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Jhesu that is hevyn kyng, Yiff them all god endyng    (Yf it be thi wyll) And yif them parte of hevyn gam That well can calle gestes same    With mete and drinke to fylle. When that men be glad and blyth, Than wer solas god to lyth,    He that wold be stylle. Of a kyng I wyll you telle, What aventour hym befelle,    He that wyll herke thertylle. Yt befelle be god Edwerd deys — Forsoth, so this romans seys:    Herkyns, I wyll you telle. The kyng to Scherwod gan wend On hys pleyng for to lend    …………………………… For to solas hym that stond, The grete hertes for to hunte    Yn frythys and in felle, With ryall festes and feyr ensemble, With all the lordes of that contré;    With hym ther gan thei duell. Tyll it befell upon a dey To hys fosterse he gan sey,    “Felous, wher is the best? In your playng wher ye have bene, Wer have ye most gam sene    Of dere in this forest?” They ansuerd and fell on kne, “Overall, lord, is gret plenté    Both est and west We may schew you at a syght Two thousand dere this same nyght    Or the son go to reste.” An old foster drew hym nere. “Lystins, lord, I saw a dere    Under a tre. So gret a hed as he bare, Sych one saw I never are:    No feyrer myht be. He is mour than other two That ever I saw on erth go.”    Than seyd the kyng so fre, “Thy waryson I wyll thee yeve Evermour whyll thou doyst lyve,    That dere thou late me se.” Upon the morne thei ryden fast With hundes and with hornes blast:    To wodde than are thei wente. Nettes and gynnes than leyd he. Every archer to hys tre,    With bowys redy bent. The blew thrys, uncoupuld hundes; They reysed the dere up that stondes,    So nere thei span and sprent. The hundes all, as thei wer wode, They ronne the dere into the wode.    The kyng hys hors he hent. The kyng sate onne a god courser. Fast he rode after the dere:    A rechasyd hym ryght fast. Both thorow thyke and thine Thorow the forest he gan wyn    With hundes and hornes blast. The kyng had folowyd hym so long Hys god sted was ne sprong:    Hys hert away was past. Horn ne hunter myght he non here. So ranne the hundes at the dere    Awey was at the last. The kyng had folowyd hym so long, Fro mydey to the evynsong,    That lykyd hym full ille. He ne wyst wer that he was, Ne out of the forest for to passe,    And ther he rode all wylle. “Whyle I may the deylyght se Better is to loge under a tre,”    He seyd hymselve untylle. The kyng cast in hys wytte, “Yyff I stryke into a pytte,    Hors and man myght spylle. “I have herd pore men call at morow Seynt Julyan send them god harborow    When that they had nede, And yit when that thei wer trayst And of herborow wer abayst,    He wold them wysse and rede. Seynt Julyan, as I ame trew knyght, Send me grace this iche nyght    Of god harbour to sped. A yift I schall thee gyve: Every yere whyll that I lyve,    Folke for thi sake to fede.” As he rode, whyll he had lyght. And at the last he hade syght    Of an hermytage hym besyde. Of that syght he was full feyn, For he wold gladly be in the pleyn,     And theder he gan to ryde. The hermytage he fond ther; He trowyd a chapell that it wer.    Than seyd the kyng that tyde, “Now, Seynt Julyan, a bonne hostel, As pylgrymes trow full wele.    Yonder I wyll abyde.” A lytell yate he fond ney: Theron he gan to call and cry    That within myght here. That herd an hermyte ther within. Unto the yate he gan to wyn,    Bedyng his prayer. And when the hermyt saw the kyng, He seyd, “Sir, gode evynyng.”    “Wele worth thee, Sir Frere. I pray thee I myght be thi gest, For I have ryden wyll in this forest,    And nyght neyghes me nere.” The hermyte seyd, “So mote I the, For sych a lord as ye be,    Y have non herbour tyll. Bot if it wer never so pore a wyght Y ne der not herbour hym a nyght    Bot he for faute schuld spyll. Y won here in wyldernes With rotys and ryndes among wyld bestes    As it is my Lordes wylle.” The kyng seyd, “I thee beseche The wey to the tounne thou wold me teche.    