There is only an arbitrary division between Fyttes VII. and VIII.; and one or two other points will be discussed in introducing the next and last fytte.

THE SEVENTH FYTTE

354. The kynge came to Notynghame, With knyghtes in grete araye, For to take that gentyll knyght And Robyn Hode, and yf he may.

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

356. Whan they had tolde hym the case Our kynge understode ther tale, And seased in his honde The knyghtes londes 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 Herdes many one, He coud unneth fynde one dere, That bare ony good home.

359. The kynge was wonder wroth withall, And swore by the Trynyte, 'I wolde I had Robyn Hode, With eyen I myght hym se.

360. 'And he that wolde smyte of the knyghtes hede, And brynge it to me, He shall have the knyghtes londes, Syr Rycharde at the Le.

361. 'I gyve it hym with my charter, And sele it with my honde, To have and holde for ever more, In all mery Englonde.'

362. Than bespake a fayre olde knyght, That was treue in his fay: 'A, my leege lorde the kynge, One worde I shall you say.

363. 'There is no man in this countre May have the knyghtes 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: Give 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 countre that he were.

366. But alway went good Robyn By halke and eke by hyll, And alway slewe the kynges dere, And welt them at his wyll.

367. Than bespake a proude fostere, That stode by our kynges kne: 'Yf ye wyll see good Robyn, Ye must do after me.

368. 'Take fyve of the best knyghtes That be in your lede, And walke downe by yon abbay, And gete you monkes wede.

369. 'And I wyll be your ledes-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 lyve yf that he be; Or ye come to Notyngham, With eyen ye shall hym se.'

371. Full hastely our kynge was dyght, were his knyghtes fyve, Everych of them in monkes wede, And hasted them thyder blyve.

372. Our kynge was grete above his cole, A brode hat on his crowne, Ryght as he were abbot-lyke, They rode up into the towne.

373. Styf botes our kynge had on, Forsoth as I you say; He rode syngynge to grene wode; The covent was clothed in graye.

374. His male-hors and his grete somers Folowed our kynge behynde, Tyll they came to grene wode, A myle under 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 kynges hors, Hastely in that stede, And sayd, 'Syr abbot, by your leve, A whyle ye must abyde.

377. 'We be yemen of this foreste, Under the grene-wode tre; We lyve by our kynges dere, Other shyft have not we.

378. 'And ye have chyrches and rentes both, And gold full grete plente; Gyve us some of your spendynge, For saynt charyte.'

379. Than bespake our cumly kynge, Anone than sayd he; 'I brought no more to grene-wode But forty pounde with me.

380. 'I have layne at Notyngham, This fourtynyght with our kynge, And spent I have full moche good On many a grete lordynge.

381. 'And I have but forty pounde, No more than have I me: But if I had an hondred pounde, I wolde vouch it safe on thee.'

382. Robyn toke the forty pounde, And departed it in two partye; Halfendell he gave his mery men, And bad them mery to be.

383. Full curteysly Robyn gan say; 'Syr, have this for your spendyng; We shall mete another day'; 'Gramercy,' than sayd our kynge.

384. 'But well thee greteth Edwarde our kynge, And sent to thee his seale, And byddeth thee com to Notyngham, Both to mete and mele.'

385. He toke out the brode targe, And sone he lete hym se; Robyn coud his courteysy, And set hym on his kne.

386. 'I love no man in all the worlde So well as I do my kynge; Welcome is my lordes seale; And, monke, for thy tydynge,

387. 'Syr abbot, for thy tydynges, To day thou shalt dyne with me, For the love 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 home, And loude he gan blowe; Seven score of wyght yonge men Came redy on a rowe.

390. All they kneled on theyr kne, Full fayre before Robyn: The kynge sayd hymselfe untyll, And swore by Saynt Austyn,

391. 'Here is a wonder semely sight; Me thynketh, by Goddes pyne, His men are more at his byddynge Then my men be at myn.'

392. Full hastely was theyr dyner i-dyght, And therto gan they gone; They served our kynge with all theyr myght, Both Robyn and Lytell Johan.

393. Anone before our kynge was set The fatte venyson, The good whyte brede, the good rede wyne, And therto the fyne ale and browne.

394. 'Make good chere,' said Robyn, 'Abbot, for charyte; And for this ylke 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 sterte all in hast, Theyr bowes were smartly bent; Our kynge was never so sore agast, He wende to have be shente.

397. Two yerdes there were up set, Thereto gan they gange; By fyfty pase, our kynge sayd, The merkes were to longe.

398. On every syde a rose-garlonde, They shot under 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 never 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 ever he cleved the wande, And so dyde good Gylberte With the Whyte 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 frendes 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 delyver thee myn arowe, I pray thee, syr, serve thou me.'

406. 'It falleth not for myn ordre,' sayd our kynge, 'Robyn, by thy leve, For to smyte no good yeman, For doute I sholde hym greve.'

407. 'Smyte on boldely,' sayd Robyn, 'I give thee large leve': Anone our kynge, with that worde, He folde up his sleve,

408. And sych a buffet he gave 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, 'Under your trystyll-tre, Of thy goodnesse and thy grace, For my men and me!'

413. 'Yes, for God,' sayd Robyn, 'And also God me save, I aske mercy, my lorde the kynge, And for my men I crave.'

414. 'Yes, for God,' than sayd our kynge, 'And therto sent I me, With that thou leve the grene-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 servyse for to se, And brynge with me of my men Seven score and thre.

417. 'But me lyke well your servyse, I wyll come agayne full soone, And shote at the donne dere, As I am wonte to done.'

[Annotations: 354.4: 'and yf' = if. 357.3: Plumpton Park is said by Camden in his Britannia to be in Cumberland, east of Inglewood. 358.3: 'unneth,' scarcely. 364.2: 'The ball in the hood' is a very early colloquialism for the head. 366.2: 'halke,' hiding-place. 366.4: 'welt,' disposed of. 367.1: 'fostere,' forester. 371.1: 'dyght,' dressed. 372.1: 'cote' = cowl; here, however, not the hood, but the frock of a monk. 373.4: 'covent' = convent (as in 'Covent Garden'), company of monks. 374.1: 'male-hors,' pack-horse; 'somers,' sumpter-horses. 374.4: 'lynde,' trees. 382.3: 'Halfendell' = halfen deal (which survives in Somerset dialect), the half portion: deal, as in 'a great deal' = dole, or that which is dealt. 385.1: 'brode targe,' broad charter. Cf. a 'braid letter.' 388.4: 'dyghtande' (intended for a past participle), made ready. 389.4: 'on a row': cf. 306.4. 391.2: 'pyne,' passion. 394.3: 'ylke,' same. 395.2: 'Or' = ere. 395.4: 'lende,' dwell. 397.4: 'merkes,' distances between the 'yerdes' or rods. 398.4: i.e. his arrow he shall lose. 408.2: 'yede,' went. 410.2: 'Wystly,' observantly, closely. 414.2: 'sent' = assent. 414.3: 'With that,' provided that, on condition that. 417.1: 'But,' unless. 417.3: 'donne,' dun.]

THE EIGHTH FYTTE (418-456)

Argument.—For a jest, the king disguises himself and his men once more, this time in Lincoln green, which he purchases off Robin Hood. The whole party proceeds to Nottingham, where the appearance of so many green mantles causes a general flight of the inhabitants. The king, however, reveals himself, and after a feast, pardons the knight.

Robin dwells in the king's court for fifteen months, at the end of which time he has spent much money, and has lost all his men except Little John and Scathlock. He therefore begs the king's leave to go on a pilgrimage to a shrine of St. Mary Magdalen in Barnsdale, and the king consents, but allows him only seven nights' absence. Robin comes to the greenwood, and shoots a great hart; and on blowing his horn, seven score yeomen come and welcome him back, and he dwells two-and-twenty years in the greenwood. In the end he was betrayed by his kinswoman, the Prioress of Kirkesly Abbey, and her lover, Sir Roger of Doncaster.

It has been suggested (by Professor Brandl) that the episode of the king's disguise in green is an intentional variation of the episode in the Third Fytte, where the Sheriff of Nottingham is forced to wrap himself in a green mantle. In any case it is probable that most of this Eighth Fytte is the work of the compiler of the Gest; possibly even the delightful verses (stt. 445-6) in which the joy of greenwood life overcomes Robin.

One could wish the Gest ended with st. 450; but it is clear that the compiler knew of a ballad which narrated the death of Robin Hood, no doubt an earlier version of the Robin Hood's Death of the Percy Folio, a ballad unfortunately incomplete (see p. 140).

Every famous outlaw of English tradition visits the king's court sooner or later, and makes peace with the king; but Robin's independence was too dear to him—and to the ballad-singers whose ideal he was—to allow him to go to the king voluntarily. Therefore the king must come to Robin; and here the compiler, perhaps, saw his opportunity to introduce the king-in-disguise theme, and so evolved the two last fyttes of the Gest.

THE EIGHTH FYTTE

418. 'Haste thou ony grene cloth,' sayd our kynge, 'That thou wylte sell nowe to me?' 'Ye, for God,' sayd Robyn, 'Thyrty yerdes and three.'

419. 'Robyn,' sayd our kynge, 'Now pray I thee, Sell me some of that cloth To me and my meyne.'

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 cole then, A grene garment he dyde on, And every knyght also, i-wys, Another had full sone.

422. When 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 helpe,' sayd our kynge, 'Thy game is nought to lere; I sholde not get a shote of thee, Though I shote all this yere.'

427. All the people of Notyngham They stode and behelde; They sawe nothynge but mantels of grene That covered all the felde.

428. Than every man to other gan say, 'I drede our kynge be slone; Come Robyn Hode to the towne, i-wys On lyve he lefte never one.'

429. Full hastely they began to fle, Both yemen and knaves, And olde wyves that myght evyll goo, They hypped on theyr staves.

430. The kynge loughe full fast, And commaunded theym agayne; When they se our comly kynge, I-wys they were full fayne.

431. They ete and dranke, and made them glad, And sange with notes hye; Than bespake our comly kynge To Syr Richarde at the Lee.

432. He gave 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 kynges courte But twelve monethes and thre, That he had spent an hondred pounde, And all his mennes fe.

434. In every place where Robyn came Ever more he layde downe, Both for knyghtes 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 upon 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 never in this seven nyght No tyme to slepe ne wynke, Nother all these seven dayes Nother ete ne drynke.

442. 'Me longeth sore to Bernysdale, I may not be therfro; Barefote and wolwarde I have hyght Thyder for to go.'

