Volume 3 — 117 A GEST OF ROBYN HODE (continued 2)

‘A porë present to the.’

276

‘Come now forth, Lytell Johan,

And go to my treasurë,

And brynge me there foure hondred pounde;

The monke ouer-tolde it me.

70277

‘Haue here foure hondred pounde,

Thou gentyll knyght and trewe,

And bye hors and harnes good,

And gylte thy spores all newe.

278

‘And yf thou fayle ony spendynge,

Com to Robyn Hode,

And by my trouth thou shalt none fayle,

The whyles I haue any good.

279

‘And broke well thy foure hondred pound,

Whiche I lent to the,

And make thy selfe no more so bare,

By the counsell of me.’

280

Thus than holpe hym good Robyn,

The knyght all of his care:

God, that syt in heuen hye,

Graunte vs well to fare!

THE FYFTH FYTTE.

281

Now hath the knyght his leue i-take,

And wente hym on his way;

Robyn Hode and his mery men

Dwelled styll full many a day.

282

Lyth and lysten, gentil men,

And herken what I shall say,

How the proud[ë] sheryfe of Notyngham

Dyde crye a full fayre play;

283

That all the best archers of the north

Sholde come vpon a day,

And [he] that shoteth allther best

The game shall bere a way.

284

He that shoteth allther best,

Furthest fayre and lowe,

At a payre of fynly buttes,

Under the grenë-wode shawe,

285

A ryght good arowe he shall haue,

The shaft of syluer whyte,

The hede and the feders of ryche rede golde,

In Englond is none lyke.

286

This than herde good Robyn,

Under his trystell-tre:

‘Make you redy, ye wyght yonge men;

That shotynge wyll I se.

287

‘Buske you, my mery yonge men,

Ye shall go with me;

And I wyll wete the shryuës fayth,

Trewe and yf he be.’

288

Whan they had theyr bowes i-bent,

Theyr takles fedred fre,

Seuen score of wyght yonge men

Stode by Robyns kne.

289

Whan they cam to Notyngham,

The buttes were fayre and longe;

Many was the bolde archere

That shoted with bowës stronge.

290

‘There shall but syx shote with me;

The other shal kepe my he[ue]de,

And standë with good bowës bent,

That I be not desceyued.’

291

The fourth outlawe his bowe gan bende,

And that was Robyn Hode,

And that behelde the proud[ë] sheryfe,

All by the but [as] he stode.

292

Thryës Robyn shot about,

And alway he slist the wand,

And so dyde good Gylberte

Wyth the whytë hande.

293

Lytell Johan and good Scatheloke

Were archers good and fre;

Lytell Much and good Reynolde,

The worste wolde they not be.

294

Whan they had shot aboute,

These archours fayre and good,

Euermore was the best,

For soth, Robyn Hode.

295

Hym was delyuered the good arowe,

For best worthy was he;

He toke the yeft so curteysly,

To grenë wode wolde he.

296

They cryed out on Robyn Hode,

And grete hornës gan they blowe:

‘Wo worth the, treason!’ sayd Robyn,

‘Full euyl thou art to knowe.

297

‘And wo be thou! thou proudë sheryf,

Thus gladdynge thy gest;

71Other wyse thou behotë me

In yonder wylde forest.

298

‘But had I the in grenë wode,

Under my trystell-tre,

Thou sholdest leue me a better wedde

Than thy trewe lewtë.’

299

Full many a bowë there was bent,

And arowës let they glyde;

Many a kyrtell there was rent,

And hurt many a syde.

300

The outlawes shot was so stronge

That no man myght them dryue,

And the proud[ë] sheryfës men,

They fled away full blyue.

301

Robyn sawe the busshement to-broke,

In grenë wode he wolde haue be;

Many an arowe there was shot

Amonge that company.

302

Lytell Johan was hurte full sore,

With an arowe in his kne,

That he myght neyther go nor ryde;

It was full grete pytë.

303

‘Mayster,’ then sayd Lytell Johan,

‘If euer thou loue[d]st me,

And for that ylkë lordës loue

That dyed vpon a tre,

304

‘And for the medes of my seruyce,

That I haue serued the,

Lete neuer the proudë sheryf

Alyue now fyndë me.

305

‘But take out thy brownë swerde,

And smyte all of my hede,

And gyue me woundës depe and wyde;

No lyfe on me be lefte.’

306

‘I wolde not that,’ sayd Robyn,

‘Johan, that thou were slawe,

For all the golde in mery Englonde,

Though it lay now on a rawe.’

307

‘God forbede,’ sayd Lytell Much,

‘That dyed on a tre,

That thou sholdest, Lytell Johan,

Parte our company.’

308

Up he toke hym on his backe,

And bare hym well a myle;

Many a tyme he layd hym downe,

And shot another whyle.

309

Then was there a fayre castell,

A lytell within the wode;

Double-dyched it was about,

And walled, by the rode.

310

And there dwelled that gentyll knyght,

Syr Rychard at the Lee,

That Robyn had lent his good,

Under the grenë-wode tree.

311

In he toke good Robyn,

And all his company:

‘Welcome be thou, Robyn Hode,

Welcome arte thou to me;

312

‘And moche [I] thanke the of thy confort,

And of thy curteysye,

And of thy gretë kyndënesse,

Under the grenë-wode tre.

313

‘I loue no man in all this worlde

So much as I do the;

For all the proud[ë] sheryf of Notyngham,

Ryght here shalt thou be.

314

‘Shyt the gates, and drawe the brydge,

a.

And let no man come in,

And arme you well, and make you redy,

And to the walles ye wynne.

315

‘For one thynge, Robyn, I the behote;

I swere by Saynt Quyntyne,

These forty dayes thou wonnest with me,

To soupe, ete, and dyne.’

316

Bordes were layde, and clothes were spredde,

Redely and anone;

Robyn Hode and his mery men

To metë can they gone.

THE VI. FYTTE.

317

Lythe and lysten, gentylmen,

And herkyn to your songe;

Howe the proudë shyref of Notyngham,

And men of armys stronge,

72318

Full fast cam to the hyë shyref,

The contrë vp to route,

And they besette the knyghtës castell,

The wallës all aboute.

319

The proudë shyref loude gan crye,

And sayde, Thou traytour knight,

Thou kepest here the kynges enemys,

Agaynst the lawe and right.

320

‘Syr, I wyll auowe that I haue done,

The dedys that here be dyght,

Vpon all the landës that I haue,

As I am a trewë knyght.

321

‘Wende furth, sirs, on your way,

And do no more to me

Tyll ye wyt oure kyngës wille,

What he wyll say to the.’

322

The shyref thus had his answere,

Without any lesynge;

[Fu]rth he yede to London towne,

All for to tel our kinge.

323

Ther he telde him of that knight,

And eke of Robyn Hode,

And also of the bolde archars,

That were soo noble and gode.

324

‘He wyll auowe that he hath done,

To mayntene the outlawes stronge;

He wyll be lorde, and set you at nought,

In all the northe londe.’

325

‘I wil be at Notyngham,’ saide our kynge,

‘Within this fourteenyght,

And take I wyll Robyn Hode,

And so I wyll that knight.

326

‘Go nowe home, shyref,’ sayde our kynge,

‘And do as I byd the;

And ordeyn gode archers ynowe,

Of all the wydë contrë.’

