3 But as our king on his way rode forth, by eight a clocke of the day, He was ware of a tanner of mery Tamworth, was in a quaint aray. 4 A good russet coat the tanner had on, he thought it mickle pride; He rode on a mare cost foure shillings, and vnder him a good cow-hide. 5 A paire of rough mittens the tanner did weare, his hood was buckled vnder his chin; ‘Yonder comes a good fellow,’ said our king, ‘that cares not whether he lose or win.’ 6 The tanner came singing on his mare, with one so merry a note; He sung out of tune, he was past care, he had no neede to grease his throte. 7 ‘Stand you here still, my lordes now, vnder the greene wood spray, And I will ride to yonder fellow, to wit what he will say. 8 ‘God speede, good fellow,’ said our king; ‘thou art welcom, sir,’ quoth he; ‘Which is the way to Drayton Basset, I pray thee tell to me.’ 9 ‘Marry, that I will,’ quoth the tanner, ‘right as here I stand; The next paire of gallows that thou comes to, turne in vpon thy right hand.’ 10 ‘It is an vnready way,’ said our king, ‘I tell you, so mote I thee; I pray you show me the readiest way the towne that I may see.’ 11 ‘Go play the great jauel!’ quoth the tanner, ‘I hold thee out of thy wit; All day haue I ridden on Brocke, my mare, and I am fasting yet.’ 12 ‘Why, we will to the towne,’ said our king, ‘and of dainties [we will none lacke]; We will eate and drinke and fare of the best, and I will pay for the shot.’ 13 ‘God haue mercy for nothing,’ quoth the tanner, ‘thou paiest for none of mine, For I haue as many nobles in my purse as thou hast pence in thine.’ 14 ‘God giue you ioy of yours,’ said our king, ‘and send thee well to priefe;’ The tanner would faine haue beene away, for he wend he had beene a thiefe. 15 ‘What art thou, good fellow?’ quoth the tanner, ‘of thee I am in great feare, For the clothes that thou wearest on thy back are not for a lord to weare.’ 16 ‘I neuer stole them,’ said our king, ‘I tell you, sir, by the rood;’ ‘No, thou plaiest as many an vnthrift doth, thou standst in the mids of thy good.’ 17 ‘What tidings heare you,’ said our king, ‘as you ride farre and neare?’ ‘I heare no tidings,’ quoth the tanner, ‘but that cow-hides are deare.’ 18 ‘Cow-hides? cow-hides?’ then said our king, ‘I know not what they be;’ ‘Lo, here thou maist see one;’ quoth the tanner, ‘here lyeth one vnder me. 19 ‘Knowst thou not a cow-hide,’ quoth the tanner, ‘and hast gone so long to schoole? If euer thou come to dwell in the country, thou wilt be made a foole.’