_He._ If ye go thyder, ye must consider, When ye have lust to dine, There shall no meat be for to gete, Nether bere, ale, ne wine, Ne shetès clean, to lie between, Made of the thread and twine; None other house, but leaves and boughs, To cover your head and mine. Lo, mine heart sweet, this ill diète Should make you pale and wan: Wherefore I’ll to the green-wood go, Alone, a banished man.
_She._ Among the wild deer such an archère, As men say that ye be, Ne may not fail of good vitayle Where is so great plentè: And water clear of the rivere Shall be full sweet to me; With which in hele[446] I shall right wele Endure, as ye shall see; And, or we go, a bed or two I can provide anone; For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone.
_He._ Lo yet, before, ye must do more, If ye will go with me: As, cut your hair up by your ear, Your kirtle by the knee; With bow in hand for to withstand Your enemies, if need be: And this same night, before daylight, To woodward will I flee. If that ye will all this fulfil, Do it shortly as ye can: Else will I to the green-wood go, Alone, a banished man.
_She._ I shall as now do more for you Than ’longeth to womanhede; To short my hair, a bow to bear, To shoot in time of need. O my sweet mother! before all other For you I have most drede! But now, adieu! I must ensue Where fortune doth me lead. All this make ye: Now let us flee; The day cometh fast upon: For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone.
_He._ Nay, nay, not so; ye shall not go, And I shall tell you why-- Your appetite is to be light Of love, I well espy: For, right as ye have said to me, In likewise hardily Ye would answere whosoever it were, In way of companỳ: It is said of old, Soon hot, soon cold; And so is a womàn: Wherefore I to the wood will go, Alone, a banished man.
_She._ If ye take heed, it is no need Such words to say to me; For oft ye prayed, and long assayed, Or I loved you, pardè: And though that I of ancestry A baron’s daughter be, Yet have you proved how I you loved, A squire of low degree; And ever shall, whatso befall, To die therefore anone; For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone.
_He._ A baron’s child to be beguiled, It were a cursèd deed! To be felàw with an outlaw-- Almighty God forbede! Yet better were the poor squyere Alone to forest yede[447] Than ye shall say another day That by my cursèd rede Ye were betrayed. Wherefore, good maid, The best rede that I can, Is, that I to the green-wood go, Alone, a banished man.