{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch273.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch273.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch273.htm","text":"Sacred Texts\u00a0\n Legends & Sagas\u00a0\n England\u00a0\n Index\u00a0\n Previous\u00a0\n Next\u00a0\n \n \n \n 273A: King Edward the Fourth and a Tanner of Tamworth\n \n \n 273A.1 In summer time, when leaves grew green,\n and birds were singing on every tree,\n King Edward would a hunting ride,\n some pastime for to see.\n 273A.2 Our king he would a hunting ride,\n by eight a clock of the day,\n And well was he ware of a bold tanner,\n came riding on the way.\n 273A.3 A good russet coat the tanner had on,\n fast buttoned under his chin,\n And under him a good cow-hide,\n and a mare of four shilling.\n 273A.4 \u2018Now stand you here, my good lords all,\n under this trusty tree,\n And I will wend to yonder fellow,\n to know from whence came he.\n 273A.5 \u2018God speed, God speed,\u2019 then said our king;\n \u2019Thou art welcome, good fellow,\u2019 quoth he;\n \u2018Which is the way to Drayton Basset\n I pray thee shew to me.\u2019\n 273A.6 \u2018The ready way to Drayton Basset,\n from this place as thou dost stand,\n The next pair of gallows thou comst to\n thou must turn up [on] thy right hand.\u2019\n 273A.7 at is not the way,\u2019 then said our king,\n \u2019The ready way I pray thee shew me;\u2019\n \u2018Whether thou be thief or true man,\u2019 quoth the tanner,\n \u2018I\u2019m weary of thy company.\n 273A.8 \u2018Away, with a vengeance,\u2019 qoth the tanner,\n \u2018I hold thee out of thy wit,\n For all this day have I ridden and gone,\n And I am fasting yet.\u2019\n 273A.9 \u2018Go with me to Drayton Basset,\u2019 said our king,\n \u2019No daintyes we will lack;\n We\u2019l have meat and drink of the best,\n And I will pay the shot.\u2019\n 273A.10 \u2018Godamercy for nothing,\u2019 said the tanner,\n \u2019Thou shalt pay for no dinner of mine;\n I have more groats and nobles in my purse\n then thou hast pence in thine.\u2019\n 273A.11 \u2018God save your goods,\u2019 then said the king,\n a+end send them well to thee!\u2019\n \u2018Be thou thief or true man,\u2019 quoth the tanner,\n \u2018I am weary of thy company.\n 273A.12 \u2018Away, with a vengeance,\u2019 quoth the tanner,\n \u2019of thee I stand in fear;\n The aparrell thou wearst on thy back\n May seem a good lord to wear.\u2019\n 273A.13 \u2018I never stole them\u2019 said our king,\n \u2018I swear to thee by the rood;\u2019\n \u2018Thou art some ruffian of the country,\n thou rid\u2019st in the midst of thy good.\u2019\n 273A.14 at news dost thou hear?\u2019 then said our king,\n \u2018I pray what news do you hear?\u2019\n \u2018I hear no news,\u2019 answered the tanner,\n \u2019But that cow-hides be dear.\u2019\n 273A.15 \u2018Cow-hides? cow-hides?\u2019 then said our king,\n \u2018I marvell what they be;\u2019\n \u2018Why, art thou a fool?\u2019 quoth the tanner,\n \u2019look, I have one under me.\u2019\n 273A.16 \u2018Yet one thing now I would thee pray,\n so that thou wouldst not be strange;\n If thy mare be better then my steed,\n I pray thee let us change.\u2019\n 273A.17 \u2018But if you needs with me will change,\n As change full well may ye,\n By the faith of my body,\u2019 quoth the tanner,\n \u2018I look to have boot of thee.\u2019\n 273A.18 \u2018What boot wilt thou ask?\u2019 then said our king,\n \u2019what boot dost thou ask on this ground?\u2019\n \u2018No pence nor half-pence,\u2019 said the tanner,\n \u2019But a noble in gold so round.\u2019\n 273A.19 \u2018Here\u2019s twenty good groats,\u2019 then said the king,\n \u2019So well paid see you be;\u2019\n \u2018I love thee better then I did before,\n I thought thou hadst nere a peny.