Chapter VII: Appendix: The Second Part of Adam Bell (4)

305^2. smite thou of.

305^3. woundes so wyde and longe.

305^4. That I after eate no breade.

306^1. that _wanting_.

306^2. slayne.

306^4. Though I had it all by me.

307^1. forbyd that: Much then.

307^4. Depart.

308^4. another a whyle.

312^1. I do the thankes for thy comfort.

312^{2,3}. And for.

313^1. all the.

314^1. Shutte.

314^4. wall.

315^1. the hote.

315^3. Thou shalt these xij dayes abide.

316^2. Redye.

316^4. gan.

317^2. vnto the.

317^3. Howe the proude shirife began.

319^1. can.

319^3. kepest there.

319^4. lawes.

320^4. am true.

321^2. do ye no more vnto.

322^3. he went.

323^4. That noble were and.

324^1. He wolde: had.

324^3. He wold.

325^1. the kynge.

326^1. Go home, thou proude sheryfe.

326^2. the bydde.

329^4. Therfore.

330^1. Ther he.

330^3. that gentyl.

330^4. and by.

331^1. awayted that.

331^4. his hauke.

332^1. _misprinted_ To be.

332^3. him home to.

332^4. Ybounde.

333^2. on a tree.

333^4. robin hode had he.

334^1. Then the lady the.

334^2. a _wanting_.

335^1. to the.

335^3. There she found.

336^1. Robyn Hode.

336^3. ladyes loue.

337^1. Let thou.

337^2. to be.

337^3. bound.

338^2. so _wanting_.

338^3. ytake.

338^4. The proude shirife than sayd she.

339. _Only this_: He is not yet passed thre myles, You may them
ouertake.

340^2. a man: ben.

340^3. mery yemen.

340^4. on a tree.

341^2. on a tree.

341^{3,4}. And by him that al thinges maketh No lenger shall dwell
with me.

342^1. ybent.

343^2. The knight would.

343^3. And yf ye he may him take.

343^4. Yquyte than shall he bee.

344^4. gan the.

346^2. so fast.

346^4. That is.

347^1. full _wanting_.

347^2. at his.

349^2. may thou thryue.

349^3. to the.

349^4. thou wast.

351^1. start.

351^2. cut into.

354^4. and _wanting_.

355^1. them _for_ men.

356^2. vnderstode.

357^1. the compasse.

357^2. He wend.

358^2. a one.

358^3. fynde any.

359^4. eyes.

360^3. He should.

361^2. it with.

364^3. to no.

366^2. By halte.

366^4. And vsed.

368^2. That we be.

368^4. walked: by your.

369^2. on the.

369^4. I saye.

370^4. eyes.

371^1. hastely.

371^3. They were all in.

371^4. thyther blythe.

375^2. Standinge by.

376^1. toke _wanting_.

376^4. you.

377^4. Other shyft haue not we.

378^2. And good.

380^3. full _wanting_.

381^3. a.

381^4. I would geve it to the.

382^2. And deuyde it than did he.

382^3. Half he gaue to.

384^2. He hath sent.

384^3. to _wanting_.

384^4. and to.

385^1. brode seale.

385^2. lete me.

387^4. trusty tre.

388^1. he had.

388^4. fast was.

389^2. he can it.

389^3. wyght yemen.

389^4. Came runnyng.

391^2. pene.

392^1. hastely: dyght.

392^2. can.

394^4. Blessed may.

395^2. that thou.

395^3. maiest.

395^4. together by lente.

396^4. ben.

397^1. werd.

397^2. can the.

397^3. fifty space.

398^2. The.

400^{1,2}. A good buffet on his head bare, For that shalbe his
fyne.

400^3. And those: fell to.

401^4. the lilly white hande.

404^2. And than he.

405^4. syr _wanting_.

406^1. the kyng.

407^2. largely.

407^4. folded.

408^1. geue.

408^4. a tall.

409^2. can wel.

409^4. Togeder they gan.

410^1. Stedfastly in.

411^2. they sawe.

411^4. wele.

412^1. than sayd Robin.

412^2. this trusty.

412^4. for me.

413^1. And yet sayd good Robin.

413^2. As good god do me.

413^3. aske the.

413^4. I it.

414^1. than _wanting_.

414^2. Thy peticion I graunt the.

414^3. So y^t thou wylt leue.

415^1. syr _wanting_.

415^2. There to.

417^1. But and I lyke not.

417^2. I wyll.

417^4. I was.

418^2. now sell.

419^3. To sel to me.

420^1. for good.

420^3. And other.

421^1. his cote.

421^3. had so ywys.

421^4. They clothed them full soone.

422^3. shal we.

422^4. All this our kyng can.

423^1. The bent their bowes.

424^2. and as.

424^3. And all they shot.

425^4. kyng whan he did paye.

426^1. the kyng.

428^1. to the other can.

429^1. hastely.

430^2. them to come.

430^3. sawe.

431^4. of the.

432^3. Robin hode.

433^1. Robi_n_ hode: dwelleth.

433^3. That he had.

434^2. lay.

434^3. and squyers.

435^1. all gone.

436^4. wend.

437^3. commended for.

438^2. Alas what shall I do.

439^4. my.

440^4. And there would I faene be.

441^1. might no time this seuen nightes.

441^3. Neyther all this.

441^4. eate nor.

442^3. wolward haue I.

443^3. nyghtes.

446^3. I haue a lyttell lust.

447^2. can.

448^3. wyght yemen.

448^4. Came runnyng.

449^4. Under the.

450^1. dwelleth.

450^2. yeres.

450^3. Than for all.

452^2. Donkester.

452^3. _wanting._

452^4. For euyll mot thou the.

Thus endeth the lyfe of Robyn hode.

#g.#

_Title and heading as in_ #f#.

1^2. free borne.

1^4. yfound.

2^2. Whilst: on the.

3^2. leaned vpon a.

3^3. stode _wanting_.

4^1. Scathlock, _and always_.

4^2. milners.

4^3. was no.

5^1. bespake him.

5^3. if you.

6^1. hym _wanting_: Robin hood.

6^2. I haue.

6^3. that _wanting_.

6^4. vnketh.

7^1. _wanting._

7^3. or some squire.

9^2. The other.

9^3. was of.

9^4. of all other.

10^1. he loued.

11^3. what way we: gone.

11^4. that _wanting_.

13^1. than _wanting_.

13^3. you: husbandman.

13^4. with the.

14^1. you.

14^4. That would.

15^1. These _wanting_.

15^4. ye _wanting_.

16^1. be _wanting_.

16^2. shall we.

17^2. goe with.

18^1. Now walke ye vp vnto the shore.

18^4. By chance some may ye meet.

19^3. him then.

20^1. went anon vnto.

21^1. looked in.

21^2. a deme.

21^3. came there.

22^1. All drouflye, _perhaps_ (_wrongly_) drouslye: semblant.

22^3. on the.

22^4. The other.

23^1. ouer his eyes.

23^4. on summers.

24^1. full _wanting_.

24^4. you.

25^3. you _wanting_.

26^1. is your.

26^3. is a.

26^4. haue I.

27^2. bretheren all three.

28^1. went that.

28^3. eyes.

29^1. vnto the.

29^2. gan him.

29^3. he did.

29^4. downe on.

30^2. thou art.

30^3. you _wanting_.

32^3. right _wanting_.

33^3. neuer so.

33^4. was spread.

35^4. that _wanting_.

