is stead,
With my crown of gold so fair on my head,
Among all my liege-men so noble of birth,
Tell me to one penny what I am worth.

For thirty pence our Saviour was sold
Among the false Jews, as I have been told;
And twenty-nine is the worth of thee,
For I think, thou art one penny worser than he.

The king he laughed, and swore by St. Bittel,[128]
I did not think I had been worth so little!
--Now secondly tell me, without any doubt,
How soon I may ride this whole world about.

You must rise with the sun, and ride with the same,
Until the next morning he riseth again;
And then your grace need not make any doubt,
But in twenty-four hours you'll ride it about.

The king he laughed, and swore by St. Jone,
I did not think it could be gone so soon!
--Now from the third question thou must not shrink,
But tell me here truly what I do think.

Yea, that shall I do, and make your grace merry:
You think I'm the abbot of Canterbury;
But I'm his poor shepherd, as plain you may see,
That am come to beg pardon for him and for me.

The king he laughed, and swore by the mass,
I'll make thee lord abbot this day in his place!
Now nay, my liege, be not in such speed,
For, alack, I can neither write nor read.

Four nobles a week then I will give thee,
For this merry jest thou hast shown unto me;
And tell the old abbot when thou com'st home,
Thou hast brought him a pardon from good king John.

FOOTNOTES:

[126] Hurt.

[127] Place.

[128] St. Botolph.

ROBIN HOOD AND THE CURTAL FRIAR.

In the summer time, when leaves grow green,
And flowers are fresh and gay,
Robin Hood and his merry men
Were all disposed to play.

Then some would leap, and some would run,
And some would use artillery;
Which of you can a good bow draw,
A good archer for to be?

Which of you can kill a buck?
Or who can kill a doe?
Or who can kill a hart of grease,[129]
Five hundred foot him fro'?

Will Scarlet he kill'd a buck,
And Midge he kill'd a doe;
And Little John kill'd a hart of grease,
Five hundred foot him fro'.

God's blessing on thy heart, said Robin Hood,
That shot such a shot for me;
I would ride my horse an hundred miles
To find one to match thee.

That caused Will Scarlet to laugh,