327

The shyref had his leue i-take,

And went hym on his way,

And Robyn Hode to grenë wode,

Vpon a certen day.

328

And Lytel John was hole of the arowe

That shot was in his kne,

And dyd hym streyght to Robyn Hode,

Vnder the grenë-wode tree.

329

Robyn Hode walked in the forest,

Vnder the leuys grene;

The proudë shyref of Notyngham

Thereof he had grete tene.

330

The shyref there fayled of Robyn Hode,

He myght not haue his pray;

Than he awayted this gentyll knyght,

Bothe by nyght and day.

331

Euer he wayted the gentyll knyght,

Syr Richarde at the Lee,

As he went on haukynge by the ryuer-syde,

And lete [his] haukës flee.

332

Toke he there this gentyll knight,

With men of armys stronge,

And led hym to Notyngham warde,

Bounde bothe fote and hande.

333

The sheref sware a full grete othe,

Bi hym that dyed on rode,

He had leuer than an hundred pound

That he had Robyn Hode.

334

This harde the knyghtës wyfe,

A fayr lady and a free;

She set hir on a gode palfrey,

To grenë wode anone rode she.

335

Whanne she cam in the forest,

Vnder the grenë-wode tree,

Fonde she there Robyn Hode,

And al his fayre menë.

336

‘God the sauë, godë Robyn,

And all thy company;

For Our derë Ladyes sake,

A bonë graunte thou me.

337

‘Late neuer my wedded lorde

Shamefully slayne be;

He is fast bowne to Notingham warde,

For the loue of the.’

338

Anone than saide goode Robyn

To that lady so fre,

What man hath your lorde [i-]take?

. . . . . .

73339

. . . . . .

‘For soth as I the say;

He is nat yet thre mylës

Passed on his way.’

340

Vp than sterte gode Robyn,

As man that had ben wode:

‘Buske you, my mery men,

For hym that dyed on rode.

341

‘And he that this sorowe forsaketh,

By hym that dyed on tre,

Shall he neuer in grenë wode

No lenger dwel with me.’

342

Sone there were gode bowës bent,

Mo than seuen score;

Hedge ne dyche spared they none

That was them before.

343

‘I make myn auowe to God,’ sayde Robyn,

‘The sherif wolde I fayne see;

And if I may hym take,

I-quyte shall it be.’

344

And whan they came to Notingham,

They walked in the strete;

And with the proudë sherif i-wys

Sonë can they mete.

345

‘Abyde, thou proudë sherif,’ he sayde,

‘Abyde, and speke with me;

Of some tidinges of oure kinge

I wolde fayne here of the.

346

‘This seuen yere, by dere worthy God,

Ne yede I this fast on fote;

I make myn auowe to God, thou proudë sherif,

It is nat for thy gode.’

347

Robyn bent a full goode bowe,

An arrowe he drowe at wyll;

He hit so the proudë sherife

Vpon the grounde he lay full still.

348

And or he myght vp aryse,

On his fete to stonde,

He smote of the sherifs hede

With his bright[ë] bronde.

349

‘Lye thou there, thou proudë sherife,

Euyll mote thou cheue!

There myght no man to the truste

b.

The whyles thou were a lyue.’

350

His men drewe out theyr bryght swerdes,

That were so sharpe and kene,

And layde on the sheryues men,

And dryued them downe bydene.

351

Robyn stert to that knyght,

And cut a two his bonde,

And toke hym in his hand a bowe,

And bad hym by hym stonde.

352

‘Leue thy hors the behynde,

And lerne for to renne;

Thou shalt with me to grenë wode,

Through myrë, mosse, and fenne.

353

‘Thou shalt with me to grenë wode,

Without ony leasynge,

Tyll that I haue gete vs grace

Of Edwarde, our comly kynge.’

THE VII. FYTTE.

354

The kynge came to Notynghame,

With knyghtës in grete araye,

For to take that gentyll knyght

And Robyn Hode, and yf he may.

355

He asked men of that countrë

After Robyn Hode,

And after that gentyll knyght,

That was so bolde and stout.

356

Whan they had tolde hym the case

Our kynge vnderstode ther tale,

And seased in his honde

The knyghtës londës all.

357

All the passe of Lancasshyre

He went both ferre and nere,

Tyll he came to Plomton Parke;

He faylyd many of his dere.

358

There our kynge was wont to se

Herdës many one,

He coud vnneth fynde one dere,

That bare ony good horne.

359

The kynge was wonder wroth withall,

And swore by the Trynytë,

74‘I wolde I had Robyn Hode,

With eyen I myght hym se.

360

‘And he that wolde smyte of the knyghtës hede,

And brynge it to me,

He shall haue the knyghtës londes,

Syr Rycharde at the Le.

361

‘I gyue it hym with my charter,

And sele it [with] my honde,

To haue and holde for euer more,

In all mery Englonde.’

362

Than bespake a fayre olde knyght,

That was treue in his fay:

A, my leegë lorde the kynge,

One worde I shall you say.

363

There is no man in this countrë

May haue the knyghtës londes,

Whyle Robyn Hode may ryde or gone,

And bere a bowe in his hondes,

364

That he ne shall lese his hede,

That is the best ball in his hode:

Giue it no man, my lorde the kynge,

That ye wyll any good.

365

Half a yere dwelled our comly kynge

In Notyngham, and well more;

Coude he not here of Robyn Hode,

In what countrë that he were.

366

But alway went good Robyn

By halke and eke by hyll,

And alway slewe the kyngës dere,

And welt them at his wyll.

367

Than bespake a proude fostere,

That stode by our kyngës kne:

Yf ye wyll se good Robyn,

Ye must do after me.

368

Take fyue of the best knyghtës

That be in your lede,

And walke downe by yon abbay,

And gete you monkës wede.

369

And I wyll be your ledës-man,

And lede you the way,

And or ye come to Notyngham,

Myn hede then dare I lay,

370

That ye shall mete with good Robyn,

On lyue yf that he be;

Or ye come to Notyngham,

With eyen ye shall hym se.

371

Full hast[ë]ly our kynge was dyght,

So were his knyghtës fyue,

Euerych of them in monkës wede,

And hasted them thyder blyve.

372

Our kynge was grete aboue his cole,

A brode hat on his crowne,

Ryght as he were abbot-lyke,

They rode up in-to the towne.

373

Styf botës our kynge had on,

Forsoth as I you say;

He rode syngynge to grenë wode,

The couent was clothed in graye.

374

His male-hors and his gretë somers

Folowed our kynge behynde,

Tyll they came to grenë wode,

A myle vnder the lynde.

375

There they met with good Robyn,

Stondynge on the waye,

And so dyde many a bolde archere,

For soth as I you say.

376

Robyn toke the kyngës hors,

Hastëly in that stede,

And sayd, Syr abbot, by your leue,

A whyle ye must abyde.

377

‘We be yemen of this foreste,

Vnder the grenë-wode tre;

We lyue by our kyngës dere,

[Other shyft haue not wee.]

378

‘And ye haue chyrches and rentës both,

And gold full grete plentë;

Gyue vs some of your spendynge,

For saynt[ë] charytë.’

