Then to their supper were they set orderlye,

With hot bag-puddings, and good apple-pyes; Nappy ale, good and stale, in a browne bowle, Which did about the board merrilye trowle.

75

80

Here, quoth the miller, good fellowe, I drinke to thee,
And to all 'cuckholds, wherever they bee.'
I pledge thee, quoth our king, and thanke thee heartilye
For my good welcome in everye degree:

And here, in like manner, I drinke to thy sonne.
Do then, quoth Richard, and quicke let it come.

Wife, quoth the miller, fetch me forth lightfoote,
And of his sweetnesse a little we'll taste.
A fair ven'son pastye brought she out presentlye.
Eate, quoth the miller, but, sir, make no waste.
Here's dainty lightfoote! In faith, sayd the king,
I never before eat so daintye a thing.

I wis, quoth Richard, no daintye at all it is,
For we doe eate of it everye day.

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90

In what place, sayd our king, may be bought like to this?
We never pay pennye for itt, by my fay:
From merry Sherwood we fetch it home here
Now and then we make bold with our kings deer.

;

95

Then I thinke, sayd our king, that it is venison.
Eche foole, quoth Richard, full well may know that:

Ver. 80. courtnalls, that courteous be. MS. and P.

Never are wee without two or three in the roof,
Very well fleshed, and excellent fat :
But, prythee, say nothing wherever thou goe;

100

We would not, for two pence, the king should it knowe.

Doubt not, then sayd the king, my promist secresye; The king shall never know more on't for mee.

cupp

of lambs-wool they dranke unto him then, 105 And to their bedds they past presentlie.

The nobles, next morning, went all up and down,
For to seeke out the king in everye towne,

110

At last, at the millers 'cott,' soone they espy'd him out,
As he was mounting upon his faire steede;
To whom they came presently, falling down on their knee;
Which made the millers heart wofully bleede ;
Shaking and quaking, before him he stood,
Thinking he should have been hang'd, by the rood.

The king perceiving him fearfully trembling,

Drew forth his sword, but nothing he' sed:
The miller downe did fall, crying before them all,
Doubting the king would have cut off his head.

But he his kind courtesye for to requite,.

115

Gave him great living, and dubb'd him a knight. 120

PART

W

PART THE SECONDE.

HEN as our royall king came home from Nottingham, And with his nobles at Westminster lay;

Recounting the sports and pastimes they had taken,

In this late progress along on the way;
Of them all, great and small, he did protest,
The miller of Mansfield's sport liked him best.

And now, my lords, quoth the king, I am determined Against St. Georges next sumptuous feast,

That this old miller, our new confirm'd knight,

5

With his son Richard, shall here be my guest : 10 For, in this merryment, 'tis my desire

To talke with the jolly knight, and the young squire.

When as the noble lords saw the kinges pleasantness,

They were right joyfull and glad in their hearts: A pursuivant there was sent straighte on the business, 15 The which had often-times been in those parts. When he came to the place, where they did dwell, His message orderlye then 'gan he tell.

20

God save your worshippe, then said the messenger,
And grant your ladye her own hearts desire;
And to your sonne Richard good fortune and happiness;
That sweet, gentle, and gallant young squire.
Our king greets you well, and thus he doth say,
You must come to the court on St. George's day;

Therfore,

Therfore, in any case, faile not to be in place.
I wis, quoth the miller, this is an odd jest:
What should we doe there? faith, I am halfe afraid.
I doubt, quoth Richard, to be hang'd at the least.
Nay, quoth the messenger, you doe mistake;
Our king he provides a great feast for your sake.

25

30

Then sayd the miller, By my troth, messenger,
Thou hast contented my worshippe full well.
Hold here are three farthings, to quite thy gentleness,
For these happy tydings, which thou dost tell.
Let me see, hear thou mee; tell to our king,
We'll wayt on his mastershipp in everye thing.

The pursuivant smiled at their simplicitye,
And, making many leggs, tooke their reward;
And his leave taking with great humilitye

To the kings court againe he repair'd;
Shewing unto his grace, merry and free,
The knightes most liberall gift and bountie.

When he was gone away, thus gan the miller say,
Here come expences and charges indeed;

35

401

Now must we needs be brave, tho' we spend all we have;
For of new garments we have great need:

Of horses and serving-men we must have store,
With bridles and saddles, and twentye things more.

46

Tushe, sir John, quoth his wife, why should you frett, or You shall ne'er be att no charges for mee;

[frowne? For

For I will turne and trim up my old russet gowne, 51

With everye thing else as fine as may bee;
And on our mill-horses swift we will ride,
With pillowes and pannells, as we shall provide.

In this most statelye sort, rode they unto the court, 55
Their jolly sonne Richard rode foremost of all;
Who set up, for good hap, a cocks feather in his cap,
And so they jetted downe to the kings hall;

The merry old miller with hands on his side;
His wife, like maid Marian, did mince at that tide. 60

The king and his nobles that heard of their coming,
Meeting this gallant knight with his brave traine ;
Welcome, sir knight, quoth he, with your gay lady :

Good sir John Cockle, once welcome againe :
And so is the squire of courage soe free.
Quoth Dicke, A bots on you! do you know mee?

Quoth our king gentlye, how should I forget thee?
That wast my owne bed-fellowe, well it I wot.
Yea, sir, quoth Richard, and by the same token,

65

70

Thou with thy farting didst make the bed hot. Thou whore-son unhappy knave, then quoth the knight, Speake cleanly to our king, or else go sh***.

Ver. 57. for good hap: i. e. for good luck; they were going on an hazardous expedition.

Ver. 60. Maid Marian in the Morris dance, was represented by a man in woman's clothes, who was to take short steps in order to sustain the female character.

The