443. 'Yf it be so,' than sayd our kynge, 'It may no better be; Seven nyght I gyve thee leve, No lengre, to dwell fro me.'

444. 'Gramercy, lorde,' then sayd Robyn, And set hym on his kne; He toke his leve full courteysly, To grene wode then went he.

445. When he came to grene wode, In a mery mornynge, There he herde the notes small Of byrdes mery syngynge.

446. 'It is ferre gone,' sayd Robyn, 'That I was last here; Me lyste a lytell for to shote At the donne 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. Seven 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 dere mayster, Under this grene-wode tre.'

450. Robyn dwelled in grene 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 Kyrkesly, That nye was of hys kynne:

452. For the love of a knyght, Syr Roger of Donkesly, That was her owne speciall; Full evyll mote they the!

453. They toke togyder theyr counsell Robyn Hood 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, 'Tomorow I muste to Kyrkesly, Craftely to be leten blode.'

455. Syr Roger of Donkestere By the pryoresse he lay, And there they betrayed good Robyn Hode, Through theyr false playe.

456. Cryst have mercy on his soul, That dyed on the rode! For he was a good outlawe, And dyde pore men moch gode.

[Annotations: 421.1: 'kest of' = cast off: 'cole,' frock (cp. 372.1). 423.1: 'bente,' took. 423.2: 'in fere,' in company. 424.3: 'plucke-buffet,' the game of giving one another alternate buffets, as described in stt. 403-9. In the Romance of Richard Coeur de Lion, Richard even kills his opponent at this 'game.' 'Shote plucke-buffet' implies that the buffeting was punishment for missing the mark at shooting. 428.2: 'slone,' slain. 429.4: 'hypped,' hopped. 433.4: 'fe,' pay. 434.2: 'layde downe,' spent, laid out. 438.4: 'sloo,' slay. 442.3: 'wolwarde,' with wool against skin, i.e. with a sheepskin turned inwards: 'hyght,' promised, vowed. 446.3: 'Me lyste,' I should like. 446.4: 'donne,' dun (cf. 417.3). 448.2: 'throwe,' space of time. 448.4: See 306.4, etc. 452.3: 'speciall,' lover. 452.4: Cp. 234.2, 349.2. 453.4: 'banis,' murderers.]



ROBIN AND GANDELEYN

The Text is modernised from the only known version, in Sloane MS. 2593, in the British Museum (c. 1450); the minstrel's song-book which contains the famous carols: 'I sing of a maiden,' and 'Adam lay i-bounden.' This ballad was first printed by Ritson in his Ancient Songs (1790); but he misunderstood the phrase 'Robyn lyth' in the burden for the name 'Robin Lyth,' and ingeniously found a cave on Flamborough Head called Robin Lyth's Hole.

The Story is similar to those told of Robin Hood and Little John; but there is no ground for identifying this Robin with Robin Hood. Wright, in printing the Sloane MS., notes that 'Gandeleyn' resembles Gamelyn, whose 'tale' belongs to the pseudo-Chaucerian literature. But we can only take this ballad to be, like so many others, an unrelated 'relique.'

ROBIN AND GANDELEYN

1. I heard a carping of a clerk All at yon woodes end, Of good Robin and Gandeleyn, Was there none other thing.

Robin lieth in greenwood bounden.

2. Strong thieves wern tho children none, But bowmen good and hend; They wenten to wood to getten them flesh If God would it them send.

3. All day wenten tho children two, And flesh founden they none, Till it were again even, The children would gone home.

4. Half a hundred of fat fallow deer They comen ayon, And all they wern fair and fat enow, But marked was there none. 'By dear God,' said good Robin, 'Hereof we shall have one.'

5. Robin bent his jolly bow, Therein he set a flo; The fattest deer of all. The heart he cleft a-two.

6. He had not the deer i-flaw Ne half out of the hide, There came a shrewd arrow out of the west That felled Robert's pride.

7. Gandeleyn looked him east and west, By every side: 'Who hath my master slain? Who hath done this deed? Shall I never out of greenwood go Till I see his sides bleed.'

8. Gandeleyn looked him east and west, And sought under the sun; He saw a little boy. They clepen Wrennok of Donne.

9. A good bow in his hand, A broad arrow therein, And four and twenty good arrows Trussed in a thrum. 'Beware thee, ware thee, Gandeleyn, Hereof thou shalt have some.

10. 'Beware thee, ware thee, Gandeleyn, Hereof thou gettest plenty.' 'Ever one for another,' said Gandeleyn; 'Misaunter have they shall flee.

11. 'Whereat shall our mark be?' Saide Gandeleyn. 'Everich at otheres heart,' Said Wrennok again.

12. 'Who shall give the first shot?' Saide Gandeleyn. 'And I shall give thee one before,' Said Wrennok again.

13. Wrennok shot a full good shot, And he shot not too high; Through the sanchothes of his breek, It touched neither thigh.

14. 'Now hast thou given me one before'; All thus to Wrennok said he; 'And through the might of our Lady A better I shall give thee.'

15. Gandeleyn bent his good bow, And set therein a flo; He shot through his green kirtle, His heart he cleft on two.

16. 'Now shalt thou never yelp, Wrennok, At ale ne at wine, That thou hast slaw good Robin And his knave Gandeleyn.

17. 'Now shalt thou never yelp, Wrennok, At wine ne at ale, That thou hast slaw good Robin And Gandeleyn his knave.'

[Annotations: 1.1: 'carping' = talking, tale. 1.5: This line is the burden: it is repeated at the end in the MS. 2.1: 'wern' = were (plural termination as in 'wenten,' etc.); 'children,' young fellows, as in 'Child Roland,' etc. 5.2: 'flo,' arrow. 6.1: 'i-flaw' = flayed. Cp. 'slaw,' 16.3. 8.1: MS. reads 'and lokyd west.' 8.4: 'clepen,' name, call. 9.4: i.e., laced in a thrum, or warp. 10.4: 'Misaunter [= misadventure] have' was used in imprecations: cf. in the Merlin romance, 'Mysauenture haue that it kepeth eny counseile.' 11.3: 'Each at the other's heart.' 13.3: 'sanchothes': unexplained; but it obviously means that the arrow struck between his legs. 16.1: 'yelp,' boast. 16.3: 'slaw,' slain.]



ROBIN HOOD AND THE MONK

The Text is modernised from a MS. in the University Library, Cambridge (MS. Ff. v. 48), which belongs to the middle of the fifteenth century. We have also a single leaf of another MS. version, of about the same date, preserved amongst the Bagford Ballads in the British Museum, but this contains a bare half-dozen stanzas.

The Story might be called a counterpart to Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne, inasmuch as it has Little John for its hero, and relates how he set his master free, although Robin had lost his temper with him in the morning. A most unfortunate hiatus after 30.2 prevents us from learning how Robin's fate was reported to his men; but as it stands it is a perfect ballad, straightforward, lively, and picturesque. The first five stanzas, which make a delightful little lyric in themselves, breathe the whole spirit of the greenwood.

ROBIN HOOD AND THE MONK

1. In summer, when the shaws be sheen And leaves be large and long, It is full merry in fair forest To hear the fowles song,

2. To see the deer draw to the dale, And leave the hilles hee, And shadow them in the leaves green, Under the greenwood tree.

3. It befel on Whitsuntide, Early in a May morning, The sun up fair can shine, And the briddes merry can sing.

4. 'This is a merry morning,' said Little John, 'By him that died on tree; A more merry man than I am one Lives not in Christiante.

5. 'Pluck up thy heart, my dear master,' Little John can say, 'And think it is a full fair time In a morning of May.'

6. 'Yea, one thing grieves me,' said Robin, 'And does my heart much woe; That I may not no solemn day To mass nor matins go.

7. 'It is a fortnight and more,' said he, 'Syn I my Saviour see; To-day will I to Nottingham, With the might of mild Marie.'

8. Then spake Much the milner son, Ever more well him betide! 'Take twelve of thy wight yeomen, Well weapon'd by thy side. Such one would thyselfe slon, That twelve dare not abide.'

9. 'Of all my merry men,' said Robin, 'By my faith I will none have, But Little John shall bear my bow, Till that me list to draw.'

10. 'Thou shall bear thine own,' said Little John, 'Master, and I will bear mine, And we will shoot a penny,' said Little John, 'Under the greenwood lyne.'

11. 'I will not shoot a penny,' said Robin Hood, 'In faith, Little John, with thee, But ever for one as thou shootes,' said Robin, 'In faith I hold thee three.'

12. Thus shot they forth, these yeomen two, Both at bush and broom, Till Little John won of his master Five shillings to hose and shoon.

13. A ferly strife fell them between, As they went by the way, Little John said he had won five shillings And Robin Hood said shortly nay.

14. With that Robin Hood lied Little John, And smote him with his hand; Little John waxed wroth therewith, And pulled out his bright brand.

15. 'Were thou not my master,' said Little John, 'Thou shouldest by it full sore; Get thee a man where thou wilt, For thou gettest me no more.'

16. Then Robin goes to Nottingham, Himself mourning alone, And Little John to merry Sherwood, The paths he knew ilkone.

17. When Robin came to Nottingham, Certainly withouten layn, He prayed to God and mild Mary To bring him out safe again.

18. He goes into Saint Mary church, And kneeled down before the rood; All that ever were the church within, Beheld well Robin Hood.

19. Beside him stood a great-headed monk, I pray to God woe he be! Full soon he knew good Robin, As soon as he him see.

20. Out at the door he ran, Full soon and anon; All the gates of Nottingham, He made to be sparred everychone.

21. 'Rise up,' he said, 'thou proud sheriff, Busk thee, and make thee bown; I have spied the kinges felon, For sooth he is in this town.

22. 'I have spied the false felon, As he standes at his mass; It is long of thee,' said the monk, 'And ever he fro us pass.

23. 'This traitor name is Robin Hood, Under the greenwood lynd; He robbed me once of a hundred pound, It shall never out of my mind.'

24. Up then rose this proud sheriff, And radly made him yare; Many was the mother son, To the kirk with him can fare.

25. In at the doors they throly thrast, With staves full good wone; 'Alas, alas!' said Robin Hood, 'Now miss I Little John.'

26. But Robin took out a two-hand sword That hanged down by his knee; Thereas the sheriff and his men stood thickest, Thitherward would he.

27. Thrice throughout them he ran then For sooth as I you say, And wounded many a mother son, And twelve he slew that day.

