ROBYN HODE.
Of all the men in the morning thou art the worst,
To mete with the I have no lust;
For he that meteth a frere or a fox in the morning,
To spede [ill] that day he standeth in jeoperdy.
Therfore I had lever mete with the devil of hell,
(Fryer, I tell the as I thinke,)
Then mete with a fryer or a fox
In a mornyng, or I drynk.
FRYER.
Avaunt, thou ragged knave, this is but a mock;
[If thou make mani words thou shal have a knock.]70
ROBYN HODE.
Harke, frere, what I say here:
Over this water thou shalt me bere,
The brydge is borne away.
FRYER.
To say naye I wyll not:
To let the of thine oth it were great pitie and sin,
But up on a fryers backe, and have even in.
ROBYN HODE.
Nay, have over.