And said, "Fair lady, at this tide "(With leave) ye man abide, "And tell me who you hither sent? "Or why ye bear your bow so bent "To slay our deer of pride? "In waithman' weed sen I you find, "While that the blood burst fra the bone. "Chargeand you to prisoùn, "To the king's deep dungeoùn. "They may ken by your feather'd flane "Ye have been many beastis' bane, Upon thir bentis brown." That free answer'd with fair afeir,3 And said, "Sir, mercy! for your might! "Thus man I bow and arrows bear, "Because I am ane banish'd wight; 'Outlaw. 2 "They ought not to be hold vagabond nor waith." [G. Douglas, p. 159, 27.] Little John and Robin Hood Wayth men were commended good. [Wyntown's Chron. Vol. I. p. 397.] 2 Arrows. Ruddim. Gloss. Propriety? aferir, Fr. is synonymous with convenir. "So will I be full lang: "And here to you my truth I plight, "That I shall, neither day nor night, "No wild beast wait with wrang. "Though I walk in this forest free "With bow and eke with feather'd flane, "It is weill mair than dayis three "And meat or drink yet saw I nane. "Though I had ne'er sic need "Myself to win my bread, "Your deer may walk, sir, their alane.1 "Yet was I ne'er na beastis bane; "I may not see them bleed! "Sen that I never did you ill, "It were no skill ye did me skayth.2 "But gif I flouris fang. 4 'In the eighth stanza, the author uses your alone instead of you alone. 2 Mischief. • Seize. Sax. Hunting; wathan. Sax. Gif that ye trow not in my aythe, "Take here my bow and arrows baythe, "And let my own self gang." " I say your bow and arrows bright! "I bid not have them, by Saint Bride, "But ye mun rest with me all night, "All naked, sleepand by my side.""I will not do that sin, Leif you, this world to win!"— "Ye are so hale of hue and hide, * "Love has me fangit in this tide: "I may not fra you tuyn.” 3 Then lookit she to me, and leuch; 4 And said, "Sic love I rid you layne: "Albeid ye make it ne'er sa teuch,6 "To me your labour is in vain. "Were I out of your sight "The space of half a night, "Suppose ye saw me ne'er again— "Love has you strain'd with little pain, "Thereto my truth I plight." I said, "My sweet, forsooth I shall "I do you true love hecht,' "Ye are so fair-be not my foe! "Ye shall have sin and ye me slo 2 "Thus through ane sudden sight." "That I you slay, that God forshield! And ye not me, I trow. "Therefore, good sir, take in none ill, "Shall never berne gar breif the bill "At bidding me to bow. 3 "Into this wood aye walk I shall, "Here I forsake bayth bower and hall, I "With beastis bryme and bold: "That gars me say, bayth day and night, "Alas that ever the tongue should hecht "That heart thought not to hold !" These words out through my heart so went, But thereto would I not consent, And said that it should not be so. 2 Embracit I that blythe, 3 Saying, "Sweet-heart, of harmis ho! 4 "Found 5 shall I ne'er this forest fro "While ye me comfort kyth.” 6 Then kneelit I before that clear," And meekly could her mercy crave. 8 2 Brim, fierce. Rudd. Gloss. • Quickly. An interjection, commanding to desist or leave off. Rudd. Gloss. "That can of wrath and malice never ho." Go. [G. Doug. Virg. p. 148, 1. 2.] 6 Shew. 378 This use of the adjective was probably a Gallicism. As the French would say cette belle, this author employs |