13.

Now, fyth that ye have fhewed to me the fecret of your mynde, I fhall be playne

to you agayne,

lyke as ye shall me fynde :
Syth it is fo
that ye wyll go,

I wolle not leve behynde;
fhall it never be fayd,
the notbrowne mayd
was to her love unkynde :
make you redy';
for fo am I,

allthought it were anone;
for, in my mynde,
of all mankynde

I love but you alone.

and that ye myght from your delyght no lenger make delay: Rather than ye fholde thus for me be called an yll woman, yet wolde I to

the grene wode go, alone, a banished man. 23.

Though it be Jonge of olde and yonge, that I fholde be to blame, theyrs be the charge that Speke fo large in hurtynge of my name: For 1 wyll prove, that faythfull love it is devoyd of Shame; in your dyftreffe,

and bevyneffe,

to part with you, the fame;

to fhewe all tho

that do nat fo,

true lovers are they none:

for, in my mynde,
of all mankynde

I love but you alone.

22 all to 24 Towe lovers

I counceyle you,
remember howe

it is no maydens lare,
nothynge to dout,

but to renne out

to wode with an outlawe: for ye must there

in your hand bere a bowe, redy to drawe; and, as a thefe,

thus must you lyve, ever in drede and awe; wherby to you

grete harme myght growe: yet had I lever than, that I had to

the grene wode go, alone, a banyfbed man.

23.

I Say nat, nay, but as ye fay, it is no maydens lore: But love may make me, for your fake, as I have fayd before, to come on fote, to hunt, and fbote, to gete us mete in ftore;

For an outlawe

this is the lawe,

that men hym take and bynde; without pytè banged to be,

and waver with the wynde. If I had nede,

(as God forbede!)

what focours coude ye fynde? forfoth, I trowe,

ye and your bowe

for fere wolde drawe behynde:

And no mervayle;

for lytell avayle

were in your counceyle than:

wherfore I wyll to

the grene wode go, alone, a banyhed man.

24 where

23.

Ryght wele knowe ye,
that women be

but feble for to fight;
no womanhede

it is, indede,

to be bolde as a knyght:
Yet, in fuch fere
yf that ye were

with enemyes day or nyght,
I wolde withftande,
with bowe in hande,
to helpe ye with my myght,
and you to fave;
as women have

from deth many a one;

for, in my mynde,
of all mankynde

I love but

you

alone.