<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
<ETS>
<TEMPHEAD>
<REVDESCR>
<CHANGE>
<DATE>2010-04-03</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Mona Logarbo</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B100111.pdcc.</ITEM>
</CHANGE>
</REVDESCR>
</TEMPHEAD>
<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="A21147">
<STC T="S">7503</STC>
<BIBNO T="umi">99852399</BIBNO>
<VID>17720</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>A merrie plea&s;ant and delectable Hi&s;torie, betvveene King Edvvard the fourth, and a Tanner of Tamworth, as he rode vpon a time with his Nobles a hun|ting toward Drayton Ba&s;&s;et.</P>
<P>Verie plea&s;ant and merrie to read.</P>
<P><FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<P>Printed at London by John Danter. 1596.</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="illustration">
<PB REF="2">
<P><FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB N="1" REF="2">
<HEAD>A mo&s;t plea&s;ant Hi&s;tory of King Edward the fourth, and a Tanner of Tamworth.</HEAD>
<L>IN Summer time when leaues grou greene</L>
<L>and blo&s;&s;oms bud on euery tree,</L>
<L>King Edward would a hunting ride,</L>
<L>&s;ome pa&s;time for to &s;ee.</L>
<L>With hawke and hound he made him bound,</L>
<L>with horne and eke with bow,</L>
<L>Toward Drayton Ba&s;&s;et he tooke his way,</L>
<L>who&s;oeuer doth it know.</L>
<L>But as our King on his way rode forth,</L>
<L>by eight a Clocke of the day,</L>
<L>He was ware of a tanner of mery Tamworth</L>
<L>was in a quaint of aray.</L>
<P><FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<L><PB N="2" REF="3">
A good ru&s;&s;et Coat the tanner had on,</L>
<L>he thought it mickle pride,</L>
<L>He rode on a Mare co&s;t foure &s;hillings,</L>
<L>and vnder him a good Cow-hide.</L>
<L>A pair of rough mittens the tanner did weare</L>
<L>his hood was buckled vnder his chin,</L>
<L>Yonder comes a good fellow &s;aid our King;</L>
<L>that cares not whether he lo&s;e or win</L>
<L>The tanner came &s;inging on his Mare,</L>
<L>with one &s;o merry a note;</L>
<L>He &s;ung out of tune, he was pa&s;t care,</L>
<L>he had no neede to grea&s;e his throte.</L>
<L>Stand you here &s;till my Lordes now,</L>
<L>vnder the greene wood &s;pray,</L>
<L>And I will tide to yonder fellow,</L>
<L>to wit what he will &s;ay.</L>
<L>God &s;peede good fellow &s;aid our King,</L>
<L>thou art welcom &s;ir quoth he,</L>
<L>Which is the way to Drayton Ba&s;&s;et,</L>
<L>I pray thee tell to me.</L>
<L>Marry that I will quoth the tanner,</L>
<L>right as here I &s;tand,</L>
<L>The next paire of gallows that thou comes to</L>
<L>turne in vpon thy right hand.</L>
<L>It is an vnready way &s;aid our king,</L>
<L>I tell you &s;o mote I thee,</L>
<L>I pray you &s;how me the readie&s;t way</L>
<L>the towne that I may &s;ee.</L>
<L>Go play thee great Iauel quoth the tanner,</L>
<L>I hold thee out of thy wit,</L>
<L>All day haue I ridden on Brocke my mare,</L>
<L>and I am fa&s;ting yet.</L>
<L>Why we will to the towne &s;aid our king,</L>
<L><GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 line"></L>
<L><PB N="3" REF="3">
We will eate and drinke and fare of the be&s;t,</L>
<L>and I will pay for the &s;hot.</L>
<L>God haue mercy for nothing quoth the tanner,</L>
<L>thou paie&s;t for none of mine,</L>
<L>For I haue as many Nobles in my pur&s;e,</L>
<L>as thou ha&s;t pence in thine.</L>
<L>God giue you toy of yours &s;aid our king,</L>
<L>and &s;end thee well to priefe,</L>
<L>The tanner would faine haue beene a way,</L>
<L>for he wend he had beene a thiefe.</L>
<L>What art thou good fellow quoth the tanner,</L>
<L>of thee I am in great feare,</L>
<L>For the clothes that thou weare&s;t on thy back,</L>
