11 ‘Well,’ q_uo_th the millers wiffe, ‘younge man, welcome heer! And tho I say’t, well lodged shalt thou be; Fresh straw I will lay vpon yo_u_r bed soe braue, Good browne hempen sheetes likwise,’ q_uo_th shee. ‘I,’ q_uo_th the goodman, ‘and when _tha_t is done, Thou shalt lye [with] noe worse then our owne sonne.’ 12 ‘Nay first,’ q_uo_th Richard, ‘good fellowe, tell me true, Hast thou noe creep_er_s in thy gay hose? Art thou not troubled w_i_th the scabbado?’ ‘Pray you,’ q_uo_th the k_ing_, ‘what things are those?’ ‘Art thou not lowsye nor scabbed?’ q_uo_th hee; ‘If thou beest, surely thou lyest not with me.’ 13 This caused our k_ing_ suddenly to laugh most hartilye Till the teares trickled downe from his eyes. Then to there supp_er_ were thé sett orderlye, To hott bag-puddings and good apple-pyes; Nappy ale, good and stale, in a browne bowle, Wh_ic_h did about the bord merrilye troule. 14 ’Heere,’ q_uo_th the miller, ’good fellowe, I’le drinke to thee, And to all the courtnolls _tha_t curteous bee.’ ’I pledge thee,’ q_uo_th our k_ing_, ’and thanke thee heartilye For my good welcome in eu_er_ye degree; And heere in like manner I drinke to thy sonne.’ ’Doe then,’ saies Rich_ard_, ’and quicke let it come.’ 15 ’Wiffe,’ q_uo_th the miller, ’feitch me forth lightfoote, _Tha_t wee of his sweetnesse a litle may tast.’ A faire venson pastye shee feiched forth p_re_sentlye. ’Eate,’ q_uo_th the miller, ’but first, make noe wast; Heer is dainty lightfoote.’ ’Infaith,’ q_uo_th our k_ing_, ’I neu_er_ before eate of soe dayntye a thinge.’ 16 ’Iwis,’ said Richard, ’noe dayntye att all it is, For wee doe eate of it eu_er_ye day.’ ’In what place,’ sayd our k_ing_, ’may be bought lik to th[is?]’ ’Wee neu_er_ pay peennye for it, by my fay; From merry Sherwood wee feitch it home heere; Now and then we make bold w_i_th our kings deere.’ 17 ’Then I thinke,’ q_uo_th our king, ’_tha_t it is venison.’ ’Eche foole,’ q_uo_th Richard, ’full well may see _tha_t; Neu_er_ are we w_i_thout two or three in the rooffe, Verry well fleshed and exellent ffatt. But I pray thee say nothing where-ere thou goe; We wold not for two pence the k_ing_ shold it know.’ 18 ’Doubt not,’ said our k_ing_, ’my p_ro_mised secresye; The k_ing_ shall neu_e_r know more on’t for mee.’ A cupp of lambes woole they dranke vnto him, And to their bedds thé past p_re_sentlye. The nobles next morning went all vp and downe For to seeke the k_ing_ in eu_er_ye towne.