A Pleasant new Ballad betweene King Edward the fourth, and a Tan-
ner of Tamworth, as hee rode upon a time with his
Nobles on Hunting, towards Drayton Basset.
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IN Summer time when leaves grew greene,
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and birds sitting on every tree:
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King Edward would a hunting ride,
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some pastime for to see.
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Our King he would a hunting ride,
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by eight a clocke of the day,
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And well was he ware of a bold Tanner,
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come riding on the way.
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A good russet coat the Tanner had on,
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fast buttoned under his chin:
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And under him a good Cow-hide,
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and a Mare of foure shilling.
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Now stand you here good my Lords all,
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under this trusty tree:
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And I will wend to yonder fellow,
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to know from whence came hee.
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God speed, God speed, then said our King,
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thou art welcome good fellow (quoth hee)
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Which is the way to Drayton Basset?
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I pray you shew it to me.
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The way to Drayton Basset,
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from this way as thou dost stand,
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The next paire of Gallowes thou commest to,
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thou must turne upon the left hand.
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That is not the way then said our King,
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the readiest way I pray thee shew mee.
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Whether thou be thiefe or true man quoth the Tanner,
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I am weary of thy company.
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Away with a vengeance quoth the Tanner,
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I hold thee out of thy wit:
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For this day have I ridden and gone,
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and I am fasting yet.
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Goe with me to Drayton Basset, said our King,
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no Dainties we will lacke:
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For weel have meat and drinke of the best,
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and I will pay for the shot.
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Godamercie for nothing quoth the Tanner,
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thou shalt pay for no dinner of mine:
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I have more groats and nobles in my purse,
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than thou hast pence in thine.
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God save your goods then said our King,
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and send them well to thee.
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Be thou thiefe or true man said the Tanner,
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I am weary of thy company.
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Away with a vengeance quoth the Tanner,
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of thee I stand in feare:
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The apparell thou wearest on thy backe,
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may seeme a good Lord to weare.
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I never stole them said our King,
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I sweare to you by the rood:
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Thou art some Ruffian of the Country,
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thou ridest in the midst of thy good.
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What newes doe you heare then said our King,
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I pray what newes dyou heare?
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I heare no newes answered the Tanner,
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but that Cow-hides be deare.
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Cow-hides, Cow-hides then said our King,
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I marvell what they be.
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Why art thou a foole quoth the Tanner?
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looke I have one under mee.
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Yet one thing of thee I would thee pray,
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so that thou would not be strange:
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If thy Mare be better than my Steed,
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I pray you let us change.
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But if thou needs with me wilt change,
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as change full well may yee:
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By the faith of my body quoth the Tanner,
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I looke to have boot of thee.
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What boot wilt thou aske then said the King,
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what boot wilt thou aske on this ground?
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No pence nor halfepence said the Tanner,
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but a Noble in gold so round.
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The second Part of King Edward the fourth, and the Tanner of Tamworth.
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HEres twenty good groats then said the King,
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so well paid see that you be:
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I love thee better than I did before,
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I thought thou hadst nere a penny.
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But if so be we must needs change,
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as change we must abide:
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Though thou hast gotten Brocke my Mare,
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thou shalt not have my Cow-hide.
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The Tanner he tooke the good Cow-hide
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that of the Cow was hilt,
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And threw it upon the Kings Saddle,
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that was so fairely gilt.
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Now helpe me, helpe me up quoth the Tanner,
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full quickly that I were gone:
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For when I come home to Jillian my wife,
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sheel say I am a Gentleman.
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The King tooke the Tanner by the leg,
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he girded a fart so round:
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You are very homely then said the King,
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were I aware Ide a laid you oth ground.
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But when the Tanner was in the Kings Saddle,
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astonied then hee was:
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Hee knew not the stirrops that hee did weare,
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whether they were gold or brasse.
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But when the Steed saw the black Cow-taile wag,
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for and the blacke Cow-horne:
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The Steed began to run away,
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as the Devill the Tanner had borne.
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Untill hee came unto a nooke,
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a little beside an Ash:
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The Steed gave the Tanner such a fall,
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his necke was almost brast.
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Take thy horse againe with a vengeance, hee said,
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with mee hee shall not abide:
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It is no marvell said the King, and laught,
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he knew not your Cow-hide.
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But if that wee must needs now change here,
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as change well that we mote:
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Ile sweare to you plaine, if you have your Ma[re]
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I doe looke to have some boot.
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What boot wilt thou aske, quoth the Tanner,
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what boot wilt thou aske on this ground?
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No pence nor halfepence, said the King,
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but in gold twenty pound.
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Heres twenty groats said the Tanner,
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and twenty more I had of thine:
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I have ten groats more in my purse,
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weel drinke five of them at the Wine.
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The King set a Bugle horne to his mouth,
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that blew both loud and shrill,
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Then five hundred Lords and Knights,
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came riding over a hill.
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Away with a vengeance quoth the Tanner,
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with thee Ile no longer abide:
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Thou art a strong thiefe, yonder be thy fellow
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they will steale away my Cow-hide.
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No I protest then said our King,
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for so it may not be:
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Thay be Lords of Drayton Basset,
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come out of the North country.
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But when they came before the King,
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full loe they fell on their knee:
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The Tanner had rather than a hundred pound
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hee had been out of their company.
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A Coller, a Coller, then said the King,
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a Coller that he did cry:
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Then would he ha givn a thousand pound,
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hee had not been so nie.
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A Coller, a Coller, quoth the Tanner,
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that is a thing will breed sorrow,
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For after a Coller commeth a halter,
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and I shall be hanged to morrow.
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No doe not feare, the King did say,
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for pastime thou hast showne me:
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No Coller nor halter thou shalt have,
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but I will give thee a fee.
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For Plumton Parke I will thee give,
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with the Tenements three beside;
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Which is worth five hundred pound a yeare,
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to maintaine thy good Cow-hide.
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Godamercie, Godamercie, quoth the Tanner,
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for this good deed thou hast done:
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If ever thou commest to merry Tamworth,
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thou shalt have clouting leather for thy shone
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