36^1. I thanke thee knight then said.

36^2. when I haue.

36^3. By God I was neuer so greedy.

37^1. ere you.

37^2. Me thinke is.

37^3. dere _wanting_.

38^3. Little John: Robin hood.

39^1. than _wanting_.

40^1. thou haue.

40^4. I shall.

41^4. Not any peny.

42^4. halfe a.

43^2. full lowe.

43^4. inowe _wanting_.

45^1. one word.

45^3. thou wert: a _wanting_.

46^1. hast be.

46^2. stroke.

46^4. With whores hast thou.

47^1. of these.

47^3. An hundreth winters.

47^4. haue be.

48^1. of it.

48^2. disgrast.

49^1. Within 2 or 3 yeares: said he.

49^2. _wanting._

49^3, 55^3, 67^3, _etc._ hundreth.

50^{2,3}. _transposed._

50^2. hath shapen.

50^4. God it amend.

51^1. than _wanting_.

51^2. lost.

52^3. winters.

53^1. Lancashire.

54^1. landes be.

56^2. What shall.

58^1. eyes.

58^3. friends.

58^4. ne _wanting_.

59^2. a one: knowe me.

59^3. Whiles.

60^4. had _wanting_.

61^1. _misprinted_ ruthe they went.

61^2. Much also.

62^1. friends.

62^2. borrowes: will.

62^3. than _wanting_.

62^4. on a.

63^1. thy iest: than _wanting_.

63^2. I will.

63^3. will God.

64^1. made me.

64^2. doth _misprinted for_ both.

64^3. me _wanting_.

65^3. yf _wanting_.

65^4. faileth.

67^4. it well tolde.

68^3. tolde forth.

68^4. eighteene score.

69^1. little much.

69^2. grieued.

69^4. fallen.

70^4. To wrap.

71^2. much rich.

72^2. that well ymet it.

73^1. And of.

73^2. leped ouer.

73^4. for _wanting_.

74^1. full _wanting_: laught.

74^3. the better measure.

74^4. By God it cost.

75^1. than _wanting_.

75^2. All vnto R.

75^3. an.

75^4. all his good.

76^1. God lend that it be.

78^2. clene.

78^4. bring them.

79^3. months.

79^4. Vnder the.

81^3. the _wanting_.

82^2. he thought.

83^4. came.

84^1. spake the.

85^3. vpon _wanting_.

86^3. months: there _wanting_.

87^1. _wanting._

87^2. land and fee.

87^4, 95^4. Disherited.

88^3. a.

88^4. lay it.

89^2. is his.

89^4. sore.

90^4. You doe him.

92^4. pounds.

93^1. and high.

93^2. Stert.

93^3. The high.

94^2. taken.

95^3. comes.

96^1. not _wanting_.

96^3. to them.

98^1. _wanting._

100^3. best corse.

100^4. I _wanting_.

101^1. them to.

101^3. come there.

102^4. saluted.

103^4. me my.

104^2. hath made.

105^4. To desire of.

106^4. defend me against.

109^2. _wanting._

110^3. thy lande.

111^1. then _wanting_.

112^2. Send.

113^1. on them.

113^2. _wanting._

113^4. Step thee: of the.

116^1. tournaments.

116^2. farre that.

117^2. a _wanting_.

117^3. Or else: safely say.

118^4. Ye get not my land so.

119^1. thousa_n_d pound more.

119^2. were thou.

121^2. that _wanting_.

121^3. Hadst.

121^4. I would haue rewarded thee.

122^2. royall cheere.

122^4. gan.

123^2. to thee.

123^4. on a.

124^1. and you.

124^2. held.

128^3. had not.

129^2. is _wanting_.

129^4. came on the.

130^3. got.

132^3. And nocked they were with.

133^3. suite.

134^3. And rode.

135^1. As he went vp a bridge was.

136^{1,2}. _wanting._

136^3. with a.

137^2. in good.

137^3. that _wanting_.

138^3. friend bested.

138^4. Yslaine.

139^2. where that.

139^3. the yeoman.

139^4. the loue.

140^2. him in feare.

141^1. all _wanting_.

142^1. markes.

142^4. And drinke.

143^2. that the.

143^4. the _wanting_.

146^2. alway claue.

146^4. gan.

147^4. euer I did see.

148^1. me thou.

148^3. wast thou.

148^4. wonning.

149^1. sir _wanting_.

149^2. al _wanting_.

150^2. Wilt.

151^3. ye get leave.

152^3. to him anon.

153^2. He giue vs.

154^1. me _wanting_.

154^4. he had yet.

155^1. befell.

155^4. forgot.

156^2. the _wanting_.

156^3. to _wanting_.

156^4. me meat.

157^2. Fasting so long to.

157^3. sir _wanting_.

157^4. giue thou.

158^1. Shalt neither eat nor drinke.

159^1. was vncourteous.

159^2. on the.

160^1. a rappe.

160^2. backe yede nigh.

160^3. liueth: winters.

160^4. he still shall goe.

161^2. ope.

161^3. there: a large.

161^4. and wine.

162^1. you.

162^3. you liue this.

162^4. shall ye.

163^1. eat and also drunke.

163^3. in the.

164^1. my.

164^2. hine: _perhaps rightly_.

164^3. an housholde for.

165^3. to God _wanting_.

165^4. doe like well.

166^1. and a.

167^1. ful _wanting_.

167^2. toke _wanting_.

167^3. for _wanting_.

168^2. well _wanting_.

169^4. euer I saw yet.

170^4. changed it should.

171^4. we will.

173^3. ylke day at.

174^1. They hied.

174^2. they could.

174^3. full _wanting_.

174^4. euery one.

175^1. the _wanting_.

175^3. masers and.

175^4. they none.

176^1. Also they.

176^2. and three.

176^3. And hied them to.

176^4. wood tree.

177^3. And thou.

177^4. Welcome thou art to me.

178^1. And so is that good yeoman.

178^2. That thou hast brought with.

179^2. He hath sent thee here.

179^3. His cup.

180^2. And by.

181^1. there _wanting_.

181^3. he ran _wanting_.

181^4. at his.

182^2. hound.

182^3. could his.

183^1. saue thee.

183^2. you saue.

183^4. haue you.

184^1. haue now be in the.

185^1. I see.

185^3. of _wanting_.

186^1. tindes be.

187^1. my.

187^3. Buske thee.

188^2. A foote.

188^3. afore.

188^4. sir _wanting_.

189^3. worth thee.

189^4. nowe _wanting_.

190^1. Litell _wanting_.

191^2. well _wanting_.

192^1. Make good.

192^2. of _for_ for.

192^4. life is graunted.

193^1. had all.

193^3. commanded.

193^4. hose and shoone.

194^1. coate a pie.

194^3. tooke.

195^1. wight yeomen.

195^3. That they shall lie in that sorte.

196^1. lay that.

196^4. sides doe smart.

197^1. chere _wanting_.

198^4. dwell long.

199^1. All this.

200^1. Or I heere an other night lie.

200^2. I pray.

200^3. my: to morne.

200^4. _wanting._

201^3. the best.

202^3. Thou shalt: wait: scath.

202^4. nor by.

203^2. or else by.

204^2. home againe to.

204^3. as _wanting_.

204^4. was any man.

205^2. that he was gon.

206^2. But Robin said.

206^4. pay.

207^3. dare sweare.

209^1. walke _wanting_: into the.

209^3. And looke for some strange.