<L>are not for a Lord to weare.</L>
<L>I neuer &s;tole them &s;aid our king,</L>
<L>I tell you &s;ir by the Rood,</L>
<L>No thou plaie&s;t as many an vnthrift doth,</L>
<L>thou &s;tand&s;t in the mids of thy good.</L>
<L>What tidings heare you &s;aid our king,</L>
<L>as you ride farre and neare,</L>
<L>I heare no tidings quoth the tanner,</L>
<L>but that cow hides are deare.</L>
<L>Cow hides Cow hides then &s;aid our king,</L>
<L>I know not what they be,</L>
<L>Lo here thou mai&s;t &s;ee one quoth the tanner.</L>
<L>here lyeth one vnder me.</L>
<L>Know&s;t thou not a cow hide quoth the tanner,</L>
<L>and ha&s;t gone &s;o long to &s;choole:</L>
<L>If euer thou come to dwell in the Country</L>
<L>thou wilt be made a foole.</L>
<L>What crafts man are you &s;aid our king,</L>
<L>I pray you tell me now?</L>
<L>I am a Barker quoth the tanner</L>
<L><PB N="4" REF="4">
I am a Courtier &s;aid our King,</L>
<L>forth of &s;eruice I am worne,</L>
<L>Full faine I would be your prenti&s;e he &s;aid,</L>
<L>your cunning for to learne.</L>
<L>Marrie God forbid quoth the tanner</L>
<L>that &s;uch a prenti&s;e I &s;hould haue,</L>
<L>He wold &s;pend me more than he would get</L>
<L>by fortie &s;hillings a yere.</L>
<L>One thing would I wit &s;aid our King</L>
<L>if you will not &s;eeme &s;trange,</L>
<L>Though my hor&s;e be better than your Mare.</L>
<L>with you faine would I change,</L>
<L>Nay there thou lie&s;t yet quoth the tanner</L>
<L>by Chri&s;t thou &s;halt abide,</L>
<L>For if thou haue Brocke my Mare</L>
<L>thou gets not my good Cowhide.</L>
<L>I will not haue it &s;aid our King</L>
<L>I tell thee &s;o mote I thee,</L>
<L>I will not carrie it away</L>
<L>though you would giue it me.</L>
<L>Why then we mu&s;t change quoth the tanner</L>
<L>as needs me thinke thou wilt,</L>
<L>But if you haue Brocke my Mare</L>
<L>I will looke to haue &s;ome boote.</L>
<L>That were again&s;t rea&s;on &s;aid our King,</L>
<L>I tell you &s;o mote I thee,</L>
<L>My Hor&s;e is much better than your Mare,</L>
<L>and that you may well &s;ee.</L>
<L>A vi&s;e a vous now &s;ayd the tanner,</L>
<L>whether thou wilt or no,</L>
<L>For my mare is gentle and will not kicke</L>
<L>but &s;oftlie &s;he will go.</L>
<L>And thy hor&s;e is vnhappie and vn wieldie</L>
<L><PB N="5" REF="4">
But alwaies &s;kipping here and there</L>
<L>and therefore my mare is be&s;t.</L>
<L>What boot will you haue then &s;aid our king</L>
<L>tell me now in this tide,</L>
<L>Neuer a &s;ingle pennie quoth the tanner</L>
<L>But a Noble of gold &s;o red.</L>
<L>Why there is your Noble &s;aid our king</L>
<L>well paid looke that you be.</L>
<L>I would haue &s;worne on a book quoth the tan+ner</L>
<L>thou had&s;t not one pennie.</L>
<L>Now hath the king the tanners Mare</L>
<L>&s;he is nothing faire fat nor round</L>
<L>And the tanner hath the kings good &s;teede</L>
<L>the &s;addle is worth fortie pound.</L>
<L>The tanner tooke vy the good Cowhide,</L>
<L>of the ground where he &s;tood,</L>
<L>He threw it vpon the Kings Steede</L>
<L>in the Saddle that was &s;o good,</L>
<L>The Steed &s;tared vpon the hornes</L>
<L>vnder the greene wood &s;praie,</L>
<L>He had weende the Diuell of hell had bin come</L>
<L>to carrie him thence away.</L>
<L>The tanner looked as fa&s;t on the Stirrops,</L>
<L>a&s;tonied &s;ore he was,</L>
<L>He meruailed greatly in his minde,</L>
<L>whether they were gold or bras.</L>
<L>Help me good fellow quoth the tanner</L>
<L>lightly that I were gone,</L>
<L>My wife and my neighbours more and le&s;&s;e,</L>
<L>will &s;ay I am a Gentleman.</L>
<L>The King tooke the tanner by the leg</L>
<L>and lift him vp a loft,</L>
<L>The tanner girded out a good round fart,</L>