379

Than bespake our cumly kynge,

Anone than sayd he;

I brought no more to grenë wode

But forty pounde with me.

380

I haue layne at Notyngham

This fourtynyght with our kynge,

75And spent I haue full moche good,

On many a grete lordynge.

381

And I haue but forty pounde,

No more than haue I me;

But yf I had an hondred pounde,

I wolde vouch it safe on the.

382

Robyn toke the forty pounde,

And departed it in two partye;

Halfendell he gaue his mery men,

And bad them mery to be.

383

Full curteysly Robyn gan say;

Syr, haue this for your spendyng;

We shall mete another day;

‘Gramercy,’ than sayd our kynge.

384

‘But well the greteth Edwarde, our kynge,

And sent to the his seale,

And byddeth the com to Notyngham,

Both to mete and mele.’

385

He toke out the brodë targe,

And sone he lete hym se;

Robyn coud his courteysy,

And set hym on his kne.

386

‘I loue no man in all the worlde

So well as I do my kynge;

Welcome is my lordës seale;

And, monke, for thy tydynge,

387

‘Syr abbot, for thy tydynges,

To day thou shalt dyne with me,

For the loue of my kynge,

Under my trystell-tre.’

388

Forth he lad our comly kynge,

Full fayre by the honde;

Many a dere there was slayne,

And full fast dyghtande.

389

Robyn toke a full grete horne,

And loude he gan blowe;

Seuen score of wyght yonge men

Came redy on a rowe.

390

All they kneled on theyr kne,

Full fayre before Robyn:

The kynge sayd hym selfe vntyll,

And swore by Saynt Austyn,

391

‘Here is a wonder semely syght;

Me thynketh, by Goddës pyne,

His men are more at his byddynge

Then my men be at myn.’

392

Full hast[ë]ly was theyr dyner idyght,

And therto gan they gone;

They serued our kynge with al theyr myght,

Both Robyn and Lytell Johan.

393

Anone before our kynge was set

The fattë venyson,

The good whyte brede, the good rede wyne,

And therto the fyne ale and browne.

394

‘Make good chere,’ said Robyn,

‘Abbot, for charytë;

And for this ylkë tydynge,

Blyssed mote thou be.

395

‘Now shalte thou se what lyfe we lede,

Or thou hens wende;

Than thou may enfourme our kynge,

Whan ye togyder lende.’

396

Up they stertë all in hast,

Theyr bowës were smartly bent;

Our kynge was neuer so sore agast,

He wende to haue be shente.

397

Two yerdës there were vp set,

Thereto gan they gange;

By fyfty pase, our kynge sayd,

The merkës were to longe.

398

On euery syde a rose-garlonde,

They shot vnder the lyne:

‘Who so fayleth of the rose-garlonde,’ sayd Robyn,

‘His takyll he shall tyne,

399

‘And yelde it to his mayster,

Be it neuer so fyne;

For no man wyll I spare,

So drynke I ale or wyne:

400

‘And bere a buffet on his hede,

I-wys ryght all bare:’

And all that fell in Robyns lote,

He smote them wonder sare.

401

Twyse Robyn shot aboute,

And euer he cleued the wande,

76And so dyde good Gylberte

With the Whytë Hande.

402

Lytell Johan and good Scathelocke,

For nothynge wolde they spare;

When they fayled of the garlonde,

Robyn smote them full sore.

403

At the last shot that Robyn shot,

For all his frendës fare,

Yet he fayled of the garlonde

Thre fyngers and mare.

404

Than bespake good Gylberte,

And thus he gan say;

‘Mayster,’ he sayd, ‘your takyll is lost,

Stande forth and take your pay.’

405

‘If it be so,’ sayd Robyn,

‘That may no better be,

Syr abbot, I delyuer the myn arowe,

I pray the, syr, serue thou me.’

406

‘It falleth not for myn ordre,’ sayd our kynge,

‘Robyn, by thy leue,

For to smyte no good yeman,

For doute I sholde hym greue.’

407

‘Smyte on boldely,’ sayd Robyn,

‘I giue the largë leue:’

Anone our kynge, with that worde,

He folde vp his sleue,

408

And sych a buffet he gaue Robyn,

To grounde he yede full nere:

‘I make myn avowe to God,’ sayd Robyn,

‘Thou arte a stalworthe frere.

409

‘There is pith in thyn arme,’ sayd Robyn,

‘I trowe thou canst well shete:’

Thus our kynge and Robyn Hode

Togeder gan they mete.

410

Robyn behelde our comly kynge

Wystly in the face,

So dyde Syr Rycharde at the Le,

And kneled downe in that place.

411

And so dyde all the wylde outlawes,

Whan they se them knele:

‘My lorde the kynge of Englonde,

Now I knowe you well.

412

‘Mercy then, Robyn,’ sayd our kynge,

‘Vnder your trystyll-tre,

Of thy goodnesse and thy grace,

For my men and me!’

413

‘Yes, for God,’ sayd Robyn,

‘And also God me saue,

I askë mercy, my lorde the kynge,

And for my men I craue.’

414

‘Yes, for God,’ than sayd our kynge,

‘And therto sent I me.

With that thou leue the grenë wode,

And all thy company;

415

‘And come home, syr, to my courte,

And there dwell with me.’

‘I make myn avowe to God,’ sayd Robyn,

‘And ryght so shall it be.

416

‘I wyll come to your courte,

Your seruyse for to se,

And brynge with me of my men

Seuen score and thre.

417

‘But me lykë well your seruyse,

I [wyll] come agayne full soone,

And shote at the donnë dere,

As I am wonte to done.’

THE VIII. FYTTE.

418

‘Haste thou ony grenë cloth,’ sayd our kynge,

‘That thou wylte sell nowe to me?’

‘Ye, for God,’ sayd Robyn,

‘Thyrty yerdës and thre.’

419

‘Robyn,’ sayd our kynge,

‘Now pray I the,

Sell me some of that cloth,

To me and my meynë.’

420

‘Yes, for God,’ then sayd Robyn,

‘Or elles I were a fole;

Another day ye wyll me clothe,

I trowe, ayenst the Yole.’

421

The kynge kest of his colë then,

A grene garment he dyde on,

And euery knyght also, i-wys,

Another had full sone.

77422

Whan they were clothed in Lyncolne grene,

They keste away theyr graye;

‘Now we shall to Notyngham,’

All thus our kynge gan say.

423

They bente theyr bowes, and forth they went,

Shotynge all in-fere,

Towarde the towne of Notyngham,

Outlawes as they were.

424

Our kynge and Robyn rode togyder,

For soth as I you say,

And they shote plucke-buffet,

As they went by the way.

425

And many a buffet our kynge wan

Of Robyn Hode that day,

And nothynge spared good Robyn

Our kynge in his pay.

426

‘So God me helpë,’ sayd our kynge,

‘Thy game is nought to lere;

I sholde not get a shote of the,

Though I shote all this yere.’

427

All the people of Notyngham

They stode and behelde;

They sawe nothynge but mantels of grene

That couered all the felde.

428

Than euery man to other gan say,

‘I drede our kynge be slone;

Comë Robyn Hode to the towne, i-wys

On lyue he lefte neuer one.’

429

Full hast[ë]ly they began to fle,

Both yemen and knaues,

And olde wyues that myght euyll goo,

They hypped on theyr staues.

