|
“Anon go gete us faste into this in |
440 |
A knedyng-trogh, or ellis a kymelyn, |
|
For ech of us, but looke that they be large, |
|
In which we mowe swymme as in a barge, |
|
And han therinne vitaille suffisant |
|
But for a day – fy on the remenant! |
445 |
The water shal aslake and goon away |
|
Aboute pryme upon the nexte day. |
|
But Robyn may nat wite of this, thy knave, |
|
Ne eek thy mayde Gille I may nat save; |
|
Axe nat why, for though thou aske me, |
450 |
I wol nat tellen Goddes pryvetee. |
|
Suffiseth thee, but if thy wittes madde, |
|
To han as greet a grace as Noe hadde. |
|
Thy wyf shal I wel saven, out of doute. |
|
Go now thy wey, and speed thee heer-aboute. |
455 |
“But whan thou hast, for hire and thee and me, |
|
Ygeten us thise knedyng-tubbes three, |
|
Thanne shaltow hange hem in the roof ful hye, |
|
That no man of oure purveiaunce espye. |
|
And whan thou thus hast doon, as I have seyd, |
460 |
And hast oure vitaille faire in hem yleyd |
|
And eek an ax, to smyte the corde atwo, |
|
Whan that the water comth, that we may go, |
|
And breke an hole an heigh, upon the gable, |
|
Unto the gardyn-ward, over the stable, |
465 |
That we may frely passen forth oure way, |
|
Whan that the grete shour is goon away, |
|
Thanne shaltou swymme as myrie, I undertake, |
|
As dooth the white doke after hire drake. |
|
Thanne wol I clepe, ‘How, Alison! how, John |
470 |
Be myrie, for the flood wol passe anon.’ |
|
And thou wolt seyn, ‘Hayl, maister Nicholay! |
|
Good morwe, I see thee wel, for it is day.’ |
|
And thanne shul we be lordes al oure lyf |
|
Of al the world, as Noe and his wyf. |
475 |
“But of o thyng I warne thee ful right: |
|
Be wel avysed on that ilke nyght |
|
That we ben entred into shippes bord, |
|
That noon of us ne speke nat a word, |
|
Ne clepe, ne crie, but be in his preyere; |
480 |
For it is Goddes owene heeste deere. |
|
“Thy wyf and thou moote hange fer atwynne; |
|
For that bitwixe yow shal be no synne, |
|
Namoore in lookyng than ther shal in deede, |
|
This ordinance is seyd. Go, God thee speede! |
485 |
Tomorwe at nyght, whan men ben alle aslepe, |
|
Into oure knedyng-tubbes wol we crepe, |
|
And sitten there, abidyng Goddes grace. |
|
Go now thy wey, I have no lenger space |
|
To make of this no lenger sermonyng. |
490 |
Men seyn thus, ‘sende the wise, and sey no thyng:’ |
|
Thou art so wys, it needeth thee nat teche. |
|
Go, save oure lyf, and that I the biseche.” |
|
|
“Presently go, and fetch here to this inn |
440 |
A kneading-tub, or brewing vat, and win |
|
One each for us, but see that they are large, |
|
Wherein we may swim out as in a barge, |
|
And have therein sufficient food and drink |
|
For one day only; that’s enough, I think. |
445 |
The water will dry up and flow away |
|
About the prime of the succeeding day. |
|
But Robin must not know of this, your knave, |
|
And even Jill, your maid, I may not save; |
|
Ask me not why, for though you do ask me, |
450 |
I will not tell you of God’s privity. |
|
Suffice you, then, unless your wits are mad, |
|
To have as great a grace as Noah had. |
|
Your wife I shall not lose, there is no doubt, |
|
Go, now, your way, and speedily about, |
455 |
But when you have, for you and her and me, |
|
Procured these kneading-tubs, or beer-vats, three, |
|
Then you shall hang them near the roof-tree high, |
|
That no man our purveyance may espy. |
|
And when you thus have done, as I have said, |
460 |
And have put in our drink and meat and bread, |
|
Also an axe to cut the ropes in two |
|
When the flood comes, that we may float and go, |
|
And cut a hole, high up, upon the gable, |
|
Upon the garden side, over the stable, |
465 |
That we may freely pass forth on our way |
|
When the great rain and flood are gone that day – |
|
Then shall you float as merrily, I’ll stake, |
|
As does the white duck after the white drake. |
|
Then I will call, ‘Ho, Alison! Ho, John! |
470 |
Be cheery, for the flood will pass anon.’ |
|
And you will say, ‘Hail. Master Nicholay! |
|
Good morrow, I see you well, for it is day!’ |
|
And then shall we be barons all our life |
|
Of all the world, like Noah and his wife. |
475 |
“But of one thing I warn you now, outright. |
|
Be well advised, that on that very night |
|
When we have reached our ships and got aboard, |
|
Not one of us must speak or whisper word, |
|
Nor call, nor cry, but sit in silent prayer; |
480 |
For this is God’s own bidding, hence- don’t dare! |
|
“Your wife and you must hang apart, that in |
|
The night shall come no chance for you to sin |
|
Either in looking or in carnal deed. |
|
These orders I have told you, go, God speed! |
485 |
Tomorrow night, when all men are asleep, |
|
Into our kneading-tubs will we three creep |
|
And sit there, still, awaiting God’s high grace. |
|
Go, now, your way, I have no longer space |
|
Of time to make a longer sermoning. |
490 |
Men say thus: ‘Send the wise and say no thing.’ |
|
You are so wise it needs not that I teach; |
|
Go, save our lives, and that I do beseech.” |
|