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THE KING AND MILLKE OF MANSFIELD. 33
Chasing the hart and hind, and the bucke gallant-lye,
Till the dark evening forc'd all to turne home. Then at last, riding fast, he had lost quite n All his lords in the wood, late in the night.
[downe, Wandering thus wearilye, all alone, up and
With a rude miller he mett at the last; Asking the ready way unto faire Nottingham, is " Sir," quoth the miller, " I meane not to jest, Yet I thinke, what I thinke, sooth for to say; You doe not lightlye ride out of your way."
" Why, what dost thou think of me," quoth our
king merrily,
" Passing thy judgment upon me so briefe ? "
" Good faith," sayd the miller, " I mean not to
flatter thee, 21
I guess thee to bee but some gentleman thiefe ;
Stand thee backe, in the darke ; light not adowne,
Lest that I presentlye crack thy knaves crowne."
" Thou dost abuse me much," quoth the king, "•saying thus; 25
I am a gentleman ; lodging I lacke." " Thou hast not," quoth th' miller, " one groat in thy purse ; All thy inheritance hanges on thy backe." " I have gold to discharge all that I call; If it be forty pence, I will pay all." so
VOL. VIII. 3 |
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