"Than betwene us lete us discusse25
What was all the manér
Betwene them too; we wyl also
Telle all [the] peyne and fere
That she was in; nowe I begynne,
[See] that ye me answére:30
Wherfore [all] ye that present be,
I pray you geve an eare.
I am the knyght, I cum be nyght,
As secret as I can,
Sayng 'Alas! thus stondyth the [case],35
I am a bannisshed man!'"
"And I your wylle for to fulfylle
In this wyl not refuse,
Trusting to shewe, in wordis fewe,
That men have an ille use,40
To ther owne shame, wymen to blame,
And causeles them accuse:
Therfore to you I answere now,
Alle wymen to excuse,
'Myn owne hert dere, with you what chiere?45
I prey you telle anoon:
For in my mynde, of all mankynde
I love but you allon.'"
"It stondith so: a deed is do
[Wherof] moche harme shal growe.50
My desteny is for to dey
A shamful dethe, I trowe,
Or ellis to flee,—the ton must be:
None other wey I knowe,
But to withdrawe as an outlaw,55
And take me to my bowe.
Wherfore, adew, my owne hert trewe,
None other red I can;
For I muste to the grene wode goo,
Alone, a bannysshed man."60
"O Lorde, what is this worldis blisse
That chaungeth as the mone!
My somers day in lusty May
Is derked before the none.
I here you saye Farwel: nay, nay,65
We departe not soo sone.
Why say ye so? Wheder wyl ye goo?
Alas, what have ye done?
Alle my welfare to sorow and care
Shulde chaunge, yf ye were gon:70
For in my mynde, of all mankynde
I love but you alone."
"I can beleve it shal you greve,
And somewhat you distrayne;
But aftyrwarde your paynes harde,75
Within a day or tweyne,
Shal sone aslake, and ye shal take
Confort to you agayne.
Why shuld ye nought? for, to make thought
Your labur were in vayne:80
And thus I do, and pray you, too,
As hertely as I can:
For I muste too the grene wode goo,
Alone, a banysshed man."
"Now syth that ye have shewed to me85
The secret of your mynde,
I shal be playne to you agayne,
Lyke as ye shal me fynde:
Syth it is so that ye wyll goo,
I wol not leve behynde;90
Shal never be sayd the Nutbrowne Mayd
Was to her love unkind.
Make you redy, for soo am I,
All though it were anoon;
For in my mynde, of all mankynde95
I love but you alone."
"Yet I you rede to take good hede
[What] men wyl thinke and sey;
Of yonge and olde it shal be told,
That ye be gone away100
Your wanton wylle for to fulfylle,
In grene wood you to play;
And that ye myght from your delyte
Noo lenger make delay.
Rather than ye shuld thus for me105
Be called an ylle woman,
Yet wolde I to the grene wodde goo
Alone, a banysshed man."