430

The kynge l[o]ughe full fast,

And commaunded theym agayue;

When they se our comly kynge,

I-wys they were full fayne.

431

They ete and dranke, and made them glad,

And sange with notës hye;

Than bespake our comly kynge

To Syr Rycharde at the Lee.

432

He gaue hym there his londe agayne,

A good man he bad hym be;

Robyn thanked our comly kynge,

And set hym on his kne.

433

Had Robyn dwelled in the kyngës courte

But twelue monethes and thre,

That [he had] spent an hondred pounde,

And all his mennes fe.

434

In euery place where Robyn came

Euer more he layde downe,

Both for knyghtës and for squyres,

To gete hym grete renowne.

435

By than the yere was all agone

He had no man but twayne,

Lytell Johan and good Scathelocke,

With hym all for to gone.

436

Robyn sawe yonge men shote

Full fayre vpon a day;

‘Alas!’ than sayd good Robyn,

‘My welthe is went away.

437

‘Somtyme I was an archere good,

A styffe and eke a stronge;

I was compted the best archere

That was in mery Englonde.

438

‘Alas!’ then sayd good Robyn,

‘Alas and well a woo!

Yf I dwele lenger with the kynge,

Sorowe wyll me sloo.’

439

Forth than went Robyn Hode

Tyll he came to our kynge:

‘My lorde the kynge of Englonde,

Graunte me myn askynge.

440

‘I made a chapell in Bernysdale,

That semely is to se,

It is of Mary Magdaleyne,

And thereto wolde I be.

441

‘I myght neuer in this seuen nyght

No tyme to slepe ne wynke,

Nother all these seuen dayes

Nother ete ne drynke.

442

‘Me longeth sore to Bernysdale,

I may not be therfro;

Barefote and wolwarde I haue hyght

Thyder for to go.’

78443

‘Yf it be so,’ than sayd our kynge,

‘It may no better be,

Seuen nyght I gyue the leue,

No lengre, to dwell fro me.’

444

‘Gramercy, lorde,’ then sayd Robyn,

And set hym on his kne;

He toke his leuë full courteysly,

To grenë wode then went he.

445

Whan he came to grenë wode,

In a mery mornynge,

There he herde the notës small

Of byrdës mery syngynge.

446

‘It is ferre gone,’ sayd Robyn,

‘That I was last here;

Me lyste a lytell for to shote

At the donnë dere.’

447

Robyn slewe a full grete harte;

His horne than gan he blow,

That all the outlawes of that forest

That horne coud they knowe,

448

And gadred them togyder,

In a lytell throwe.

Seuen score of wyght yonge men

Came redy on a rowe,

449

And fayre dyde of theyr hodes,

And set them on theyr kne:

‘Welcome,’ they sayd, ‘our [derë] mayster,

Under this grenë-wode tre.’

450

Robyn dwelled in grenë wode

Twenty yere and two;

For all drede of Edwarde our kynge,

Agayne wolde he not goo.

451

Yet he was begyled, i-wys,

Through a wycked woman,

The pryoresse of Kyrkësly,

That nye was of hys kynne:

452

For the loue of a knyght,

Syr Roger of Donkesly,

That was her ownë speciall;

Full euyll motë they the!

453

They toke togyder theyr counsell

Robyn Hode for to sle,

And how they myght best do that dede,

His banis for to be.

454

Than bespake good Robyn,

In place where as he stode,

‘To morow I muste to Kyrke[s]ly,

Craftely to be leten blode.’

455

Syr Roger of Donkestere,

By the pryoresse he lay,

And there they betrayed good Robyn Hode,

Through theyr falsë playe.

456

Cryst haue mercy on his soule,

That dyed on the rode!

For he was a good outlawe,

And dyde pore men moch god.

a.

Here begynneth a gest of Robyn Hode.

1–12. Printed without division of stanzas or verses.

2^2,3. Deficiency supplied from b.

4¹. gooe.

4². milsers.

4³. yuch.

6⁴. vnkoutg.

7¹. lacking in all.

8⁴. .iij. messis.

9³. The .iij.

9⁴. all ther.

13⁴. tillet.

15⁴. mynge.

18³. vnknuth.

32³. ynought.

33¹. felsauntes.

37¹. wened.

38³. Late for Litell, which all the others have.

39². of for haue.

39³. but .xx.: see 42⁴.

41¹. nowne.

41³. .xx. felinges.

46². in strocte.

46³. And.

47³. And.

47⁴. haue bene.

50^2,3. The verses are transposed.

50². God had.

54². Vutyll.

66³. to may.

68⁴. Bo .xxviij.

70⁴. To helpe: cf. 194⁴.

77³. betes.

78². clere.

79³. .xij.

82¹. ou.

82³. bernedtale.

83³. for he.

83⁴–118³. wanting; supplied from b.

119¹. a .M.

120⁴. Euen .cccc.

121². thon.

123⁴. Bi god ... on tree. The tops of d and of th, and a part of dy, remain.

124¹. Sir ... n of lawe.

124². Only the top of N remains.

124²–127³. wanting, being torn away; supplied from b.

128². Ha.

130³. .cccc. li.

131^1,3. an .C.

131³. aros we.

132¹. an ille.

132³. Worked all.

133^1,2. He purneyed hym an. Only a part of n in the last word remains. Well harness. 79Only a part of n and the tops of ess remaining.

133³–136³. wanting; supplied from b.

138². Bnd.

143¹. louge.

143². doue.

150⁴. tho thy.

160³. Thougt: an C.

160⁴. he be go.

161³. And therfore.

162². gyne.

163². he wol be.

164². read hyne?

165³. anowe.

168⁴. mountnauuce.

175³. wasars.

179². sende the. Perhaps sent the, as in 384² (b).

180¹. abowe.

181³. v myle.

182². Hnntynge.

183³. Rrynolde.

185³. vij. score.

187¹. shyrel.

199¹. this xij.

201³. thy best.

202³. scade.

206¹. Johū.

206⁴. pray.

208⁴–314¹. wanting; supplied from b.

315³. These xl.: with men.

321³. welle.

330¹. fayles.

331³. ryner.

333³. an C. li.

339³. myeles.

349³. to thy.

From 349⁴ wanting; supplied from b.

b. Title-page: Here begynneth a lytell geste of Robyn hode. At the head of the poem: Here begynneth a lytell geste of Robyn hode and his meyne, And of the proude Sheryfe of Notyngham.

2⁴. y-founde.

3³. Iohan: and always.

4¹. Scathelock.

4³. no.

5¹. be spake hym.

5³. yf ye.

6¹. hym wanting.

6². I haue.

6³. that wanting.

6⁴. vnketh.

7¹. wanting.

7³. knygot or some squyere.

8⁴. Thre.

9². The other.

9³. was of.

9⁴. all other moste.

11³. that wanting: gone.

11⁴. that wanting.

13¹. than wanting.

13⁴. tylleth.

14⁴. wolde.

15⁴. ye wanting.

16¹. beholde: Ihoan.

16². shall we.

17¹. Robyn.

17³. Scathelocke.

18³. vnketh.

20. vnto.

20². yemen.

21¹. to wanting.

21³. came there.

