5 10 15 20 25 fol. 157v      31 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 fol. 158r 90 95 100 105 110 115 120 125 130 135 140 fol. 158v 145 150 155 160 165 170 175 180 185 190 fol. 159r 196 200 205 210 215 220 225 230 235 240 245 fol. 159v 250 255 260 265 270 275 280 285 290 295 300 fol. 160r 305 310 315 320 325 330 335 340 345 350 355 fol. 160v 360 365 370 375 380 385 390 395 400 405 410 fol. 161r 415 420 425 430 435 440 445 450 455 460 465 fol. 161v 470 475 480 485 490 495 500 505 510 515 520

Jhesus that is Hevyn Kyng, Giff them all god endyng     If it be thi wyll. And yif them parte of hevyn gam That well can calle gestys same     With mete and drinke to fylle. When that men be glad and blyth, Than were 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. It befelle be god Edwerd deys, For soth, 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 hertys for to hunte     In frythys and in felle, With ryall festys and feyr ensemblé, With all the lordys of that contré;     With hym ther gan thei duell. Tyll it befell upon a dey To hys fosterse he gan sey,     “Felous, were is the best? In your playng wher ye have bene, Were have ye most gam sene     Of dere in this forest?” They ansuerd and fell on kne: “Over all, 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 grete a hed as he bare, Sych one saw I never are,     No feyrer myht be. He is more than other two That ever I saw on erth go.”     Than seyd the kyng so fre, “Thy waryson I wyll thee geve Ever more whyll thou doyst lyve,     That dere thou late me se.” Upon the morne thei ryden fast With hundys and with hornes blast;     To wodde than are thei wente. Nettys and gynnes than leyd he; Every archer to hys tre     With bowys redy bent. They blew thrys, uncoupuld hundys; They reysed the dere up that stondys,     So nere thei span and sprent. The hundys all, as thei were 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,     And chasyd hym ryght fast Both thorow thyke and thine. Thorow the forest he gan wyn,     With hundys and hornes blast. The kyng had folowyd hym so long Hys god sted was ne sprong;     Hys hert awey was past. Horn ne hunter myght he non her So ranne the hundys at the dere;     Awey he was at last. The kyng had folowyd hym so long, Fro mydey to the evynsong;     That lykyd hym full ille. He ne wyst were that he was, Ne out of the forest for to passe,     And thus he rode all wylle. “Whyle I may the dey lyght 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 were trayst, And of herborow were 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 gift I schall thee gyven: Every yere whyll that I lyven,     Folke for thi sake to fede.” As he rode whyll he had lyght, And at the last he hade syght,     Of an hermyte hym besyde. Of that syght he was full feyn, For he wold gladly be in the pleyn,     And theder he gan to ryde. An hermytage he fond ther; He trowyd a chapell that it were.     Than seyd the kyng that tyde, “Now, Seynt Julyan a boune untyll, As pylgrymes trow full wele!     Yonder I wyll abyde.” A lytell gate he fond ney; Theron he gan to call and cry     That within myght here. That herd an hermyte ther within; Unto the gate he gan to wyn,     Bedyng his prayer. And when the hermyt saw the kyng, He seyd, “Sir, gode evyn.”     “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 thé, For sych a lord as ye be,     I have non herbour tyll. Bot if it were never so pore a wyght, I ne der not herbour hym a nyght,     Bot he for faute schuld spyll.1 I won here in wyldernes With rotys and ryndys, among wyld bestys,     As it is my Lordys wylle.” The kyng seyd “I thee beseche The wey to the toune 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 servys 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 seyd, “so mote I thryve, To the towne is myles fyve     From this long tre. A wyld wey I hold it were, The wey to wend, I you suere,     Bot ye the dey may se.” Than seyd the kyng, “Be Godys myght, Ermyte, I schall harbour with thee this nyght,     And els I were we.” “Me thinke,” seyd the hermyte, “thou arte a stout syre. I have ete up all the hyre     That ever thou gafe me. Were I oute of myn hermyte wede, Of thi favyll I wold not dred,     Thoff ther were sych thre. Loth I were with thee to fyght: I wyll herbour thee all nyght,     And it behovyth so to be. Sych gode as thou fyndys here, take, And aske thyn in, for Godys sake.”     “Gladly, syr,” 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-bendysfull, without no;     For soth, it was furth born. Befor the hors the kyng it leyd. “Be Seynt Mayry,” the hermyte seyd,     “Other thing have we non.” The kyng seyd, “Gramersy, 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 kepyd the stable.     God fare he gan hym dyght, And made 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 any thing —     To soper thou us dyght. For serteynly as I thee sey, I ne hade never so sory a dey     That I ne had a mery nyght.” The kyng seyd, “Be Godys are, And I sych an hermyte were     And wonyd in this forest, When fosters were gon to slep, Than I wold cast of 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 syr, were is thi duellyng?     I praye thou wolde me sey.” “Syr,” he seyd, “so mote I thé, In the kyngys courte I have be     Duellyng many a dey. And my lord rode on huntyng, As grete lordys doth many tyme     That giff them myche to pley, And after a grete herte have we redyn And mekyll travell we have byden,     And yit he scape awey. “Todey erly in the mornyng The kyng rode on huntyng,     And all the courte beden. A dere we reysed in that stondys, And ganne chase with our hundys —     A feyrer had never man sene. I have folowyd hym all this dey And ryden many a wylsom wey;     He dyd me trey and tene. I pray you, helpe me I were at es, Thou boughtys never so god servege     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.2 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 this monethys thre.” Than seyd the kyng, “Be Godys grace, Thou wonys in a mery place!     