And I schall thee behyght That I schall thi travell quyte That thou schall me not wyte    Or passyth this fortnyght. And if thou wyll not, late thi knave go To teche me a myle or two    The whylys I have deylyght.” “By Seynt Mary,” seyd the frere, Schorte sirvys getys thou here,    And I can rede aryght.” Than seyd the kyng, “My dere frend, The wey to the towne if I schuld wynd,    How fer may it be?” “Syr,” he sayd, “so mote I thryve, To the towne is myles fyve    From this long tre. A wyld wey I hold it wer, The wey to wend (I you suere),    Bot ye the dey may se.” Than seyd the kyng, “Be Godes myght, Ermyte, I schall harbour with thee this nyght,    And els I wer we.” “Methinke,” seyd the hermyte, “Thou arte a stout syre. I have ete up all the hyre    That ever thou gafe me. Were I oute of my hermyte wede Of thi favyll I wold not dred    Thoff ther wer sych thre. Loth I wer with thee to fyght: Y wyll herbour thee all nyght    And it behovyth so be. Sych gode as thou fyndes here, take, And aske thyn in for Godes sake.”    “Gladly, sir,” seyd he. Hys stede into the hous he lede: With lytter son he gan hym bed.    Met ne was ther non: The frere he had bot barly stro — Two thake-bendesfull, without mo,    Forsoth it was furth born. Befor the hors the kyng it leyd. “Be Seynt Mayre,” the hermyte seyd,    “Other thing have we non.” The kyng seyd, “Garamersy, frer. Wele at es ame I now here.    A nyght wyll son be gon.” The kyng was never so servysable: He hew the wode and keped the stable.    God fare he gan hym dyght And mad hym ryght well at es, And ever the fyre befor hys nese    Brynand feyr and bryght. “Leve ermyte,” seyd the kyng, “Mete, and thou have anything,    To soper thou us dyght. For sirteynly, as I thee sey, I ne hade never so sory a dey    That I ne had a mery nyght.” The kyng seyd, “Be Godes are, And I sych an hermyte were    And wonyd in this forest, When fosters wer gon to slepe, Than I wold cast off my cope    And wake both est and weste Wyth a bow of hue full strong And arowys knyte in a thong:    That wold me lyke best. The kyng of venyson hath non nede: Yit myght me hape to have a brede    To glad me and my gest.” The hermyte seyd to the kyng, “Leve sir, wer is thi duellyng?    Y praye thou wolde me sey.” “Sir,” he seyd, “so mote I the, Yn the kynges courte I have be    Duellyng many a dey, And my lord rode on huntyng As grete lordes doth many tyme    That yiff them myche to pley. And after a grete hert have we redyn And mekyll travell we have byden    And yit he scape awey. “Todey erly in the morenyng The kyng rode on huntyng,    And all the courte beden. A dere we reysed in that stondes And ganne chase with our hundes:    A feyrer had never man sene. Y have folowyd hym all this dey And ryden many a wylsom wey    He dyd me trey and tene. I pray you, helpe me I wer at es. Thou boughtes never so god sirvese    In sted ther thou hast bene.” The ermyte seyd, “So God me save, Thou take sych gode as we have:    We schall not hyll it with thee.” Bred and chese forth he brought. The kyng ete whyles, hym thought;    Non other mete saw he. Sethen thyn drynke he dreughe. Theron he had sone inoughe.    Than seyd the kyng so fre, “Hermyt, pute up this mete tyte. And if I mey I schall thee quyte    Or passyd be these monethys thre.” Than seyd the kyng, “Be Godes grace, Thou wonnys in a mery place!    To schote thou schuldes lere. When the fosters are go to reste Somtyme thou myght have of the best,    All of the wylld dere. Y wold hold it for no skath Thoff thou had bow and arowys bothe    Allthoff thou be a frere. Ther is no foster in all this fe That wold sych herme to thee;    Ther thou may leve here.” The armyte seyd, “So mote thou go, Hast thou any other herand than so    Onto my lord the kynge?1 Y schall be trew to hym, I trow, For to weyte my lordes prow    For dred of sych a thing. For iff I wer take with sych a dede, To the courte thei wold me lede    And to preson me bryng; Bot if I myght my raunson gete, Be bond in prison and sorow grete    And in perell to hyng.” Then seyd the kyng, “I wold not lete, When thou arte in this forest sette,    To stalke when men are at rest. Now, as thou arte a trew man, Iff thou ought of scheting can,    Ne hyll it not with thi gest. For, be Hym that dyghed on tre, Ther schall no man wyte for me,    Whyll my lyve wyll lest. Now hermyte, for thi professyon, Yiff thou have any venison,    Thou yiff me of the best.” The ermyte seyd, “Men of grete state, Oure ordyr thei wold make full of bate    Aboute schych mastery Us bos be in prayer and in penans, And arne therine by chans    And not be archery. Many dey I have her ben And flesche mete I ete non    Bot mylke of the ky. Warme thee wele and go to slepe, And I schall lape thee with my cope,    Softly to lyghe. “Thou semys a felow,” seyd the frere. “Yt is long gon seth any was here    Bot thou thyselve tonyght.” Unto a cofyr he gan go And toke forth candylles two,    And sone thei wer ilyght. A cloth he brought, and bred full whyte, And venyson ibake tyte.    