28. His sword upon the sheriff head Certainly he brake in two; 'The smith that thee made,' said Robin, 'I pray God work him woe.'

29. 'For now am I weaponless,' said Robin, 'Alas! against my will; But if I may flee these traitors fro, I wot they will me kill.'

30. Robin into the churche ran, Throughout them everilkone, ... ... ... ... ... ...

31. Some fell in swooning as they were dead, And lay still as any stone; None of them were in their mind But only Little John.

32. 'Let be your rule,' said Little John, 'For his love that died on tree; Ye that should be doughty men; It is great shame to see.

33. 'Our master has been hard bestood, And yet scaped away; Pluck up your hearts and leave this moan, And hearken what I shall say.

34. 'He has served Our Lady many a day, And yet will, securly; Therefore I trust her specially No wicked death shall he die.

35. 'Therefore be glad,' said Little John, 'And let this mourning be; And I shall be the monkes guide, With the might of mild Marie.'

36. ... ... ... 'We will go but we two; And I meet him,' said Little John, ... ... ...

37. 'Look that ye keep well our tristel-tree, Under the leaves smale, And spare none of this venison That goes in this vale.'

38. Forth then went these yeomen two, Little John and Much on fere, And looked on Much emes house, The highway lay full near.

39. Little John stood at a window in the morning, And looked forth at a stage; He was ware where the monk came riding, And with him a little page.

40. 'By my faith,' said Little John to Much, 'I can thee tell tidinges good; I see where the monke comes riding, I know him by his wide hood.'

41. They went into the way, these yeomen both, As curteis men and hend; They spyrred tidinges at the monk, As they had been his friende.

42. 'Fro whence come ye?' said Little John, 'Tell us tidinges, I you pray, Of a false outlaw, called Robin Hood, Was taken yesterday.

43. 'He robbed me and my fellows both Of twenty mark in certain; If that false outlaw be taken; For sooth we would be fain.'

44. 'So did he me,' said the monk, 'Of a hundred pound and more; I laid first hand him upon, Ye may thank me therefore.'

45. 'I pray God thank you,' said Little John, 'And we will when we may; We will go with you, with your leave, And bring you on your way.

46. 'For Robin Hood has many a wild fellow, I tell you in certain; If they wist you rode this way, In faith ye should be slain.'

47. As they went talking by the way, The monk and Little John, John took the monkes horse by the head, Full soon and anon.

48. John took the monkes horse by the head, Forsooth as I you say; So did Much the little page, For he should not scape away.

49. By the gullet of the hood John pulled the monke down; John was nothing of him agast, He let him fall on his crown.

50. Little John was sore aggrieved, And drew out his sword on high; This monke saw he should be dead, Loud mercy can he cry.

51. 'He was my master,' said Little John, 'That thou hast brought in bale; Shall thou never come at our king, For to tell him tale.'

52. John smote off the monkes head, No longer would he dwell; So did Much the little page, For fear lest he would tell.

53. There they buried them both, In neither moss nor ling, And Little John and Much in fere Bare the letters to our king.

54. ... ... ... He kneeled down upon his knee: 'God you save, my liege lord, Jesus you save and see!

55. 'God you save, my liege king!' To speak John was full bold; He gave him the letters in his hand, The king did it unfold.

56. The king read the letters anon, And said, 'So mote I the, There was never yeoman in merry England I longed so sore to see.

57. 'Where is the monk that these should have brought?' Our king can say: 'By my troth,' said Little John, 'He died after the way.'

58. The king gave Much and Little John Twenty pound in certain, And made them yeomen of the crown, And bade them go again.

59. He gave John the seal in hand, The sheriff for to bear, To bring Robin him to, And no man do him dere.

60. John took his leave at our king, The sooth as I you say; The next way to Nottingham To take, he yede the way.

61. When John came to Nottingham The gates were sparred each one; John called up the porter, He answered soon anon.

62. 'What is the cause,' said Little John, 'Thou sparres the gates so fast?' 'Because of Robin Hood,' said the porter, 'In deep prison is cast.

63. 'John and Much and Will Scathlock, For sooth as I you say, They slew our men upon our walles, And sauten us every day.'

64. Little John spyrred after the sheriff, And soon he him found; He opened the kinges privy seal And gave him in his hond.

65. When the sheriff saw the kinges seal, He did off his hood anon; 'Where is the monk that bare the letters?' He said to Little John.

66. 'He is so fain of him,' said Little John, 'For sooth as I you say, He has made him abbot of Westminster, A lord of that abbay.'

67. The sheriff made John good cheer, And gave him wine of the best; At night they went to their bed, And every man to his rest.

68. When the sheriff was on sleep, Drunken of wine and ale, Little John and Much for sooth Took the way unto the jail.

69. Little John called up the jailor; And bade him rise anon; He said Robin Hood had broken prison, And out of it was gone.

70. The porter rose anon certain, As soon as he heard John call; Little John was ready with a sword, And bare him to the wall.

71. 'Now will I be porter,' said Little John, 'And take the keys in hond'; He took the way to Robin Hood, And soon he him unbound.

72. He gave him a good sword in his hand, His head therewith for to keep, And thereas the wall was lowest Anon down can they leap.

73. By that the cock began to crow, The day began to spring; The sheriff found the jailor dead, The comyn bell made he ring.

74. He made a cry throughout all the town, Whether he be yeoman or knave, That could bring him Robin Hood, His warison he should have.

75. 'For I dare never,' said the sheriff, 'Come before our king; For if I do, I wot certain For sooth he will me hing.'

76. The sheriff made to seek Nottingham, Both by street and sty, And Robin was in merry Sherwood, As light as leaf on lynd.

77. Then bespake good Little John, To Robin Hood can he say, 'I have done thee a good turn for an evil; Quite thee when thou may.

78. 'I have done thee a good turn,' said Little John, 'For sooth as I you say; I have brought thee under green wood lyne; Farewell, and have good day.'

79. 'Nay, by my troth,' said Robin Hood, 'So shall it never be: I make thee master,' said Robin Hood, 'Of all my men and me.'

80. 'Nay, by my troth,' said Little John, 'So shall it never be; But let me be a fellow,' said Little John, 'No nother keep I be.'

81. Thus John gat Robin Hood out of prison, Certain withouten layn; When his men saw him whole and sound, For sooth they were full fain.

82. They filled in wine, and made them glad, Under the leaves smale, And gat pasties of venison, That goode was with ale.

83. Then worde came to our king How Robin Hood was gone, And how the sheriff of Nottingham Durst never look him upon.

84. Then bespake our comely king, In an anger hee: 'Little John has beguiled the sheriff, In faith so has he me.

85. 'Little John has beguiled us both, And that full well I see; Or else the sheriff of Nottingham High hanged should he be.

86. 'I made them yeomen of the crown, And gave them fee with my hand; I gave them grith,' said our king; 'Throughout all merry England.

87. 'I gave them grith,' then said our king; 'I say, so mote I the, Forsooth such a yeoman as he is one In all England are not three.

88. 'He is true to his master,' said our king; 'I say, by sweet Saint John, He loves better Robin Hood Than he does us each one.

89. 'Robin Hood is ever bound to him, Both in street and stall; Speak no more of this matter,' said our king; 'But John has beguiled us all.'

90. Thus ends the talking of the monk, And Robin Hood i-wis; God, that is ever a crowned king, Bring us all to his bliss!

[Annotations: 1.1: 'shaws,' woods, thickets: 'sheen,' beautiful. 2.2: 'hee,' high. Cf. 84.2. 3.3: 'can,' did. 7.2: i.e., since I took the sacrament. 8.1: 'milner son,' = miller's son: cp. 24.3. 8.5: 'slon,' slay. 10.4: 'lyne,' tree: so 'lynd' in 23.2. Cf. 76.4, 78.3, etc. 11.4: i.e., I will give you odds of three to one. 13.1: 'ferly,' strange. 14.1: 'lied,' gave the lie to. 15.2: 'by,' aby, atone for. 16.4: 'ilkone' = each one: cf. 30.2. 17.2: Another form of 'certain without leasing' = forsooth without lying. Cf. 81.2. 20.4: 'sparred,' shut: 'everychone,' every one (cf. 16.4). 21.2: i.e., make ready: cf. Guy of Gisborne, 5.1. 22.4: 'And' = if: 'it will be your fault if he escapes us.' 23.1: 'traitor' is genitive: cf. 'milner son,' 8.1, and 'mother son,' 24.3. 24.2: 'radly,' quickly: 'yare,' ready. 24.3: See notes 8.1, 23.1. 25.1: 'throly thrast,' strenuously pressed. 25.2: 'wone,' plenty. 26.3: 'Thereas' = where. Cf. 72.3. 29.3: 'But if' = unless. 30.2: Cf. 16.4. Probably six stanzas are lost here. 32.1: 'rule,' behaviour, conduct. 34.2: 'securly' = surely. 37.1: 'tristel-tree,' trysting-tree. 38.2: 'on fere,' in company. 38.3: 'Much emes house,' the house of Much's uncle. 39.2: 'at a stage': ? from an upper story. 41.2: 'hand,' gallant. 41.3: 'spyrred . . . at,' asked . . . of. (Cf. Scottish 'speir.') 41.4: 'friende' is plural. 48.4: 'For' = for the purpose that. Cp. 'for' in Child Waters, 28.6, First Series, p. 41. 49.3: 'of him agast,' afraid of the consequences to him. 51.2: 'bale,' trouble. 54.4: 'see,' protect. 56.2: Cf. Gest, 234.2. 57.4: 'after': 'by,' as we should say. 59.4: 'dere,' injury. 60.4: 'yede' ( = gaed), went. 61.2: 'sparred': cp. 20.4. 63.4: 'sauten,' assault. 64.1: Cp. 41.3. 73.4: 'comyn' = commons': i.e. the town bell. 74.4: 'warison,' reward. 76.2: 'sty,' alley. 77.4: 'Quite thee,' acquit yoursle, i.e. reward me. But the Baford MS. reads 'Quit me.' 80.4: 'keep I be,' I care to be. 81.4: 'fain,' glad. 84.2: 'hee': see 2.2. 86.3: 'grith,' peace (Norse, 'gri[dh]'). 87.2: See 56.2. 89.2: i.e. whether on the road, or housed.]



