The Yeoman.
A Yeman had he, and servantes nomoono more
At that tyme, for him luste ryde soo;it pleased him
And he was clad in coote and hood of grene.
A shef of pocok arwes[41] bright and kene,arrows
Under his belte he bar ful thriftily,bore
Wel cowde he dresse his takel yomanly;arrow
His arwes drowpud nought with fetheres lowe,[42]arrows
And in his hond he bar a mighty bowe.bore
A not-heed hadde he, with a broun visage.v. notes, p. 111.
Of woode-craft cowde he wel al the usage;knew
Upon his arme he bar a gay bracer,[43]bore
And by his side a swerd, and a bokeler,[44]buckler
And on that other side a gay daggere,
Harneysed wel, and scharp at poynt of spere;dressed well
A Cristofre on his brest of silver schene.ornament representing St. Christopher
An horn he bar, the bawdrik[45] was of grene:
A forster was he sothely, as I gesse.forester, truly
A yeoman had he (but no suite beside:
Without attendants thus he chose to ride,)
And he was clad in coat and hood of green.
A sheaf of peacock-arrows bright and keen,
Under his belt he carried thriftily;
Well could he dress an arrow yeomanly!
None of his arrows drooped with feathers low
And in his hand he held a mighty bow.
A knot-head had he, and a sunburnt hue,
In woodcraft all the usages he knew;
Upon his arm a bracer gay he wore,
And by his side buckler and sword he bore,
While opposite a dagger dangled free;
Polished and smart, no spear could sharpe be.
A silver ‘Christopher’ on his breast was seen,
A horn he carried by a baldrick green:
He was a thorough forester, I guess.