209^4. By chance you.

210^2. a _wanting_.

210^{3,4}. _as in_ #b#, _excepting_ goods _for_ good.

211^2. in a fray.

212^1. went then vnto.

213^1. as they.

213^3. They were ware.

214^4. These monkes.

215^2. And bend we.

215^3. looke our.

216^1. hath but fifty and two man.

216^4. royall.

217^1. Bretheren.

218^2. Make you yonder priest.

220^1. An.

221^1. What hight your.

222^2. sore rue.

223^1. a bowe.

223^2. Ready.

223^4. ground he gan.

224^1. two and fiftie wight yeomen.

224^2. abode but.

225^3. Hode _wanting_.

226^1. downe.

226^2. when he did.

226^4. let it.

229^1. blowe we.

231^4. serued him.

232^3. you.

234^2. So mote I thriue of thee.

236^2. You neede not so to say.

236^3. hath brought it.

237^1. And _wanting_.

238^1. hast the mony brought.

238^3. eft againe.

238^4. need of.

240^1. my.

241^2. not denay.

242^1. made _wanting_.

242^3. I doe thee thanke.

243^2. Truth.

243^4. So mought I thriue and thee.

244^2. not take one.

244^3. hast need of.

244^4. shall I: to _wanting_.

245^1. finde more said.

245^3. spending-money.

245^4. Thereof I will haue.

246^4. penny let me.

247^1. John laid.

247^2. he _wanting_.

247^4. Eight hundreth.

248^3. true now.

248^4. cost.

249^2. Monke that.

251^1. and to.

251^3. need of.

252^1. haue need of any.

256^1. And what is in y^e other coffer.

256^2. we must.

256^3. than _wanting_.

258^2. he _wanting_.

259^4. or D.

263^1. light from his.

263^2. can.

263^3. Right _for_ So: down.

265^1. bespake good Robin: Hode _wanting_.

266^3. For _wanting_.

266^4. They would.

267^3. then said.

267^4. And that.

268^1. take no griefe.

268^3. did I helpe.

268^4. they put.

269^1. Now by my truth then.

269^2. For that knight thanke.

270^1. than _wanting_.

270^3. there is: also _wanting_.

271^1. then said.

271^3. her hie.

272^1. And I should take it twice.

272^2. for me.

273^1. And when.

273^2. He laughed and made.

274^4. this trusty.

275^1. do he said.

275^2. fethered.

275^3. the gentle.

276^2. My will doone that it be.

276^3. Go and fetch me foure: pounds.

277^3. buye thee.

278^3. shalt not.

278^4. Whilste I.

279^1. well for.

279^2. I did send.

280^2. of all his.

280^3. sitteth.

281^1. take.

281^2. wend.

283^3. And they that shoote all of the best.

283^4. The best.

284^1. all of the best.

284^3. of goodly.

285^1. he should.

285^3. and feathers.

285^4. the like.

286^2. his trusty.

286^3. ye ready you wight yeomen.

287^1. merry yeomen.

287^3. I shall know.

288^2. Their takles.

288^3. of _wanting_: wight yeomen.

289^3. were: archers.

289^4. shot.

291^1. The first.

291^4. the buttes where.

292^2. he claue.

292^4. lilly-white.

293^4. they would.

294^3. then was.

295^1. To him.

295^3. guift full.

295^4. then would.

296^2. A great horn gan he.

297^1. be to thee.

297^2. Thus cheering.

297^3. An other promise thou madest to me.

297^4. Within the greene.

298^1. But and I had thee there againe.

298^2. the trusty.

298^3. giue me.

299^3. was torne.

300^4. away beliue.

301^1. broke.

301^4. the _for_ that.

302^1. he was.

302^2. on the knee.

303^2. you loued.

305^2. thou off.

305^3. wounds so wide and long.

305^4. That I after eat no bread.

306^1. that _wanting_.

306^2. wert slaine.

306^4. Though I had it all by me.

307^1. forbid that: Much then.

307^4. Depart.

308^3. he set.

310^2. of the.

311^3. be thou _wanting_.

312^1. I do thee thanke for.

312^{2,3}. And for.

313^1. all the.

314^4. the wall.

315^1. thee hite.

315^2. And sweare.

315^3. Thou shalt these twelue daies abide with me.

316^2. Ready and.

316^4. gan.

317^2. hearken vnto the.

317^3. sheriffe began.

319^3. there: enemies.

319^4. all law.

320^1. what I.

320^4. a _wanting_.

321^2. doe ye.

321^3. you wit your.

322^3. he went.

323^4. noble were and.

324^1. He would: had.

324^3. He would.

325^1. said the.

325^4. will I.

326^1. Goe home thou proude: sayde our kynge _wanting_.

326^2. I you bid.

329^4. Therefore had.

330^1. there he.

330^3. that gentle.

331^1. Euer awaited that.

331^2. of the.

331^4. his hauke.

332^1. To betray this gentle knight.

332^3. him home.

332^4. Ybound.

333^2. on a tree.

333^3. had rather then a.

333^4. That Robin hood had hee.

334^1. Then the lady the.

334^2. a _wanting_.

335^1. to the.

335^3. There found she.

335^4. merry menye.

336^3. loue _for_ sake.

337^1. Let thou.

337^3. bound.

338^2. so _wanting_.

338^3. thy lord ytake.

338^4. The proud sheriffe then said she.

339.
he is not yet passed three miles,
you may them ouertake:

340.
Vp then start good Robin
as a man that has been wake:
Buske ye, my merry yeomen,
for him that dyed on a tree.

341^2. on a tree.

341^3. And by him that all things maketh.

341^4. shall dwell.

342^1. ybent.

342^2. More.

342^3. they spared none.

343^2. The knight.

343^3. if ye may him ouertake.

343^4. then shall he.

344^4. gan.

345^2. so fast.

345^4. thy boote.

347^1. full _wanting_.

347^2. at his.

349^1. the _for_ thou.

349^2. may thou.

349^3. to thee.

350^3. it on.

350^4. driue.

351^2. cut in.

353^2. leasind.

354^4. hode if.

355^1. them _for_ men.

356^2. vnderstood.

356^4. all the knights land.

357^1. The compasse of.

357^2. wend.

358^2. many a one.

358^3. finde any.

359^4. eyes.

360^2. vnto.

360^3. He should.

360^4. of _for_ at.

361^2. it with.

362^3. O my.

364^2. his best.

364^3. to no.

366^2. halt.

366^3. he slew.

366^4. And vsed.

368^2. now be.

368^3. by your.

368^4. a monks.

369^1. lodesman.

369^2. on the.

369^4. come at.

370^4. eyes.

371^1. hastily.

371^3. They were all: monks weeds.

371^4. thither blithe.

372^4. to _wanting_.

374^1. sommer.

374^3. Vntill.

375^2. by the.

376^3. sayd _wanting_.

376^4. you.

377^4. Other shift haue not wee.

378^2. good _for_ gold.

380^3. full _wanting_.

381^1. I _wanting_.

381^3. an.

381^4. I would giue it to thee.

382^2. And deuided it then did he.

382^3. Halfe he gaue to.

382^4. to _wanting_.

383^2. Syr _wanting_.

384^2. He hath sent.

385^1. broad seale.

386^3. be my.

387^1. tyding.

387^4. the trusty.

388^1. he had.

388^4. full was fast.

389^2. gan it.

389^3. wight yeomen.

