Chapter VII: Part I: I (1)

A LYTELL GESTE OF ROBYN HODE.

This ancient legend is printed from the copy of an edition, in 4to and black letter, by Wynken de Worde, preserved in the public library at Cambridge; compared with, and, in some places, corrected by, another impression (apparently from the former), likewise in 4to and black letter, by William Copland, a copy of which is among the late Mr. Garrick’s old plays, now in the British Museum. The full title of the first edition is as follows: “Here beginneth a mery geste of Robyn Hode and his meyne, {2} and of the proude sheryfe of Notyngham;” and the printer’s colophon runs thus: “Explycit. Kynge Edwarde and Robyn hode and Lytell Johan Enprented at London in Flete strete at the sygne of the sone By Wynken de Worde.” To Copland’s edition is added “a newe playe for to be played in Maye games very plesaunte and full of pastyme;” which will be found at large in another place. No other copy of either edition is known to be extant; but, by the favour of the Reverend Dr. Farmer, the editor had in his hands and gave to Mr. Douce a few leaves of an old 4to black letter impression by the above Wynken de Worde, probably in 1489, and totally unknown to Ames and Herbert. Another edition was printed at Edinburgh by Androw Myllar and Walter Chepman in 1508, a fragment whereof is in the Advocates’ Library there. This is probably the edition noticed among the tales enumerated in Wedderburn’s Complainte of Scotland, printed at St. Andrews in 1549, under the title of “Robene Hude and litil Jhone.” Among the Doctor’s numerous literary curiosities was likewise another edition, “printed,” after Copland’s, “for Edward White” (4to, black letter, no date, but entered in the Stationers’ books 13 May 1594), which hath been collated, and every variation worthy of notice either adopted or remarked in the margin. The only deviation from all the copies (except in necessary corrections) is the division of stanzas, the indenting of the lines, the addition of points, the disuse of abbreviations, and the occasional introduction or rejection of a capital letter; liberties, if they may be so called, which have been taken with most of the other poems in this collection.

* * * * *

Lithe and lysten, gentylmen,
That be of frebore blode ;
I shall you tell of a good yemàn,
His name was Robyn Hode. {3}

Robyn was a proude outlawe,
Whyles he walked on grounde,
So curteyse an outlawe as he was one
Was never none yfounde.

Robyn stode in Bernysdale,
And lened hym to a tree,
And by hym stode Lytell Johan,
A good yeman was he ;

And also dyde good Scathelock,
And Much the millers sone ;
There was no ynche of his body,
But it was worthe a grome.

Than bespake hym Lytell Johan
All unto Robyn Hode,
Mayster, yf ye wolde dyne betyme,
It wolde do you moch good.

Then bespake good Robyn,
To dyne I have no lust,
Tyll I have some bolde baròn,
Or some unketh gest,

[Or els some byshop or abbot][119]
That may paye for the best ;
Or some knyght or some squyere
That dwelleth here by west. {4}

A good maner than had Robyn,
In londe where that he were,
Every daye or he woulde dyne
Thre messes wolde he here :

The one in the worshyp of the fader,
The other of the holy goost,
The thyrde was of our dere lady,
That he loved of all other moste.

Robyn loved our dere lady,
For doute of dedely synne ;
Wolde he never do company harme
That only woman was ynne.

Mayster, than sayd Lytell Johan,
And we our borde shall sprede,
Tell us whether we shall gone,
And what lyfe we shall lede ;

Where we shall take, where we shall leve,
Where we shall abide behynde,
Where we shall robbe, where we shall reve,
Where we shall bete and bynde.

Ther of no fors, sayd Robyn,
We shall do well ynough ;
But loke ye do no housbonde harme
That tylleth with his plough ; {5}

No more ye shall no good yemàn,
That walketh by grene wode shawe,
Ne no knyght, ne no squyèr,
That wolde be a good felawe.

These bysshoppes, and thyse archebysshoppes,
Ye shall them bete and bynde ;
The hye sheryfe of Notynghame,
Hym holde in your mynde.

This worde shall be holde, sayd Lytyll Johan,
And this lesson shall we lere ;
It is ferre dayes, god sende us a gest,
That we were at our dynere.

Take thy good bowe in thy hande, said Robyn,
Let Moche wende with the,
And so shall Wyllyam Scathelocke,
And no man abyde with me ;

And walke up to the Sayles,
And so to Watlynge-strete,[120]
And wayte after some unketh gest,
Up-chaunce ye mowe them mete. {6}

Be he erle or ony baròn,
Abbot or ony knyght,
Brynge hym to lodge to me,
Hys dyner shall be dyght.

They wente unto the Sayles,
These yemen all thre,
They loked est, they loked west,
They myght no man see.

But as they loked in Barnysdale,
By a derne strete,
Then came there a knyght rydynge,
Full sone they gan hym mete.

All dreri then was his[121] semblaunte,
And lytell was hys pryde,
Hys one fote in the sterope stode,
That other waved besyde.

Hys hode hangynge over hys eyen two,
He rode in symple aray ;
A soryer man than he was one
Rode never in somers-day.

Lytell Johan was curteyse,
And set hym on his kne :
Welcome be ye, gentyll knyght,
Welcome are you to me.

{7}

Welcome be thou to grene wood,
Hende knyght and fre ;
My mayster hath abyden you fastynge,
Syr, all these oures thre.

Who is your mayster ? sayd the knyght.
Johan saydé, Robyn Hode.
He is a good yeman, sayd the knyght,
Of hym I have herde moch good.

I graunte, he sayd, with you to wende,
My brethren all in-fere ;[122]
My purpose was to have deyned to day
At Blythe or Dankastere.

Forthe than went this[123] gentyll knyght,
With a carefull chere,
The teres out of his eyen ran,
And fell downe by his lere.[124]

They brought hym unto the lodge dore,
When Robyn gan hym se,
Full curteysly dyde of his hode,
And set hym on his kne.

Welcome, syr knyght, then said Robyn,
Welcome thou arte to me,
I haue abyde you fastynge, syr,
All these houres thre.

Then answered the gentyll knyght,
With wordes fayre and fre,
God the save, good Robyn,
And all thy fayre meynè.

They washed togyder and wyped bothe,
And set tyll theyr dynere ;
Brede and wyne they had ynough,
And nombles of the dere ;

Swannes and fesauntes they had full good,
And foules of the revere ;
There fayled never so lytell a byrde,
That ever was bred on brere.

