Middle English


A yeman hadde he and servantz namo 
At that tyme, for hym liste ride so, 
And he was clad in cote and hood of grene; 
A sheef of pecok arwes brighte and kene 
Under his belt he bar ful thriftily,      
(Wel coude he dresse his takel yemanly:  
His arwes drouped noght with fetheres lowe),  
And in his hand he bar a mighty bowe.  
A not-heed hadde he, with a broun visage.  
Of wode-craft wel coude he al the usage.         
Upon his arm he bar a gay bracer,   
And by his syde a swerd and a bokeler,  
And on that other syde a gay daggere,  
Harneised wel, and sharp as point of spere;  
A Cristofre on his brest of silver shene        
An horn he bar, the bawdrik was of grene;  
A forster was he, soothly, as I gesse.

Modern

A yeoman had he, nor more servants, no, 
At that time, for he chose to travel so; 
And he was clad in coat and hood of green. 
A sheaf of peacock arrows bright and keen 
Under his belt he bore right carefully 
(Well could he keep his tackle yeomanly: 
His arrows had no draggled feathers low), 
And in his hand he bore a mighty bow. 
A cropped head had he and a sun-browned face. 
Of woodcraft knew he all the useful ways. 
Upon his arm he bore a bracer gay, 
And at one side a sword and buckler, yea, 
And at the other side a dagger bright, 
Well sheathed and sharp as spear point in the light; 
On breast a Christopher of silver sheen. 
He bore a horn in baldric all of green; 
A forester he truly was, I guess.