23
'First,' quoth the king, 'tell mee in this stead,
With the crowne of gold vpon my head,
Amongst my nobilitye, with ioy and much mirth,
Within one pennye what I am worth.'
24
Quoth the shepard, To make your grace noe offence,
I thinke you are worth nine and twenty pence;
For our Lord Iesus, that bought vs all,
For thirty pence was sold into thrall
Amongst the cursed Iewes, as I to you doe showe;
But I know Christ was one penye better then you.
25
Then the king laught, and swore by St Andrew
He was not thought to bee of such a small value.
'Secondlye, tell mee with-out any doubt
How soone I may goe the world round about.'
26
Saies the shepard, It is noe time with your grace to scorne,
But rise betime with the sun in the morne,
And follow his course till his vprising,
And then you may know without any leasing.
27
And this [to] your grace shall proue the same,
You are come to the same place from whence you came;
[In] twenty-four houres, with-out any doubt,
Your grace may the world goe round about;
The world round about, euen as I doe say,
If with the sun you can goe the next way.
28
'And thirdlye tell me or euer I stint,
What is the thing, bishoppe, that I doe thinke.'
'That shall I doe,' quoth the shepeard; 'for veretye,
You thinke I am the bishopp of Canterburye.'
29
'Why, art not thou? the truth tell to me;
For I doe thinke soe,' quoth the king, 'by St Marye.'
'Not soe,' quoth the shepeard; 'the truth shalbe knowne,
I am his poore shepeard; my brother is att home.'
30
'Why,' quoth the king, 'if itt soe bee,
Ile make thee bishopp here to mee.'
'Noe, Sir,' quoth the shepard, 'I pray you be still,
For Ile not bee bishop but against my will;
For I am not fitt for any such deede,
For I can neither write nor reede.'
31
'Why then,' quoth the king, 'Ile giue thee cleere
A pattent of three hundred pound a yeere;
That I will giue thee franke and free;
Take thee that, shepard, for coming to me.
32
'Free pardon Ile giue,' the kings grace said,
'To saue the bishopp, his land and his head;
With him nor thee Ile be nothing wrath;
Here is the pardon for him and thee both.'