Do gladly, syr knyght, sayd Robyn.
Gramercy, syr, sayd he,
Suche a dyner had I not
Of all these wekes thre ;

If I come agayne, Robyn,
Here by this countrè,
As good a dyner I shall the make,
As thou hast made to me.

Gramercy, knyght, sayd Robyn,
My dyner whan I have,
I was never so gredy, by dere worthy god,
My dyner for to crave. {9}

But pay or ye wende, sayd Robyn,
Me thynketh it is good ryght ;
It was never the maner, by dere worthy god,
A yeman to pay[125] for a knyght.

I have nought in my cofers, sayd the knyght,
That I may profer for shame.
Lytell Johan, go loke, sayd Robyn,[126]
Ne let not for no blame.

Tell me trouth, sayd Robyn,
So god hath parte of the.
I have no more but ten shillings, sayd the knyght,
So god hath parte of me.

Yf thou have no more, sayd Robyn,
I wyll not one peny ;
And yf thou have nede of ony more,
More shall I len the.

Go now forth, Lytell Johan,
The trouthe tell thou me,
Yf there be no more but ten shillings,
Not one peny that I se.

Lytell Johan spred downe his mantèll
Full fayre upon the grounde,
And there he founde in the knyghtes cofer
But even halfe a pounde. {10}

Lytyll Johan let it lye full styll,
And went to his mayster full lowe.
What tydynge Johan ? sayd Robyn.
“Syr, the knyght is trewe inough.”

Fyll of the best wyne, sayd Robyn,
The knyght shall begynne ;
Moch wonder thynketh me
Thy clothynge is so thynne.

Tell me one worde, sayd Robyn,
And counsell shall it be ;
I trowe thou were made a knyght of forse,
Or elles of yemanry ;

Or elles thou hast ben a sory housband,
And leved in stroke and stryfe ;
An okerer, or elles a lechoure, sayd Robyn,
With wronge hast thou lede thy lyfe.

I am none of them, sayd the knyght,
By god that made me ;
An hondreth wynter here before,
Myne aunsetters knyghtes have be.

But ofte it hath befal, Robyn,
A man hath be dysgrate ;
But god that syteth in heven above
May amend his state. {11}

Within two or thre yere,[127] Robyn, he sayd,
My neyghbores well it ‘kende,’[128]
Foure hondreth pounde of good money
Full wel than myght I spende.

Now have I no good, sayd the knyght,
But my chyldren and my wyfe ;
God hath shapen such an ende,
Tyll god ‘may amende[129] my lyfe.’

In what maner, sayd Robyn,
Hast thou lore thy rychès ?
For my grete foly, he sayd,
And for my kindenesse.

I had a sone, for soth, Robyn,
That sholde have ben my eyre,
When he was twenty wynter olde,
In felde wolde juste full feyre ;

He slewe a knyght of Lancastshyre,[130]
And a squyre bolde ;
For to save hym in his ryght
My goodes beth sette and solde ;

My londes beth set to wedde, Robyn,
Untyll a certayne daye,
To a ryche abbot here besyde,
Of Saynt Mary abbay. {12}

What is the somme ? sayd Robyn,
Trouthe than tell thou me.
Syr, he sayd, foure hondred pounde,
The abbot tolde it to me.

Now, and thou lese thy londe, sayd Robyn,
What shall fall of the ?
Hastely I wyll me buske, sayd the knyght,
Over the salte see,

And se where Cryst was quycke and deed,
On the mounte of Caluarè.
Fare well, frende, and have good daye,
It may noo[131] better be――

Teeres fell out of his eyen two,
He wolde haue gone his waye―
Farewell, frendes, and have good day,
I ne have more to pay.

Where be[132] thy friendes ? sayd Robyn.
“Syr, never one wyll me know ;[133]
Whyle I was ryche inow at home
Grete bost then wolde they blowe,

And now they renne awaye fro me,
As bestes on a rowe ;
They take no more heed of me
Then they me never sawe.”[134] {13}

For ruthe then wepte Lytell Johan,
Scathelocke and Much ‘in fere.’[135]
Fyll of the best wyne,[136] sayd Robyn,
For here is a symple chere.

Hast thou ony frendes, sayd Robyn,
Thy borowes that wyll be ?
I have none, then sayd the knyght,
But god that dyed on a tree.

Do waye thy japes, sayd Robyn,
Therof wyll I right none ;
Wenest thou I wyll have god to borowe ?
Peter, Poule or Johan ?

Nay, by hym that me made,
And shope both sonne and mone,
Fynde a better borowe, sayd Robyn,
Or mony getest thou none.

I have none other, sayd the knyght,
The sothe for to say,
But yf it be our dere lady,
She fayled me never or this day.

By dere worthy god, sayd Robyn,
To seche all Englond thorowe,
Yet founde I never to my pay,
A moch better borowe. {14}

Come now forthe, Lytell Johan,
And goo to my tresourè,
And brynge me foure hondred pounde,
And loke that it well tolde be.

Forthe then wente Lytell Johan,
And Scathelocke went before,
He tolde out foure houndred pounde,
By eyghtene score.[137]

Is this well tolde ? sayd lytell Much.
Johan sayd, What greveth the ?
It is almes to helpe a gentyll knyght
That is fall in povertè.

Mayster, than sayd Lytell Johan,
His clothynge is full thynne,
Ye must gyve the knyght a lyveray,
To ‘lappe’[138] his body ther in.

For ye have scarlet and grene, mayster,
And many a ryche aray,
There is no marchaunt in mery Englònde
So ryche, I dare well saye.

Take hym thre yerdes of every coloure,
And loke that well mete it be.
Lytell Johan toke none other mesure
But his bowe tre,

{15}

And of every handfull that he met
He lept ouer fotes thre.
What devilkyns draper, sayd litell Much,
Thynkyst thou to be ?

Scathelocke stoode full styll and lough,
And sayd, By god allmyght,
Johan may gyve hym the better mesure,
By god, it cost him but lyght.

Mayster, sayd Lytell Johan,
All unto Robyn Hode,
Ye must gyve that knight an hors,
To lede home al this good.

Take hym a gray courser, sayd Robyn,
And a sadell newe ;
He is our ladyes messengere,
God lene[139] that he be true.

And a good palfraye, sayd lytell Moch,
To mayntayne hym in his ryght.
And a payre of botes, sayd Scathelocke,
For he is a gentyll knyght.