Ayen he yede full ryght: Venyson isalt and fressch he brought, And bade hym chese wheroff hym thought    Colopys for to dyght. Well may ye wyte, inow thei had. The kyng ete and made hym glad    And grete laughtur he lowghe: “Nere I had spoke of archery I myght have ete my bred full dryghe.”    The kyng made it full towghe. “Now Crystes blyssing have sych a frere That thus canne ordeyn our soper    And stalke under the wode bowe. The kyng hymselve, so mote I the, Ys not better at es than we,    And we have drinke inowghe.” The hermyt seyd, “Be seynt Savyour, Y have a pote of galons foure    Standing in a wro. Ther is bot thou and I and my knave: Som solas schall we have    Sethyn we are no mo.” The hermyte callyd hys knave full ryght — Wylkyn Alyn, forsoth, he hyght —    And bad hym belyve go, And taught hym prively to a sted To feche the hors corne and bred,    “And luke that thou do so.” Unto the knave seyd the frere, “Felow, go wyghtly here.    Thou do as I thee sey. Besyde my bed thou must goo And take up a sloughte of strawe    Als softly as thou may. A howvyd pote, that stondes ther, And Godes forbot that we it spare    To drynke to it be dey. And bryng me forth my schell, And every man schall have hys dele,    And I schall kenne us pley.” The hermyte seyd, “Now schal I se Yff thou any felow be    Or of pley canst ought.” The kyng seyd, “So mote I the, Sey thou what thou wyll with me:    Thy wyll it schall be wrought.” “When the coppe commys into the plas Canst thou sey ‘Fusty bandyas’    And thinke it in thi thought? And thou schall her a totted frere Sey ‘Stryke pantner’    And in the cope leve ryght nought.” And when the coppe was forth brought, Yt was oute of the kynges thought,    That word that he schuld sey. The frere seyd “Fusty bandyas.” Than seyd the kyng, “Alas, alas.”    Hys word it was awey. “What! Arte thou mad?” seyd the frere, “Canst thou not sey ‘Stryke pantener?’    Wylt thou lerne all dey? And if thou efte forgete it ons, Thou getes no drinke in these wons    Bot yiff thou thinke upon thi pley.” “Fusty bandias,” the frere seyd, And yafe the coppe sych a breyd    That well nygh off it yede. The knave fyllyd it up and yede in plas. The kyng seyd “Fusty bandyas”:    Therto hym stod gret nede. “Fusty bandyas,” seyd the frere, “How long hast thou stond here    Or thou couth do thi dede? Fyll this eft and late us leyke, And betwen rost us a styke,    Thus holy lyve to lede.” The knave fyllyd the coppe full tyte And brought it furth with grete delyte;    Befor hym gan it stand. “Fusty bandyas” seyd the frere; The kyng seyd “Stryke pantener”    And toke it in hys hand, And stroke halve and more; “Thys is the best pley, I suere,    That ever I saw in lond. Y hyght thee, hermyte, I schall thee yeve, Y schall thee quyte, if that I lyve,    The gode pley thou hast us fonnd.” Than seyd the ermyte, “God quyte all, Bot when thou commys to the lordes haule    Thou wyll forgete the frere. Bot wher thou commyst, nyght or dey, Yit myght thou thinke upon the pley    That thou hast sene here. And thou com among jentyllmen The wyll laugh and thou hem it ken,    And make full mery chere And iff thou comyst here for a nyght, A colype I dere thee behyght,    All of the wyld dere.” The kyng seyd, “Be Hym that me bought, Syre,” he seyd, “ne thinke it nought,    That thou be thus forgete. Tomorow sone when it is dey I schall quyte, iff that I may,    All that we have here ete. And when we com to the kynges yate, We schall not long stond therate:    In we schall be lete. And by my feyth, I schall not blyne Tyll the best that is therine    Betwenn us two be sete.” Th’ermyte seyd, “Be Hym that me bought, Syre,” he seyd, “ne thynke it nought.    