A pleasant new Ballad of the Miller of Mansfield, in Sherwood and of King Henry the second, and how he was lodged in the miller's house, and of their pleasant communication.  
To the Tune of, The French Lavolta.  

HEnry our royal King would ride a hunting,  
To the green forest so pleasant and fair,  
To have the hart chased and dainty Does tripping,  
Unto mercy Sherwood his Nobles repair:  
Hawk and hound was unbound, all things prepared  
for the same to the game, with good regard.  
All a long summer's day, rod the King pleasantly,  
With all his Princes and Nobles each one,  
Chasing the Hart and hind, and the Buck gallantly,  
Till the dark evening enforced them turn home:  
then at last, riding fast, he had lost quite,  
all his Lords in the wood, late in dark night,  
wandering thus wearily all alone up and down,  
With a rude Miller he met at the last,  
Asking the ready way unto fair Nottingham,  
Sir (quoth the Miller) your way you have lost,  
yet I think, what I think, truth for to say,  
you do not likely ride out of your way,  
Why what dost thou think of me, qd. our King merrily  
Passing thy judgement upon me so brief?  
Good faith (quoth the Miller) I mean not to flatter thee,  
I guess thee to be but some Gentleman thief:  
stand thee back in the dark light thee not down,  
lest that I presently crack thy knaves crown.  
Thou dost abuse me much (quoth our King) saying thus  
I am a Gentleman, and lodging I lack:  
Thou hast not (quoth the Miller) one groat in thy purse,  
All thy inheritance hangs on thy back:  
I have gold to discharge all that I call,  
if it be forty pence I will pay all.  
If thou be'st a true man, than (said the Miller)  
I swear by my tole-dish I'll lodge thee all night,  
Here's my hand (quoth our King) that was I ever,  
Nay soft (quoth the Miller) thou Mayst be a spirit:  
better I'll know thee ere hands I do shake,  
with none but honest men hands will I take.  
Thus they went all along unto the miller's house,  
Where they were seething of Puddings and sauce,  
The Miller first entered in, then after him the King,  
Never came he in so smoky a house:  
now (quoth he) let me see, here what you are,  
quoth our King look your fill and do not spare.  
I like well thy countenance▪ thou hast an honest face,  
With my son Richard this night thou shalt lie,  
Quoth his wife, by my troth, it is a handsome youth,  
Yet it is best (quoth his wife) for to deal warily,  
art not a run away I pray thee youth tell,  
Show me thy passport and all shall be well.  
Then our King presently making low courtesy,  
With his hat in his hand, thus he did say,  
I have no passport, nor never was servitor,  
But a poor Courtier rode out of my way.  
and for your kindness here offered to me,  
I will requite it in every degree.  
Then to the Miller his wife whispered secretly,  
Saying it seemeth this youth's of good kin,  
Both by his apparel, and eke by his manners,  
To turn him out certainly it were a great sin:  
ye (quoth he) you may see he hath some grace,  
when he doth speak to his betters in place.  
Well qd. (the miller's wife) young man welcome here▪  
And though I say it, well lodged thou shalt be  
Fresh straw I will have laid on your bed so bra●e,  
Good brown hempen sheets likewise (quoth she)  
I (quoth the goodman) and when that is done,  
you shall lie with no worse than our own son.  
Nay first (quoth Richard) good fellow tell me tr●●,  
Hast any creepers within thy gay hose?  
Or art thou not troubled with the Scabado?  
I pray you (quoth the King) what things are those?  
art thou not lousy▪ nor scabby (quoth he)  
if thou be'st surely thou liest not with me.  
This caused the King suddenly to laugh most heartily  
Till the tears trickled down from his eyes.  
Then to their supper were they set orderly,  
With a hot bag-pudding and good apple-pies:  
nappy ale, good and stale, in a brown bowl:  
which did about the board merrily troll.  
Here (quoth the Miller) good fellow I drink to the,  
And to all the Courtnols that courteous be.  
I pledge (quoth our King) and thank you heartily,  
For your good welcome in every degree:  
and here in like manner I'll drink to your son,  
Do so (quoth Richard) but quick let it come.  
Wife (quoth the Miller) fetch me forth lightfoot.  
That we of his sweetness a little may taste,  
A fair Venison pasty than brought she forth 〈◊〉,  
Eat (quoth the Miller) but sir make no waste:  
here's dainty lightfoot in faith then said our King,  
I never before eat so dainty a thing.  
I wis (said Richard) no dainty at all it is,  
For we do eat of it every day,  
In what place (said our King) may be bought like this,  
We never pay penny for it by my fay:  
from merry Sherwood we fet it home here,  
now and then we make bold with our King's dear.  
Then I think (said our King) that it is Venison,  
Each fool, said Richard, full well may see that,  
Never are we without two or three in the 〈◊〉,  
Very well fleshed and excellent fat:  
but pray thee say nothing, where e'er thou dost go,  
we would not for two pence the King should it know▪  
Doubt not then, said our King, my promised secrecy,  
The King shall never know more on't for me,  
A cup of lambs-wool, they drank unto him then,  
And then to bed they passed presently:  
the Nobles next morning went all up and down,  
for to seek out the King in every town.  
At last at the miller's house soon they espied him 〈◊〉  
As he was mounting upon his fair steed,  
To whom they came presently, falling down in 〈…〉  
Which made the miller's heart woefully bleed:  
shaking and quaking before him he stood,  
thinking he should have been hanged by the rood.  
The King perceiving him fearful and trembling,  
Drew forth his sword but nothing he said,  
The Miller down did fall, crying before them all.  
Doubting the King would have cut off his head:  
but his kind courtesy there to requite,  
gave him a great living, and made him a Knight.   