What shalt thou gyve hym, Lytel Johan ? sayd Robyn.
Syr, a payre of gylte spores clene,
To pray for all this company :
God brynge hym out of tene ! {16}

Whan shall my daye be, sayd the knyght,
Syr, and your wyll be ?
This daye twelve moneth, sayd Robyn,
Under this grene wode tre.

It were grete shame, sayd Robyn,
A knyght alone to ryde,
Without squyer, yeman or page,
To walke by hys syde.

I shall the lene Lytyll Johan my man,
For he shall be thy knave ;
In a yemans steed he may the stonde,
Yf thou grete nede have.

THE SECONDE FYTTE.

Nowe is the knyght went on this way,
This game he thought full good,
When he loked on Bernysdale,
He blyssed Robyn Hode ;

And whan he thought on Bernysdale,
On Scathelock, Much, and Johan,
He blyssed them for the best company
That ever he in come. {17}

Then spake that gentyll knyght,
To Lytel Johan gan he saye,
To morowe I must to Yorke toune,
To Saynt Mary abbay ;

And to the abbot of that place
Foure hondred pounde I must pay :
And but I be there upon this nyght
My londe is lost for ay.

The abbot sayd to his covent,
There he stode on grounde,
This day twelfe moneth came there a knyght
And borowed foure hondred pounde.

[He borowed foure hondred pounde,]
Upon all his londe fre,
But he come this ylke day
Dysherytye shall he be.

It is full erely, sayd the pryoure,[140]
The day is not yet ferre gone,
I had lever to pay an hondred pounde,
And lay it downe a none.

The knyght is ferre be yonde the see,
In Englonde is his ryght,
And suffreth honger and colde
And many a sory nyght ; {18}

It were grete pytè, sayd the pryoure,
So to have his londe,
And ye be so lyght of your conseyence
Ye do to him moch wronge.

Thou arte euer in my berde, sayd the abbot,
By god and saynt Rycharde.[141]
With that cam in a fat-heded monke,
The heygh selerer ;

He is dede or hanged, sayd the monke,
By god that bought me dere,
And we shall have to spende in this place
Foure hondred pounde by yere.

The abbot and the hy selerer,
Sterte forthe full bolde,
The high justyce of Englonde
The abbot there dyde holde. {19}

The hye justyce and many mo
Had take into their honde
Holy all the knyghtes det,
To put that knyght to wronge.

They demed the knyght wonder sore,
The abbot and hys meynè :
“But he come this ylke day
Dysheryte shall he be.”

He wyll not come yet, sayd the justyce,
I dare well undertake.
But in sorowe tyme for them all
The knyght came to the gate.

Than bespake that gentyll knyght
Untyll hys meynè,
Now put on your symple wedes
That ye brought fro the see.

[They put on their symple wedes,]
And came to the gates anone,
The porter was redy hymselfe,
And welcomed them everychone.

Welcome, syr knyght, sayd the portèr,
My lorde to mete is he,
And so is many a gentyll man,
For the love of the. {20}

The porter swore a full grete othe,
By god that made me,
Here be the best coresed hors
That ever yet sawe I me.

Lede them into the stable, he sayd,
That eased myght they be.
They shall not come therin, sayd the knyght,
By god that dyed on a tre.

Lordes were to mete isette
In that abbotes hall,
The knyght went forth and kneled downe,
And salved them grete and small.

Do gladly, syr abbot, sayd the knyght,
I am come to holde my day.
The fyrst word the abbot spake,
Hast thou brought my pay ?

Not one peny, sayd the knyght,
By god that maked me.
Thou art a shrewed dettour, sayd the abbot :
Syr justyce, drynke to me.

What doost thou here, sayd the abbot,
But thou haddest brought thy pay ?
For god, than sayd the knyght,
To pray of a lenger daye. {21}

Thy daye is broke, sayd the justyce,
Londe getest thou none.
“Now, good syr justyce, be my frende,
And fende me of my fone.”

I am holde with the abbot, sayd the justyce,
Bothe with cloth and fee.
“Now, good syr sheryf, be my frende.”
Nay for god, sayd he.

“Now, good syr abbot, be my frende,
For thy curteysè,
And holde my londes in thy honde
Tyll I have made the gree ;

And I wyll be thy true servaunte,
And trewely serve the,
Tyl ye have foure hondred pounde
Of money good and free.”

The abbot sware a full grete othe,
By god that dyed on a tree,
Get the londe where thou may,
For thou getest none of me.

By dere worthy god, then sayd the knyght,
That all this worlde wrought,
But I have my londe agayne
Full dere it shall be bought ; {22}

God, that was of a mayden borne
Lene us[142] well to spede !
For it is good to assay a frende
Or that a man have nede.

The abbot lothely on hym gan loke
And vylaynesly hym gan ‘call ;’[143]
Out, he sayd, thou false knyght,
Spede the out of my hall !

Thou lyest, then sayd the gentyll knyght,
Abbot in thy hal ;
False knyght was I never,
By god that made us all.

Up then stode that gentyll knyght,
To the abbot sayd he,
To suffre a knyght to knele so longe,
Thou canst no curteysye ;

In joustes and in tournement
Full ferre than have I be,
And put myselfe as ferre in prees
As ony that ever I se.

What wyll ye gyve more ? sayd the justyce,
And the knyght shall make a releyse ;
And elles dare I safly swere
Ye holde never your londe in pees. {23}

An hondred pounde, sayd the abbot.
The justyce said, Gyve him two.
Nay, be god, sayd the knyght,
Yet gete[144] ye it not soo :

Though ye wolde gyve a thousande more,
Yet were ‘ye’[145] never the nere :
Shall there never be myn eyre,
Abbot, justyse, ne frere.

He sterte hym to a borde anone,
Tyll a table rounde,
And there he shoke out of a bagge
Even foure hondred pounde.

Have here thy golde, syr abbot, sayd the knyght,
Which that thou lentest me ;
Haddest thou ben curteys at my comynge,
Rewarde sholdest thou have be.

The abbot sat styll, and ete no more,
For all his ryall chere,
He caste his hede on his sholdèr,
And fast began to stare.

Take me my golde agayne, sayd the abbot,
Syr justyce, that I toke the.
Not a peny, sayd the justyce,
By god, that dyed on a tree. {24}

“Syr abbot, and ye men of lawe,
Now have I holde my daye,
Now shall I have my londe agayne,
For ought that you can saye.”

