
"And there is a lawyer dwells me by,

A fault in my lease, God wot, he hath found;
And all is for felling of five ash-trees,

To build me a house in my own good ground.

I bade him let me and my ground alone,

And cease himself, if that he was willing,

And pick no vantage out of my lease;

He seemed a good fellow, I would give him forty shilling.

"Forty shilling nor forty pound

Would not agree this lawyer and me,
Without I would give him of my farm-ground,
And stand to his good courtesy.

"I said, nay, by fay, that would I not do,

For wife and children would make mad wark;

And he would let me and my ground alone,

He seemed a good fellow, I would give him five mark."

"But hast thou thy lease e'en thee upon,

Or canst thou show to me thy deed?"
He pulled it forth of his bosom,

And says:

66

Here, my liege, if you can read. ̈`

"What if I cannot ?" then says our king:
"Good fellow, to me what hast thou to say?"
"I have a boy at home, but thirteen year old,

Will read it as fale gast as young1 by the way."

"I can never get these knots loose," then said our king?
He gave it a gentleman stood him hard by.
"That's a proud horse," then said the poor man,
"That will not carry his own proventy.

And ye paid me five shillings rent, as I do ye,

I would not be too proud to loose a knot:

But give it me again, and I'll loose it for ye,
So that in my rent you'll bate me a groat."

An old man took this lease in his hand,
And the king's majesty stood so.

"I'll warrant thee, poor man, and thy ground,

If thou had fallen five ashes moe.'

1 The meaning of "as fale gast as young" is unknown to me: I suspect a misprint-or rather a miswriting in the MS. printed from. "Will read it as fast as going by the way" would seem to be a natural expression; equivalent to "will read it as fast as he can run."

"Alas to-day!" then said the poor man.

"Now hold your tongue, and trouble not me.
"He that troubles me this day with this matter
Cares neither for your warrants, you, nor me."
"I'll make thee attachment, fool," he says,
"That all that sees it shall take thy part.
Until he have paid thee a hundred pound,
Thou'st tie him to a tree that he cannot start."

"I thank you, sir," said the poor man then.
"About this matter as you have been willing,
And seemed to do the best you can,

With all my heart I'll give you a shilling."

'A plague on thy knave's heart!" then said our king: "This money on my skin lies so cold!" He flang it into the king's bosom,

Because in his hand he would it not hold.

The king called his treasurer;

Says: "Count me down a hundred pound

Since he hath spent money by the way

To bring him home to his own good ground."

When the hundred pound was counted,

To receive it the poor man was willing.

"If I had thought you had had so much silver and gold, You should not have had my good shilling."

The lawyer came to welcome him

When he came home upon a Sunday. "Where have you been, neighbour?" he says: "Methinks you have been long away."

"I have been at the king," the poor man said.— "And what the devil didst thou do there?

Could not our neighbours have agreed us,

But thou must go so far from here?"

"There could no neighbours have agreed thee and me, Nor half so well have pleased my heart.

Until thou have paid me a hundred pound,
I'll tie thee to a tree, thou cannot start.'

When the hundred pound was counted,

To receive it the poor man was most willing:
And for the pains in the law he had taken
He would not give him again one shilling.

God send all lawyers thus well served-
Then may poor farmers live in ease!

God bless and save our noble king,

And send us all to live in peace!