No womanhead is it indeed, To be bold as a knight. Yet in such fear if that ye were, Among enemies day and night, I would withstand, with bow in hand, To grieve them as I might, And you to save, as women have, From death many one: For in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone." "Yet take good heed; for ever I dread That ye could not sustain The thorny ways, the deep vallies, The snow, the frost, the rain, The cold, the heat; for, dry or wet, We must lodge on the plain; And us above none other rove But a brake bush or twain; Which soon should grieve you, I believe, And ye would gladly than That I had to the greenwood go Alone, a banished man." (_than_, then. _rove_, roof.) "Sith I have here been partinere With you of joy and bliss, I must also part of your woe Endure, as reason is; Yet am I sure of one pleasure, And shortly, it is this; That where ye be, meseemth, perde, I could not fare amiss. Without more speech, I you beseech That we were soon agone; For in My mind, of all mankind I love but you alone." "If ye go thither, ye must consider, When ye have lust to dine, There shall no meat be for to get, Nor drink, beer, ale, ne wine; Ne sheetés clean to lie between, Made of thread and twine: None other house but leaves and boughs To cover your head and mine. Lo, mine heart sweet, this ill diet Should make you pale and wan: Wherefore I to the wood will go Alone, a banished man." "Among the wild deer such an archer As men say that ye be Ne may not fail of good vitail, Where is so great plenty; (_partinere_, partner. _vitail_, victual) And water clear of the river Shall be full sweet to me, With which in hele I shall right weel Endure, as ye shall see: And ere we go, a bed or two I can provide anon; For in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone." "Lo, yet before, ye must do more, If ye will go with me, As cut your hair up by your ear, Your kirtle by the knee; With bow in hand, for to withstand Your enemies, if need be; And this same night, before daylight, To woodward will I flee; And [if] ye will all this fulfill, Do it shortly as ye can: Else will I to the greenwood go Alone, a banished man." "I shall as now do more for you Than longeth to womanhood, To short my hair, a bow to bear, To shoot in time of need: O my sweet mother, before all other, For you have I most dread! But now, adieu! I must ensue Where fortune doth me lead. (_hele_, health.) All this make ye; now let us flee; The day comes fast upon; For in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone." "Nay, nay, not so; ye shall not go; And I shall tell you why; Your appetite is to be light Of love, I well espy: For right as ye have said to me,