FREEBOOTER OF THE CASTLE.
An Outlaw bold, I quarter hold in a goodly castle free,
Which I wot the Lord, of his own accord, would scarce allow to me.
And I scorn to sleep in the donjon keep; but the room of state is mine,
And I work the beef of the fat old thief, and I tope the old rogue's wine.
For, sooth to say, upon his prey, I banquet as I will,
And hereby ye know that my Lord also doth plunder, fleece, and pill,
He spoils and takes, yet no law breaks, the statute keeps within,
As a man may do the traveller who doth shear to the very skin.
The lion's feed, through his own greed, the little jackal supplies,
So I make my boot of another's fruit, and feast on another's prize.
My eyes flash out, and for joy I shout, the wayfarer to view,
He is game, I ween, that mine Host so keen and his serfs for me pursue.
In glee I skip as I think they'll strip him of all that his poke can hold,
As they hack with a will and a brandished bill and hew out the victim's gold,
And screw and wring with a long long string, to squeeze out more and more:
It pleases me so that I laugh Ho ho! and hurl out a demon's roar;
For I know to-night that luckless wight will at my mercy lie;
I shall get the good of his sumptuous food and his red port wine so high.
On him I'll creep in slumber deep when he is bound for me!
Do ye know me now? Do I need avow that I am the Tavern Flea?