In summer time,when leaves grow green,And blossoms bedeck the tree,King Edward would a hunting ride,Some pastime for to see.

With hawk and hound he made him boun,With horn,and eke with bow;

To Drayton Basset he took his way,With all his lords arow.

And he had ridden o'er dale and down By eight of clock in the day,When he was ware of a bold tann-er,Come riding along the way.

A fair russet coat the tanner had on,Fast buttoned under his chin,And under him a good cow-hide,And a mare of four shill-ing.

"Now stand you still,my good lords all Under the green wood spray;

And I will wend to yonder fell-ow,To weet what he will say."--

"God speed,God speed thee,"said our king.--

"Thou art welcome,sir,"said he.--

"The readiest way to Drayton Basset I pray thee to show to me."--

"To Drayton Basset wouldst thou go,Fro the place where thou dost stand?

The next pair of gallows thou comest unto Turn in upon thy right hand."--

"That is an unready way,"said our king,"Thou doest but jest,I see;

Now show me out the nearest way,And I pray thee wend with me."--

"Away with a vengeance!"quoth the tanner:

"I hold thee out of thy wit:

All day have I ridden on Brock my mare,And I am fasting yet."--

"Go with me down to Drayton Basset,No dainties we will spare;

All day shalt thou eat and drink of the best,And I will pay thy fare."--

"Gram-ercy for nothing,"the tanner replied,"Thou payest no fare of mine:

I trow I've more nobles in my purse,Than thou hast pence in thine."--

"God give thee joy of them,"said the king,"And send them well to prief."--

The tanner would fain have been away,For he weened he had been a thief.

"What art thou,"he said,"thou fine fell-ow?

Of thee I am in great fear,For the clothes thou wearest upon thy back Might beseem a lord to wear."--

"I never stole them,"quoth our king,"I tell you,sir,by the rood."--

"Then thou playest,as many an unthrift doth,And standest in midst of thy good."--

"What tidings hear you,"said the king.

"As you ride far and near?"--

"I hear no tidings,sir,by the mass,But that cow-hides are dear."--

"Cow-hides!cow-hides!what things are those?

I marvel what they be!"--

"What,art thou a fool?"the tanner replied;

"I carry one under me."--

"What craftsman art thou?"said the king,"I pray thee tell me trow.""--

"I am a barker,sir,by my trade.

Now tell me what art thou?"--

"I am a poor courtier,sir,"quoth he,"That am forth of service worn;

And fain I would thy 'prentice be,Thy cunning for to learn."--

"Marry,heaven forfend,"the tanner replied,"That thou my 'prentice were!

Thou'dst spend more good than I should win,By forty shilling a year."--

"Yet one thing would I,"said our king,"If thou wilt not seem strange:

Though my horse be better than thy mare,Yet with thee I fain would change."--

"Why,if with me thou fain wilt change,As change full well may we,By the faith of my body,thou proud fell-ow I will have some boot of thee."--

"That were against reason,"said the king,"I swear,so mote I thee:

My horse is better than thy mare,And that thou well may'st see."--

"Yea,sir,but Brock is gentle and mild,And softly she will fare;