To schote thou schulde lere. When the fosters are go to rest, Som tyme thou myght have of the best,     All of the wyld dere. I 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 se That wold sych herme to thee;     Ther thou may leve here.” The armyte seyd, “So mote thou go, Hast thou any other heraud than so     Onto my lord the kynge? I schall be trew to hym, I trow, For to weyte my lordys prow     For dred of sych a thing. For if I were take with sych a dede, To the courte thei wold me lede     And to prison me bryng, Bot if I myght my raunson grete Be bond in prison and sorow grete     And in perell to hyng.” Than 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, If 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 giff me of the best.” The ermyte seyd, “Men of grete state Oure ordyr thei wold make full of bate     Aboute sych mastery, Bot thei be in prayer and in penans, And arne ther mete 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 lyye.” “Thou semys a felow,” seyd the frere. “It is long gon seth any was here,     Bot thou thyselve tonyght.” Unto a cofyr he gan go And toke forth candyllus two,     And sone thei were ilyght. A cloth he brought and bred full whyte, And venyson ibake tyte.     Agen he yede full ryght: Venyson salt and fressch he brought, And bade hym chese wherof hym thought     Colopys for to dyght. Well may ye wyte inow thei had; The kyng ete and made hym glad,     And grete laughter he lowghe: “Nere I had spoke of archery, I myght have ete my bred full dryghe!”     The kyng made it full towghe: “Now Crystys blyssing have sych a frere That thus canne ordeyn our soper     And stalke under the wode bowe! The kyng hymselve, so mote I thé, Is not better at es than we,     And we have drinke inowghe.” The hermyt seyd, “Be Seynt Savyour, I 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, for soth, he hyght —     And bad hym belyve and go, And taught hym prively to a sted To seche 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 me bed thou must goo And take up a sloughte of strawe,     Als softly as thou may. A hownyd pote stondys ther, And Godys 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 herymyte seyd, “Now schall I se If thou any felow be,     Or of pley canst ought.” The kyng seyd, “So mote I thé, Sey thou what thou wyll with me;     Thy wyll it schall be wrought.” “When the coppe comys into the plas, Canst thou sey ‘fustybandyas!’     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, It was oute of the kyngys thought     That word that he schuld sey. The frere seyd “Fustybandyas!” 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 getys no drinke in this wons,     Bot yiff thou think upon thi pley.” “Fustybandias!” the frere seyd, And gafe the coppe sych a breyd     That well nygh of it yede. The knave fyllyd and up it yede in plas; The kyng seyd “fustybandyas!” —     Therto hym stod gret nede. “Fustybandyas!” seyd the frere, “How long hast thou stond here,     Or thou couth do thi dede? Fyll this eft and late us layke And betwen rost us a stayke     Thus holy lyve to lede.” The knave fyllyd the coppe full tyte And brought it furth with grete delyte;     Befor hym gon it stand. “Fustybandyas!” 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! I hyght thee, hermyte, I thee geve, I schall thee quyte, if that I lyve,     The gode pley thou hast us fond.” Than seyd the ermyte, “God quyte all. Bot when thou comys to the lordys haule     Thou wyll forgete the frere. Bot wher thou comyst, nyght or dey, Yit myght thou thinke upon the pley     That thou hast sene here. And thou com among jentyll men, Thei wyll laugh and thou hem it ken,     And make full mery chere. And if 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, if that I may,     All that we have here ete. And when we com to the kyngys gate 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     Betwen us two be sete.” Th’ermyte seyd, “Be hym that me bought, Syre,” he seyd, “ne thynke it nought.     I suere thee, by my ley, I have be ther and takyn dole, And have hade many merry mele,     I dare full savely sey. Hopys thou I wold for a mase Stond in the myre ther and dase,     Ne hand halve a dey? The charyté comys thorow sych menys hend, He havys full lytell that stond at hend     Or that he go awey.3 “Hopys thou that I ame so preste For to stond at the kyng yate and reste     Ther pleys for to lere? I have neyghbors her nygh hand: I send them of my presente     The sydys of the wyld dere. Of my presantys thei ar feyn; Bred and ale thei send me ageyn.     Thus gates lyve I here.” The kyng seyd “So mote I thé, 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, I ame not bayschyd for to bryng     Giftys two or thre. Ther is no man in all this wonys That schall myssey to thee onys,     Bot as I sey, so schall it be.” “Sertys,” seyd the hermyte than, “I 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, In sych a stede I can thee lede     Ther we schall maken full hate.” “Aryse up, Jake, and go with me, And more of my privyté     Thou schall se somthyng.” Into a chambyr he hym lede: The kyng saughe aboute the hermytys 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. “Syr,” he seyd, “so have I blys, Ther is non archer that may schet with 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 skale. “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 were trew, Or and I thee better knew,     More thou schuldys se.” The kyng to hym grete othys swer: “The covenand we made whyle are,     I wyll that it hold be.” Tyll two trowys he gan hym lede; Of venyson ther was many a brede.     “Jake, how thinkys thee? Whyle ther is dere in this forest, Som tyme 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 “Fustybandyas!” And with “Stryke pantener!” in that plas,     Tyll it was nerehand dey, When tyme was com ther rest to take. On morn they rose when they gon wake;     The frere began to sey, “Jake, I wyll with thee go In thi felowschype a myle or 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,     When tyme thou se thou myght.” “Sertys,” seyd the hermyte than, “I schall com, as I ame trew man,     Or tomorow at nyght.” Ather be taught other gode dey. The kyng toke the redy wey;     Home he rode full ryght. Knyghtys and squyres many mo, All that nyght thei rode and go     With sygheng and sorowyng sore. They cryghed and blew with hydoys bere Yiff thei myght of ther lord here,     Wher that ever he were. When the kyng his bugyll blew, Knyghtys and fosters wele it knew,     And lystind to hym ther. Many man that were masyd and made, The blast of that horn made them glad;     To the towne than gan thei fare.