ROBIN HOOD AND THE POTTER

The Text is modernised, as far as is possible, from a MS. of about 1500 in the University Library at Cambridge (Ee. 4, 35). The ballad was first printed therefrom by Ritson in his Robin Hood (1795), vol. i. p. 81, on the whole very accurately, and with a few necessary emendations. He notes that the scribe was evidently 'a vulgar and illiterate person' who 'irremediably corrupted' the ballad. In several places, however, a little ingenuity will restore a lost rhyme.

The Story, of an outlaw disguising himself in order to gain information from his enemies, is common to the legends of Hereward the Saxon, Wallace, Eustace the monk, and Fulk Fitz Warine, the first three of whom assumed the guise of a potter at one time or another.

The ballad of Robin Hood and the Butcher is a tale similar to this; and part of the Play of Robin Hood is based on this ballad (see Introduction, p. xxiii.).

ROBIN HOOD AND THE POTTER

1. In summer, when the leaves spring, The blossoms on every bough, So merry doth the birdes sing In woodes merry now.

2. Hearken, good yeomen, Comely, courteous, and good; One of the best that ever bare bow, His name was Robin Hood.

3. Robin Hood was the yeoman's name, That was both courteous and free; For the love of Our Lady All women worshipped he.

4. But as the good yeoman stood on a day, Among his merry meyne, He was ware of a proud potter Came driving over the lee.

5. 'Yonder cometh a proud potter,' said Robin, 'That long hath haunted this way; He was never so courteous a man One penny of pavage to pay.'

6. 'I met him but at Wentbridge,' said Little John, 'And therefore evil mote he thee! Such three strokes he me gave, That by my sides cleft they.

7. 'I lay forty shillings,' said Little John, 'To pay it this same day, There is not a man among us all A wed shall make him lay.'

8. 'Here is forty shillings,' said Robin, 'More, and thou dare say, That I shall make that proud potter, A wed to me shall he lay.'

9. There this money they laid, They toke it a yeoman to keep. Robin before the potter he breyde And bade him stand still.

10. Hands upon his horse he laid, And bade the potter stand full still; The potter shortly to him said, 'Fellow, what is thy will?'

11. 'All this three year and more, potter,' he said, 'Thou hast haunted this way, Yet were thou never so courteous a man One penny of pavage to pay.'

12. 'What is thy name,' said the potter, ''Fore pavage thou ask of me?' 'Robin Hood is my name, A wed shall thou leave me.'

13. 'Wed will I none leave,' said the potter, 'Nor pavage will I none pay; Away thy hand fro my horse! I will thee tene else, by my fay.'

14. The potter to his cart he went, He was not to seek; A good two-hand staff he hent, Before Robin he leaped.

15. Robin out with a sword bent, A buckler in his hand; The potter to Robin he went And said, 'Fellow, let my horse go.'

16. Together then went these two yeomen, It was a good sight to see; Thereof low Robin his men, There they stood under a tree.

17. Little John to his fellows said, 'Yon potter will stiffly stand': The potter, with an ackward stroke, Smote the buckler out of his hand.

18. And ere Robin might get it again His buckler at his feet, The potter in the neck him took, To the ground soon he yede.

19. That saw Robin his men As they stood under a bough; 'Let us help our master,' said Little John, 'Yonder potter else will him slo.'

20. These yeomen went with a breyde, To their master they came. Little John to his master said 'Who hath the wager won?'

21. 'Shall I have your forty shillings,' said Little John, 'Or ye, master, shall have mine?' 'If they were a hundred,' said Robin, 'I' faith, they been all thine.'

22. 'It is full little courtesy,' said the potter, 'As I have heard wise men say, If a poor yeoman come driving on the way To let him of his journey.'

23. 'By my troth, thou says sooth,' said Robin, 'Thou says good yeomanry; And thou drive forth every day, Thou shalt never be let for me.

24. 'I will pray thee, good potter, A fellowship will thou have? Give me thy clothing, and thou shalt have mine; I will go to Nottingham.'

25. 'I grant thereto,' said the potter; 'Thou shalt find me a fellow good; But thou can sell my pottes well, Come again as thou yode.'

26. 'Nay, by my troth,' said Robin, 'And then I beshrew my head, If I bring any pottes again, And any wife will them chepe.'

27. Then spake Little John, And all his fellows hend; 'Master, be well ware of the sheriff of Nottingham, For he is little our friend.'

28. 'Heyt war howt,' said Robin; 'Fellows, let me alone; Through the help of Our Lady, To Nottingham will I gone.'

29. Robin went to Nottingham, These pottes for to sell; The potter abode with Robin's men, There he fared not ill.

30. Though Robin drove on his way, So merry over the land: Here is more, and after is to say The best is behind.

31. When Robin came to Nottingham, The sooth if I should say, He set up his horse anon, And gave him oats and hay.

32. In the midst of the town, There he showed his ware; 'Pottes, pottes,' he gan cry full soon, 'Have hansel for the mare!'

33. Full often against the sheriff's gate Showed he his chaffare; Wives and widows about him drew And cheped fast of his ware.

34. Yet, 'Pottes, great chepe!' cried Robin, 'I love evil thus to stand.' And all that saw him sell Said he had be no potter long.

35. The pottes that were worth pence five, He sold them for pence three; Privily said man and wife, 'Yonder potter shall never thee.'

36. Thus Robin sold full fast, Till he had pottes but five; Up he them took off his car And sent them to the sheriff's wife.

37. Thereof she was full fain; 'Gramercy, sir,' then said she; 'When ye come to this country again I shall buy of thy pottes, so mote I thee.'

38. 'Ye shall have of the best,' said Robin, And sware by the Trinity; Full courteously she gan him call, 'Come dine with the sheriff and me.'

39. 'God amercy,' said Robin, 'Your bidding shall be done.' A maiden in the pottes gan bear, Robin and the sheriff wife followed anon.

40. When Robin into the hall came, The sheriff soon he met; The potter could of courtesy, And soon the sheriff he gret.

41. 'Lo, sir, what this potter hath give you and me; Five pottes small and great!' 'He is full welcome,' said the sheriff, 'Let us wash, and go to meat.'

42. As they sat at their meat, With a noble cheer, Two of the sheriff's men gan speak Of a great wager;

43. Of a shooting was good and fine, Was made the other day, Of forty shillings, the sooth to say, Who should this wager win.

44. Still then sat this proud potter, Thus then thought he; 'As I am a true Christian man, This shooting will I see.'

45. When they had fared of the best, With bread, and ale, and wine, To the butts they made them prest, With bows and bolts full fine.

46. The sheriff's men shot full fast, As archers that were good; There came none near nigh the mark By half a good archer's bow.

47. Still then stood the proud potter, Thus then said he; 'And I had a bow, by the rood, One shot should ye see.'

48. 'Thou shall have a bow,' said the sheriff, 'The best that thou will choose of three; Thou seemest a stalwart and a strong, Assay[ed] shall thou be.'

49. The sheriff commanded a yeoman that stood them by, After bows to wend; The best bow that the yeoman brought, Robin set on a string.

50. 'Now shall I wot and thou be good, And pull it up to thine ear.' 'So God me help,' said the proud potter, 'This is but right weak gear.'

51. To a quiver Robin went, A good bolt out he took; So nigh unto the mark he went, He failed not a foot.

52. All they shot about again, The sheriff's men and he; Of the mark he would not fail, He cleft the prick in three.

53. The sheriff's men thought great shame The potter the mastery won; The sheriff laughed and made good game, And said, 'Potter, thou art a man.

54. ... ... ... ... ... ... 'Thou art worthy to bear a bow In what place that thou go.'

55. 'In my cart I have a bow, Forsooth,' he said, 'and that a good; In my cart is the bow That gave me Robin Hood.'

56. 'Knowest thou Robin Hood?' said the sheriff; 'Potter, I pray thee tell thou me.' 'A hundred turn I have shot with him, Under his trystell-tree.'

57. 'I had liefer nor a hundred pound,' said the sheriff, And sware by the Trinity, ' ... ... ... That the false outlaw stood by me.'

58. 'And ye will do after my rede,' said the potter, 'And boldly go with me, And tomorrow, ere we eat bread, Robin Hood will we see.'

59. 'I will quite thee,' quoth the sheriff, 'I swear by God of might.' Shooting they left and home they went, Their supper was ready dight.

60. Upon the morrow, when it was day, He busked him forth to ride; The potter his cart forth gan ray, And would not leave behind.

61. He took leave of the sherriff's wife, And thanked her of all thing: 'Dame, for my love and you will this wear, I give you here a gold ring.'

62. 'Gramercy,' said the wife, 'Sir, God yield it thee.' The sheriff's heart was never so light, The fair forest to see.

63. And when he came into the forest, Under the leaves green, Birdes there sang on boughes prest, It was great joy to see.

64. 'Here it is merry to be,' said Robin, 'For a man that had ought to spend; By my horn I shall awit If Robin Hood be here.'

65. Robin set his horn to his mouth, And blew a blast that was full good; That heard his men that there stood, Far down in the wood.

66. 'I hear my master blow,' said Little John, ... ... ... ... ... ... They ran as they were wood.

67. When they to their master came, Little John would not spare; 'Master, how have you fare in Nottingham? How have you sold your ware?'

68. 'Yea, by my troth, Little John, Look thou take no care; I have brought the sheriff of Nottingham, For all our chaffare.'

69. 'He is full welcome,' said Little John, 'This tiding is full good.' The sheriff had liefer nor a hundred pound He had never seen Robin Hood.

70. 'Had I wist that before, At Nottingham when we were, Thou should not come in fair forest Of all this thousand year.'

71. 'That wot I well,' said Robin, 'I thank God that ye be here; Therefore shall ye leave your horse with us And all your other gear.'

72. 'That fend I god's forbode,' quoth the sheriff, So to loose my good; ... ... ... ... ... ...

73. 'Hither ye came on horse full high, And home shall ye go on foot; And greet well thy wife at home, The woman is full good.

74. 'I shall her send a white palfrey, It ambleth, by my fay, ... ... ... ... ... ...

75. 'I shall her send a white palfrey, It ambleth as the wind; Nere for the love of your wife, Of more sorrow should you sing!'

76. Thus parted Robin Hood and the sheriff; To Nottingham he took the way; His wife fair welcomed him home, And to him gan she say:

77. 'Sir, how have you fared in green forest? Have ye brought Robin home?' 'Dame, the devil speed him, both body and bone; I have had a full great scorn.

78. 'Of all the good that I have led to green wood, He hath take it fro me; All but this fair palfrey, That he hath sent to thee.'

79. With that she took up a loud laughing, And sware by him that died on tree, 'Now have you paid for all the pottes That Robin gave to me.

