or there weep no bairns
So still.

_1st Shepherd._ Who is that pipes so poor?

_Mac._ Would God ye knew how I fare!
Lo, a man that walks on the moor,
And has not all his will.

_2nd Shepherd._ Mac, where hast thou gone? Tell us tidings.

_3rd Shepherd._ Is he come? Then each one take heed to his things.

[_Takes his cloak from him._

_Mac._ What, I am a yeoman, I tell you, of the king;
The self and the same, sent from a great lording,
And sich.[113]
Fy on you, get thee hence,
Out of my presence,
I must have reverence,
Why, who be ich?[114]

_1st Shepherd._ Why make ye it so quaint? Mac, ye do wrong.

_2nd Shepherd._ But, Mac, list, ye saint? I trow that ye sang.

_3rd Shepherd._ I trow the shrew can paint, the devil might him hang!

_Mac._ I shall make complaint, and make you all to thwang.[115]
At a word,
And tell even how ye doth.

_1st Shepherd._ But, Mac, is that sooth?
Now take out that southern tooth,
And set in a tord.

_2nd Shepherd._ Mac, the devil in your ee,[116] a stroke would I lend you.

_3rd Shepherd._ Mac, know ye not me? By God, I could tell you.

_Mac._ God look you all three, methought I had seen you.
Ye are a fair company.

_1st Shepherd._ Can ye now moan you?

_2nd Shepherd._ Shrew, jape![117]
Thus late as thou goes,
What will men suppose?
And thou hast an ill noise[118]
Of stealing of sheep.

_Mac._ And I am true as steel all men wait,
But a sickness I feel, that holds me full haytt,[119]
My belly fares not well, it is out of its state.

_3rd Shepherd._ Seldom lies the devil dead by the gate.

_Mac._ Therefore
Full sore am I and ill,
If I stand stock still;
I eat not a nedyll[120]
This month and more.

_1st Shepherd._ How fares thy wife? By my hood, how fares she?

_Mac._ Lies weltering! by the rood! by the fire, lo!
And a house full of brood,[121] she drinks well too,
Ill speed other good that she will do;
But so
Eats as fast as she can,
And each year that comes to man,
She brings forth a lakan,[122]
And some years two.
But were I not more gracious, and richer by far,
I were eaten out of house, and of harbour,
Yet is she a foul dowse, if ye come near.
There is none that trows, nor knows, a war[123]
Than ken I.
Now will ye see what I proffer,
To give all in my coffer
To-morrow next to offer,
Her head mass-penny.

_2nd Shepherd._ I wot so forwaked[124] is none in this shire:
I w