389^4. running _for_ redy.

392^1. hastily: dight.

392^2. can.

393^4. the good ale browne.

394^4. may thou.

395^1. I _for_ we.

395^2. Or that.

395^3. maist.

395^4. be lend.

396^4. beene.

397^2. can.

400^{1,2}. A good buffet on his head beare for this shall be his
fine.

400^3. And those: fell in.

401^2. claue.

401^4. lilly white.

403^2. Fore: freends faire.

403^3. of _wanting_.

404^2. then _for_ thus.

405^4. syr _wanting_.

406^1. said y^e.

406^2. be _for_ by, _as often_.

407^2. largely.

407^4. folded.

408^4. a tall frier.

409^2. can.

409^4. gan they meet.

410^2. Stedfast in.

411^1. the said!

411^2. sawe.

412^1. said Robin to.

412^2. this trusty.

412^4. and for mee.

413^1. And yet said good R.

413^2. As good God do me.

413^3. aske thee.

413^4. I it.

414^1. than _wanting_.

414^2. Thy petition I graunt thee.

414^3. So that thou wilt leaue.

415^1. syr _wanting_.

415^2. There to dwell.

417^1. But and I like not.

417^2. I will.

417^4. I was.

418^2. nowe _wanting_.

419^3. To sell.

421^1. his cote.

421^3. had so ywis.

421^4. They clothed them full.

422^2. the gray.

422^3. Now shall we.

422^4. All this: can.

423^1. They bent their.

424^3. And all they.

425^4. king when he did pay.

426^1. said the.

426^4. I shot.

428^1. togither can.

428^4. leaueth not one.

429^1. hastely.

430^2. to come againe.

430^3. saw our.

431^4. of the.

432^3. Robin hood.

433^1. Robin hood dwelled.

433^3. That he had.

434^3. and squires.

434^4. a great.

435^1. gone.

435^4. hym _wanting_.

436^2. faire.

436^4. wend.

437^3. was commended for the.

438^2. Alas what shall I doe.

440^4. there would I faine be.

441^1. might no time this: nights.

441^2. one _for_ ne.

441^3. all this.

441^4. nor _for_ ne.

442^3. haue I.

443^3. nights.

446^3. I haue a little lust for.

447^2. can.

448^3. wight yeomen.

448^4. running _for_ redy.

449^4. Vnder the.

450^2. yeeres.

450^3. Then for dred.

452^2. Dankastre.

452^3. _wanting._

452^4. For euill: they thee.

455^3. good _wanting_.

Thus endeth the life of Robin hood.

118

ROBIN HOOD AND GUY OF GISBORNE

‘Guye of Gisborne,’ Percy MS., p. 262; Hales and Furnivall, II, 227.

First printed in the Reliques of Ancient English Poetry, 1765, I, 74, and, with less deviation from the original, in the fourth edition, 1794, I, 81. Reprinted from the Reliques in Ritson’s Robin Hood, 1795, I, 114.

Robin Hood has had a dream that he has been beaten and bound by two yeomen, who have taken away his bow. He vows that he will have vengeance, and sets out in search of them with Little John. Robin and John shoot as they go, till they come to the greenwood and see a yeoman leaning against a tree, clad in a horse-hide, with head, tail, and mane. John proposes to go to the yeoman to ask his intentions. Robin considers this to be forward of John, and speaks so roughly to him that John parts company, and returns to Barnsdale. Things are in a bad way there: the sheriff of Nottingham has attacked Robin’s band; two have been slain; Scarlett is flying, and the sheriff in pursuit with seven score men. John sends an arrow at the pursuers, which kills one of them; but his bow breaks, and John is made prisoner and tied to a tree.

Robin learns from the man in horse-hide that he is seeking Robin Hood, but has lost his way. Robin offers to be his guide, and as they go through the wood proposes a shooting-match. Both shoot well, but Robin so much the better that the other breaks out into expressions of admiration, and asks his name. Tell me thine first, says Robin. “I am Guy of Gisborne;” “and I Robin Hood, whom thou long hast sought.” They fight fiercely for two hours; Robin stumbles and is hit, but invokes the Virgin’s aid, leaps up and kills Guy. He nicks Guy’s face so that it cannot be recognized, throws his own green gown over the body, puts on the horse-hide, and blows Guy’s horn. The sheriff hears in the sound tidings that Guy has slain Robin, and thinks it is Guy that he sees coming in the horse-hide. The supposed Guy is offered anything that he will ask, but will take no reward but the boon of serving the knave as he has the master. Robin hies to Little John, looses him, and gives him Sir Guy’s bow. The sheriff takes to flight, but cannot outrun John’s arrow, which cleaves his heart.

The beginning, and perhaps the development, of the story might have been more lucid but for verses lost at the very start. Robin Hood dreams of two yeomen that beat and bind him, and goes to seek them, “in greenwood where they be.” Sir Guy being one, the other person pointed at must of course be the sheriff of Nottingham (who seems to be beyond his beat in Yorkshire,[81] but outlaws can raise no questions of jurisdiction), in league with Sir Guy (a Yorkshireman, who has done many a curst turn) for the capture or slaying of Robin. The dream simply foreshadows danger from two quarters. But Robin Hood is nowhere informed, as we are, that the sheriff is out against him with seven score men, has attacked his camp, and taken John prisoner. He knows nothing of this so far on as stanza 45^3, where, after killing Guy, he says he will go to Barnsdale to see how his men are faring. Why then does he make his arrangements in stanzas 42–45^2, before he returns to Barnsdale, to pass himself off for Sir Guy? Plainly this device is adopted with the knowledge that John is a prisoner, and as a means of delivering him; which all that follows shows. Our embarrassment is the greater because we cannot point out any place in the story at which the necessary information could have been conveyed; there is no cranny where it could have been thrust in. It will not be enough, therefore, to suppose that verses have dropped out; there must also have been a considerable derangement of the story.

The abrupt transition from the introductory verses, 1, 2^{1,2}, is found in Adam Bell, and the like occurs in other ballads.

A fragment of a dramatic piece founded on the ballad of Guy of Gisborne has been preserved in manuscript of the date of 1475, or earlier.[82] In this, a knight, not named, engages to take Robin Hood for the sheriff, and is promised gold and fee if he does. The knight accosts Robin, and proposes that they shoot together. They shoot, cast the stone, cast the axle-tree, perhaps wrestle (for the knight has a fall), then fight to the utterance. Robin has the mastery, cuts off the knight’s head, and dons his clothes, putting the head into his hood. He hears from a man who comes along that Robin Hood and his men have been taken by the sheriff, and says, Let us go kill the sheriff. Then follows, out of the order of time, as is necessary in so brief a piece, the capture of Friar Tuck and the others by the sheriff. The variations from the Percy MS. story may be arbitrary, or may be those of another version of the ballad. The friar is called Tuck, as in the other play: see Robin Hood and the Potter.

‘Syr sheryffë, for thy sakë,
Robyn Hode wull Y takë.’
‘I wyll the gyffë golde and fee,
This behestë þ_o_u holdë me.’

‘Robyn Hode, ffayre and fre,
Vndre this lyndë shotë we.’
‘With the shote Y wyll,
Alle thy lustës to full fyll.’

