[...] was lodged in the Millers house, and of their pleasant communication. To the tune of the French Lau [...]
HEnry our roiall King would goe on hunting,
To the greene forrest most pleasant and faire:
[...] gaue the
[...]art chaced, the dainty Does tripping,
[...] merry Sherwood his nobles repaire.
[...]and
[...], was vnbound, all things prepar'd,
[...] the same, to the game with good regard.
[...] a long Summers day, rode the King pleasantly,
with all his princes and nobles each one:
[...]hasing the Hart and Hind, and the Bucke gallantly,
[...] the darke euening inforst them turne home.
then at last riding fast he had lost quite,
all his Lords in the woods, late in darke night.
Wandring[?] thus wearily, all alone vp and downe,
With a rude Millar he met at the last:
asking[?] the ready way vnto faire
Nottingham.
[...]quoth the Miller your way you haue
lost[?].
yet I thinke what I thinke truth for to say,
you doe not lightly goe but of your way.
[...] what doe thou thinke of me quoth our king merily
[...] thy
iudgement[?] vpon m
[...] so bree
[...]e:
[...]
[...] to quoth the Miller I meane not to flatter,
gesse[?] thee to be but a gentleman theefe.
[...] thee backe in the darke
[...]ight not a downe,
[...]cast to it I presently cracke thy knaues crowne.
Thou[?] dost abuse me m
[...]ch (quoth our king) saying thus,
[...] a gentleman, lodging I lacke:
[...]
hast[?] quoth the miller not a grote in thy purse,
[...] thy inheritaince hangs on thy backe.
I haue gold codischarge all that I call,
If it be fortie
pence[?] I wil pay all.
[...]thou beest a true man then answered the miller,
[...] wear by my tole
dishile[?] lodge thee all night.
[...]eres m
[...] hand quoth our King that I was euer:
Say[?] so
[...]t quoth the miller thou mayst be a sprite.
[...]etter ile know thee ere hands I will shake,
[...] none but with honest men hands I will take.
Thus they went al a long vnto the millers house:
Where they were
[...]ing of
[...]dings and souse:
[...] miller first entred in after him went the king:
[...]euer came he in so smokie a house.
now quoth he let me see heere what you are,
quoth our king looke your fill, and doe not spare.
like well thy countenance thou hast an honest face,
With my sonne Richard this night thou shalt lye:
Quoth his wife by my troth tis a good hansome youth
[...] is it best husband to deale warily
art thou not run away, pray thee youth tel,
shew vs thy pasport and al shal be wel.
Then our king presently making low curtesie,
With his hat in his hand, thus he did say:
[...] haue no pasport nor neuer was seruiture,
[...]nt a poore courtier roue out of my way.
and for your kindnes now proffered to me,
I will requite it in euery degree.
Then to the miller his wife whispered secretly,
Saying it seemeth this youth's of good kinne:
Both by his apparel and eke by his manners,
[...] turne him out certainly were a great sinne.
[...] quoth he, you may see, he hath some grace,
[...] he speakes vnto his betters in place.
Wel quoth the millers wife, yong man welcome h
[...]
And though I say it, well lodged shalt thou be:
Fresh strawe I wil haue, laide in your bed so brau
[...]
Good browne hempen
[...]ts likewise quoth she.
[...] quoth the goodman and when that is done.
you shall lye with no worse then with mine own
[...]
Nay first quoth Richard, good fellow tell me true,
Hast thou no creepers in thy gay hose,
Or art thou not troubled with the scrubado?
I pray you quoth our King what things be those?
Art thou not lousie, or scabbed quoth he?
If thou beest, surely thou lyest not with me.
This causde our King sodainely laugh out most h
[...]
til the teares trickled downe from his face:
then vnto supper were they set orderly,
With hot bagpudding, and good applepies.
Nappy ale good and stale in a blacke boule,
which did about all the boorde merily troule.
Here quoth the Miller good fellow I drinke to't
and to all courtnoles that curteous be,
I pledge thee quoth our King, and thanke thee har
[...]
For m
[...] good welcome in euery degree.
and here in like manner I drinke to thy son,
do so quoth Richard and quicke let it come.
Wife quoth the miller now fetch me foorth light
[...]
that we of his sweetnes a little may taste:
A faire Venson p
[...]tie th
[...]n brought the foorth pres
Cate quoth the miller, but sir make no waste.
Here is good lightfoot, in faith quoth our King,
I neuer eate so daintie a thing.
Ywis said Richard no daint
[...] at all it is.
For we doe eate of it euerie daie,
In what place said our king maie be bought like
[...]
We neuer pay
[...]ennie for it by my fare:
from merie Sherwood we fetch it home here,
now and then we make bolde with the Kings d
[...]
Then I thinke quoth our King that it is venison,
Each foole quoth Richard ful wel may see that
Neuer are we without two or thr
[...] the ruffe,
Uery wel fleshed and excelent fat.
but pre thee say nothing where euer thou goe,
we would not for two pence the King should it
[...]
Doubt not quoth our King my promised secrecie
[...]
the King shall neuer know more on't for me,
a cup then of lamps wool they drunke strait vnt
[...]
and so to their beds they past presently:
the nobles next morning went al vp and downe
for to seeke out the King in euery towne.
at last at this millers house some did espy him p
[...]
as he was mounting vpon his faire steed:
to whom they ran presently falling downe on th
[...]
Which made the millers heart wofully bleed,
shaking and quaking before him be stood,
thinking he should haue been hangd by the roo
[...]
The King perceiuing him fearful and trembling
Drew out his sword, but nothing he sed
[...]
The miller down did fall crying before them all
Doubting the King would haue cut of his head.
but he his kinde curtesie strait to requite,
gaue him great liuing, and dubbd him a
Knight[?]