Y suere thee by my ley, Y have be ther and takyn dole, And have hade many merry mele,    Y dare full savely sey. Hopys thou I wold for a mase Stond in the myre ther and dase    Nehand halve a dey? The charyté commys thorow sych menys hend, He havys full lytell that stond at hend    Or that he go awey. “Hopys thou that I ame so preste For to stond at the kyng yate and reste    Ther pleys for to lere? Y have neyghbors her nygh-hand: I send them of my presente    Sydes of the wyld dere Of my presantes thei are feyn: Bred and ale thei send me ageyn.    Thusgates lyve I here.” The kyng seyd, “So mote I the, Hermyte, me pays wele with thee:    Thou arte a horpyd frere.” The kyng seyd, “Yit myght thou com sum dey Unto the courte for to pley,    Aventourys for to sene. Thou wote not what thee betyde may Or that thou gon awey:    The better thou may bene. Thoff I be here in pore clothing, Y ame no bayschyd for to bryng    Gestys two or thre. Ther is no man in all those wonys That schall myssey to thee onys,    Bot as I sey, so schall it be.” “Sertes,” seyd the hermyte than, “Y hope thou be a trew man:    I schall aventour the gate. Bot tell me fyrst, leve syre, After what man schall I spyre,    Both erly and late?” “Jhake Flecher, that is my name: All men knowys me at home.    I ame at yong man state. And thoff I be here in pore wede Yn sych a stede I can thee lede    Ther we schall be made full hate.” “Aryse up, Jake, and go with me, And more off my privyté    Thou schall se somthyng.” Into a chambyr he hym lede: The kyng saughe aboute the hermytes bed    Brod arowys hynge. The frere gaff hym a bow in hond. “Jake,” he seyd, “draw up the bond.”    He myght oneth styre the streng. “Sir,” he seyd, “so have I blys, Ther is non archer that may schet in this    That is with my lord the kyng.” An arow of an elle long, In hys bow he it throng,    And to the hede he gan it hale. Ther is no dere in this foreste And it wold onne hym feste    Bot it schuld spyll his stale. “Jake, seth thou can of flecher crafte, Thou may me es with a schafte.”    Than seyd Jake, “I schall.” ………………………………….. …………………………………..    ………………………………….. “Jake, and I wyst that thou wer trew, Or and I thee better knew,    Mour thou schuldes se.” The kyng to hym grete othys swer: “The covenand we made whyleare,    I wyll that it hold be.” Tyll two trowys he gan hym lede: Of venyson ther was many a brede    “Jake, how thinkes thee? Whyle ther is dere in this forest, Somtyme I may have of the best    The kyng wytesave on me. “Jake, and thou wyll of myn arowys have, Take thee of them, and sum thou leve,    And go we to our pley.” And thus thei sate with “Fusty bandyas,” And with “Stryke pantener” in that plas,    Tyll it was nerehand dey When tyme was com ther rest to take. On morn thei rose when thei gan wake.    The frere began to sey, “Jake, I wyll with thee go Yn thi felowschype a myle our two,    Tyll thou have redy wey.” “Ye,” seyd the kyng, “mekyll thanke, Bot when we last nyght togeder dranke,    Thinke what thou me behyght: That thou schuld com som dey Unto the courte for to pley    What tyme thou se thou myght.” “Sertes,” seyd the hermyte than, “Y schall com, as I ame trew man,    Or tomorow at nyght.” Ather betaught other gode dey. The kyng toke the redy wey:    Home he rode full ryght. Knyghtes and squyres many mo, All that nyght thei rode and go,    With sygheng and sorrowyng sore. They cryghed and blew with hydoys bere, Yiff thei myght of ther lord here,    Wher that ever he were. When the kyng his bugyl blew, Knyghtes and fosters wele it knew,    And lystind to hym ther. Many men that wer masyd and made, The blast of that horn made them glad:    To the town than gan thei fare.

heaven’s; (see note); (t-note) Give; a good end a share in the delight of heaven summon guests together food happy entertainment; listen to If everyone would be quiet If people will listen to it in good Edward’s days; (see note) Truly; (t-note) Hearken went to Sherwood; (see note) recreation; stay a while (t-note) entertain himself; time harts woods; high moorland assembling they dwelt foresters Fellows plenty; (t-note) show Before Listen head [of antlers]; carried Such a one; before bigger than any two others noble reward; give [If]; let traps [went] to; tree They; released at that moment raced and sprang crazy (t-note) took He chased him back to the woods; (see note) made his way nearly foundered (see