The second part of the Miller and the King: showing how he came to the Court with his wife and son: and what merry conceits passed between the King and him.  
WHen as our Noble King came home from Nottingham,  
And with his Nobles in Westminster lay,  
Recounting the sports and pastimes they had ta'en,  
In this late progres●e along by the way:  
of them all, great and small, this did he protest,  
the Miller of mansfield's sport liked him best.  
And now my Lords quoth the King I am determined  
Against Saint Geoges next sumptuous feast,  
That this old Miller our last confirmed knight,  
With his son Richard shall both be my guest,  
for in this merriment 'tis my desire,  
to talk with the jolly Knight and the brave Squire.  
When as the Noblemen saw the King's pleasantness,  
They were right joyful and glad in their hearts,  
A Pursevent their was s●nt straight on the business,  
The which had many times been in those parts,  
when he came to the place where he did dwell,  
his message orderly than he did tell.  
God save your worship then said the Messenger,  
And grant your Lady her heart's desire:  
And to your son Richhrd good fortune and happiness,  
That sweet young Gentleman and gallant young Squire  
our King greets you all and thus he doth say,  
you must come to the Court on S. George's day.  
Therefore in any case, fail not to be in place,  
I wis (quoth the Miller) this is one odd jest,  
What should he do there he said, faith I am half afraid,  
I doubt quoth Richard be hanged at the least:  
nay quoth the Messenger you do mistake,  
our King prepares a great feast for your sake.  
Then said the Miller now by my troth Messenger,  
Thou hast contented my worshipful well,  
Hold here's three farthings to quit thy great gentleness  
For these happy tidings which thou dost me tell:  
let me see hear'st thou the, tell to our King,  
we'll wait on his mastership in every thing.  
The pursuivant smiled at their simplicity,  
And making many legs took their reward,  
And taking then his leave with great humility,  
To the King's Court, again he repaired,  
Showing unto his Grace in each degree,  
the Knights most liberal gift and bounty.  
When as he was gone away, thus did the Miller say,  
Here comes expenses and charges indeed,  
Now we must needs be brave, though we spend all we have,  
For of new garments we have great need,  
of horses and serving-men we must have store,  
with bridles and saddles and twenty things more,  
Tush sir (John qd. his wife) neither do fret nor frown  
You shall be at no more charges for me:  
For I will turn and trim up my old Russet gown,  
With every thing as fine as may be:  
and on our Mil horses full swift we will ride,  
with pillows and panels as we shall provide,  
In this most stately sort, rode they unto the Court,  
Their lusty son Richard foremost of all:  
Who set up by good hap, a cock's feather in his Cap,  
And so they fetted down towards the King's Hall,  
the merry old Miller with his hand on his side,  
his wife like Maid Marian did mince at that tide,  
The King and his Nobles, that heard of their coming  
Meeting this gallant Knight with his brave train,  
Welcome sir Knight (qd he) with this your gay Lady,  
Good sir John Cockle, once welcome again:  
and so is this Squire of courage so free,  
quoth Dick abots on you, do you know me?  
Quoth our King gently, how should I forget thee,  
Thou wast mine own bedfellow well that I wot,  
But I do think on a trick tell me that prithee Dick  
How we with farting did make the bed hot,  
thou whoreson happy knave, then quoth the Knight,  
Speak cleanly to our King, or else go shit.  
The King and his Counsellors heartily laughed at this,  
While the King took them both by the hand,  
With Ladies & their maids, like to the Queen of spades,  
The miller's wife did so orderly stand,  
a milkmaids courtesy at every word,  
and down the folks were set at the side board,  
Where the King Royally, in princely majesty,  
Sat at his dinner with joy and delight:  
When he had eaten well, to jesting than they fell,  
Taking a bowl of wine drank to the Knight,  
here's to you both he said, in wine ale, and beer,  
thanking you all for your country cheer.  
Quoth sir John Cockle I'll pledge you a pottle,  
Were it the best ale in Nottinghamshire,  
But than said our King, I think of a thing,  
Some of your lightfoot I would we had here:  
ho, ho, quoth Richard, full well I may say it,  
'tis knavery to eat it and then to bewray it.  
Why art thou angry quoth our King merrily?  
In faith I take it very unkind,  
I thought thou wouldst pledge me in ale & wine heartily  
Y'are like to stay, quoth Dick, till I have dined:  
you feed us with twattling dishes so small,  
Zounds a black pudding is better than all.  
I marry, quoth our King, that were a dainty thing,  
If a man could get one here for to eat,  
With that Dick straight arose, & plucked one out of his hose  
Which with heat of his bréech began to sweat:  
the King made proctor to snatch it away,  
'tis meat for your Master, good sir you must stay.  
Thus with great merriment, was the time wholly spent  
And then the Ladies prepared to dance,  
Old sir John Cockle and Richard incontinent,  
Unto this practice the King did advance:  
here with the Ladies, such sport they did make,  
the Nobles with laughing did make their heart ache  
Many thanks for their pains did the K. give them then,  
Asking young Richard if he would wed,  
Amongst these Lady's free, tell me which liketh thee,  
Quoth he, jug Grumball with the red head:  
she's my Love, she's my life, she will I wed,  
she hath sworn I shall have her maidenhead.  
Then sir John Cockle, the King called unto him,  
And of merry Sherwood made him overseer,  
And gave him out of hand, three hundred pound yearly,  
But now take heed you steel no more of my deer,  
and once a quarter let's here have your view,  
and thus sir John Cockle I bid you adieu.   
FINIS.   

Printed at London for E. Wright, dwelling at Christ-Church Gate.