"Forty shilling nor forty ponnd Would not agree this lawyer and me, He said-Nay, by his fay, that he would not do, He said-Nay, by his fay, that he would not do, "Then I'll do as neighbours have put me in head By that he had gone a day's journey, "Neighbour, how far off have I to our King? "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, He lay so long o' the tother morning asleep "Arise, my guest, you have great need; You have lien too long even by a great while : "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; 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 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 again with might and main : 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 ; "Hold him back," then said the nobleman, As soon as the match at bowls is done." The porter took the poor man by the hand, He kneeled down upon his knees, And these words to him said then : And you be sir King," then said the poor man, "I am not the King," the nobleman said, "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; 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; The nobleman took the poor man by the hand, And, as they went through one alley, "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 our king had laid some of his clothes away). And, when the nobleman came before our king, 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, This goodly fellow that brought me hither "I am the king, and the king indeed : Then the poor man fell down on his knees. A fault in my lease, God wot, he hath found; 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, "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?" And says: 66 Here, my liege, if you can read. ̈` "What if I cannot ?" then says our king: Will read it as fale gast as young1 by the way." "I can never get these knots loose," then said our king? 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, An old man took this lease in his hand, "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. "I thank you, sir," said the poor man then. 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, When the hundred pound was counted, To receive it the poor man was most willing: God send all lawyers thus well served- God bless and save our noble king, And send us all to live in peace! |