They said, "False carl, soon have done,
And tell forth thy monèy;
For the ill turn that thou hast done
'Tis but a simple fee.170
"And yet we will not have thee back,
Come after what so may,
If thou will do that which thou spake,
And make us present pay."
O then he loos'd his clouted cloak,175
And spread it on the ground,
And thereon laid he many a pock,
Betwixt them and the wind.
He took a great bag from his hase,
It was near full of meal,180
Two pecks in it at least there was,
And more I wot full well.
Upon his cloak he laid it down,
The mouth he open'd wide,
To turn the same he made him bown,185
The young men ready spy'd.
In every hand he took a nook
Of that great leathern meal,
And with a fling the meal he shook,
Into their faces hail:190
Wherewith he blinded them so close,
A stime they could not see;
And then in heart he did rejoice,
And clapt his lusty tree.
He thought if he had done them wrong,195
In mealing of their cloaths,
For to strike off the meal again
With his pike-staff he goes.
Or any of them could red their eyne,
Or could a glimm'ring see,200
Ilk one of them a dozen had
Well laid on with the tree.
The young men were right swift of foot,
And boldly ran away,
The beggar could them no more hit,205
For all the haste he may.