The knyght stert out of the dore,
Awaye was all his care,
And on he put his good clothynge,
The other he lefte there.

He wente hym forthe full mery syngynge,
As men have tolde in tale,
His lady met hym at the gate,
At home in ‘Wierysdale.’[146]

Welcome, my lorde, sayd his lady ;
Syr, lost is all your good ?
Be mery, dame, sayd the knyght,
And praye for Robyn Hode,

That ever his soule be in blysse,
He holpe me out of my tene ;
Ne had not be his kyndenesse,
Beggers had we ben.

The abbot and I acordyd ben,
He is served of his pay,
The good yeman lent it me,
As I came by the way. {25}

This knyght than dwelled fayre at home,
The soth for to say,
Tyll he had got foure hondreth pounde
All redy for too paye.

He purveyed hym an hondred bowes,
The strenges [were] welle dyght,
An hondred shefe of arowes good,
The hedes burnyshed full bryght,

And every arowe an elle longe,
With pecocke well ydyght,
Inocked all with whyte sylvèr,
It was a semly syght.

He purveyed hym an hondreth men,
Well harneysed in that stede,
And hymselfe in that same sete,[147]
And clothed in whyte and rede.

He bare a launsgay in his honde,
And a man ledde his male,
And reden with a lyght songe,
Unto Bernysdale.

As he went at a brydge ther was a wrastelyng,
And there taryed was he,
And there was all the best yemèn,
Of all the west countree. {26}

A full fayre game there was upset,
A whyte bull up ipyght ;[148]
A grete courser with sadle and brydil,
With golde burneyshed full bryght ;

A payre of gloves, a rede golde rynge,
A pype of wyne, in good fay :
What man bereth him best, I wys,
The pryce shall bere away.

There was a yeman in that place,
And best worthy was he,
And for he was ferre and frend bestad,
Islayne he sholde have be.

The knyght had reuth of this yemàn,
In place where that he stode,
He said that yoman sholde have no harme,
For love of Robyn Hode.

The knyght presed into the place,
An hondred folowed hym ‘fre,’[149]
With bowes bent, and arowes sharpe,
For to shende that company.

They sholdred all, and made hym rome,
To wete that he wolde say,
He toke the yeman by the honde,
And gave hym all the playe ; {27}

He gave hym fyve marke for his wyne,
There it laye on the molde,
And bad it sholde be sette a broche,
Drynke who so wolde.

Thus longe taryed this gentyll knyght,
Tyll that playe was done,
So longe abode Robyn fastynge,
Thre houres after the none.

THE THYRDE FYTTE.

Lyth and lysten, gentyll men,
All that now be here,
Of Lytell Johan, that was the knyghtes man,
Good myrthe ye shall here.

It was upon a mery day,
That yonge men wolde go shete,[150]
Lytell Johan fet his bowe anone,
And sayd he wolde them mete.

Thre tymes Lytell Johan shot about,
And alway cleft[151] the wande,
The proude sheryf of Notyngham
By the markes gan stande. {28}

The sheryf swore a full grete othe,
By hym that dyed on a tree,
This man is the best archere
That yet sawe I me.

Say me now, wyght yonge man,
What is now thy name ?
In what countre were thou[152] born,
And where is thy wonnynge wan ?

“In Holdernesse I was bore,
I wys all of my dame,
Men call me Reynolde Grenelefe,
Whan I am at hame.”

“Say me, Reynaud Grenelefe,
Wolte thou dwell with me ?
And every yere I wyll the gyve
Twenty marke to thy fee.”

I have a mayster, sayd Lytell Johan,
A curteys knyght is he,
May ye gete leve of hym,
The better may it bee.

The sheryfe gate Lytell Johan
Twelve monethes of the knyght,
Therfore he gave him ryght anone
A good hors and a wyght. {29}

Now is Lytel Johan the sheryffes man,
He gyve us well to spede,
But alway thought Lytell Johan
To quyte hym well his mede.

Now so god[153] me helpe, sayd Lytel Johan,
And be my trewe lewtè,
I shall be the worste servaunte to hym
That ever yet had he.

It befell upon a wednesday,
The sheryfe on hontynge was gone,
And Lytel Johan lay in his bed,
And was foryete at home.

Therfore he was fastynge
Tyl it was past the none,
Good syr stuard, I pray the,
Geve me to dyne, sayd Lytel Johan,

It is to long for Grenelefe,
Fastynge so long to be ;
Therfore I pray the, stuarde,
My dyner gyve thou me.

Shaly thou never ete ne drynke, sayd the stuarde,
Tyll my lord be come to towne.
I make myn avowe to god, sayd Lytell Johan,
I had lever to cracke thy crowne. {30}

The butler was ful uncurteys,
There he stode on flore,
He sterte to the buttery,
And shet fast the dore.

Lytell Johan gave the buteler such a rap,
His backe yede nygh on two,
Tho he lyved an hundreth wynter,
The wors he sholde go.

He sporned the dore with his fote,
It went up wel and fyne,
And there he made a large lyveray
Both of ale and wyne.

Syth ye wyl not dyne, sayd Lytel Johan,
I shall gyve you to drynke,
And though ye lyve an hondred wynter,
On Lytell Johan ye shall thynk.

Lytell Johan ete, and Lytell [Johan] dronke,
The whyle that he wolde.
The sheryfe had in his kechyn a coke,
A stoute man and a bolde.

I make myn avowe to god, sayd the coke,
Thou arte a shrewde hynde,
In an housholde to dwel,
For to ask thus to dyne. {31}

And there he lent Lytel Johan,
Good strokes thre.
I make myn avowe, sayd Lytell Johan,
These strokes lyketh well me.

Thou arte a bolde man and an hardy,
And so thynketh me ;
And or I passe fro this place,
Asayed better shalt thou be.

Lytell Johan drewe a good swerde,
The coke toke another in honde ;
They thought nothynge for to fle,
But styfly for to stonde.

There they fought sore togyder,
Two myle way and more,[154]
Myght neyther other harme done,
The mountenaunce of an houre.

I make myn avowe to god, sayd Lytell Johan,
And be my trewe lewtè,
Thou art one of the best swerdemen,
That ever yet sawe I me.

