"Here's twentye groates of white moneye,
Sith thou will have it of mee."
"I would have sworne now," quoth the tanner,
"Thou hadst not had one pennie."
"But since we two have made a change,
A change we must abide,
Although thou hast gotten Brocke my mare,
Thou gettest not my cowe-hide."
"I will not have it," sayd the kynge,
"I sweare, so nought I thee;
Thy foule cowe-hide I wolde not beare,
If thou woldst give it to mee."
The tanner hee tooke his good cowe-hide,
That of the cow was hilt;
And threwe it upon the king's sadèlle,
That was soe fayrelye gilte.
"Now help me up, thou fine fellòwe,
'Tis time that I were gone:
When I come home to Gyllian my wife,
Sheel say I am a gentilmon."
The king he tooke him up by the legge;
The tanner a f** lett fall.
"Nowe marrye, good fellowe," sayd the king,
"Thy courtesye is but small."
When the tanner he was in the kinges sadelle,
And his foote in the stirrup was;
He marvelled greatlye in his minde,
Whether it were golde or brass.
But when his steede saw the cows taile wagge,
And eke the blacke cowe-horne;
He stamped, and stared, and awaye he ranne,
As the devill had him borne.
The tanner he pulld, the tanner he sweat,
And held by the pummil fast:
At length the tanner came tumbling downe;
His necke he had well-nye brast.
"Take thy horse again with a vengeance," he sayd,
With mee he shall not byde."
"My horse wolde have borne thee well enoughe,
But he knewe not of thy cowe-hide."
Yet if againe thou faine woldst change,
As change full well may wee,
By the faith of my bodye, thou jolly tanner,
I will have some boote of thee."