26 ‘If thou can fetch her vnto me, That we may merry be, I make a vow, in the forrest, Of deare thou shalt haue fee.’ 27 ‘Rest then, faire sir,’ the woman said; ‘I sweare by good Saint Iohn, I will bring to you that same maide Full quickly and anon.’ 28 ‘Meane time,’ quoth William, ‘I’le be cooke And see the faune i-drest; A stouter cooke did neuer come Within the faire forrest.’ 29 Thick blith old lasse had wit enow For to declare his minde; So fast she hi’d, and nere did stay, But left William behind. 30 Where William, like a nimble cooke, Is dressing of the fare, And for this damsell doth he looke; ‘I would that she were here!’ 31 ‘Good speed, blithe Cisse,’ quoth that old lasse; ‘God dild yee,’ quoth Cisley againe; ‘How done you, nant Ione?’ she said, ‘Tell me it, I am faine.’ 32 The good old Ione said weele she was, ‘And commen in an arrand till you; For you must to my cottage gone, Full quick, I tell you true; 33 ‘Where we full merry meane to be, All with my elder lad:’ When Cissley heard of it, truely, She was exceeding glad. 34 ‘God’s curse light on me,’ quoth Cissley tho, ‘If with you I doe not hie; I neuer ioyed more forsooth Then in your company.’ 35 Happy the good-wife thought her selfe That of her purpose she had sped, And home with Cisley she doth come, So lightly did they tread. 36 And comming in, here William soone Had made ready his fare; The good old wife did wonder much So soone as she came there. 37 Cisley to William now is come, God send her mickle glee! Yet was she in a maze, God wot, When she saw it was hee. 38 ‘Had I beene ware, good sir,’ she said, ‘Of that it had beene you, I would haue staid at home in sooth, I tell you very true.’ 39 ‘Faire Cisley,’ then said William kind, ‘Misdeeme thou not of mee; I sent not for thee to the end To do thee iniury. 40 ‘Sit downe, that we may talke a while, And eate all of the best And fattest kidde that euer was slaine In merry Sirwood forrest.’ 41 His louing words wan Cisley then To keepe with him a while; But in the meane time Cislei’s loue Of her was tho beguile. 42 A stout and sturdie man he was Of quality and kind, And knowne through all the north country To beare a noble minde. 43 ‘But what,’ quoth William, ‘do I care? If that he meane to weare, First let him winne; els neuer shall He haue the maide, I sweare.’ 44 Full softly is her louer come, And knocked at the dore; But tho he mist of Cislei’s roome, Whereat he stampt and swore. 45 ‘A mischief on his heart,’ quoth he, ‘That hath enlured the maide To be with him in company!’ He car’d not what he sayd.