80. 'Now ye be come home to Nottingham, Ye shall have good enow.' Now speak we of Robin Hood, And of the potter under the green bough.

81. 'Potter, what was thy pottes worth To Nottingham that I led with me?' 'They were worth two nobles,' said he, 'So mote I thrive or thee; So could I have had for them And I had there be.'

82. 'Thou shalt have ten pound,' said Robin, 'Of money fair and free; And ever when thou comest to green wood, Welcome, potter, to me.'

83. Thus parted Robin, the sheriff, and the potter, Underneath the green wood tree; God have mercy on Robin Hood's soul, And save all good yeomanry!

[Annotations: 5.4: 'pavage,' road-tax. 7.4: 'wed,' pledge, wager. 8.2: 'and,' if. 9.2: 'toke,' gave. 9.3: 'breyde,' rushed, leapt. 13.4: 'tene,' harm. 16.3: i.e. thereat laughed Robin's men. 17.3: 'ackward,' back-handed (?). 18.4: 'yede,' went. 19.4: 'slo,' slay. 20.1: 'a breyde,' haste. 22.4: 'let,' stop, hinder. 23.3: 'And,' if. 25.3: 'But,' unless. 25.4: 'yode,' went. 26.4: 'chepe,' bargain for, buy. 28.1: 'Heyt war howt,' a call to horses while driving, like the modern 'Gee up.' 32.4: 'hansel' is a gift, especially an 'earnest' or instalment; 'mare' probably is 'more'; but the meaning of the whole phrase is uncertain. 33.2: 'chaffare,' merchandise. 34.1: 'great chepe' = great bargain. 35.4: 'thee,' thrive. 37.1: 'fain,' glad. 40.3: 'could of courtesy,' knew how to be courteous. 40.4: 'gret,' greeted. 45.3: 'prest,' quickly. 47.3: 'And,' if. 54.1,2: Two lines missing in the MS.; so 57.3. 58.1: 'rede,' advice. 59.1: 'quite' = requite. 59.4: 'dight,' prepared. 60.2: 'busked,' made ready. 60.3: 'ray' = array. 62.2: 'yield it thee,' reward thee for it. 63.3: 'prest,' freely. 64.3: 'awit': either = wit, know, or = await. 66.2,3: Two lines omitted in the MS. 66.4: 'wood,' mad. 72.1: A duplicated deprecation: 'I protest—God forbid!' 72.3,4: Two lines omitted in the MS.; so 74.3,4. 75.3: 'Nere' = ne were, were it not.]



ROBIN HOOD AND GUY OF GISBORNE

The Text.—The only text of this ballad is in the Percy Folio, from which it is here rendered in modern spelling. Although the original is written continuously, it is almost impossible not to suspect an omission after 2.2. Child points out, however, that the abrupt transition is found in other ballads (see Adam Bell, 2.2), and Hales and Furnivall put 2.3,4 in inverted commas as part of Robin's relation of his dream. Percy's emendation was:

'The woodweete sang, and wold not cese, Sitting upon the spraye, Soe lowde, he wakend Robin Hood In the greenwood where he lay.

Now by my faye, said jollye Robin, A sweaven[1] I had this night; I dreamt me of tow mighty yemen That fast with me can fight.'

The Story.—Whether verses have been lost or not, the story has become confused, as there is nothing to show how Robin knows that the Sheriff of Nottingham holds Little John captive; yet he makes careful preparations to pass himself off as Sir Guy, in order to set John free.

There has come down to us a fragment of a play of Robin Hood and the Sheriff.[2] In this dramatic fragment, an unnamed knight is promised a reward by the sheriff if he takes Robin Hood. The knight and Robin shoot and wrestle and fight; Robin wins, cuts off the knight's head, puts on his clothes, and takes the head away with him. A second scene shows how the sheriff takes prisoner the other outlaws, amongst whom is Friar Tuck; but the allocation of the parts in the dialogue is mostly conjectural.

[Footnote 1: sweaven, dream.]

[Footnote 2: See Introduction, p. xxii.]

ROBIN HOOD AND GUY OF GISBORNE

1. When shaws been sheen, and shradds full fair, And leaves both large and long, It is merry, walking in the fair forest, To hear the small bird's song.

2. The woodweel sang, and would not cease, Amongst the leaves o' lyne, And it is by two wight yeomen, By dear God, that I mean.

*** *** ***

3. 'Methought they did me beat and bind, And took my bow me fro; If I be Robin alive in this land, I'll be wroken on both them two.'

4. 'Swevens are swift, master,' quoth John, 'As the wind that blows o'er a hill; For if it be never so loud this night, Tomorrow it may be still.'

5. 'Busk ye, bown ye, my merry men all, For John shall go with me; For I'll go seek yond wight yeomen In greenwood where they be.'

6. They cast on their gown of green, A shooting gone are they, Until they came to the merry greenwood, Where they had gladdest be; There were they 'ware of a wight yeoman, His body leaned to a tree.

7. A sword and a dagger he wore by his side, Had been many a man's bane, And he was clad in his capul-hide, Top and tail and mane.

8. 'Stand you still, master,' quoth Little John, 'Under this trusty tree, And I will go to yond wight yeoman, To know his meaning truly.'

9. 'Ah, John, by me thou sets no store, And that's a ferly thing; How oft send I my men before, And tarry myself behind?

10. 'It is no cunning a knave to ken, And a man but hear him speak; And it were not for bursting of my bow, John, I would thy head break.'

11. But often words they breeden bale; That parted Robin and John; John is gone to Barnesdale, The gates he knows each one.

12. And when he came to Barnesdale, Great heaviness there he had; He found two of his fellows Were slain both in a slade,

13. And Scarlet afoot flying was, Over stocks and stone, For the sheriff with seven score men Fast after him is gone.

14. 'Yet one shot I'll shoot,' says Little John, 'With Christ his might and main; I'll make yond fellow that flies so fast To be both glad and fain.'

15. John bent up a good yew bow, And fettled him to shoot; The bow was made of a tender bough, And fell down to his foot.

16. 'Woe worth thee, wicked wood,' said Little John, 'That e'er thou grew on a tree! For this day thou art my bale, My boot when thou should be.'

17. This shot it was but loosely shot, The arrow flew in vain, And it met one of the sheriff's men; Good William a Trent was slain.

18. It had been better for William a Trent To hang upon a gallow Than for to lie in the greenwood, There slain with an arrow.

19. And it is said, when men be met, Six can do more than three: And they have ta'en Little John, And bound him fast to a tree.

20. 'Thou shalt be drawn by dale and down, And hanged high on a hill.' 'But thou may fail,' quoth Little John, 'If it be Christ's own will.'

21. Let us leave talking of Little John, For he is bound fast to a tree, And talk of Guy and Robin Hood In the greenwood where they be;

22. How these two yeomen together they met, Under the leaves of lyne, To see what merchandise they made Even at that same time.

23. 'Good morrow, good fellow,' quoth Sir Guy; 'Good morrow, good fellow,' quoth he; 'Methinks by this bow thou bears in thy hand, A good archer thou seems to be.

24. 'I am wilful of my way,' quoth Sir Guy, 'And of my morning tide.' 'I'll lead thee through the wood,' quoth Robin, 'Good fellow, I'll be thy guide.'

25. 'I seek an outlaw,' quoth Sir Guy, 'Men call him Robin Hood; I had rather meet with him upon a day Than forty pound of gold.'

26. 'If you two met, it would be seen whether were better Afore ye did part away; Let us some other pastime find, Good fellow, I thee pray.

27. 'Let us some other masteries make, And we will walk in the woods even; We may chance meet with Robin Hood At some unset steven.'

28. They cut them down the summer shroggs Which grew both under a briar, And set them three score rood in twain, To shoot the pricks full near.

29. 'Lead on, good fellow,' said Sir Guy, 'Lead on, I do bid thee.' 'Nay by my faith,' quoth Robin Hood, 'The leader thou shalt be.'

30. The first good shot that Robin led, Did not shoot an inch the prick fro; Guy was an archer good enough, But he could ne'er shoot so.

31. The second shot Sir Guy shot, He shot within the garland; But Robin Hood shot it better than he, For he clove the good prick-wand.

32. 'God's blessing on thy heart!' says Guy, 'Good fellow, thy shooting is good; For an thy heart be as good as thy hands, Thou were better than Robin Hood.

33. 'Tell me thy name, good fellow,' quoth Guy, Under the leaves of lyne: 'Nay, by my faith,' quoth good Robin, 'Till thou have told me thine.'

34. 'I dwell by dale and down,' quoth Guy, 'And I have done many a curst turn; And he that calls me by my right name Calls me Guy of good Gisborne.'

35. 'My dwelling is in the wood,' says Robin; 'By thee I set right nought; My name is Robin Hood of Barnesdale, A fellow thou hast long sought.'

36. He that had neither been kith nor kin Might have seen a full fair sight, To see how together these yeomen went, With blades both brown and bright;

37. To have seen how these yeomen together fought Two hours of a summer's day; It, was neither Guy nor Robin Hood That fettled them to fly away.

38. Robin was reckless on a root, And stumbled at that tide, And Guy was quick and nimble withal, And hit him o'er the left side.

39. 'Ah, dear Lady!' said Robin Hood, 'Thou art both mother and may! I think it was never man's destiny To die before his day.'

40. Robin thought on Our Lady dear, And soon leapt up again, And thus he came with an awkward stroke; Good Sir Guy he has slain.

41. He took Sir Guy's head by the hair, And sticked it on his bow's end: 'Thou hast been traitor all thy life, Which thing must have an end.'

42. Robin pulled forth an Irish knife, And nicked Sir Guy in the face, That he was never on a woman born Could tell who Sir Guy was.

43. Says, 'Lie there, lie there, good Sir Guy, And with me be not wroth; If thou have had the worse strokes at my hand, Thou shalt have the better cloth.'

44. Robin did off his gown of green, Sir Guy he did it throw; And he put on that capul-hide That clad him top to toe.

45. 'The bow, the arrows, and little horn, And with me now I'll bear; For now I will go to Barnesdale, To see how my men do fare.'

46. Robin set Guy's horn to his mouth, A loud blast in it he did blow; That beheard the sheriff of Nottingham, As he leaned under a low.

47. 'Hearken! hearken!' said the sheriff, 'I heard no tidings but good; For yonder I hear Sir Guy's horn blow, For he hath slain Robin Hood.'

