Have ye ought of a cup, that we may drink to each other?"

"Yea," said the carle with the anlace, "that have I." Therewith he drew
from his pouch a ram's horn rimmed with silver, and held it up,
and said as if he were speaking to it: "Now, Thirly, rejoice! for ye
shall have lord's wine poured into thy maw."

Therewith he held it out toward Ralph, who laughed and filled it up,
and filled for himself a little silver cup which he carried,
and said: "To you, shepherds! Much wool and little cry!"
And he drank withal.

"And I," quoth the man with the horn, "call this health;
Much cry and little wool!"

"Well, well, how mean ye by that, Greasy Wat?" said the man with the spear,
taking the horn as he spake; "that is but a poor wish for a lord that drinketh
out of our cup."

Said Wat: "Why, neighbour, why! thy wit is none too hasty.
The wool that a knight sheareth is war and battle;
that is wounding and death; but the cry is the talk
and boasting and minstrelsy that goeth before all this.
Which is the best wish to wish him? the wounds and the death,
or the fore-rumour and stir thereof which hurteth no man?"

Ralph laughed thereat, and was merry and blithe with them;
but the spearman, who was an old man, said:

"For all Wat sayeth, lord, and his japes, ye must not misdeem of us