<L>his belly it was &s;o &s;oft,</L>
<L><PB N="6" REF="5">
You make great wa&s;te &s;aid our king,</L>
<L>your curte&s;ie is but &s;mall,</L>
<L>Thy hor&s;e is &s;o high; quoth the tanner againe,</L>
<L>I feare me of a fall.</L>
<L>But when the tanner was in the &s;addle,</L>
<L>the Steede began to blow and bla&s;t,</L>
<L>And again&s;t the roote of an old tree,</L>
<L>the tanner downe he ca&s;t.</L>
<L>Abide good fellow &s;aid our king,</L>
<L>ye make ouer great ha&s;t,</L>
<L>Thou &s;halt haue thy hor&s;e with a vengeance a|gaine,</L>
<L>for my necke is well nigh bra&s;t.</L>
<L>Why then we mu&s;t change &s;aid our king,</L>
<L>as me thinke needs thou woot:</L>
<L>But if you haue your Mare againe,</L>
<L>I will looke to haue &s;ome boote.</L>
<L>What boote wilt thou haue quoth the tanner,</L>
<L>tell me in this &s;touud.</L>
<L>Neuer a groat nor pennie &s;aid our king,</L>
<L>but of thy gold twentie pound.</L>
<L>Nay here is thy noble quath the tanner again,</L>
<L>and Chri&s;ts ble&s;&s;ing and mine,</L>
<L>Yea here is twentie good groats more,</L>
<L>goe drinke them at the wine.</L>
<L>So mote I thee then &s;aid our king,</L>
<L>it &s;hall not &s;lacke my woe.</L>
<L>For when a noble is in &s;mall monie,</L>
<L>full &s;oone it is agoe.</L>
<L>Do&s;t thou loue to keepe gold quoth the tanner.</L>
<L>the king an&s;wered and &s;aid ye,</L>
<L>Then I would thou were my neere kin&s;man,</L>
<L>for I thinke thou wilt thriue and thee.</L>
<L>Now hath the tanner Brocke his Mare,</L>
<L>and vnder him his good cowhide,</L>
<L><PB N="7" REF="5" MS="y">
Our Noble King his hor&s;e againe</L>
<L>which was a well faire Steede.</L>
<L>Now farewell good fellow quoth the tanner,</L>
<L>I will vide no longer with thee,</L>
<L>Carrie yet a little while &s;aid our King</L>
<L>and &s;ome pa&s;time we will &s;ee.</L>
<L>Our King &s;et a Bugle to his mouth</L>
<L>and blew a bla&s;t lowd and &s;mall,</L>
<P><FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<L><PB N="8" REF="6">
Seuen &s;core Lords, Knights, Squires &amp; Beome~</L>
<L>came riding ouer a Dale.</L>
<L>Now out alas quoth the tanner</L>
<L>that euer I &s;aw this tide,</L>
<L>Thou art a &s;trong thiefe yonder be thy fellowes,</L>
<L>will haue my Mare and my Cowhide.</L>
<L>They are no theeues then &s;aid our k<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">ng</L>
<L>I tell you &s;o mote I thee,</L>
<L>It is my Lord of Drayton Ba&s;&s;et.</L>
<L>is come a hunting to me,</L>
<L>But when before the king they came,</L>
<L>they fell downe on their knees,</L>
<L>The tanner had leuer than a thou&s;and pound,</L>
<L>he had beene from their companies.</L>
<L>A coller a coller our king gan call,</L>
<L>quoth the tanner it will breede &s;orrow,</L>
<L>For after a coller commeth a halter,</L>
<L>I traw I &s;hall be hangd to morrow.</L>
<L>Be not afraid tanner &s;aid our king,</L>
<L>I tell thee &s;o mote I thee.</L>
<L>Lo here I make thee the be&s;t E&s;quier,</L>
<L>in all the North Countrie.</L>
<L>And Plumton Parke I will giue thee,</L>
<L>and Iacie in his tide,</L>
<L>It is worth three hundred pounds by yeare,</L>
<L>to prepare thy good Cowhide.</L>
<L>God a mercie good fellow quoth the tanner.</L>
<L>for this that thou ha&s;t done:</L>
<L>The next time thou come&s;t to Tamworth town,</L>
<L>thou &s;halt haue clouting leather for thy &s;hon.</L>
<L>Now God aboue &s;peed well the Plough,</L>
<L>and keepe vs from care and woe,</L>
<L>Vntill euerie tanner in his Countrie.</L>
<P><PB REF="6">
<FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<P><PB REF="7">
<FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<PB REF="7">
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