48. 'For yonder I hear Sir Guy's horn blow, It blows so well in tide, For yonder comes that wighty yeoman, Clad in his capul-hide.

49. 'Come hither, thou good Sir Guy, Ask of me what thou wilt have': 'I'll none of thy gold,' says Robin Hood, 'Nor I'll none of it have.'

50. 'But now I have slain the master,' he said, 'Let me go strike the knave; This is all the reward I ask, Nor no other will I have.'

51. 'Thou art a madman,' said the sheriff, 'Thou shouldest have had a knight's fee; Seeing thy asking hath been so bad, Well granted it shall be.'

52. But Little John heard his master speak, Well he knew that was his steven; 'Now shall I be loosed,' quoth Little John, 'With Christ's might in heaven.'

53. But Robin he hied him towards Little John, He thought he would loose him belive; The sheriff and all his company Fast after him did drive.

54. 'Stand aback! stand aback!' said Robin; 'Why draw you me so near? It was never the use in our country One's shrift another should hear.'

55. But Robin pulled forth an Irish knife, And loosed John hand and foot, And gave him Sir Guy's bow in his hand, And bade it be his boot.

56. But John took Guy's bow in his hand (His arrows were rawsty by the root); The sheriff saw Little John draw a bow And fettle him to shoot.

57. Towards his house in Nottingham He fled full fast away, And so did all his company, Not one behind did stay.

58. But he could neither so fast go, Nor away so fast run, But Little John, with an arrow broad, Did cleave his heart in twain.

[Annotations: 1.1: 'shaws,' woods: 'sheen,' beautiful: 'shradds,' copses. 2.1: 'woodweel,' a small warbler. Percy, Ritson, Hazlitt, Halliwell, Child, Murray, Hales, and Furnivall, have variously identified it with the woodpecker, woodlark, redbreast, greenfinch, nuthatch, and 'golden ouzle.' 2.2: 'lyne,' tree. 3.4: 'wroken,' avenged. 4.1: 'swevens,' dreams. 5.1: 'Busk ye, bown ye' = get ready. 7.3: 'capul-hide,' horse-skin. 10.2: 'And' = if. So in next line. 12.4: 'slade,' valley, ravine. 15.2: 'fettled,' prepared. 16.3,4: 'bale, boot,' trouble, help. 20.1: 'quoth the sheriff' is added in the MS. 22.2: See 2.2 and 33.2, where it is obviously a commonplace. 24.1,2: Sir Guy means he has lost his way, and does not know the time of day. 26.1: 'whether' = which of the two. Robin, of course, is speaking. 27.1: 'masteries,' feats of skill. 27.4: 'unset Steven,' unfixed time: i.e. by chance. 28.1: 'shroggy,' wands, sticks. 28.4: 'pricks,' marks for shooting at. 31.2,4: The 'garland' was simply a circular wreath, hung upon the 'prick-wand,' or upright stick. 35.2: 'set by' = care for. 36.4: 'brown': see Glossary of Ballad Commonplaces, First Series, p. xlix. 38.1: 'reckless on,' heedless of. 40.3: 'awkward,' unexpected: another ballad-commonplace. 42.3: 'That' = so that. 45.4: We are not told how Robin knew what his men were doing. 46.4: 'low,' hill. 52.2: 'steven,' voice. 53.2: 'belive,' forthwith. 56.2: 'rawsty by the root.' It is suggested that this means rusty (i.e. with blood) at the root (tip, end).]



ROBIN HOOD'S DEATH

The Text is modernised from the Percy Folio MS. (c. 1650). At two points, after 8.3 and 18.2, half a page of the MS., or about nine stanzas, is missing—torn out and 'used by maids to light the fire' in Humphry Pitt's house, where Percy discovered the volume (see Introduction, First Series, xxxix.). At the end another half-page is lacking, but Child thinks that it represents only a few verses. He also indicates a lacuna after st. 4, though none appears in the MS.

The Story of this version, mutilated as it is, agrees in its main incidents with that given at the end of the Gest (stt. 451-455). Another variant, Robin Hood's Death and Burial, extant in two or three eighteenth-century 'Garlands,' but none the less of good derivation, gives no assistance at either hiatus, and we are left with a couple of puzzles.

The opening of the ballad, stt. 1-6, should be compared with Robin Hood and the Monk, stt. 6-10, where Much takes Will Scarlett's place. Robin, shooting for a penny with Little John along the way, comes to a black water with a plank across it, and an old woman on the plank is cursing Robin Hood. He has been already reminded by Scarlett that he has a yeoman foe at Kirklees; but neither the banning of the witch, nor the weeping of others ('We,' 9.3), presumably women, deter him. The explanation of the witch is lost.

Having arrived at Kirklees and submitted to being bled, Robin at length suspects treason, and hints as much to Little John. The latter may be indoors with his master, or, as Child thinks, calling to Robin through a window from below. Here the second hiatus occurs; and when the ballad resumes, we can only guess that st. 19 is Robin's final retort after an altercation with somebody, presumably Red Roger, who is perhaps the 'yeoman' referred to by Will Scarlett. A final difficulty is raised by the word 'mood' in st. 23; but Child's emendation is not improbable, and Robin himself realises that he must take his 'housel' in an irregular way.

In the Garland version Robin goes alone to Kirklees, where his 'cousin' bleeds him, and leaves him to bleed all day and all night in a locked room. He summons Little John with 'weak blasts three' of his horn, and bids him dig a grave where the last arrow shot by Robin Hood falls.

ROBIN HOOD'S DEATH

1. 'I will never eat nor drink,' Robin Hood said, 'Nor meat will do me no good, Till I have been at merry Churchlees, My veins for to let blood.'

2. 'That I rede not,' said Will Scarlett, 'Master, by the assent of me, Without half a hundred of your best bowmen You take to go with ye.

3. 'For there a good yeoman doth abide, Will be sure to quarrel with thee, And if thou have need of us, master, In faith we will not flee.'

4. 'And thou be fear'd, thou William Scarlett, At home I rede thee be.' 'And you be wroth, my dear master, You shall never hear more of me.' ... ... ...

5. 'For there shall no man with me go, Nor man with me ride, And Little John shall be my man, And bear my benbow by my side.'

6. 'You'st bear your bow, master, yourself, And shoot for a penny with me.' 'To that I do assent,' Robin Hood said, 'And so, John, let it be.'

7. They two bold children shotten together, All day theirself in rank, Until they came to black water, And over it laid a plank.

8. Upon it there kneeled an old woman, Was banning Robin Hood, 'Why dost thou ban Robin Hood?' said Robin, ... ... ...

9. ... ... ... To give to Robin Hood; We weepen for his dear body, That this day must be let blood.'

10. 'The dame prior is my aunt's daughter, And nigh unto my kin; I know she would me no harm this day, For all the world to win.'

11. Forth then shotten these children two, And they did never lin, Until they came to merry Churchlees, To merry Churchlees within.

12. And when they came to merry Churchlees, They knocked upon a pin; Up then rose dame prioress, And let good Robin in.

13. Then Robin gave to dame prioress Twenty pound in gold, And bade her spend while that would last, And she should have more when she wold.

14. And down then came dame prioress, Down she came in that ilk, With a pair of blood-irons in her hands, Were wrapped all in silk.

15. 'Set a chafing-dish to the fire,' said dame prioress, 'And strip thou up thy sleeve!' I hold him but an unwise man That will no warning 'lieve.

16. She laid the blood-irons to Robin Hood's vein, Alack, the more pity! And pierced the vein, and let out the blood, That full red was to see.

17. And first it bled the thick, thick blood, And afterwards the thin, And well then wist good Robin Hood Treason there was within.

18. 'What cheer, my master?' said Little John; 'In faith, Little John, little good; ... ... ... ... ... ...

*** *** ***

19. 'I have upon a gown of green, Is cut short by my knee, And in my hand a bright brown brand That will well bite of thee.'

20. But forth then of a shot-window, Good Robin Hood he could glide; Red Roger, with a grounden glaive, Thrust him through the milk-white side.

21. But Robin was light and nimble of foot, And thought to abate his pride, For between his head and his shoulders He made a wound full wide.

22. Says, 'Lie there, lie there, Red Roger, The dogs they must thee eat; For I may have my housel,' he said, 'For I may both go and speak.

23. 'Now give me mood,' Robin said to Little John, 'Give me mood with thy hand; I trust to God in heaven so high My housel will me bestand.'

24. 'Now give me leave, give me leave, master,' he said, 'For Christ's love give leave to me To set a fire within this hall, And to burn up all Churchlee.'

25. 'That I rede not,' said Robin Hood then, 'Little John, for it may not be; If I should do any widow hurt, at my latter end, God,' he said, 'would blame me;

26. 'But take me upon thy back, Little John, And bear me to yonder street, And there make me a full fair grave Of gravel and of greet.

27. And set my bright sword at my head, Mine arrows at my feet, And lay my yew-bow by my side, My met-yard wi . . .'

[Annotations: 2.1: 'rede,' advise. 4.1,3: 'And,' if. 4.4: 'A stanza or more seems to be lost here.' —Child. There is, however, no break in the MS. 6.1: 'You'st' = you shall. 8.2: 'banning,' cursing. 11.2: 'lin,' stop. 14.2: 'in that ilk' [time], at that same moment. 14.3: 'blood-irons,' lancets for bleeding. 20.3: 'glaive,' a sword or knife tied to the end of a pole. 22.3: 'housel,' communion, sacrament. 23.1: 'give me mood': Child suggests 'give me my God,' i.e. the consecrated Host. He admits it is a bold emendation, but cites some striking parallels in support of it. 23.4: 'bestand,' help. 26.4: 'greet,' grit, sand. 27.4: 'met-yard,' measuring-rod.]



ADAM BELL, CLYM OF THE CLOUGH AND WILLIAM OF CLOUDESLY

The Text.—The earliest complete text, here given, was printed by William Copland between 1548 and 1568: there are extant two printed fragments, one printed by John Byddell in 1536, and the other in a type older than Copland's. Later, there are two editions printed by James Roberts in 1605; and finally a MS. text in the Percy Folio (c. 1650).

Copland's text is obviously full of faults, and in emendations I have mostly followed Child.