22¹. then was all his semblaunte.

23¹. hangynge ouer.

23⁴. somers.

24¹. full wanting.

24⁴. you.

26¹. is your.

26³. is a.

27². all thre.

28¹. went that.

29¹. vnto.

29². gan hym.

30². thou arte.

30³. abyde.

32². set tyll.

32³. right wanting.

33³. neuer so.

35⁴. that wanting.

36². whan I haue.

38³. Lytell Iohan: Robyn hode.

39¹. than wanting.

39². god haue.

39³, 41³. but .x. s.

40¹. thou haue.

40⁴. len.

41⁴. Not one.

42⁴. halfe a.

43². full lowe.

43³. tydynge.

43⁴. inough.

44⁴. clothynge: thynne.

45¹. one worde.

45³. thou were.

46². in stroke.

46⁴. hast thou.

47¹. of them.

47³. An .C. wynter.

47⁴. haue be.

49¹. within two or thre.

49³. hondreth.

50^2,3. The verses are transposed.

50². hath shapen.

51¹. than wanting.

53¹. of Lancastshyre.

53⁴. both.

54¹. beth.

56². What shall.

57⁴. may not.

58³. frendes.

59². knowe me.

60⁴. had wanting.

61². Scathelocke and Much also.

62¹. frendes.

62². borowes that wyll.

62⁴. on a.

63¹. waye: than wanting.

63³. I wyll.

64³. me wanting.

67⁴. loke that it well tolde.

68², 74¹, 77³, 83². Scathelocke.

68⁴. By eyghtene.

69¹. lytell Much.

69². greueth.

70⁴. To helpe.

71². many a.

72². it well mete it be.

73¹. And of.

73². lept ouer.

73³. deuylkyns.

73⁴. for wanting.

74³. hym the better.

74⁴. Bygod it cost him.

75¹. than wanting.

75². All vnto Robyn.

75³. an hors.

75⁴. al this.

76⁴. God leue.

78². clere.

80³. Without.

81¹. lene.

82¹. went on.

82². he thought.

83¹. bethought.

87¹. wanting.

88³. hondrde.

89². he is ryght.

98¹. wanting.

113². gan loke.

118⁴. grete ye.

119². were thou.

121⁴. Rewarde.

123⁴. By god that dyed on a tree.

124¹. Syr abbot, and ye men of lawe.

128². of my.

128³. not be.

130³. got foure hondreth.

131². dyght.

132³. I nocked.

133^1,2.

purueyed hym an hondreth men

Well harneysed in that stede.

135¹. Qy? But at Wentbrydge ther was.

136². bulle I vp pyght.

137². in good fay.

137³. that wanting.

138³. frend bestad.

138⁴. I-slayne.

139². where that.

140². hondred: fere for free.

145². shote.

146¹. shot.

146². sleste.

146⁴. gan.

147⁴. euer wanting: I me.

148⁴. wan.

149¹. sir wanting: bore.

150². Wolte.

151³. gete leue.

153². Ge gyue.

155¹. befell.

156³. to wanting.

156⁴. me to dyne.

157². so longe to be.

157³. sir wanting.

157⁴. gyue thou.

159³. the wanting.

160¹. a rap.

160². yede nygh on two.

160³. an .c. wynter.

160⁴. wors he sholde go.

161². went vp.

80161³. there: made a.

161⁴. and wyne.

163¹. second John wanting.

163². whyle he.

164³. an householde to.

165³. to God wanting.

165⁴. lyketh: me wanting.

166¹. and an.

167¹. ful wanting.

168². well wanting.

169⁴. I me.

170⁴. I-chaunged.

173⁴. same day.

174³. of full wanting.

175³. and spones.

175⁴. they none.

176¹. they toke.

176³. dyde hym.

176⁴. wode tre.

178¹. And also.

179². sende the: cf. 384².

181¹. hym there.

181². whyle.

181⁴. at his.

182². hounde.

182³. coud his.

184³. syght.

185¹. I se.

185³. an herde.

186¹. His tynde.

188³. afore.

188⁴. sir wanting.

189⁴. now be trayed.

191². well wanting.

191³. se his.

192¹. Make good.

192⁴. lyfe is graunted.

193². a gone.

193³. commaunded.

194¹. cote a pye.

194². well fyne.

194³. toke.

195³. They shall lay: sote.

196¹. laye that.

196⁴. sydes do smerte.

199¹. All these.

200¹. Or I here a nother nyght sayd.

200². I praye.

200³. to-morne.

201³. the best.

201⁴. That yet had the.

202³. Thou shalt neuer a wayte me scathe.

203². or by.

204¹. haue: I-swore.

205². that he was gone.

205³. had his.

206⁴. pay.

207⁴. trusty.

208³. Scathelock.

209³. after such.

210^3,4.

Or yf he be a pore man

Of my good he shall haue some.

214⁴. these wanting.

215². frese our: leese your? dress your?

216¹. .lii.: men wanting.

218². you for yon.

224¹. .lii.

231⁴. serued them.

240³. ryghtwysman.

240⁴. his name.

242¹. art nade.

243⁴. Also.

245¹. more sayd wanting.

247⁴. hondred wanting.

267¹. gayne.

272¹. I toke it I twyse: the second I is probably a misprint.

279¹. thy .cccc. li.

280². all of this.

283³. all ther best.

284¹. all theyre best.

292². they slist.

293². acchers.

299¹. beut.

305³. dede, second d inverted.

314⁴. walle.

315³. These twelue: with me.

316¹. were wanting.

316⁴. gan they.

317². vnto.

319³. enemye.

319⁴. Agayne the lawes.

320². dedes thou.

321². doth.

322³. yode.

323¹. tolde.

323⁴. That noble were.

324¹. He wolde: had.

324³. He wolde.

325¹. woll: sayd the.

326¹. nowe wanting: thou proud sheryf: sayde our kynge wanting.

326². the bydde.

329⁴. Therfore.

330¹. fayled.

330⁴. and by.

331¹. a wayted that.

331⁴. let his.

332³. hym home.

332⁴. honde and fote.

333². on a tre.

334¹. harde wanting: This the lady, the.

334². and fre.

335¹. to the.

335². tre tre.

336¹. God the good: saue wanting.

336³. lady loue.

337¹. Late thou neuer.

337². Shamly I slayne be.

337³. fast I-bounde.

338². lady fre.

338³. I take.

338⁴, 339¹. wanting.

339⁴. on your.

340². As a: be.

340³. yonge men.

340⁴. on a.

341². on a.

341³. wode be.

341¹. Nor.

342¹. i bent.

342³. spare.

343². The knyght.

343⁴. I-quyt than.

344⁴. gan.

346². so fast.

346⁴. At is.

347¹. full wanting.

347². at his.

349². thou thryue.

349³. to the.

351². his hoode.

356². vnder-stonde.

363². hane.

368³. walked; qy? walketh: by your.

371⁴. blyth.

377⁴. repeats verse 2: Other shyft haue not we, Copland and Ed. White’s copies.

381⁴. I vouch it halfe on the. f and g: I would geue it to thee.

385¹. brode tarpe. Copland and Ed. White’s copies: seale for tarpe.

400². A wys.

401⁴. the good whyte.

402⁴. sore.

409². shote.

