I would withstand, with bow in hand,
To grieve them as I might,
And you to save; as women have
From death men many one:
For, in my mind, of all mankind
I love but you alone.

He. Yet take good hede; for ever I drede
That ye could not sustain

The thorny ways, the deep valleys,
The snow, the frost, the rain,
The cold, the heat; for dry or wete,
We must lodge on the plain;

And, us above, no other roof

But a brake bush or twain:

Which soon should grieve you, I believe;

And ye would gladly than
That I had to the green-wood go,
Alone, a banished man.

She. Sith I have here been partynere
With you of joy and bliss,

I must alsò part of your woe
Endure, as reason is:

Yet I am sure of one pleasure,
And shortly it is this-

That where ye be, me seemeth, pardé,

I could not fare amiss.

Without more speech I you beseech

That we were shortly gone;

For, in my mind, of all mankind

I love but you alone.

He. If ye go thyder, ye must consider,
When ye have lust to dine,
There shall no meat be for to gete,
Nether bere, ale, ne wine,

Ne shetès clean, to lie between,

Made of thread and twine;

None other house, but leaves and boughs,
To cover your head and mine.
Lo, mine heart sweet, this ill diète
Should make you pale and wan:
Wherefore I'll to the green-wood go,
Alone, a banished man.

She. Among the wild deer such an archère,
As men say that ye be,
Ne may not fail of good vitayle
Where is so great plentè:

And water clear of the rivere
Shall be full sweet to me;
With which in hele I shall right wele
Endure, as ye shall see;
And, or we go, a bed or two

I can provide anone;

For, in my mind, of all mankind
I love but you alone.

He. Lo yet, before, ye must do more,
If ye will go with me:

hele] health.

As, cut your hair up by your ear,

Your kirtle by the knee;

With bow in hand for to withstand
Your enemies, if need be:

And this same night, before daylight,
To woodward will I flee.

If that ye will all this fulfil,
Do it shortly as ye can:

Else will I to the green-wood go,
Alone, a banished man.

She. I shall as now do more for you
Than 'longeth to womanhede;
To short my hair, a bow to bear,
To shoot in time of need.

O my sweet mother! before all other
For you I have most drede!

But now, adieu! I must ensue

Where fortune doth me lead.

All this make ye: Now let us flee;
The day cometh fast upon:
For, in my mind, of all mankind
I love but you alone.

He. Nay, nay, not so; ye shall not go,

And I shall tell you why

Your appetite is to be light

Of love, I well espy:

For, right as ye have said to me,

In likewise hardily

Ye would answere whosoever it were,

In way of companỳ:

It is said of old, Soon hot, soon cold;

And so is a woman:

Wherefore I to the wood will go,

Alone, a banished man.

She. If ye take heed, it is no need
Such words to say to me;

For oft ye prayed, and long assayed,
Or I loved you, pardè:

And though that I of ancestry

A baron's daughter be,

Yet have you proved how I you loved,

A squire of low degree;..
And ever shall, whatso befall,

To die therefore anone;

For, in my mind, of all mankind
I love but you alone.

He. A baron's child to be beguiled,
It were a cursed deed!

To be felaw with an outlaw-
Almighty God forbede!

Yet better were the poor squyere
Alone to forest yede

Than ye shall say another day

That by my cursed rede

Ye were betrayed. Wherefore, good maid,
The best rede that I can,

Is, that I to the green-wood go,
Alone, a banished man.

She. Whatever befall, I never shall
Of this thing be upbraid:

But if ye go, and leave me so,
Then have ye me betrayed.

Remember you wele, how that ye dele;
For if ye, as ye said,

yede] went.

Be so unkind to leave behind
Your love, the Nut-brown Maid,
Trust me truly that I shall die
Soon after ye be gone:

For, in my mind, of all mankind
I love but you alone.

He. If that ye went, ye should repent;
For in the forest now

I have purveyed me of a maid
Whom I love more than you:
Another more fair than ever ye were
I dare it well avow;

And of you both each should be wroth
With other, as I trow:

It were mine ease to live in peace;
So will I, if I can:

Wherefore I to the wood will go,
Alone, a banished man.

She. Though in the wood I understood
Ye had a paramour,

All this may nought remove my thought,
But that I will be your':

And she shall find me soft and kind
And courteis every hour;

Glad to fulfil all that she will

Command me, to my power:
For had ye, lo, an hundred mo,
Yet would I be that one:
For, in my mind, of all mankind
I love but you alone.