King EDWARD the Fourth
AND THE
TANNER of TAMWORTH.
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IN summer time when leaves grow green,
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And birds were singing on the 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 oclock of the Day,
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And well was he aware 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 forty shilling.
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Now stand you here my good Lords all,
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Under this trusty tree,
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And I will grant to yonder fellow,
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To know from whence came he.
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God speed, God speed, then said our King,
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Thou art welcome, Good Fellow, quoth he
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Which is the way to Drayton Basset,
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I pray thee shew to me.
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The ready way to Drayton Basset,
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From this place as thou dost stand,
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The next pair of gallows thou comest unto
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Thou must turn upon thy right-hand.
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That is not the way then said our King,
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The ready way I pray shew me.
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Whether thou be a thief 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 all this day I have ridden and gone,
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And I am fasting yet.
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Go with me to Drayton Basset said our king,
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No dainties we will lack;
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We will have meat and drink of the best,
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And I will pay thy shot.
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God-a-mercy for nothing, said 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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Then thou hast pence in thine.
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God save thy goods then said our king,
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I wish them well to thee:
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Be thief 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 fear:
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The apparel thou wearest on thy back,
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May suit a good Lord so wear.
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I never stole them said our King,
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I swear to thee by the Rood,
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Thou art some ruffian of the country,
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Thou ridest i[n] the midst of the wood.
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What news dost thou hear then said our king
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I pray thee what news dost thou hear?
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I hear no news answered the Tanner,
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But Cow Hides are very dear.
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Cow Hides! Cow Hides! then said our King,
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I marvel what they be!
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Why thou art a fool, quoth the Tanner,
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Look I have one under me:
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Yet one thing now I would thee pray,
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So that thou wouldst not be strange,
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If thy mare be better than my steed.
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I pray thee let us change:
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But if thou needs with me will change,
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A change full well may be;
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By the faith of my body, quoth the Tanner,
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I look to have some boot of thee.
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What wilt thou have, said our King,
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What boot dost thou ask on this ground,
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No pence nor halfpence said the Tanner,
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But a Noble in Gold so round:
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Heres twenty groats then said our King,
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So well paid say you be.
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I like you better than I did before,
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I thought thou hadst neer a penny;
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But if so be thou needs must change,
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As change thou mayst abide;
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Tho thou hast gotten Brock my mare,
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Thou shalt not have my Cow Hide.
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The Tanner took the good cow hide,
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That off the cow was bilt,
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And threw it upon the Kings saddle,
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That was so fairly gilt:
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Now help me up, quoth the Tanner,
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Full quickly that I was gone;
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And when I come home to Gillian my wife,
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Shell say Im a gentleman:
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The King took the Tanner by the leg,
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He girted a fart so round:
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Youre very homely then said the King,
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Were I aware Id laid you on the ground:
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When the Tanner was in the Kings saddle,
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Astonished then he was;
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He knew not the stirrups that he did wear,
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Whether they were gold or brass;
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But when the steed saw the black cow tail wag,
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And eke the black cow horn;
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The steed began to run away,
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As if the Devil the Tanner had been;
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Until he came into a nook,
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A little beside an oak;
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The steed gave the Tanner such a fall,
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His neck was almost broke.
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Take thy horse again with a vengeance he said
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With me he shall not abide;
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It is no marvel, said the King, and laughd,
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He knew not your Cow Hide;
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But if we needs must change,
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As change well now she might;
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I swear to you plain if you have my mare,
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I look to have some boot:
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What boot will you ask, quoth the Tanner?
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What boot will you ask on this ground?
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No pence nor halfpence said our King,
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But a Noble in gold so round:
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Heres twenty good groats, said the Tanner,
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I have twenty more of thine;
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I have ten groats more in my purse,
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Well drink five of them at the Vine.
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The King set a bugle horn to his mouth,
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And blew both loud and shrill:
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And five hundred Lords and Knights
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Came riding over the hill:
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Away with a vengeance, quoth the Tanner,
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With thee Ill no longer abide;
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Thou art a strong thief, yonder are thy fellows:
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Theyll steal 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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They 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 low they fell on their knees;
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The Taner had rather than a thousand pound
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He had been out of the company:
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A collar, a collar, then said the King,
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A collar then did he cry;
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Then he would have given a thousand pound
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He had not been so nigh.
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A collar, a collar, quoth the Tanner,
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Its a thing will breed sorrow;
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For after a collar cometh a halter,
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And I shall be hangd to-morrow.
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No, do not fear the King did say,
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For pastime thou hast shewn to me;
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No collar nor no haltar thou shalt have,
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But I will give thee a fee;
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For Plumpton Park I will give thee,
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With tenements three beside;
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Which is worth three hundred pounds a year,
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To maintain thy good cow hide.
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God-a-mercy, God-a-mercy quoth the Tanner
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For this good deed thou hast done.
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If ever thou comest to merry Tamworth,
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Thou shalt have clout leather for thy shoon
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