409⁴. than they met. f, they gan: g, gan they mete.

412^1,2. Copland and Ed. White: sayd Robyn to our king, Vnder this.

417². Copland and Ed. White: I wyll come.

421³. had so I wys: so Copland and Ed. White.

423¹. Theyr bowes bente: cf. f, g.

433². .xii.

433³. he had in Copland and Ed. White.

436². ferre: fayre in c, Copland and Ed. White.

437³. was commytted. Copland and Ed. White: was commended for.

440¹. bernysdade.

441². Qy? No tymë slepe.

443¹. he so.

449³. our dere in e.

454². places.

81Explycit. kynge Edwarde and Robyn hode and Lytell Johan Enprented at London in fletestrete at the sygne of the sone By Wynken de Worde.

a bode, a gast, a gone, a nother, a vowe, be fore, be gan, be spake, for gone, i brought, launs gay, out lawes, to gyder, vnder take, etc., etc., are printed abode, etc., etc.; I wys, i-wys; & and.

It will be understood that not all probable cases of ë have been indicated.

c.

26⁴. myche.

28⁴. ere for lere.

29². hym gan, as in a.

29³. he wanting.

30³. a byde.

30⁴. oures.

32¹. wesshe.

32². sat tyll.

32³. ryght inough, as in a.

33³. non so lytell, as in a.

34². Garmercy.

34⁴. all this.

35⁴. that wanting, as in b.

36². it wanting.

37². Me thynke.

38³. Lytell Johan, as in b.

39¹. then sayd, as in a.

39². haue parte of the.

39³, 41³. .x. s..

40¹. haue, as in b.

40⁴. len, as in b.

41⁴. Not one, as in b.

42⁴. halfe a.

43². full lowe, as in b.

43³. tydynge, as in b.

44³. Myche, thyket.

45¹. one worde, as in b.

45³. were, as in b.

46¹. haste be.

46². stroke.

46³. And, as in a.

46⁴. hast led, as in a.

47¹. nene of tho.

47³. An .c. wynter.

47⁴. haue be.

48³. that syt.

49¹. this two yere, as in a.

49². well knowe.

50^2,3. order as in a, b.

50². hath shapen, as in b.

51¹. than wanting, as in b.

51². thou lose.

53¹. lancasesshyre.

53⁴. bothe, as in a, b.

54¹. bothe, as in a.

56². shall fall, as in b.

57¹. wher.

57⁴. noo better, as in a.

58¹. eyen has fallen into the next line (eyen way).

58³. frende, as in a.

58⁴. I ne haue noo nother.

59¹. the frendes.

d.

280². all of this, as in b.

281⁴. full styll.

282². [her] keneth.

283³. all thee beste.

284¹. all there beste.

286³. ye wanting.

287⁴, 288^1,2,3. cut off.

289^1,2. transposed.

290³. I bent.

291¹. can bende.

291⁴. as he.

292¹. shet.

292². they clyft.

293¹. Scathelocke.

293². good in fere.

295⁴. then wolde.

296². can they.

296³. the wanting.

297. cut off, except ylde forest in line 4.

302². on his.

302³. go ne.

303². louest.

305¹. all out.

305³. woundes depe.

306^1–3. cut off.

306⁴. now wanting: only the lower part of the words of this line remains.

307². vpon.

310³. Robyn hode lente.

312¹. myche thanket he of the.

312³. the grete.

314⁴. walle, as in b.

315. nearly all cut away.

317². herkeneth to.

319³. enmye, as in b.

319⁴. lawes, as in b.

320². [t]hou here, as in b.

323^3,4, 324^1,2. wanting.

324³. He wolde, as in b.

326¹. Goo home thou proude sheryf, as in b.

326². the bydde, as in b.

329⁴. Therfore, as in b.

331¹. wayted thys gentyll.

331⁴. his haukes.

332^3,4, 333^1,2. wanting.

334². and a, as in a.

334³. a wanting.

336³. ladye loue, as in b.

337³. bounde, as in b.

338². so wanting.

338³. I take.

338⁴, 339¹. wanting, as in a, b.

339⁴. has only [y]our way.

340². be wode.

340³. mery yonge men, as in b.

340⁴. on rode, as in a.

341². only [th]at dyed on preserved.

342. wanting.

343⁴. then shall, as in b.

344⁴. can they, as in a.

346². so faste, as in b.

346⁴. It is not, as in a.

347¹. full godd, as in a.

347². at wyll, as in a.

349². thryue, as in b.

349³. to the struste.

350². bothe sharp.

e.

436². Full fayre.

436⁴. is gone.

437³. cōmitted.

441². to slepe.

441³. Nor of all.

441⁴. Noutter ete nor.

442¹. longeth so sore to be in.

442^3,4, 443^1,2. wanting.

446⁴. donde.

447². can he.

447³. outlawes in.

449³. our dere.

f.

Title: A mery geste of Robyn Hoode and of hys lyfe, wyth a newe playe for to be played in Maye games, very plesaunte and full of pastyme. At the head of the poem: Here begynneth a lyttell geste of Robyn hoode and his mery men, and of the proude Shyryfe of Notyngham.

Insignificant variations of spelling are not noted.

1². freborne.

2⁴. yfounde.

3². lened vpon a.

3³. stode wanting.

4¹. Scathelocke: and always.

4². mylners.

824³. was no.

5³. if ye.

6¹. hym wanting.

6⁴. vnketh.

7¹. wanting.

7³. or some squyer.

9². The other.

9³. was of.

9⁴. of all other.

11³. that wanting: shall gone.

11⁴. that wanting.

13¹. than wanting.

13³. husbandeman.

13⁴. with the.

14⁴. That would.

15⁴. ye wanting.

16². shall we.

16³. farre.

18¹. Nowe walke ye vp vnto the Sayle.

18³. vnketh.

18⁴. By chaunce some may ye.

19¹. cearle misprinted for earle.

19³. hym then to.

20¹. went anone vnto.

21¹. loked in B.

21². deme (for derne) strate.

21³. there wanting.

22¹. drousli (droufli?) than: semblaunt.

23¹. hanged ouer: eyes.

23⁴. on sommers.

24¹. full wanting.

24⁴. are you.

25³. you wanting.

26¹. is your.

26³. is a.

26⁴. haue I harde.

27¹. graunt the: wynde.

27². brethren all three.

28¹. went that.

28³. eyes.

29¹. vnto.

29². gan hym.

29⁴. downe on.

30². thou art.

30³. you wanting.

32³. right wanting.

33³. fayleth neuer so.

33⁴. was spred.

35⁴. that wanting.

36¹. I thank the, knyght, then said.

36². when I haue.

36³. By god I was neuer so gredy.

37³. dere wanting.

38³. Lytell John: Robyn hoode.

39¹. than wanting.

40¹. thou haue.

40³. I shall lende.

41⁴. Not any penny.

42⁴. halfe a.

43². full lowe.

43⁴. inowe wanting.

45¹. me one.

45³. thou were.

46¹. Or yls els: haste by.

46². stroke.

46⁴. thou wanting.

47¹. of them.

47³, 49³, 55³, etc. hundreth.

48². hat be.

49¹. two or three yerers.

49². wanting.

50^2,3. transposed.

50². hath shopen.

50⁴. god it amende.