\n 273A.20 \u2018But if so be we needs must change,\n as change thou must abide,\n Though thou hast gotten Brock my mare,\n thou shalt not have my cow-hide.\u2019\n 273A.21 The tanner took the good cow-hide,\n that of the cow was hilt,\n And threw it upon the king\u2019s saddle,\n That was so fairly guilt.\n 273A.22 \u2018Now help me, help me,\u2019 quoth the tanner,\n \u2018Full quickly that I were gone,\n For when I come home to Gillian my wife\n she\u2019l say I\u2019m a gentleman.\u2019\n 273A.23 The king took the tanner by the leg,\n he girded a fart so round;\n \u2018You\u2019r very homely,\u2019 said the king,\n \u2019were I aware, I\u2019d laid you o th\u2019 ground.\u2019\n 273A.24 But when the tanner was in the king\u2019s saddle\n aston d then he was;\n He knew not the stirrops that he did wear,\n whether they were gold or brass.\n 273A.25 But when the steed saw the black cow-tale wag,\n for and the black cow-horn,\n The steed began to run away,\n as the divel the tanner had born.\n 273A.26 Untill he came unto a nook,\n a little beside an ash;\n The steed gave the tanner such a fall\n his neck was almost brast.\n 273A.27 \u2018Take thy horse again, with a vengeance,\u2019 he said,\n \u2019with me he shall not abide;\u2019\n \u2018It is no marvell,\u2019 said the king, and laught,\n \u2019He knew not your cow-hide.\n 273A.28 \u2018But if that we needs now must change,\n as change that well we mought,\n I\u2019le swear to you plain, if you have your mare,\n I look to have some boot.\u2019\n 273A.29 \u2018What boot will you ask?\u2019 quoth the tanner,\n \u2018What boot will you ask on this ground?\u2019\n \u2018No pence nor half-pence,\u2019 said our king,\n \u2019But a noble in gold so round.\u2019\n 273A.30 \u2018Here\u2019s twenty [good] groats,\u2019 said the tanner,\n a+end twenty more I have of thine;\n I have ten groats more in my purse,\n we\u2019l drink five of them at the wine.\u2019\n 273A.31 The king set a bugle-horne to his mouth,\n that blew both loud and shrill,\n And five hundred lords and knights\n came riding over a hill.\n 273A.32 \u2018Away, with a vengeance,\u2019 quoth the tanner,\n \u2019with thee I\u2019le no longer abide;\n Thou art a strong thief, yonder be thy fellows,\n they will steal away my cow-hide.\u2019\n 273A.33 \u2018No I protest,\u2019 then said our king,\n \u2019For so it may not be;\n They be the lords of Drayton Basset,\n come out of the North Country.\u2019\n 273A.34 But when they came before the king\n full low they fell on their knee;\n The tanner had rather then a thousand pound\n he had been out of his company.\n 273A.35 \u2018A coller! a coller!\u2019 then said the king,\n a+e coller!\u2019 then did he cry;\n Then would he have given a thousand pound\n he had not been so nigh.\n 273A.36 \u2018A coller? a coller?\u2019 then quoth the tanner,\n \u2019it is a thing which will breed sorrow;\n For after a coller commeth a halter,\n and I shall be hanged tomorrow.\u2019\n 273A.37 \u2018No, do not fear,\u2019 the king did say;\n \u2019For pastime thou hast shown me,\n No coller nor halter thou shalt have,\n but I will give thee a fee.\n 273A.38 \u2018For Plompton Park I will give thee,\n with tenements three beside,\n Which is worth three hundred pound a year,\n to maintain thy good cow-hide.\u2019\n 273A.39 \u2018Godamercy, Godamercy,\u2019 quoth the tanner;\n \u2019For this good deed thou hast done,\n If ever thou comest to merry Tamworth\n thou shalt have clouting-leather for thy shone.\u2019\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Next: 274. Our Goodman","title":"The Child Ballads: 273. King Edward the Fourth and a Tanner of Tamworth","type":"page"}