Coowdest thou shote as well in a bowe,
To grene wood thou sholdest with me,
And two tymes in the yere thy clothynge
Ichaunged sholde be ; {32}

And every yere of Robyn Hode
Twenty marke to thy fee.
Put up thy swerde, sayd the coke,
And felowes wyll we be.

Then he fette to Lytell Johan
The numbles of a doo,
Good brede and full good wyne,
They ete and dranke therto.

And whan they had dronken well,
Ther trouthes togyder they plyght,
That they wolde be with Robyn
That ylke same day at nyght.

The dyde[155] them to the tresure hous, As fast as they myght gone, The lockes that were of good stele They brake them everychone ;

They toke away the sylver vessell,
And all that they myght get,
Peces, masars, and spones,
Wolde they non forgete ;

Also they toke the good pence,
Thre hondred pounde and three ;
And dyde them strayt to Robyn Hode,
Under the grene wode tre. {33}

“God the save, my dere maystèr,
And Cryst the save and se.”
And than sayd Robyn to Lytell Johan,
Welcome myght thou be ;

And also be that fayre yemàn
Thou bryngest there with the.
What tydynges fro Notyngham ?
Lytell Johan, tell thou me.

“Well the greteth the proude sheryfe,
And sende the here by me
His coke and his sylver vessell,
And thre hondred pounde and thre.”

I make myn avow to god, sayd Robyn,
And to the trenytè,
It was never by his good wyll,
This good is come to me.

Lytell Johan hym there bethought,
On a shrewed wyle,[156]
Fyve myle in the forest he ran,
Hym happed at his wyll ;

Than he met the proud sheryf,
Huntynge with hounde and horne,
Lytell Johan coud his curteysye,
And kneled hym beforne : {34}

“God the save, my dere maystèr,
And Cryst the save and see.”
Raynolde Grenelefe, sayd the sheryfe,
Where hast thou nowe be ?

“I have be in this forest,
A fayre syght can I se,
It was one of the fayrest syghtes[157]
That ever yet sawe I me ;

Yonder I se a ryght fayre hart,
His coloure is of grene,
Seven score of dere upon an herde
Be with hym all bedene ;

His tynde are so sharp, maystèr,
Of sexty and well mo,
That I durst not shote for drede
Lest they wolde me sloo.”

I make myn avowe to god, sayd the sheryf,
That syght wolde I fayn se.
“Buske you thyderwarde, my dere maystèr,
Anone, and wende with me.”

The sheryfe rode, and Lytell Johan
Of fote he was full smarte,
And whan they came afore Robyn :
“Lo, here is the mayster harte !” {35}

Styll stode the proude sheryf,
A sory man was he :
“Wo worthe the,[158] Raynolde Grenelefe !
Thou hast now betrayed me.”

I make myn avowe to god, sayd Lytell Johan,
Mayster, ye be to blame,
I was mysserved of my dynere,
When I was with you at hame.

Soone he was to super sette,
And served with sylver whyte ;
And whan the sheryf se his vessell,
For sorowe he myght not ete.

Make good chere, sayd Robyn Hode,
Sheryfe, for charytè,
And for the love of Lytell Johan,
Thy lyfe is graunted to the.

When they had supped well,
The day was all agone,
Robyn commaunded Lytell Johan
To drawe of his hosen and his shone,

His kyrtell and his cote a pye,
That was furred well fyne,
And take him a grene mantèll,
To lappe his body therin. {36}

Robyn commaunded his wyght yong men,
Under the grene wood tre,
They shall lay in that same sorte ;
That the sheryf myght them se.

All nyght laye that proud sheryf,
In his breche and in his sherte,
No wonder it was in grene wode,
Tho his sydes do smerte.

Make glad chere, sayd Robyn Hode,
Sheryfe, for charytè,
For this is our order I wys,
Under the grene wood tre.

This is harder order, sayd the sheryfe,
Than ony anker or frere ;
For al the golde in mery Englonde
I wolde not longe dwell here.

All these twelve monethes, sayd Robyn,
Thou shake dwell with me ;
I shall the teche, proud sheryfe,
An outlawe for to be.

Or I here another nyght lye, sayd the sheryfe,
Robyn, nowe I praye the,
Smyte of my hede rather to-morne,
And I forgyve it the. {37}

Lete me go, then sayd the sheryf,
For saynt Charytè,
And I wyll be thy best frende
That ever yet had the.

Thou shalte swere me an othe, sayd Robyn,
On my bryght bronde,
Thou shalt never awayte me scathe,
By water ne by londe ;

And if thou fynde ony of my men,
By nyght or by day,
Upon thyne othe thou shalt swere,
To helpe them that thou may.

Now have the sheryf iswore his othe,
And home he began to gone,
He was as full of grene wode
As ever was hepe of stone.

THE FOURTH FYTTE.

The sheryf dwelled in Notynghame,
He was fayne that he was gone,
And Robyn and his mery men
Went to wode anone. {38}

Go we to dyner, sayd Lytell Johan.
Robyn Hode sayd, Nay ;
For I drede our lady be wroth with me,
For she sent me not my pay.

Have no dout, mayster, sayd Lytell Johan,
Yet is not the sonne at rest,
For I dare saye, and saufly swere,
The knyght is trewe and trust.

Take thy bowe in thy hande, sayd Robyn,
Let Moch wende with the,
And so shall Wyllyam Scathelock,
And no man abyde with me,

And walke up into the Sayles,
And to Watlynge-strete,
And wayte after ‘some’[159] unketh gest,
Up-chaunce ye may them mete.

Whether he be messengere,
Or a man that myrthes can,
Or yf he be a pore man,
Of my good he shall have some.

Forth then stert Lytel Johan,
Half in tray and tene,
And gyrde hym with a full good swerde,
Under a mantel of grene. {39}

They went up to the Sayles,
These yemen all thre ;
They loked est, they loked west,
They myght no man se.

But as ‘they’[160] loked in Bernysdale,
By the hye waye,
Than were they ware of two blacke monkes,
Eche on a good palferay.

Then bespake Lytell Johan,
To Much he gan say,
I dare lay my lyfe to wedde,
That these monkes have brought our pay.

Make glad chere, sayd Lytell Johan,
And frese our bowes of ewe,
And loke your hertes be seker and sad,
Your strynges trusty and trewe.

The monke hath fifty two men,
And seven somers full stronge,
There rydeth no bysshop in this londe
So ryally, I understond.