The Story, lively and admirably told, contains little extrinsic interest, except in William's feat of shooting the apple from his son's head. This is inevitably associated with the legend of William Tell, which is told in the White Book of Obwalden, written about 1470; but similar stories can be found in the Icelandic Saga of Dietrich of Bern (about 1250) and in Saxo Grammaticus, who wrote his Danish History about the year 1200. Three or four other versions of the story are to be found in German and Scandinavian literature before the date of our ballad; but they all agree in two points which are missing in the English ballad—the shot is compulsory, and the archer reserves another arrow for purposes of revenge in case he misses his mark. William of Cloudesly volunteers a difficult and risky feat out of bravado.

The rescue of Cloudesly by Adam Bell and Clym of the Clough may be compared with the rescue of Robin Hood by Little John and Much in Robin Hood and the Monk, stt. 61-81 (see pp. 107-110).

ADAM BELL, CLYM OF THE CLOUGH AND WILLIAM OF CLOUDESLY

1. Mery it was in grene forest Among the leves grene, Wher that men walke both east and west Wyth bowes and arrowes kene;

2. To ryse the dere out of theyr denne; Suche sightes as hath ofte bene sene, As by thre yemen of the north countrey, By them it is as I meane.

3. The one of them hight Adam Bel, The other Clym of the Clough, The thyrd was William of Cloudesly, An archer good ynough.

4. They were outlawed for venyson, These thre yemen everychone; They swore them brethren upon a day, To Englyshe-wood for to gone.

5. Now lith and lysten, gentylmen, And that of myrthes loveth to here; Two of them were single men, The third had a wedded fere.

6. Wyllyam was the wedded man, Muche more then was hys care: He sayde to hys brethren upon a day, To Carlile he would fare,

7. For to speke with fayre Alyce his wife, And with hys chyldren thre: 'By my trouth,' sayde Adam Bel, 'Not by the counsell of me:

8. 'For if ye go to Carlile, brother, And from thys wylde wode wende, If that the justice may you take, Your lyfe were at an ende.'

9. 'If that I come not to-morrowe, brother, By pryme to you agayne, Truste not els but that I am take, Or else that I am slayne.'

10. He toke hys leave of hys brethren two, And to Carlel he is gone; There he knocked at his owne windowe Shortlye and anone.

11. 'Wher be you, fayre Alyce, my wyfe, And my chyldren three? Lyghtly let in thyne husbande, Wyllyam of Cloudeslee.'

12. 'Alas!' then sayde fayre Alyce, And syghed wonderous sore, 'Thys place hath ben besette for you Thys halfe yere and more.'

13. 'Now am I here,' sayde Cloudeslee, 'I would that in I were. Now feche us meate and drynke ynough, And let us make good chere.'

14. She feched hym meate and drynke plenty, Lyke a true wedded wyfe; And pleased hym with that she had, Whome she loved as her lyfe.

15. There lay an old wyfe in that place, A lytle besyde the fyre, Whych Wyllyam had found of cherytye More then seven yere.

16. Up she rose, and walked full still, Evel mote shee spede therfore! For she had not set no fote on ground In seven yere before.

17. She went unto the justice hall, As fast as she could hye: 'Thys night is come unto this town Wyllyam of Cloudesle.'

18. Thereof the justice was full fayne, And so was the shirife also: 'Thou shalt not travaile hither, dame, for nought, Thy meed thou shalt have er thou go.'

19. They gave to her a ryght good goune, Of scarlat it was, as I heard sayne; She toke the gyft, and home she wente, And couched her doune agayne.

20. They rysed the towne of mery Carlel, In all the hast that they can; And came thronging to Wyllyames house, As fast as they might gone.

21. There they besette that good yeman Round about on every syde: Wyllyam hearde great noyse of folkes, That heyther-ward they hyed.

22. Alyce opened a shot-windowe, And loked all aboute, She was ware of the justice and the shirife bothe, Wyth a full great route.

23. 'Alas! treason,' cryed Alyce, 'Ever wo may thou be! Goe into my chamber, my husband,' she sayd, 'Swete Wyllyam of Cloudesle.'

24. He toke his sweard and hys bucler, Hys bow and hys chyldren thre, And wente into hys strongest chamber, Where he thought surest to be.

25. Fayre Alyce followed him as a lover true, With a pollaxe in her hande: 'He shall be deade that here cometh in Thys dore, while I may stand.'

26. Cloudeslee bente a wel good bowe, That was of trusty tre, He smot the justise on the brest, That hys arowe brest in thre.

27. 'God's curse on his hart,' saide William, 'Thys day thy cote dyd on! If it had ben no better then myne, It had gone nere thy bone.'

28. 'Yelde thee, Cloudesle,' sayd the justise, 'And thy bowe and thy arrowes the fro.' 'God's curse on hys hart,' sayd fair Alyce, 'That my husband councelleth so.'

29. 'Set fyre on the house,' saide the sherife, 'Syth it wyll no better be, And brenne we therin William,' he saide, 'Hys wyfe and chyldren thre.'

30. They fyred the house in many a place, The fyre flew up on hye: 'Alas!' than cryed fayr Alice. 'I se we shall here dye.'

31. William openyd hys backe wyndow, That was in hys chamber on hie, And with sheetes let hys wyfe downe And hys children three.

32. 'Have here my treasure,' sayde William, 'My wyfe and my chyldren thre: For Christes love do them no harme, But wreke you all on me.'

33. Wyllyam shot so wonderous well, Tyll hys arrowes were all go, And the fyre so fast upon hym fell, That hys bowstryng brent in two.

34. The spercles brent and fell hym on, Good Wyllyam of Cloudesle; But than was he a wofull man, and sayde, 'Thys is a cowardes death to me.

35. 'Lever I had,' sayde Wyllyam, 'With my sworde in the route to renne, Then here among myne enemyes wode Thus cruelly to bren.'

36. He toke hys sweard and hys buckler, And among them all he ran, Where the people were most in prece He smote downe many a man.

37. There myght no man stand hys stroke, So fersly on them he ran: Then they threw wyndowes and dores on him And so toke that good yeman.

38. There they hym bounde both hand and fote, And in a deepe dongeon him cast: 'Now, Cloudesle,' sayd the hye justice, 'Thou shalt be hanged in hast.'

39. 'One vow shal I make,' sayde the sherife, 'A payre of new gallowes shal I for thee make; And all the gates of Carlile shal be shutte: There shall no man come in therat.

40. 'Then shall not helpe Clym of the Cloughe, Nor yet Adam Bell, Though they came with a thousand mo, Nor all the devels in hell.'

41. Early in the mornyng the justice uprose, To the gates fast gan he gon, And commaunded to be shut full close Lightile everychone.

42. Then went he to the markett place, As fast as he coulde hye; A payre of new gallowes there dyd he up set, Besyde the pyllorye.

43. A lytle boy stood them among, And asked what meaned that gallow-tre? They sayde, 'To hange a good yeman, Called Wyllyam of Cloudesle.'

44. That lytle boye was the towne swyne-heard, And kept fayre Alyce swyne; Full oft he had seene Cloudesle in the wodde, And geven hym there to dyne.

45. He went out of a crevis in the wall, And lightly to the woode dyd gone; There met he with these wight yonge men Shortly and anone.

46. 'Alas!' then sayde that lytle boye, 'Ye tary here all too longe; Cloudeslee is taken, and dampned to death, All readye for to honge.'

47. 'Alas!' then sayd good Adam Bell, 'That ever we see thys daye! He might here with us have dwelled, So ofte as we dyd him praye.

48. 'He myght have taryed in grene foreste, Under the shadowes sheene, And have kepte both hym and us in reste, Out of trouble and teene.'

49. Adam bent a ryght good bow, A great hart sone had he slayne: 'Take that, chylde,' he sayde, 'to thy dynner, And bryng me myne arrowe agayne.'

50. 'Now go we hence,' sayed these wight yong men, 'Tarry we no longer here; We shall hym borowe, by God's grace, Though we buy itt full dere.'

51. To Caerlel wente these good yemen, In a mery mornyng of Maye. Here is a fyt of Cloudesly, And another is for to saye.

52. And when they came to mery Caerlell, In a fayre mornyng-tyde, They founde the gates shut them untyll Round about on every syde.

53. 'Alas!' than sayd good Adam Bell, 'That ever we were made men! These gates be shut so wonderly well, That we may not come herein.'

54. Than spake Clym of the Clough, 'Wyth a wyle we wyl us in bryng; Let us saye we be messengers, Streyght comen from our king.'

55. Adam said, 'I have a letter written wele, Now let us wysely werke, We wyl saye we have the kynges seale; I holde the porter no clerke.'

56. Than Adam Bell bete on the gate With strokes great and stronge: The porter herde suche a noyse therat, And to the gate faste he thronge.

57. 'Who is there now,' sayde the porter, 'That maketh all this knockinge?' 'We be two messengers,' sayd Clim of the Clough, 'Be comen streyght from our kyng.'

58. 'We have a letter,' sayd Adam Bell, 'To the justice we must it bryng; Let us in our message to do, That we were agayne to our kyng.'

59. 'Here commeth no man in,' sayd the porter, 'By hym that dyed on a tre, Tyll a false thefe be hanged Called Wyllyam of Cloudesle.'

60. Than spake that good yeman Clym of the Clough, And swore by Mary fre, 'If that we stande long wythout, Lyke a thefe hanged shalt thou be.

61. 'Lo! here we have got the kynges seale: What, lordane, art thou wode?' The porter had wende it had ben so, And lyghtly dyd off hys hode.

62. 'Welcome be my lordes seale,' saide he; 'For that ye shall come in.' He opened the gate right shortly: An evyl openyng for him!

63. 'Now we are in,' sayde Adam Bell, 'Therof we are full faine; But Christ knoweth, that harowed hell, How we shall com out agayne.'

64. 'Had we the keys,' said Clim of the Clough, 'Ryght wel than shoulde we spede, Than might we come out wel ynough Whan we se tyme and nede.'

65. They called the porter to a councell, And wrong his necke in two, And caste hym in a depe dongeon, And toke the keys hym fro.

66. 'Now am I porter,' sayd Adam Bel, 'Se, brother, the keys have we here, The worst porter to mery Carlile That ye had thys hondreth yere.

67. 'Now wyll we our bowes bend, Into the towne wyll we go, For to delyver our dere brother, Where he lyeth in care and wo.'

68. Then they bent theyr good yew bowes, And loked theyr stringes were round; The markett place of mery Carlile They beset in that stound.

69. And, as they loked them besyde, A paire of new galowes there they see, And the justice with a quest of squyers, That judged William hanged to be.

70. And Cloudesle hymselfe lay ready in a cart Fast bound both fote and hand; And a stronge rope about hys necke, All readye for to be hangde.

