"Yet one thinge wolde I," sayd our king, "If thou wilt not seeme strange; Thoughe my horse be better than thy mare, Yet with thee I faine wold change." 80 "Why if with me thou faine wilt change, As change full well maye wee, By the faith of my bodye, thou proude fellòwe, I will have some boot of thee." "That were against reason," sayd the king, 85 "I sweare, so mote I thee; My horse is better than thy mare, And that thou well mayst see." "Yea, sir, but Brocke is gentle and mild, And softly she will fare; 90 Thy horse is unrulye and wild, i-wiss, Aye skipping here and theare." "What boote wilt thou have?" our king reply'd; "Now tell me in this stound;" "Noe pence, nor half-pence, by my faye, 95 But a noble in gold so round." "Here's twentye groates of white moneyè, Sith thou wilt have it of mee;" "I would have sworne now," quoth the tanner, "Thou hadst not had one penniè. 100 "But since we two have made a change, A change we must abide; Although thou hast gotten Brocke my mare, Thou gettest not my cowe-hide." "I will not have it," sayd the kynge, 105 "I sweare, so mought I thee; Thy foule cowe-hide I wolde not beare, If thou woldst give it to mee." The tanner hee tooke his good cowe-hide, That of the cow was hilt, 110 And threwe it upon the king's sadèlle, That was soe fayrelye gilte. "Now help me up, thou fine fellòwe, 'Tis time that I were gone; When I come home to Gyllian my wife, 115 Sheel say I am a gentilmon." The king he tooke him up by the legge, The tanner a f** lett fall; "Nowe marrye, good fellowe," sayd the kyng, "Thy courtesye is but small." 120 When the tanner he was in the kinges sadèlle, And his foote in his stirrup was, He marvelled greatlye in his minde, Whether it were golde or brass. But when his steede saw the cows taile wagge, 125 And eke the blacke cowe-horne, He stamped, and stared, and awaye he ranne, As the devill had him borne. The tanner he pulld, the tanner he sweat, And held by the pummil fast; 130 At length the tanner came tumbling downe, His necke he had well-nye brast. "Take thy horse again with a vengeance," he sayd, "With mee he shall not byde;" "My horse wolde have borne thee well enoughe, 135 But he knewe not of thy cowe-hide.