‘Have at the prykë!’
‘And Y cleuë the stykë.’
‘Late vs castë the stone.’
‘I grauntë well, be Seynt John.’
‘Late vs castë the exaltre.’
‘Have a foote be-forë the!
Syr knyght, ye haue a falle.’
‘And I the, Robyn, qwytë shall.’
‘Owte on the! I blowë myn horne.’
‘Hit warë better be vnborne.’
‘Lat vs fyght at ottrauncë.’
‘He that fleth, God gyfe hym myschauncë!

Now I hauë the maystry herë,
Off I smytë this sory swyrë.
This knyghtys clothis wolle I werë,
And in my hode his hede woll berë.
Welle mete, felowë myn:
What herst þ_o_u of gode Robyn?’
‘Robyn Hode and his menye
W_i_t_h_ the sheryff takyn be.’
‘Sette on footë w_i_t_h_ gode wyll,
And the sheryffë wull we kyll.’

‘Beholde wele Ffrere Tukë,
Howe he dothe his bowë plukë.
Ȝeld yow, syrs, to the sheryff[ë],
Or elles shall yo_u_r bowës clyffë.’
‘Nowe we be bownden alle in samë;
Frere [T]uke, þis is no gamë.’
‘Co[m]e þ_o_u forth, þ_o_u fals outlawë:
Þ_o_u shall b[e] hangyde and ydrawë.’
‘Now, allas! what shall we doo!
We [m]ostë to the prysone goo.’
‘Opy[n] the yatis faste anon,
An[d] [d]oo theis thevys ynnë gon.’[83]

Ritson pointed out that Guy of Gisborne is named with “other worthies, it is conjectured of a similar stamp,” in a satirical piece of William Dunbar, ‘Of Sir Thomas Norray.’

Was never vyld Robeine wnder bewch,
Nor ȝet Roger of Clekkinsklewch,
So bauld a bairne as he;
Gy of Gysburne, na Allan Bell,
Nor Simones sonnes of Quhynfell,
At schot war nevir so slie.[84]

Ed. John Small, Part II, p. 193.

Gisburne is in the West Riding of Yorkshire, on the borders of Lancashire, seven miles from Clitheroe.

He that had neither beene a kithe nor kin
Might haue seene a full fayre sight, 36^{1,2},

anticipates Byron:—

By heaven, it is a splendid sight to see,
For one who hath no friend, no brother, there.

Childe Harold, I, 40^{1,2}.

Translated, after Percy’s Reliques, by Bodmer, II, 128; La Motte Fouqué, in Büsching’s Erzählungen, p. 241; Doenniges, p. 174; Anastasius Grün, p. 103; Cesare Cantù, Documenti, etc., p. 799 (the first thirty-seven stanzas).

1
When shawes beene sheene, and shradds full fayre,
And leeues both large and longe,
Itt is merrry, walking in the fayre fforrest,
To heare the small birds songe.

2
The woodweele sang, and wold not cease,
Amongst the leaues a lyne:
And it is by two wight yeomen,
By deare God, _tha_t I meane.

* * * * *

3
‘Me thought they did mee beate and binde,
And tooke my bow mee froe;
If I bee Robin a-liue in this lande,
I’le be wrocken on both them towe.’

4
‘Sweauens are swift, m_aster_,’ q_uo_th Iohn,
‘As the wind _tha_t blowes ore a hill;
Ffor if itt be neu_er_ soe lowde this night,
To-morrow it may be still.’

5
‘Buske yee, bowne yee, my merry men all,
Ffor Iohn shall goe w_i_th mee;
For I’le goe seeke yond wight yeomen
In greenwood where the bee.’

6
Thé cast on their gowne of greene,
A shooting gone are they,
Vntill they came to the merry greenwood,
Where they had gladdest bee;
There were the ware of [a] wight yeoman,
His body leaned to a tree.

7
A sword and a dagger he wore by his side,
Had beene many a mans bane,
And he was cladd in his capull-hyde,
Topp, and tayle, and mayne.

8
‘Stand you still, m_aster_,’ q_uo_th Litle Iohn,
‘Vnder this trusty tree,
And I will goe to yond wight yeoman,
To know his meaning trulye.’

9
‘A, Iohn, by me thou setts noe store,
And _tha_t’s a ffarley thinge;
How offt send I my men beffore,
And tarry my-selfe behinde?

10
‘It is noe cunning a knaue to ken,
And a man but heare him speake;
And itt were not for bursting of my bowe,
Iohn, I wold thy head breake.’

11
But often words they breeden bale,
_Tha_t p_ar_ted Robin and Iohn;
Iohn is gone to Barn[e]sdale,
The gates he knowes eche one.

12
And when hee came to Barnesdale,
Great heauinesse there hee hadd;
He ffound two of his fellowes
Were slaine both in a slade,

13
And Scarlett a ffoote flyinge was,
Ou_er_ stockes and stone,
For the sheriffe w_i_th seuen score men
Fast after him is gone.

14
‘Yett one shoote I’le shoote,’ sayes Litle Iohn,
‘W_i_th Crist his might and mayne;
I’le make yond fellow _tha_t flyes soe fast
To be both glad and ffaine.’

15
Iohn bent vp a good veiwe bow,
And ffetteled him to shoote;
The bow was made of a tender boughe,
And fell downe to his foote.

16
‘Woe worth thee, wicked wood,’ sayd Litle Iohn,
‘_Tha_t ere thou grew on a tree!
Ffor this day thou art my bale,
My boote when thou shold bee!’

17
This shoote it was but looselye shott,
The arrowe flew in vaine,
And it mett one of the sheriffes men;
Good W_illia_m a Trent was slaine.

18
It had beene better for W_illia_m a Trent
To hange vpon a gallowe
Then for to lye in the greenwoode,
There slaine w_i_th an arrowe.

19
And it is sayd, when men be mett,
Six can doe more then three:
And they haue tane Litle Iohn,
And bound him ffast to a tree.

20
‘Thou shalt be drawen by dale and downe,’ q_uo_th the sheriffe,
‘And hanged hye on a hill:’
‘But thou may ffayle,’ q_uo_th Litle Iohn,
‘If itt be Christs owne will.’

21
Let vs leaue talking of Litle Iohn,
For hee is bound fast to a tree,
And talke of Guy and Robin Hood,
In the green woode where they bee.

22
How these two yeomen together they mett,
Vnder the leaues of lyne,
To see what marchandise they made
Euen at that same time.

23
‘Good morrow, good fellow,’ q_uo_th S_i_r Guy;
‘Good morrow, good ffellow,’ q_uo_th hee;
‘Methinkes by this bow thou beares in thy hand,
A good archer thou seems to bee.’

24
‘I am wilfull of my way,’ q_uo_th S_i_r Guye,
‘And of my morning tyde:’
‘I’le lead thee through the wood,’ q_uo_th Robin,
‘Good ffellow, I’le be thy guide.’

25
‘I seeke an outlaw,’ q_uo_th S_i_r Guye,
‘Men call him Robin Hood;
I had rather meet w_i_th him vpon a day
Then forty pound of golde.’

26
‘If you tow mett, itt wold be seene whether were better
Afore yee did p_ar_t awaye;
Let vs some other pastime find,
Good ffellow, I thee pray.

27
‘Let vs some other masteryes make,
And wee will walke in the woods euen;
Wee may chance mee[t] w_i_th Robin Hoode
Att some vnsett steven.’

28
They cutt them downe the sum_m_er shroggs
W_hi_ch grew both vnder a bryar,
And sett them three score rood in twinn,
To shoote the prickes full neare.

