A pleasant new Ballad of King Edward the Fourth, and a Tanner of Tamworth, as he road a Hunting with his Nobles to Drayton Basset.  
To an Excellent New Tune.  

 
IN Summer time, when leaves grow green,  
and birds were singing on every tree:  
King Edward would a hunting ride,  
some pastime for to see:  
Our King would a hunting ride,  
by eight a clock of the day,  
And well was he beware of a bold Tanner,  
come riding on the way,  
A good Russet coat the Tanner had on,  
fast buttoned under his Chin.  
And under him a good Cow-Hide;  
and a Mare of four shilling,  
Now stand you here my good Lords all,  
under this trusty tree,  
And I will wend to yonder fellow,  
to know from whence came he.  
God speed God speed, than said our King,  
thou art welcome good fellow, quoth he,  
Which is the way to Drayton Basset,  
I pray thee show to me:  
The ready way to Drayton Basset,  
from this place as thou dost stand,  
The next pair of Gallows thou com●st to,  
thou must turn up on thy right hand,  
That is not the way, than said our King:  
the ready way I pray thee show me:  
Whether thou be thief or true man, quoth the Tanner,  
I●me weary of thy company.  
Away with a vengeance (quoth the Tanner)  
I hold thee out of thy wit,  
For all this day have I ridden and gone,  
and I am fasting yet.  
Go with me to Drayton Basset, said our King,  
no dainties we will lack,  
We●l have meat and drink of the best,  
and I will pay the shot,  
God-a-mercy for nothing said the Tanner,  
thou shalt pay for no dinner of mine,  
I have more groats and Nobles in my Purse,  
than thou hast pence in thine.  
God save your Goods then said our King,  
and send them well to thee:  
Be thou thief or true man, quoth the Tanner,  
I am weary of thy company:  
Away with a vengeance (quoth the Tanner)  
of thee 〈◊〉 stand in fear:  
The apparel thou wearest on thy back,  
may seem a good Lord to wear:  
I never stole them, said our King,  
I swear to thee by the rood:  
Thou art some Ruffian of the Country,  
thou rid'st in the midst of the Wood:  
What news dost thou hear then said our King  
I pray thee what news dost thou hear,  
I hear no news answered the Tanner,  
but that Cow-hides be dear,   

The second Part,  
to the same tune.  
COw-hides, Cow-hides, then said our King,  
I marvel what they be:  
Why art thou a fool, (quoth the Tanner)  
look I have one under me:  
Yet one thing now I would thee pray,  
so that thou would not be strange,  
If thy Mare be better than my Steed,  
I pray thee let us change.  
But if thou needs with me will change,  
as change full well may ye?  
By the faith of my body (quoth the Tanner,  
I look to have some boot of thee:  
What boot will you have, than said our King,  
what boot dost thou ask on this ground,  
No pence nor halfpences, said the Tanner,  
but a noble in gold so round.  
Here's twenty good groats than said our King  
so well paid see you be:  
I love thee better than I did before,  
I thought thou hadst ne'er a penny.  
But if so be we needs must change,  
as change thou must abide,  
Though thou hast gotten Brock my Mare,  
thou shalt not have my Cow-hide.  
The Tanner took the good Cow-hide,  
that of the Cow was hilt,  
And threw it upon the King's saddle,  
that was so fairly gilded  
Now help me, quoth the Tanner,  
full quickly that I were gone,  
And when I come home to G●han my wife,  
she●l say 〈◊〉 am a Gentleman.  
The King took the Tanner by the leg,  
he girded a fart so round,  
You're very homely said the King:  
were I aware I had laid you o●th ground:  
When the Tanner was in the King's Saddle,  
astonished than he was,  
He knew not the stirrups that he did wear,  
whether they were gold or brass:  
But when the Steed saw the black Cow-tale wag  
and before the black Cow, horn,  
The Streed began to run away,  
as the Devil the Tanner had born:  
Until he came into a nook,  
a little beside an Oak,  
The steed gave the ●anner such a fall,  
his neck was almost broke.  
Take thy horse again with a vengeance he said  
with me he shall not abide.  
It is no marvel (said the King) and laughed,  
he knew not your Cow-hide.  
But if that we needs must change,  
As change well now we might  
I'll swear to you plain if you have my Mare,  
I look to have some boot.  
What boot will you ask (quoth the Tanner)  
what boot will you ask on this ground?  
No pence, nor half pence, (said our King)  
but a Noble in gold so round.  
Here s twenty good groats, said the Tanner,  
and twenty more I have of thine,  
I have ten groats more in my purse,  
we'll drink five of them at the wine:  
The King set a Bugle-horn to his mouth,  
and blew both loud and shrill,  
And five hundred Lords and Knights  
came riding over a hill.  
Away with a vengeance (quoth the Tanner)  
with thee I●le no longer abide,  
Thou art a strong thief yonder be thy fellows,  
they will steal away my Cow-hide:  
No I protest then said our King,  
for so it may not be,  
They be the Lords of Drayton Basset,  
come out of the North-Country.  
But when they came before the King,  
full low than fell on their knee,  
The tanner had rather than a thousand pound,  
he had been out of his company:  
A Collar a Collar then said the King,  
a Collar then did he cry,  
Then would he gave a thousand pound,  
he had not been so nigh:  
A Collar, a Collar quoth the tanner,  
it is a thing will breed sorrow,  
For after a Collar, cometh a Halter,  
and I shall be hanged to morrow:  
No, do not fear the King did say,  
for pastime thou hast shown me,  
No Collar, nor Halter, thou shalt have,  
but I will give thee a fee:  
For Plumpton Park I will give thee,  
with tenement & three beside,  
Which is worth three hundred pound a year,  
to maintain thy good Cow-hide:  
God-a-merry, God-a-merry. (qd. the tanner)  
for this good deed thou hast done,  
If ever thou comest to merry Tamworth,  
thou shalt have clout-leather for thy shoes    

Printed for F. Goles, T. Vere, J. Wright, and J. Clarke,