Each of these three had a weapon; one a pole-axe, another a long spear, and the third a flail jointed and bound with iron, and an anlace hanging at his girdle.

So they stood in the way and hailed him when the sheep were gone past; and the man with the spear asked him whither away.

"I am turned toward Higham-on-the-Way," quoth he; "and how many miles shall I ride ere I get there ?" Said one of them: "Little less than twenty, lord." Now it was past noon two hours, and the day was hot; so whereas the faces of the men looked kind and friendly, albeit somewhat rugged, he lighted down from his horse and sat down by the way-side, and drew his bottle of good wine from out of his wallet, and asked the men if they were in haste.
"Nay, master," said he of the pole-axe, while all eyes turned to the bottle, "HE has gone by too long; and will neither meddle with us, nor may we deal with him." "Well then," quoth Ralph, "there is time for bever.

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.