Brethern, sayd Lytell Johan,
Here are no more but we thre :
But we brynge them to dyner,
Our mayster dare we not se. {40}

Bende your bowes, sayd Lytell Johan,
Make all yon[161] prese to stonde,
The formost monke, his lyfe and his deth
Is closed in my honde.

Abyde, chorle monke, sayd Lytell Johan,
No ferther that thou gone ;
Yf thou doost, by dere worthy god,
Thy death is in my honde.

And evyll thryfte on thy hede, sayd Lytell Johan,
Ryght under thy hattes bonde,
For thou hast made our mayster wroth,
He is fastynge so longe.

Who is your mayster ? sayd the monke.
Lytell Johan sayd, Robyn Hode.
He is a stronge thefe, sayd the monke,
Of hym herd I never good.

Thou lyest, than sayd Lytell Johan,
And that shall rewe the ;
He is a yeman of the forèst,
To dyne he hath bode the.

Much was redy with a bolte,
Redly and a none,
He set[162] the monke to fore the brest,
To the grounde that he can gone. {41}

Of fyfty two wyght yonge men,[163]
There abode not one,
Saf a lytell page, and a grome
To lede the somers with Johan.[164]

They brought the monke to the lodge dore,
Whether he were loth or lefe,
For to speke with Robyn Hode,
Maugre in theyr tethe.

Robyn dyde adowne his hode,
The monke whan that he se ;
The monke was not so curteyse,
His hode then let he be.

He is a chorle, mayster, by dere worthy god,
Than said Lytell Johan.
Thereof no force, sayd Robyn,
For curteysy can he none.

How many men, sayd Robyn,
Had this monke, Johan ?
“Fyfty and two whan that we met,
But many of them be gone.”

Let blowe a horne, sayd Robin,
That felaushyp may us knowe ;
Seven score of wyght yemen,
Came pryckynge on a rowe, {42}

And everych of them a good mantèll
Of scarlet and of raye,
All they came to good Robyn,
To wyte what he wolde say.

They made the monke to wasshe and wype,
And syt at his denere,
Robyn Hode and Lytel Johan
They served ‘him’[165] bothe in fere.

Do gladly, monke, sayd Robyn.
Gramercy, syr, said he.
“Where is your abbay, whan ye are at home,
And who is your avowè ?”

Saynt Mary abbay, sayd the monke,
Though I be symple here.
In what offyce ? sayd Robyn.
“Syr, the hye selerer.”

Ye be the more welcome, sayd Robyn,
So ever mote I the.
Fyll of the best wyne, sayd Robyn,
This monke shall drynke to me.

But I have grete mervayle, sayd Robyn,
Of all this longe day,
I drede our lady be wroth with me,
She sent me not my pay. {43}

Have no doute, mayster, sayd Lytell Johan,
Ye have no nede I saye,
This monke it hath brought, I dare well swere,
For he is of her abbay.

And she was a borowe, sayd Robyn,
Betwene a knyght and me,
Of a lytell money that I hym lent,
Under the grene wode tree ;

And yf thou hast that sylver ibroughte,
I praye the let me se,
And I shall helpe the eftsones,
Yf thou have nede of[166] me.

The monke swore a full grete othe,
With a sory chere,
Of the borowehode thou spekest to me,
Herde I never ere.

I make myn avowe to god, sayd Robyn,
Monke, thou arte to blame,
For god is holde a ryghtwys man,
And so is his dame.

Thou toldest with thyn owne tonge,
Thou may not say nay,
How thou arte her servaunt,
And servest her every day : {44}

And thou art made[167] her messengere,
My money for to pay,
Therfore I cun the more thanke,
Thou arte come at thy day.

What is in your cofers ? sayd Robyn,
Trewe than tell thou me.
Syr, he sayd, twenty marke,
Al so mote I the.

Yf there be no more, sayd Robyn,
I wyll not one peny ;
Yf thou hast myster of ony more,
Syr, more I shall lende to the ;

And yf I fynde more, sayd Robyn,
I wys thou shalte it forgone ;
For of thy spendynge sylver, monk,
Therof wyll I ryght none.

Go nowe forthe, Lytell Johan,
And the trouth tell thou me ;
If there be no more but twenty marke,
No peny that I se.

Lytell Johan spred his mantell downe,
As he had done before,
And he tolde out of the monkes male,
Eyght hundreth pounde[168] and more. {45}

Lytell Johan let it lye full styll,
And went to his mayster in hast ;
Syr, he sayd, the monke is trewe ynowe,
Our lady hath doubled your cost.

I make myn avowe to god, sayd Robyn,
Monke, what tolde I the ?
Our lady is the trewest womàn,
That ever yet founde I me.

By dere worthy god, sayd Robyn,
To seche all Englond thorowe,
Yet founde I never to my pay
A moche better borowe.

Fyll of the best wyne, do hym drynke, sayd Robyn ;
And grete well thy lady hende,
And yf she have nede of[169] Robyn Hode,
A frende she shall hym fynde ;

And yf she nedeth ony more sylvèr,
Come thou agayne to me,
And, by this token she hath me sent,
She shall have such thre.

The monke was going to London ward,
There to holde grete mote,
The knyght that rode so hye on hors,
To brynge hym under fote. {46}

Whether be ye away ? sayd Robyn.
“Syr, to maners in this londe,
Too reken with our reves,
That have done moch wronge.”

“Come now forth, Lytell Johan,
And harken to my tale,
A better yeman I knowe none
To seke a monkes male.”

How moch is in yonder other ‘cofer ?’[170] sayd Robyn,
The soth must we see.
By our lady, than sayd the monke,
That were no curteysye,

To bydde a man to dyner,
And syth hym bete and bynde.
It is our olde maner, sayd Robyn,
To leve but lytell behynde.

The monke toke the hors with spore,
No lenger wolde he abyde.
Aske to drynke, than sayd Robyn,
Or that ye forther ryde.

Nay, for god, than sayd the monke,
Me reweth I cam so nere,
For better chepe I myght have dyned,
In Blythe or in Dankestere. {47}

Grete well your abbot, sayd Robyn,
And your pryour, I you pray,
And byd hym send me such a monke,
To dyner every day.

Now lete we that monke be styll,
And speke we of that knyght,
Yet he came to holde his day
Whyle that it was lyght.

He dyde hym streyt to Bernysdale,
Under the grene wode tre,
And he founde there Robyn Hode,
And all his mery meynè.