29
‘Leade on, good ffellow,’ sayd S_i_r Guye,
‘Lead on, I doe bidd thee:’
‘Nay, by my faith,’ q_uo_th Robin Hood,
‘The leader thou shalt bee.’

30
The first good shoot _tha_t Robin ledd
Did not shoote an inch the pricke ffroe;
Guy was an archer good enoughe,
But he cold neere shoote soe.

31
The second shoote S_i_r Guy shott,
He shott w_i_thin the garlande;
But Robin Hoode shott it better then hee,
For he cloue the good pricke-wande.

32
‘Gods blessing on thy heart!’ sayes Guye,
‘Goode ffellow, thy shooting is goode;
For an thy hart be as good as thy hands,
Thou were better then Robin Hood.

33
‘Tell me thy name, good ffellow,’ q_uo_th Guy,
‘Vnder the leaues of lyne:’
‘Nay, by my faith,’ q_uo_th good Robin,
‘Till thou haue told me thine.’

34
‘I dwell by dale and downe,’ q_uo_th Guye,
‘And I haue done many a curst turne;
And he _tha_t calles me by my right name
Calles me Guye of good Gysborne.’

35
‘My dwelling is in the wood,’ sayes Robin;
‘By thee I set right nought;
My name is Robin Hood of Barnesdale,
A ffellow thou has long sought.’

36
He _tha_t had neither beene a kithe nor kin
Might haue seene a full fayre sight,
To see how together these yeomen went,
W_i_th blades both browne and bright.

37
To haue seene how these yeomen together foug[ht],
Two howers of a sum_m_ers day;
Itt was neither Guy nor Robin Hood
_Tha_t ffettled them to flye away.

38
Robin was reacheles on a roote,
And stumbled at _tha_t tyde,
And Guy was quicke and nimble w_i_th-all,
And hitt him ore the left side.

39
‘Ah, deere Lady!’ sayd Robin Hoode,
‘Thou art both mother and may!
I thinke it was neu_er_ mans destinye
To dye before his day.’

40
Robin thought on Our Lady deere,
And soone leapt vp againe,
And thus he came w_i_th an awkwarde stroke;
Good S_i_r Guy hee has slayne.

41
He tooke S_i_r Guys head by the hayre,
And sticked itt on his bowes end:
‘Thou hast beene traytor all thy liffe,
W_hi_ch thing must haue an ende.’

42
Robin pulled forth an Irish kniffe,
And nicked S_i_r Guy in the fface,
_Tha_t hee was neuer on a woman borne
Cold tell who S_i_r Guye was.

43
Saies, Lye there, lye there, good S_i_r Guye,
And w_i_th me be not wrothe;
If thou haue had the worse stroakes at my hand,
Thou shalt haue the better cloathe.

44
Robin did off his gowne of greene,
S_i_r Guye hee did it throwe;
And hee put on _tha_t capull-hyde,
_Tha_t cladd him topp to toe.

45
‘The bowe, the arrowes, and litle horne,
And w_i_th me now I’le beare;
Ffor now I will goe to Barn[e]sdale,
To see how my men doe ffare.’

46
Robin sett Guyes horne to his mouth,
A lowd blast in it he did blow;
_Tha_t beheard the sheriffe of Nottingham,
As he leaned vnder a lowe.

47
‘Hearken! hearken!’ sayd the sheriffe,
‘I heard noe tydings but good;
For yonder I heare S_i_r Guyes horne blowe,
For he hath slaine Robin Hoode.

48
‘For yonder I heare S_i_r Guyes horne blow,
Itt blowes soe well in tyde,
For yonder comes _tha_t wighty yeoman,
Cladd in his capull-hyde.

49
‘Come hither, thou good S_i_r Guy,
Aske of mee what thou wilt haue:’
‘I’le none of thy gold,’ sayes Robin Hood,
‘Nor I’le none of itt haue.

50
‘But now I haue slaine the m_aster_,’ he sayd,
‘Let me goe strike the knaue;
This is all the reward I aske,
Nor noe other will I haue.’

51
‘Thou art a madman,’ said the shiriffe,
‘Thou sholdest haue had a knights ffee;
Seeing thy asking [hath] beene soe badd,
Well granted it shall be.’

52
But Litle Iohn heard his m_aster_ speake,
Well he knew _tha_t was his steuen;
‘Now shall I be loset,’ q_uo_th Litle Iohn,
‘W_i_th Christs might in heauen.’

53
But Robin hee hyed him towards Litle Iohn,
Hee thought hee wold loose him beliue;
The sheriffe and all his companye
Fast after him did driue.

54
‘Stand abacke! stand abacke!’ sayd Robin;
‘Why draw you mee soe neere?
Itt was neu_er_ the vse in our countrye
One’s shrift another shold heere.’

55
But Robin pulled forth an Irysh kniffe,
And losed Iohn hand and ffoote,
And gaue him S_i_r Guyes bow in his hand,
And bade it be his boote.

56
But Iohn tooke Guyes bow in his hand—
His arrowes were rawstye by the roote—;
The sherriffe saw Litle Iohn draw a bow
And ffettle him to shoote.

57
Towards his house in Nottingam
He ffled full fast away,
And soe did all his companye,
Not one behind did stay.

58
But he cold neither soe fast goe,
Nor away soe fast runn,
But Litle Iohn, w_i_th an arrow broade,
Did cleaue his heart in twinn.

* * * * *

1^1. When shales beeene.

1^4. birds singe.

2^1. woodweete.

2^3. by 2.

11^1. ball.

12^3. 2 of.

13^3. with 7.

15^1. veiwe. _The word is partly pared away._

15^4. footee.

18^1. a william.

19^2. 6 can ... 3.

21^4. in they green.

22^1. these 2.

23^4. archer: _an_ e _has been added at the end_. _Furnivall._

25^4. 40[li :].

27^4. _a stroke before the_ v _of steven_. _Furnivall._

28^3. 3 score.

31^1. 2[d :].

32^3. for on.

37^2. 2 howers.

44^1. did on.

55^1. kniffee.

119

ROBIN HOOD AND THE MONK

#a.# MS. of about 1450: Cambridge University Library, Ff. 5. 48, fol.
128 b. #b.# One leaf of a MS. of the same age, containing stanzas
69^3–72, 77^2–80^2: Bagford Ballads, vol. i, art. 6, British Museum.

#a# is printed from the manuscript in Jamieson’s Popular Ballads, II, 54, 1806; Hartshorne’s Ancient Metrical Tales, p. 179, 1829; Ritson’s Robin Hood, ed. 1832, II, 221, collated by Sir Frederic Madden. Here printed from a fresh transcript, carefully revised by Rev. Professor Skeat.