51¹. than wanting.

51². lost thy.

52³. wenters.

53¹. Lancastshyre.

56². What shall.

58¹. eyes.

58³. frendes.

58⁴. ne wanting.

59². knowe mee.

59³. Whyles.

59⁴. boste that.

60⁴. had wanting: neuer me.

61². Much also.

62¹. frendes.

62². borowes: wyll.

62³. than wanting.

62⁴. on a.

63¹. than wanting.

63³. I haue.

64¹. made me.

64³. me wanting.

65³. yf wanting.

67⁴. it well tolde.

68⁴. eyghten score.

69¹. lyttell Much.

69². greueth.

70⁴. To wrappe.

71². muche ryche.

72². that well mete it.

73¹. And of.

73². lept ouer.

73³. What the deuils.

73⁴. for wanting.

74¹. lought.

74³. hym the better.

74⁴. By god it cost.

75¹. than wanting.

75². All unto R.

75³. that knight an.

75⁴. al this.

76⁴. God lende that it.

78¹. shal.

78². clene.

78⁴. out wanting.

79⁴. Under the.

81³. may stande.

82². he thought.

83⁴. came.

84¹. spake the.

86³. xij monethes.

87¹. wanting.

87². his lande and fee.

87⁴, 95⁴. Disherited.

89². is his.

89⁴. sore.

91³. came.

92⁴. poundes.

93³. The highe.

94². taken.

96¹. not wanting.

96³. teme to.

98¹. wanting.

100³. corese.

101³. The shal.

102⁴. saluted.

103³. that the.

103⁴. me my.

104². hath made.

105⁴. To desyre you of.

106⁴. defend me from.

111¹. then wanting.

112². Sende.

112³. a assaye.

113¹. on then gan.

113². wanting.

115⁴. canst not.

118⁴. Ye get ye it.

119². were thou.

120³. of wanting.

121³. Haddest thou.

121⁴. I would haue rewarded thee.

122². royall chere.

122⁴. fast gan.

123⁴. on a.

124³. I shall.

128³. not be.

129². is wanting.

129⁴. came.

130³. got.

131². stringes were well dyght.

132³. And nocked y^e were with.

133³. sute.

134³. And rode.

135¹. But wanting: by a bridg was.

136². vp ypyght.

136⁴. burnisshed.

137². in good fay.

137³. that wanting.

138³. fayre and frend.

139². where y^e he.

140¹. the wanting.

140². him in fere.

141¹. sholdreth and: come for rome.

142². laye than.

142⁴. And drynke.

143⁴. the wanting.

145². shute.

146². alway cleft.

146⁴. gan.

147². a wanting.

147⁴. That euer I dyd see.

148¹. me thou.

148³. thou wast.

148⁴. wining.

149¹. sir wanting.

150². Wylt.

151³. gete leue.

152³. gaue to him anone.

153². He geue vs.

154¹. me wanting.

83154⁴. he had yete.

156³. to wanting.

156⁴. me meate.

157¹. to long.

157². Fasting so long to.

157³. sir wanting.

157⁴. geue thou.

158⁴. had lere.

160¹. rappe.

160². backe yede nygh into.

160³. lyueth an hundreth wynter.

160⁴. worse he should go.

161². went vp.

161³. And there: a wanting.

161⁴. of wanting.

162³. liue this.

162⁴. shall ye.

163¹. and also dronke.

163². that he.

164². hyne, perhaps rightly.

164³. an householde to.

164⁴. For wanting.

165³. to God wanting.

165⁴. do lyke wel me.

166¹. a hardy.

167¹. ful wanting.

167³. for wanting.

168². wel wanting.

169⁴. I me.

170⁴. Chaunged it should.

173⁴. same day at nyght.

174¹. The hyed.

175¹. the wanting.

175³. masers and.

175⁴. they non.

176¹. they toke.

176². and three.

176³. And hyed.

176⁴. wode tree.

177⁴. Welcome thou art to me.

178¹. And so is that good.

178². That thou hast brought wyth the.

179². And he hath send the.

179³. His cope.

180¹. advow.

181¹. there wanting.

181⁴. at his.

182³. coulde his.

184¹. haue nowe.

185¹. I se.

185³. of wanting: a.

186¹. tyndes be.

187³. Buske the.

188³. afore.

188⁴. sir wanting.

189³. worthe the.

189⁴. now betrayed.

191². well wanting.

192¹. good chere.

192⁴. lyfe is graunted.

193³. commaunded.

194¹. cote a pye.

194³. toke.

195¹. wight yemen.

195³. shall: in that sorte.

196¹. that proude.

196⁴. sydes do smarte.

197¹. chere wanting.

198⁴. dwel longe.

199¹. these.

200¹. Or I here another nyght lye.

201³. the best.

202³. Thou shalt neuer wayte me skathe.

202⁴. nor by.

203². by day.

204¹. swore.

204². he wanting.

204⁴. was any man.

205². that he was gone.

206². Hode wanting.

206⁴. pay.

209¹. walke wanting: into the.

209³. And loke for some straunge.

209⁴. By chaunce you.

210². a wanting.

210^3,4. as in b.

211¹. sterte.

211². fraye.

212¹. went than vnto.

213¹. as he.

214². can.

214⁴. these monkes.

215². And bende we.

215³. harte.

216¹. but lii men.

218². Make you yonder preste.

220¹. An euell.

220². vnder the.

221¹. What hyght your.

222². shall sore rewe.

223¹. a bowe.

223². Redy.

223⁴. gan.

224¹. twoo and fifty wyght yemen.

224². abode but.

226². whan he did se.

229¹. an.

231¹. The made.

231⁴. serued them.

234². mote I thryue or the.

236². Ye nede not so to saye.

236³. hath brought it.

237¹. And wanting.

238¹. broughte.

238³. the eft agayne.

238⁴. of me.

240³. right wise.

241². mayest.

242¹. made wanting.

242³. I do the thanke.

243⁴. So mote I thryue or the.

244². not out one.

244³. hast nede.

244⁴. shall I: to wanting.

245¹. fyne more sayd.

245⁴. Thereof I wyll haue.

247¹. John layd.

247³. he wanting.

247⁴. hundreth poundes.

248⁴. cost.

249². that tolde.

249³. the trust.

252¹. And she haue nede of ony.

256¹. And what is on the other courser.

256². sothe we must.

256³. than wanting.

259⁴. second in wanting.

263¹. light fro his.

263². can.

263³. Right curteysly.

265¹. good Robin.

266⁴. They would.

267¹. agayne.

267³. than sayd.

267⁴. that wanting.

268¹. no grefe: printed in two lines.

268³. dyd helpe.

269¹. Now, by my treuthe than sayd.

269². For that, knight, thanke.

270¹. poundes.

270³. there.

270^3,4. printed in one line.

271¹. than wanting.

271³. her high.

272¹. And I should take: twyse.

272⁴. thou art.

273¹. And whan.

273². laughed and made.

274⁴. Under this trusty.

275². fethered.

275³. gentyl knyght.

276². My wyll done that it be.

277³. bye the a hors.

277⁴. the for thy (as me, be for my, by).

279². I dyd lende.

280². of all his.

280³. sytteth.

283³. they that shote al of the best.

84283⁴. The best.