The knyght lyght downe of his good palfrày,
Robyn whan he gan see,
So curteysly he dyde adoune his hode,
And set hym on his knee.

“God the save, good Robyn Hode,
And al this company.”
“Welcome be thou, gentyll knyght,
And ryght welcome to me.”

Than bespake hym Robyn Hode,
To that knyght so fre,
What nede dryveth the to grene wode ?
I pray the, syr knyght, tell me. {48}

And welcome be thou, gentyl knyght,
Why hast thou be so longe ?
“For the abbot and the hye justyce
Wolde have had my londe.”

Hast thou thy lond agayne ?[171] sayd Robyn,
Treuth than tell thou me.
Ye, for god, sayd the knyght,
And that thanke I god and the.

But take not a grefe, I have be so longe ;[172]
I came by a wrastelynge
And there I dyd holpe a pore yemàn,
With wronge was put behynde.

Nay, for god, sayd Robyn,
Syr knyght, that thanke I the ;
What man that helpeth a good yemàn,
His frende than wyll I be.

Have here foure hondred pounde, than sayd the knyght,
The whiche ye lent to me ;
And here is also twenty marke
For your curteysy.

Nay, for god, than sayd Robyn,
Thou broke it well for ay,
For our lady, by her selerer,
Hath sent to me my pay ;

{49}

And yf I toke it twyse,[173]
A shame it were to me :
But trewely, gentyll knyght,
Welcom arte thou to me.

Whan Robyn had tolde his tale,
He leugh and had good chere.
By my trouthe, then sayd the knyght,
Your money is redy here.

Broke it well, sayd Robyn,
Thou gentyll knyght so fre ;
And welcome be thou, gentill knyght,
Under my trystell[174] tree.

But what shall these bowes do ? sayd Robyn,
And these arowes ifedered fre ?
By god, than sayd the knyght,
A pore present to the.

“Come now forth, Lytell Johan,
And go to my treasurè,
And brynge me there foure hondred pounde,
The monke over-tolde it me.

Have here foure hondred pounde,
Thou gentyll knyght and trewe,
And bye hors and harnes good,
And gylte thy spores all newe : {50}

And yf thou fayle ony spendynge,
Com to Robyn Hode,
And by my trouth thou shalt none fayle
The whyles I have any good.

And broke well thy four hundred pound,
Whiche I lent to the,
And make thy selfe no more so bare,
By the counsell of me.”

Thus than holpe hym good Robyn,
The knyght all of his care.[175]
God, that sytteth[176] in heven hye,
Graunte us well to fare.

THE FYFTH FYTTE.

Now hath the knyght his leve itake,
And wente hym on his way ;
Robyn Hode and his mery men
Dwelled styll full many a day.

Lyth and lysten, gentil men,
And herken what I shall say,
How the proud sheryfe of Notyngham
Dyde crye a full fayre play ; {51}

That all the best archers of the north
Sholde come upon a day,
And ‘he’ that shoteth ‘alder’ best[177]
The game shall bere away.

“He that shoteth ‘alder’[178] best
Furthest fayre and lowe,
At a payre of fynly buttes,
Under the grene wode shawe,

A ryght good arowe he shall have,
The shaft of sylver whyte,
The heade and the feders of ryche red golde,
In Englond is none lyke.”

This then herde good Robyn,
Under his trystell tre :
“Make you redy, ye wyght yonge men,
That shotynge wyll I se.

Buske you, my mery yonge men,
Ye shall go with me ;
And I wyll wete the shryves fayth,
Trewe and yf he be.”

Whan they had theyr bowes ibent,
Theyr takles fedred fre,
Seven score of wyght yonge men
Stode by Robyns kne. {52}

Whan they cam to Notyngham,
The buttes were fayre and longe,
Many was the bolde archere
That shoted with bowes stronge.

“There shall but syx shote with me,
The other shal kepe my hede,
And stande with good bowes bent
That I be not desceyved.”

The fourth outlawe his bowe gan bende,
And that was Robyn Hode,
And that behelde the proude sheryfe,
All by the but he stode.

Thryes Robyn shot about,
And alway he slist[179] the wand,
And so dyde good Gylberte,
With the whyte hande.

Lytell Johan and good Scatheloke
Were archers good and fre ;
Lytell Much and good Reynolde,
The worste wolde they not be.

Whan they had shot aboute,
These archours fayre and good,
Evermore was the best,
Forsoth, Robyn Hode. {53}

Hym was delyvered the goode aròw,
For best worthy was he ;
He toke the yeft so curteysly,
To grene wode wolde he.

They cryed out on Robyn Hode,
And great hornes gan they blowe.
Wo worth the, treason ! sayd Robyn,
Full evyl thou art to knowe.

And we be thou, thou proud sheryf,
Thus gladdynge thy gest,
Other wyse thou behote me
In yonder wylde forest ;

But had I the in grene wode,
Under my trystell tre,
Thou sholdest leve me a better wedde
Than thy trewe lewtè.

Full many a bowe there was bent,
And arowes let they glyde,
Many a kyrtell there was rent,
And hurt many a syde.

The outlawes shot was so stronge,
That no man myght them dryve,
And the proud sheryfes men
They fled away full blyve.[180] {54}

Robyn sawe the busshement to-broke,
In grene wode he wolde have be,
Many an arowe there was shot
Amonge that company.

Lytell Johan was hurte full sore,
With an arowe in his kne,
That he myght neyther go nor ryde ;
It was full grete pytè.

Mayster, then sayd Lytell Johan,
If ever thou lovest me,
And for that ylke lordes love,
That dyed upon a tre,

And for the medes of my servyce
That I have served the,
Lete never the proude sheryf
Alyve now fynde me ;

But take out thy browne swerde,
And smyte all of my hede,
And gyve me woundes dede and wyde,
No lyfe on me be lefte.[181]

I wolde not that, sayd Robyn,
Johan, that thou were slawe,
For all the golde in mery Englond,
Though it lay now on a rawe {55}

God forbede, sayd lytell Much,
That dyed on a tre,
That thou sholdest, Lytell Johan,
Parte our company.

Up he toke him on his backe,
And bare hym well a myle,
Many a tyme he layd hym downe
And shot another whyle.

Then was there a fayre castèll,
A lytell within the wode,
Double-dyched it was about,
And walled, by the rode ;

And there dwelled that gentyll knyght,
Syr Rychard at the Lee,
That Robyn had lent his good,
Under the grene wode tree.