note); (t-note) nor; none hear that [Got] away midday; evensong pleased him not at all did not know where Nor [how] to get out of the forest astray to himself considered go; hole in the ground be destroyed in the morning; (see note) shelter when they were still trustful; (t-note) perplexed for guide; advise very succeed in getting gift for a time (t-note) glad clearing thither (t-note) thought time a good lodging; (see note) believe; (see note) gate; nearby; (t-note) That [anyone] within make his way Praying (t-note) Happiness befall you; (see note) approaches As I hope to prosper such; (see note) suitable to creature; (t-note) For inevitably he would die for want of food live roots; bark (t-note) promise labor recompense blame Before; two weeks; (t-note) let; servant guide while (see note) Scant; (see note) If; tell correctly go as I hope to thrive tall consider it to be swear Unless By Hermit; (t-note) Or else I would be miserable Seems to me; arrogant lord wages; (see note) hermit’s habit trickery Though; three such [as you] Reluctant must goods ask for; lodging led straw Food only barley straw bundles; more; (t-note) Truly; forth By; Mary; (t-note) Thank you ease ready to serve; (see note) tended He made comfortable conditions for himself nose Burning Dear Food, if certainly grace If lived (see note); (t-note) friar’s cape work all night; (t-note) yew bundled; strip of leather please me happen that I would; roast cheer dwelling commit themselves much ridden much labor; undergone escaped; (see note) (t-note) as a group at that moment (t-note) uncertain trouble; hardship [so that] I gained; (see note); (t-note) any place where goods hide; from; (t-note) for a [long] time, it seemed to him food Then weak; drew; (see note) enough noble quickly repay Before shoot; learn gone some of the best harm Though Although estate Who wishes you the harm that you imagine In that case; feed yourself hermit errand than that expect look out for; profit caught in prison Unless; get my ransom danger of hanging [If I were you] I would not refrain situated know anything about shooting hide; from died; (i.e., the cross) know because of last by your vows strife; (t-note) such feats It behooves us; penance; (t-note) we are in it [the forest] by chance because of I ate no flesh Except; cows well wrap lie a regular guy; (see note) ago since anyone chest lighted (see note) baked quickly Back again; went directly salted choose whatever he liked To make fried slices from know, enough laughed If it were not that dry gave him a hard time about it prepare bough If the holy Savior nook more was called quickly; (t-note) showed him secretly to a place grain and bread; (see note) see that swiftly layer lidded; (see note) God forbid; (see note) until it is day cup share teach (t-note) know anything about play done cup comes; place (see note) tipsy again; once this dwelling Unless you pay attention jerk nearly; went; (t-note) went to [his] place To do it he had great need stood knew how again; play; (t-note) in the interval; steak (see note) quickly (t-note) And drank up half and more swear assure [That] I; pay back hall They; if; teach slice of fried meat I dare; promise By Him who redeemed me at it hesitate therein faith handouts; (see note) meal safely Do you think that; delusion mud; act stunned Nearly charity [that] comes; hands [of it] who stands nearby Before willing behavior; learn nearby as my gift; (see note) (see note); (t-note) glad in return In this way you please me well bold Nevertheless Before; (see note) You may be better off (see note) not abashed Guests; (t-note) the whole dwelling say nasty things; once think risk the trip ask (see note) My status is a young man’s clothing place warm private business hang string hardly stir as I hope for the happiness of heaven shoot this A forty-five-inch-long arrow; (t-note) thrust; (t-note) pull land urine; (see note) since; know help (t-note) if Or if oaths a while before held To; trees roast [That] the king would confer if; (t-note) [some] of close to or an easily followed path Yes; many thanks promised When you saw you could; (t-note) Before Each one bid the other sighing; (t-note) cried; hideous clamor [To see] if they might Wherever he might be bugle dazed; crazed they went; (see note); (t-note)