284¹. al of the best.

284³. of goodly.

285³. fethers.

286². his trusty.

286³, 288³. wyght yemen.

287¹. mery yemen.

287³. I shall knowe.

288². Their arowes fethere free.

289³. archers.

289⁴. shote.

291¹. can.

292². he clefte.

292⁴. the lylly white.

294¹. Whan that.

294³. than was.

294⁴. good Robin.

295¹. To him.

295³. gyft full.

295⁴. than would.

296². gan the.

297². Thus chering.

297³. Another promyse thou made to me.

297⁴. Within the wylde.

298¹. And I had y^e in the gr[e]ne forest.

298². trusty tree.

298³. me leue.

300⁴. away belyue.

301⁴. Amonge the.

302¹. John he was hort.

302². in the.

303². loues.

304⁴. nowe to.

305². smite thou of.

305³. woundes so wyde and longe.

305⁴. That I after eate no breade.

306¹. that wanting.

306². slayne.

306⁴. Though I had it all by me.

307¹. forbyd that: Much then.

307⁴. Depart.

308⁴. another a whyle.

312¹. I do the thankes for thy comfort.

312^2,3. And for.

313¹. all the.

314¹. Shutte.

314⁴. wall.

315¹. the hote.

315³. Thou shalt these xij dayes abide.

316². Redye.

316⁴. gan.

317². vnto the.

317³. Howe the proude shirife began.

319¹. can.

319³. kepest there.

319⁴. lawes.

320⁴. am true.

321². do ye no more vnto.

322³. he went.

323⁴. That noble were and.

324¹. He wolde: had.

324³. He wold.

325¹. the kynge.

326¹. Go home, thou proude sheryfe.

326². the bydde.

329⁴. Therfore.

330¹. Ther he.

330³. that gentyl.

330⁴. and by.

331¹. awayted that.

331⁴. his hauke.

332¹. misprinted To be.

332³. him home to.

332⁴. Ybounde.

333². on a tree.

333⁴. robin hode had he.

334¹. Then the lady the.

334². a wanting.

335¹. to the.

335³. There she found.

336¹. Robyn Hode.

336³. ladyes loue.

337¹. Let thou.

337². to be.

337³. bound.

338². so wanting.

338³. ytake.

338⁴. The proude shirife than sayd she.

339. Only this: He is not yet passed thre myles, You may them ouertake.

340². a man: ben.

340³. mery yemen.

340⁴. on a tree.

341². on a tree.

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

342¹. ybent.

343². The knight would.

343³. And yf ye he may him take.

343⁴. Yquyte than shall he bee.

344⁴. gan the.

346². so fast.

346⁴. That is.

347¹. full wanting.

347². at his.

349². may thou thryue.

349³. to the.

349⁴. thou wast.

351¹. start.

351². cut into.

354⁴. and wanting.

355¹. them for men.

356². vnderstode.

357¹. the compasse.

357². He wend.

358². a one.

358³. fynde any.

359⁴. eyes.

360³. He should.

361². it with.

364³. to no.

366². By halte.

366⁴. And vsed.

368². That we be.

368⁴. walked: by your.

369². on the.

369⁴. I saye.

370⁴. eyes.

371¹. hastely.

371³. They were all in.

371⁴. thyther blythe.

375². Standinge by.

376¹. toke wanting.

376⁴. you.

377⁴. Other shyft haue not we.

378². And good.

380³. full wanting.

381³. a.

381⁴. I would geve it to the.

382². And deuyde it than did he.

382³. Half he gaue to.

384². He hath sent.

384³. to wanting.

384⁴. and to.

385¹. brode seale.

385². lete me.

387⁴. trusty tre.

388¹. he had.

388⁴. fast was.

389². he can it.

389³. wyght yemen.

389⁴. Came runnyng.

391². pene.

392¹. hastely: dyght.

392². can.

394⁴. Blessed may.

395². that thou.

395³. maiest.

395⁴. together by lente.

396⁴. ben.

397¹. werd.

397². can the.

397³. fifty space.

398². The.

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

400³. And those: fell to.

401⁴. the lilly white hande.

404². And than he.

405⁴. syr wanting.

406¹. the kyng.

407². largely.

407⁴. folded.

408¹. geue.

408⁴. a tall.

409². can wel.

409⁴. Togeder they gan.

410¹. Stedfastly in.

411². they sawe.

411⁴. wele.

412¹. than sayd Robin.

412². this trusty.

412⁴. for me.

413¹. And yet sayd good Robin.

413². As good god do me.

413³. aske the.

413⁴. I it.

414¹. than wanting.

414². Thy peticion I graunt the.

414³. So y^t thou wylt leue.

415¹. syr wanting.

415². There to.

85417¹. But and I lyke not.

417². I wyll.

417⁴. I was.

418². now sell.

419³. To sel to me.

420¹. for good.

420³. And other.

421¹. his cote.

421³. had so ywys.

421⁴. They clothed them full soone.

422³. shal we.

422⁴. All this our kyng can.

423¹. The bent their bowes.

424². and as.

424³. And all they shot.

425⁴. kyng whan he did paye.

426¹. the kyng.

428¹. to the other can.

429¹. hastely.

430². them to come.

430³. sawe.

431⁴. of the.

432³. Robin hode.

433¹. Robin hode: dwelleth.

433³. That he had.

434². lay.

434³. and squyers.

435¹. all gone.

436⁴. wend.

437³. commended for.

438². Alas what shall I do.

439⁴. my.

440⁴. And there would I faene be.

441¹. might no time this seuen nightes.

441³. Neyther all this.

441⁴. eate nor.

442³. wolward haue I.

443³. nyghtes.

446³. I haue a lyttell lust.

447². can.

448³. wyght yemen.

448⁴. Came runnyng.

449⁴. Under the.

450¹. dwelleth.

450². yeres.

450³. Than for all.

452². Donkester.

452³. wanting.

452⁴. For euyll mot thou the.

Thus endeth the lyfe of Robyn hode.

g.

Title and heading as in f.

1². free borne.

1⁴. yfound.

2². Whilst: on the.

3². leaned vpon a.

3³. stode wanting.

4¹. Scathlock, and always.

4². milners.

4³. was no.

5¹. bespake him.

5³. if you.

6¹. hym wanting: Robin hood.

6². I haue.

6³. that wanting.

6⁴. vnketh.

7¹. wanting.

7³. or some squire.

9². The other.

9³. was of.

9⁴. of all other.

10¹. he loued.

11³. what way we: gone.

11⁴. that wanting.

13¹. than wanting.

13³. you: husbandman.

13⁴. with the.

14¹. you.

14⁴. That would.

15¹. These wanting.

15⁴. ye wanting.

16¹. be wanting.

16². shall we.

17². goe with.

18¹. Now walke ye vp vnto the shore.

18⁴. By chance some may ye meet.

19³. him then.

20¹. went anon vnto.

21¹. looked in.

21². a deme.

21³. came there.

22¹. All drouflye, perhaps (wrongly) drouslye: semblant.

22³. on the.

22⁴. The other.

23¹. ouer his eyes.

23⁴. on summers.

24¹. full wanting.

24⁴. you.

25³. you wanting.

26¹. is your.

26³. is a.

26⁴. haue I.