In he toke good Robyn,
And all his company :
“Welcome be thou, Robyn Hode,
Welcome arte thou [to] me ;

And moche [I] thanke the of thy comfort,
And of thy curteysye,
And of thy grete kyndenesse,
Under the grene wode tre ; {56}

I love no man in all this worlde
So moch as I do the ;
For all the proud sheryf of Notyngham,
Ryght here shalt thou be.

Shyt the gates, and drawe the bridge,
And let no man com in ;
And arme you well, and make you redy,
And to the walle ye wynne.

For one thyng, Robyn, I the behote,
I swere by saynt Quyntyn,
These twelve dayes thou wonest with me,
To suppe, ete, and dyne.”

Bordes were layed, and clothes spred,
Reddely and anone ;
Robyn Hode and his mery men
To mete gan they gone.

THE SYXTE FYTTE.

Lythe and lysten, gentylmen,
And herken unto your songe ;
How the proude sheryfe of Notyngham,
And men of armes stronge, {57}

Full faste came to the hye sheryfe,
The countre up to rout,
And they beset the knyghts castèll,
The walles all about.

The proude sheryf loude gan crye,
And sayd, Thou traytour knyght,
Thou kepeste here the kynges enemye,
Agayne the lawes and ryght.

“Syr, I wyll avowe that I have done,
The dedes that here[182] be dyght,
Upon all the londes that I have,
As I am a trewe knyght.

Wende forthe, syrs, on your waye,
And doth no more to me,
Tyll ye wytte our kynges wyll
What he woll say to the.”

The sheref thus had his answere,
With out ony leasynge,
Forthe he yode to London toune,
All for to tel our kynge.

There he tolde him of that knyght,
And eke of Robyn Hode,
And also of the bolde archeres,
That noble were and good. {58}

“He wolde avowe that he had done,
To mayntayne the outlawes stronge,
He wolde be lorde, and set you at nought,
In all the north londe.”

I woll be at Notyngham, sayd the kynge,
Within this fourtynyght,
And take I wyll Robyn Hode,
And so I wyll that knyght.

Go home, thou proud sheryf,
And do as I bydde the,[183]
And ordayne good archeres inowe,
Of all the wyde countree.

The sheryf had his leve itake,
And went hym on his way :
And Robyn Hode to grene wode [went]
Upon a certayn day ;

And Lytell Johan was hole of the arowe,
That shote was in his kne,
And dyde hym strayte to Robyn Hode,
Under the grene wode tre.

Robyn Hode walked in the foreste,
Under the leves grene,
The proude sheryfe of Notyngham,
Therfore he had grete tene.

ROBIN HOOD AND THE LADY.]

ROBIN HOOD AND THE LADY]

{59}

The sheryf there fayled of Robyn Hode,
He myght not have his pray,
Then he awayted that gentyll knyght,
Bothe by nyght and by daye.

Ever he awayted that gentyll knyght,
Syr Rychard at the Lee ;
As he went on haukynge by the ryver syde,
And let his haukes flee,

Toke he there this gentyll knyght,
With men of armes stronge,
And lad hym home to Notyngham warde,
Ibonde both fote and honde.[184]

The sheryf swore a full grete othe,
By hym that dyed on a tre,
He had lever than an hondrede pounde,
That Robyn Hode had he.[185]

Then the lady, the knyghtes wyfe,
A fayre lady and fre,
She set her on a gode palfrày,
To grene wode anon rode she.

When she came to the forèst,
Under the grene wode tre,
Founde she there Robyn Hode,
And all his fayre meynè. {60}

“God the save, good Robyn Hode,[186]
And all thy company ;
For our dere ladyes[187] love,
A bone graunte thou me.

Let[188] thou never my wedded lorde
Shamfully slayne to be ;[189]
He is fast ibounde to Notyngham warde,
For the love of the.”

Anone then sayd good Robyn,
To that lady fre,
What man hath your lorde itake ?
The proude shirife, than sayd she.[190]

[The proude sheryfe hath hym itake]
Forsoth as I the say ;
He is not yet thre myles,
Passed on ‘his’[191] waye.

Up then sterte good Robyn,
As a man that had be wode :
“Buske you, my mery younge men,
For hym that dyed on a rode ; {61}

And he that this sorowe forsaketh,
By hym that dyed on a tre,
And by him that al thinges maketh,
No lenger shall dwell with me.”[192]

Sone there were good bowes ibent,
Mo than seven score,
Hedge ne dyche spared they none,
That was them before.

I make myn avowe to god, sayd Robyn,
The knyght wolde I fayn se,
And yf I may hym take,
Iquyt than shall he[193] bee.

And whan they came to Notyngham,
They walked in the strete,
And with the proud sheryf, I wys,
Sone gan they mete.

Abyde, thou proud sheryf, he sayd,
Abyde and speake with me,
Of some tydynges of our kynge,
I wolde fayne here of the.

This seven yere, by dere worthy god,
Ne yede I so fast on fote,
I make myn avowe to god, thou proud sheryfe,
‘It’[194] is not for thy good. {62}

Robyn bent a good bowe,
An arrowe he drewe at his wyll,
He hyt so the proud sheryf,
Upon the grounde he lay full styll ;

And or he myght up aryse,
On his fete to stonde,
He smote of the sheryves hede,
With his bryght bronde.

“Lye thou there, thou proud sheryf,
Evyll mote thou thryve ;
There myght no man to the trust,
The whyles thou were alyve.”

His men drewe out theyr bryght swerdes,
That were so sharpe and kene,
And layde on the sheryves men,
And dryved them downe bydene.

Robyn stert to that knyght,
And cut a two his bonde,[195]
And toke hym in his hand a bowe,
And bade hym by hym stonde.

“Leve thy hors the behynde,
And lerne for to renne ;
Thou shalt with me to grene wode,
Through myre, mosse and fenne ; {63}

Thou shalt with me to grene wode,
Without ony leasynge,
Tyll that I have gete us grace,
Of Edwarde our comly kynge.”

THE SEVENTH FYTTE

The kynge came to Notynghame,
With knyghtes in grete araye,
For to take that gentyll knyght,
And Robyn Hood, yf[196] he may.

He asked men of that countrè,
After Robyn Hode,
And after that gentyll knyght,
That was so bolde and stout.

Whan they had tolde hym the case,
Our kynge understonde ther tale,
And seased in his honde
The knyghtes londes all,