On a bright Whitsuntide morning, Robin Hood, not having “seen his Savior” for more than a fortnight, resolves to go to mass at Nottingham. Much advises that he take twelve yeomen with him for safety, but Robin will have only Little John. They improve the time, while on their way to church, by shooting for a wager. Robin scornfully offers John three to one; but John nevertheless wins five shillings of his master, at which Robin loses his temper, and strikes John. John will be his man no more, and returns to the wood. Robin, sorry for this consequence of his bad humor, goes on to Nottingham alone. A monk at Saint Mary’s church recognizes Robin, and gives information to the sheriff, who comes with a large force to arrest the king’s felon. Robin kills or wounds many of the posse, but his sword breaks upon the sheriff’s head. In some way which we do not learn, owing to verses lost,[85] Robin’s men hear that their master has been taken. They are all out of their wits but Little John. Mild Mary, he tells his comrades, will never forsake one who has been so long devoted to her, and he, with her help, will see to the monk. The next day John and Much waylay the monk, who is carrying letters to the king conveying the tidings of Robin’s capture; they kill him, take the letters, and carry them to the king themselves. The king gives them twenty pounds for their news, and makes them yeomen of the crown; he sends his privy seal to the sheriff by John, commanding that Robin Hood shall be brought to him unhurt. The sheriff, upon receiving the seal, makes John good cheer, and goes to bed heavy with wine. John and Much, while the sheriff is sleeping, make their way to the jail. John rouses the porter, runs him through,[86] and takes his keys, unbinds Robin Hood, and puts a good sword in his hand; they leap from the wall where it is lowest. The sheriff finds the jailer dead in the morning, and searches the town for his captive; but Robin is in merry Sherwood. Farewell now, says John; I have done thee a good turn for an ill. Nay, says Robin, I make thee master of my men and me. So shall it never be, answers John; I care only to be a comrade. The king hears that Robin has escaped, and that the sheriff is afraid to show himself. Little John has beguiled us both, says the king. I made them yeomen of the crown, and gave them pay with my own hand! Little John loves Robin Hood better than he does us. Say no more. John has beguiled us all.

Too much could not be said in praise of this ballad, but nothing need be said. It is very perfection in its kind; and yet we have others equally good, and beyond doubt should have had more, if they had been written down early, as this was, and had not been left to the chances of tradition. Even writing would not have saved all, but writing has saved this (in large part), and in excellent form.

The landscape background of the first two stanzas has been often praised, and its beauty will never pall. It may be called landscape or prelude, for both eyes and ears are addressed, and several others of these woodland ballads have a like symphony or setting: Adam Bell, Robin Hood and the Potter, Guy of Gisborne, even the much later ballad of The Noble Fisherman. It is to be observed that the story of the outlaw Fulk Fitz Warine, which has other traits in common with Robin Hood ballads, begins somewhat after the same fashion.[87]

Robin Hood’s devotion to the Virgin, st. 34, is a feature which reappears in Robin Hood and the Potter, Guy of Gisborne, Robin Hood and the Curtal Friar, and above all in The Gest. His profound piety, as evinced in stanzas 6, 7, and again in 8, 9 of The Gest, is commemorated by Bower in a passage in the Scotichronicon, of about the same date as the manuscript of the present ballad (1450), which we have every reason to assume to be derived from a lost ballad.[88] Robin Hood had mass regularly sung at Barnsdale, nor would he suffer the office to be interrupted for the most pressing occasion. (We know from The Gest, st. 440, that he had a pretty chapel there, dedicated to Mary Magdalen.) One day, while so engaged, he was informed that the sheriff and his men, old foes of his, had tracked him to the very retired part of the forest where the service was going on, and was urged to fly with his best speed. This, for reverence of the sacrament, which he was then most devoutly adoring, he utterly refused to do, and then, while the rest were fearing for their lives, trusting in him whom he worshipped, fell upon his enemies, with a few of his followers who had rallied to him, and easily put them to rout. Enriched with their spoil and ransom, he was led to hold the ministers of the church (but apparently not “bishops and archbishops,” Gest, st. 15) and masses in greater veneration than ever, mindful of the common saw, God hears the man who often hears the mass.[89]

There is a general resemblance between the rescue of Robin Hood in stanzas 61–81 and that of William of Cloudesly in Adam Bell, 56–94, and the precaution suggested by Much in the eighth stanza corresponds to the warning given by Adam in the eighth stanza of the other ballad. There is a verbal agreement in stanzas 71 of the first and 66 of the second.[90] Such agreements or repetitions are numerous in the Robin Hood ballads, and in other traditional ballads, where similar situations occur.

Robin Hood’s rescue of Little John, in Guy of Gisborne, after quarrelling with him on a fanciful provocation, is a partial offset for Little John’s heart-stirring generosity in this ballad. We have already had several cases of ballads in which the principal actors exchange parts.

That portion of ‘Robin Hood’s Death’ in which Robin Hood gets angry with Scarlet, and shoots with Little John on his way to be let blood, may have been transferred, at least in part, from Robin Hood and the Monk.

It is hardly worth the while to ask whether the monk in this ballad is the same who is pillaged in The Gest. So rational a suggestion as that more than one monk must have fallen into Robin’s hands, in the course of his long and lucrative career, may not be conclusive, but we may rest certain that there were many Robin Hood ballads besides the few old ones which have come down to us; and if so, there would be many variations upon so agreeable a topic as the depleting of overstocked friars.

Translated, after Jamieson, by Grundtvig, Engelske og skotske Folkeviser, p. 148, No 24; by Anastasius Grün, p. 89.

1
In som_er_, when þe shawes be sheyn_e_,
And leves be large and long,
Hit is full mery i_n_ feyre foreste
To here þe foulys song:

2
To se þe dere draw to þe dale,
And leve þe hilles hee,
And shadow he_m_ i_n_ þe levës grene,
Vnd_e_r the grene-wode tre.

3
Hit befel on Whitsontide,
Erly in a May mornyng,
The son vp feyre can shyne,
And the briddis mery can syng.

4
‘This is a mery mornyng,’ seid Litull John,
‘Be hym þ_a_t dyed on tre;
A more mery man þen I am one
Lyves not in Cristiantë.

5
‘Pluk vp þi hert, my dere mayst_er_,’
Litull John can sey,
‘And thynk hit is a full fayre tyme
In a mornyng of May.’

6
‘Ȝe, on thyng greves me,’ seid Robyn,
‘And does my hert mych woo;
Þ_a_t I may not no solem day
To mas nor matyns goo.

7
‘Hit is a fourtnet and more,’ seid he,
‘Syn I my sauyo_u_r see;
To day wil I to Notyngham,’ seid Robyn,
‘W_i_t_h_ þe myght of mylde Marye.’

8
Than spake Moche, þe myln_er_ sun,
Eu_er_ more wel hym betyde!
‘Take twelue of þi wyght ȝemen,
Well weppynd, be þi side.
Such on wolde þi selfe slon,
Þ_a_t twelue dar not abyde.’

9
‘Of all my mery men,’ seid Robyn,
‘Be my feith I wil non haue,
But Litull John shall beyre my bow,
Til þ_a_t me list to drawe.’

10
‘Þ_o_u shall beyre þin own,’ seid Litull Jon,
‘Maist_er_, and I wyl beyre myne,
And we well shete a peny,’ seid Litull Jon,
‘Vnd_e_r þe grene-wode lyne.’

11
‘I wil not shete a peny,’ seyd Robyn Hode,
‘In feith, Litull John, w_i_t_h_ the,
But eu_er_ for on as þ_o_u shet_is_,’ seid_e_ Robyn,
‘In feith I holde þe thre.’

12
Thus shet þei forth, þese ȝemen too,
Bothe at buske and brome,
Til Litull John wan of his maist_er_
Fiue shillings to hose and shone.

13
A ferly strife fel þem betwene,
As they went bi the wey;
Litull John seid he had won fiue shillings,
And Robyn Hode seid schortly nay.

14
W_i_t_h_ þ_a_t Robyn Hode lyed Litul Jon,
And smote hym w_i_t_h_ his hande;
Litul Jon waxed wroth þ_erw_it_h_,
And pulled out his bright bronde.