(see note);(t-note) Give; good heaven’s delight bring guests together cheerful entertainment good to hear For he who would be still (listen) adventure [To] him who will listen to it in good Edward’s days; (see note) (t-note) Listen; (t-note) (see note) to dwell (continue);(see note); (t-note) entertain; [at] that time woods and in moors feasts; assembly region foresters Fellows, where is the best [hunting] game (t-note) Before the sun goes down head (rack of antlers) before might [there] be larger than two combined reward hounds traps released [the] hounds; (t-note) chased (started) ran and leaped as if they were mad (t-note) he took his horse good charger (fast horse) (t-note) went nearly exhausted; (see note) (t-note) he could not hear (t-note) pleased him little knew not where Nor [how] to go astray unto himself considered in his mind step in the morning [For] St. Julian [to] send; good lodging; (see note) trusting (faithful); (t-note) afraid instruct and advise same to achieve glad in the clearing assumed a boon (gift) unto [you]; (see note) nearby That [those] within to go Praying May good befall you; (see note) draws near So may I prosper to [you]; (see note) (t-note) dwell roots and barks; (see note) show promise repay your labor; (t-note) [So] that; reproach Before this fortnight passes; (t-note) While i.e., cold comfort If I can judge well tall I believe it is Unless woe (miserable) bold; consumed all the wages; (see note) hermit’s garb guile Even if there were three such [of you] If it must be so; (t-note) ask (have) your lodging steed soon; bed down Food straw Two bundles, in truth; (see note) Thank you; (t-note) helpful cut the wood Good comfort he made for himself nose Dear if you have any (see note) mercy dwelled cloak keep watch; (t-note) gathered in a strap I might happen to have a piece of meat guest Dear so may I prosper are oft accustomed much effort we have endured escaped (t-note) together roused in that time wild trick and discomfort [if you] help me [so that] I were at ease service; (see note) In [any] place where hide it from you; (t-note) Then thin (meager) drink he drew right now repay dwell shoot; learn; (t-note) [some] of the best (t-note) shame area [do] such harm herald (i.e., praise) then this; (see note) guard; honor i.e., caught poaching might [pay] hang stop know anything of archery hide it not from find out [because] of me last strife; (t-note) such deeds; (t-note) (t-note) earn their living by chance (i.e., charity); (t-note) cow’s milk cover friendly companion a long while since coffer (chest) baked soon salted choose which he preferred Fried (or roasted) meat; prepare know enough Had I not spoken i.e., gave him a hard time forest’s boughs If corner serving boy Since immediately he was called; (see note) quickly showed him privately to a place find; (see note) swiftly my cover honeyed; (see note); (t-note) God forbid drinking cup; (see note) portion teach us [a] game good companion know anything cup (see note) keep [that word] in mind dizzy (foolish); (see note) (see note) leave nothing i.e., He forgot his word [in response] mad forget it once again place concentrate jerk off [the table] it went; (t-note) (see note) It was greatly necessary play; (t-note) steak; (t-note) quickly drank half I promise you; (t-note) I will repay you provided us wherever you go if you teach it to them; (t-note) A piece I dare promise to you (t-note) stop faith taken charity amazement (confusion) daze Nearly half the day (see note) eager To learn their games nearby here (t-note) pleased In this way you please me well splendid (bold); (see note) You know not what may happen ashamed; (t-note) place insult you once try (visit) inquire i.e., at any time (see note) clothes fulfill [our] promise; (see note); (t-note) secrets hang barely move the string shoot; (t-note) an ell (approx. forty inches); (t-note) thrust; (t-note) pull hit shatter his skull help me (see note) if I knew a little earlier To two troughs (tubs); (see note) piece bestows upon me; (see note); (t-note) if you; (t-note) take [some] of them nearly Until you have an easy road promised Before Each wished the other hideous noise confused and anguished began to go; (see note)