[315] The Northern men seem to have been formerly favourite subjects for
story tellers and ballad-writers. Martin Parker published a poem called
"The King and a Poore Northern man," and there is a ballad entitled "The
King and the Northern man." Neither has anything to do with the present
tale. No. 95 of the _C. Mery Talys_, of which only a small fragment is
at present known to exist, is entitled, "Of the Northern man that was
all harte."
[316] "Richard, Richard, by the mass I am glad that thou art king!"
+ _Of the Canon and his man._ cxxviii
+ A canon in Hereforde, that kepte a good house, toke into his seruice a
gentilmans sonne, to trane and bryng hym vp, to wayte and serue at the
table.[317] So on a day the sayde canon, hauynge many strangers at his
bourd, made a signe to his man, that there wanted some thyng. He, nought
perceuyng, cam to his maister and sayde: Sir, what lacke you? Seest not,
man (quoth he), they haue no bread on the table? Sir, saide his man,
there was enough euen now, if they woulde haue let it alone.
+ _Of the same Canon and his sayd man._ cxxix.
+ The same Canon, an other tyme, bad his sayd seruant after supper, go
downe and draw a cuppe of wyne, to make his guestes drinke at theyr
departing, whom he had before taught, how he shuld take of the couer. So
the yong man, bringyng the candell in one hand, and the cup of wine
couered in the other, offred it vnto them. His mayster, seyng that,
made a token to hym. He, not knowyng wherfore, sayd: Sir, what woulde
you haue? Take of the couer (quoth his mayster). Then holde you the
candell (saide the seruaunt).