15
‘Were þ_o_u not my maist_er_,’ seid Litull John,
‘Þ_o_u shuldis by hit ful sore;
Get þe a man wher þ_o_u w[ilt],
For þ_o_u get_is_ me no more.’

16
Þen Robyn goes to Notyngh_a_m,
Hym selfe mornyng allone,
And Litull John to mery Scherwode,
The pathes he knew ilkone.

17
Whan Robyn came to Notyngham,
S_er_tenly w_i_t_h_outen layn,
He prayed to God and myld Mary
To bryng hym out saue agayn.

18
He gos in to Seynt Mary chirch,
And kneled down before the rode;
Alle þ_a_t eu_er_ were þe church w_i_t_h_in
Beheld wel Robyn Hode.

19
Beside hym stod a gret-hedid munke,
I pray to God woo he be!
Fful sone he knew gode Robyn,
As sone as he hym se.

20
Out at þe durre he ran,
Fful sone and anon;
Alle þe ȝatis of Notyngham
He made to be sparred eu_er_ychon.

21
‘Rise vp,’ he seid, ‘þ_o_u prowde schereff,
Buske þe and make þe bowne;
I haue spyed þe kyngg_is_ felon,
Ffor sothe he is in þ_i_s town.

22
‘I haue spyed þe false felon,
As he stond_is_ at his masse;
Hit is long of þe,’ seide þe munke,
‘And eu_er_ he fro vs passe.

23
‘Þ_i_s trayt_u_r name is Robyn Hode,
Vnd_e_r þe grene-wode lynde;
He robbyt me onys of a hundred pound,
Hit shalle neu_er_ out of my mynde.’

24
Vp þen rose þ_i_s prowd_e_ shereff,
And radly made hym ȝare;
Many was þe mod_er_ son
To þe kyrk w_i_t_h_ hym can fare.

25
In at þe durres þei throly thrast,
W_i_t_h_ staves ful gode wone;
‘Alas, alas!’ seid Robyn Hode,
‘Now mysse I Litull John.’

26
But Robyn toke out a too-hond sworde,
Þ_a_t hangit down be his kne;
Þ_e_r as þe schereff and his men stode thyckust,
Thedurward_e_ wolde he.

27
Thryes thorowout þem he ran þen,
For soþe as I yow sey,
And woundyt mony a mod_er_ son,
And twelue he slew þ_a_t day.

28
His sworde vpon þe schireff hed
S_er_tanly he brake in too;
‘Þe smyth þ_a_t þe made,’ seid Robyn,
‘I pray to God wyrke hym woo!

29
‘Ffor now am I weppynlesse,’ seid Robyn,
‘Alasse! agayn my wyll_e_;
But if I may fle þese traytors fro,
I wot þei wil me kyll.’

30
Robyn in to the churchë ran,
Throout hem eu_er_ilkon,

* * * * *

31
Su_m_ fel in swonyng as þei were dede,
And lay stil as any stone;
Non of theym were i_n_ her mynde
But only Litull Jon.

32
‘Let be yo_u_r rule,’ seid Litull Jon,
‘Ffor his luf þ_a_t dyed on tre,
Ȝe þ_a_t shulde be duȝty men;
Het is gret shame to se.

33
‘Oure maist_er_ has bene hard bystode
And ȝet scapyd away;
Pluk vp yo_u_r hert_is_, and leve þ_i_s mone,
And harkyn what I shal say.

34
‘He has s_er_uyd Oure Lady many a day,
And ȝet wil, securly;
Þ_er_for I trust in hir specialy
No wyckud deth shal he dye.

35
‘Þ_er_for be glad,’ seid Litul John,
‘And let þ_i_s mournyng be;
And I shal be þe munk_is_ gyde,
W_i_t_h_ þe myght of mylde Mary.

36
. . . . . . .
‘We will go but we too;
And I mete hym,’ seid Litul John,
. . . . . . .

37
‘Loke þ_a_t ȝe kepe wel owre tristil-tre,
Vnd_e_r þe levys smale,
And spare non of this venyson,
Þ_a_t gose in thys vale.’

38
Fforþe þen went these ȝemen too,
Litul John and Moche on fere,
And lokid on Moch emys hows,
Þe hye way lay full nere.

39
Litul John stode at a wyndow i_n_ þe mornyng,
And lokid forþ at a stage;
He was war wher þe munke came ridyng,
And w_i_t_h_ hym a litul page.

40
‘Be my feith,’ seid Litul John to Moch,
‘I can þe tel tithyngus gode;
I se wher þe munke cu_m_ys rydyng,
I know hym be his wyde hode.’

41
They went in to the way, þese ȝeme_n_ boþe,
As curtes men and hende;
Þei spyrred tithyngus at þe munke,
As they hade bene his frende.

42
‘Ffro whens come ȝe?’ seid Litull Jon,
‘Tel vs tithyngus, I yow pray,
Off a false owtlay, [callid Robyn Hode,]
Was takyn ȝist_e_rday.

43
‘He robbyt me and my felowes boþe
Of twenti marke in s_er_ten;
If þ_a_t false owtlay be takyn,
Ffor soþe we wolde be fayn.’

44
‘So did he me,’ seid þe munke,
‘Of a hundred pound and more;
I layde furst hande hym apon,
Ȝe may thonke me þ_er_fore.’

45
‘I pray God thanke you,’ seid Litull John,
‘And we wil when we may;
We wil go w_i_t_h_ you, w_i_t_h_ yo_u_r leve,
And bryng yow on yo_u_r way.

46
‘Ffor Robyn Hode hase many a wilde felow,
I tell you in certen;
If þei wist ȝe rode þ_i_s way,
In feith ȝe shulde be slayn.’

47
As þei went talking be þe way,
The munke and Litull John,
John toke þe munk_i_s horse be þe hede,
Fful sone and anon.

48
Johne toke þe munk_i_s horse be þe hed,
Ffor soþe as I yow say;
So did Much þe litull page,
Ffor he shulde not scape away.

49
Be þe golett of þe hode
John pulled þe munke down;
John was nothyng of hym agast,
He lete hym falle on his crown.

50
Litull John was so[re] agrevyd,
And drew owt his swerde in hye;
This munke saw he shulde be ded,
Lowd mercy can he crye.

51
‘He was my maist_er_,’ seid Litull John,
‘Þ_a_t þ_o_u hase browȝt in bale;
Shalle þ_o_u neu_er_ cu_m_ at our kyng,
Ffor to telle hym tale.’

52
John smote of þe munk_i_s hed,
No long_er_ wolde he dwell;
So did Moch þe litull page,
Ffor ferd lest he wolde tell.

53
Þ_e_r þei beryed hem boþe,
In nouþ_er_ mosse nor lyng,
And Litull John and Much infere
Bare þe letturs to oure kyng.

54
. . . . . . .
He knelid down vpon his kne:
‘God ȝow saue, my lege lorde,
Ih_es_us yow saue and se!

55
‘God yow saue, my lege kyng!’
To speke John was full bolde;
He gaf hym þe letturs i_n_ his hond,
The kyng did hit vnfold.

56
Þe kyng red þe letturs anon,
And seid, So mot I the,
Þ_er_ was neu_er_ ȝoman i_n_ mery Inglond
I longut so sore to se.

57
‘Wher is þe munke þ_a_t þese shuld haue brouȝt?’
Oure kyng can say:
‘Be my trouth,’ seid Litull John,
‘He dyed aft_e_r þe way.’