William Morris

“ Yea, my sweet, said the Carline, the hay smelleth of that weed; but fear thou not, for I will deliver thee if so it be. So when the morning was, and the day was bright, those merchants drew about the Carline and the Maiden; and there were three masters there, and two of them young men not ill-liking. Now the Carline speaks to the elder of the three, and thanks him for the meat and drink and company, and says withal that they will now be gone, as time presses them. Says the Chapman: Nay, Carline, not so fast; how shall ye go safer than with us, ten weaponed men to wit? ”

“ The twain yeasaid it perforce, and were well treated by the travellers, who said they were merchants on the road to the peopled parts that lay beyond the mountains; and even so it seemed by their packs and bundles of goods. Albeit, ere they lay down to sleep, the Maiden whispered to the Carline: Mother, I fear me that we be fallen amongst thieves: and this seems like the tale of the felons who first stole me, with no kind and dear knight at hand to buy me out of servitude. ”

“ Since this is come above ground, which to say sooth I looked for, as ye are two such brisk lads, and the woman such a pearl of beauty, this is my bidding: let us bring her down into the peopled parts in peace and good fellowship, and then go all three before a priest and take God's body at his hands, and pray may it choke us and rot us if we take not her straight to the Lord James and sell her unto him for the best penny we may, and share all alike, even as the honest and merry merchants we be. ”