71. The justice called to him a ladde, Cloudesles clothes shold he have, To take the measure of that good yoman, And thereafter to make hys grave.

72. 'I have sene as great a mervaile,' said Cloudesle, 'As betweyne thys and pryme, He that maketh thys grave for me, Hymselfe may lye therin.'

73. 'Thou speakest proudlye,' said the justice, 'I shall hange thee with my hande.' Full wel that herd his brethren two There styl as they dyd stande.

74. Then Cloudesle cast his eyen asyde, And saw hys brethren stande At a corner of the market place, With theyr good bowes bent in theyr hand, Redy the justyce for to chase.

75. 'I se good comfort,' sayd Cloudesle, 'Yet hope I well to fare, If I might have my handes at wyll Ryght lytel wold I care.'

76. Than bespake good Adam Bell To Clym of the Clough so free, 'Brother, se ye marke the justyce wel; Lo! yonder ye may him se:

77. 'And at the shyrife shote I wyll Strongly wyth an arrowe kene; A better shote in mery Carlile Thys seven yere was not sene.'

78. They loosed their arrowes both at once, Of no man had they drede; The one hyt the justice, the other the sheryfe, That both theyr sides gan blede.

79. All men voyded, that them stode nye, Whan the justice fell to the grounde, And the sherife fell nye hym by; Eyther had his deathes wounde.

80. All the citezens fast gan fle, They durst no longer abyde: There lyghtly they loosed Cloudeslee, Where he with ropes lay tyde.

81. Wyllyam stert to an officer of the towne, Hys axe out hys hand he wronge, On eche syde he smote them downe, Hym thought he had taryed too long.

82. Wyllyam sayde to hys brethren two, 'Thys daye let us lyve and die, If ever you have nede, as I have now, The same shall you finde by me.'

83. They shot so well in that tyde, For theyr stringes were of silke ful sure, That they kept the stretes on every side; That batayle did long endure.

84. They fought together as brethren true, Lyke hardy men and bolde, Many a man to the ground they threw, And made many an herte colde.

85. But whan their arrowes were all gon, Men presyd on them full fast, They drew theyr swordes than anone, And theyr bowes from them cast.

86. They went lyghtlye on theyr way, Wyth swordes and buclers round; By that it was the myddes of the day, They had made many a wound.

87. There was many an out-horne in Carleil blowen, And the belles backward dyd they ryng, Many a woman sayde 'Alas!' And many theyr handes dyd wryng.

88. The mayre of Carlile forth com was, And wyth hym a full great route: These three yemen dred hym full sore, For theyr lyves stode in doute.

89. The mayre came armed, a full great pace, With a polaxe in hys hande; Many a strong man wyth him was, There in that stoure to stande.

90. The mayre smote at Cloudesle with his bil, Hys bucler he brast in two, Full many a yoman with great yll, 'Alas! Treason,' they cryed for wo. 'Kepe we the gates fast,' they bad, 'That these traytours therout not go.'

91. But al for nought was that they wrought, For so fast they downe were layde, Tyll they all thre, that so manfully fought, Were gotten without at a braide.

92. 'Have here your keys,' sayd Adam Bel, 'Myne office I here forsake, Yf you do by my councell A newe porter ye make.'

93. He threw the keys there at theyr heads, And bad them evil to thryve, And all that letteth any good yoman To come and comfort his wyfe.

94. Thus be these good yomen gon to the wode, As lyghtly as lefe on lynde; They laugh and be mery in theyr mode, Theyr enemyes were farr behynde.

95. Whan they came to Inglyswode, Under their trysty-tre, There they found bowes full good, And arrowes great plente.

96. 'So help me God,' sayd Adam Bell, And Clym of the Clough so fre, 'I would we were nowe in mery Carlile, Before that fayre meyne.'

97. They set them downe, and made good chere, And eate and dranke full well. Here is a fytte of the wight yongemen: And another I shall you tell.

98. As they sat in Inglyswood, Under theyr trysty-tre, They thought they herd a woman wepe, But her they myght not se.

99. Sore syghed there fayre Alyce, and sayd, 'Alas, that ever I see thys day! For nowe is my dere husband slayne: Alas! and wel-a-way!

100. 'Myght I have spoken wyth hys dere brethren, With eyther of them twayne, To show to them what him befell, My hart were out of payne.'

101. Cloudesle walked a lytle beside, And looked under the grene wood lynde, He was ware of his wife and chyldren three, Full wo in herte and mynde.

102. 'Welcome, wyfe,' than sayde Wyllyam, 'Unto this trysty-tre: I had wende yesterday, by swete saynt John, Thou sholde me never have se.'

103. 'Now well is me,' she sayd, 'that ye be here, My harte is out of wo.' 'Dame,' he sayde, 'be mery and glad, And thanke my brethren two.'

104. 'Herof to speake,' said Adam Bell, 'I-wis it is no bote: The meate, that we must supp withall, It runneth yet fast on fote.'

105. Then went they downe into a launde, These noble archares all thre; Eche of them slew a hart of grece, The best they cold there se.

106. 'Have here the best, Alyce my wyfe,' Sayde Wyllyam of Cloudeslye, 'By cause ye so boldly stode me by Whan I was slayne full nye.'

107. Than went they to theyr suppere Wyth suche meate as they had; And thanked God of ther fortune: They were both mery and glad.

108. And when they had supped well, Certayne withouten lease, Cloudesle sayd, 'We wyll to our kyng, To get us a charter of peace.

109. 'Alyce shal be at sojournyng In a nunnery here besyde; My two sonnes shall wyth her go, And there they shall abyde.

110. 'Myne eldest son shall go wyth me; For hym have I no care: And he shall bring you worde agayn, How that we do fare.'

111. Thus be these wight men to London gone, As fast as they maye hye, Tyll they came to the kynges pallace; There they woulde nedes be.

112. And whan they came to the kynges courte, Unto the pallace gate, Of no man wold they aske leave, But boldly went in therat.

113. They presyd prestly into the hall, Of no man had they dreade: The porter came after, and dyd them calle, And with them began to chyde.

114. The usher sayde, 'Yemen, what wold ye have? I pray you tell to me: You myght thus make offycers shent: Good syrs, of whence be ye?'

115. 'Syr, we be outlawes of the forest Certayne withouten lease; And hyther we be come to our kyng, To get us a charter of peace.'

116. And whan they came before the kyng, As it was the lawe of the lande, They kneled downe without lettyng, And eche held up his hand.

117. They sayed, 'Lord, we beseche you here, That ye wyll graunt us grace; For we have slayne your fat falow dere In many a sondry place.'

118. 'What is your names,' than said our king, 'Anone that you tell me?' They sayd, 'Adam Bell, Clim of the Clough, And Wyllyam of Cloudesle.'

119. 'Be ye those theves,' than sayd our kyng, 'That men have tolde of to me? Here to God I make a vowe, Ye shal be hanged al thre.

120. 'Ye shal be dead without mercy, As I am kynge of this lande.' He commanded his officers everichone, Fast on them to lay hande.

121. There they toke these good yemen, And arested them al thre: 'So may I thryve,' sayd Adam Bell, 'Thys game lyketh not me.

122. 'But, good lorde, we beseche you now, That ye wyll graunt us grace, Insomuche as we be to you comen, Or elles that we may fro you passe,

123. 'With such weapons, as we have here, Tyll we be out of your place; And yf we lyve this hondred yere, We wyll aske you no grace.'

124. 'Ye speake proudly,' sayd the kynge; 'Ye shall be hanged all thre.' 'That were great pitye,' sayd the quene, 'If any grace myght be.

125. 'My lorde, whan I came fyrst into this lande To be your wedded wyfe, The fyrst boone that I would aske, Ye would graunt me belyfe:

126. 'And I asked you never none tyll now; Therefore, good lorde, graunt it me.' 'Now aske it, madam,' sayd the kynge, 'And graunted shal it be.'

127. 'Than, good lord, I you beseche, These yemen graunt you me.' 'Madame, ye myght have asked a boone, That shuld have been worth them thre.

128. 'Ye myght have asked towres, and townes, Parkes and forestes plentie.' 'None soe pleasant to my pay,' shee sayd; 'Nor none so lefe to me.'

129. 'Madame, sith it is your desyre, Your askyng graunted shal be; But I had lever have given you Good market townes thre.'

130. The quene was a glad woman, And sayde, 'Lord, gramarcy; I dare undertake for them, That true men shal they be.

131. 'But, good lord, speke som mery word, That comfort they may se.' 'I graunt you grace,' than sayd our kyng; 'Washe, felos, and to meate go ye.'

132. They had not setten but a whyle Certayne without lesynge, There came messengers out of the north With letters to our kyng.

133. And whan they came before the kynge, They kneled downe upon theyr kne; And sayd, 'Lord, your officers grete you well, Of Carlile in the north cuntre.'

134. 'How fareth my justice,' sayd the kyng, 'And my sherife also?' 'Syr, they be slayne, without lesynge, And many an officer mo.'

135. 'Who hath them slayne?' sayd the kyng; 'Anone thou tell me.' 'Adam Bell, and Clim of the Clough, And Wyllyam of Cloudesle.'

136. 'Alas for rewth!' than said our kynge: 'My hart is wonderous sore; I had lever than a thousande pounde, I had knowne of thys before;

137. 'For I have y-graunted them grace, And that forthynketh me: But had I knowne all thys before, They had been hanged all thre.'

138. The kyng opened the letter anone, Himselfe he red it tho, And founde how these thre outlawes had slain Thre hundred men and mo:

139. Fyrst the justice, and the sheryfe, And the mayre of Carlile towne; Of all the constables and catchipolles Alyve were left not one:

140. The baylyes, and the bedyls both, And the sergeauntes of the law, And forty fosters of the fe, These outlawes had y-slaw:

141. And broke his parks, and slayne his dere; Over all they chose the best; So perelous out-lawes as they were Walked not by easte nor west.

142. When the kynge this letter had red, In hys harte he syghed sore: 'Take up the table,' anone he bad, 'For I may eat no more.'

143. The kyng called his best archars To the buttes wyth hym to go: 'I wyll se these felowes shote,' he sayd, 'That in the north have wrought this wo.'

144. The kynges bowmen buske them blyve. And the quenes archers also; So dyd these thre wyght yemen; With them they thought to go.

145. There twyse or thryse they shote about For to assay theyr hande; There was no shote these thre yemen shot. That any prycke myght them stand.

146. Then spake Wyllyam of Cloudesle; 'By God that for me dyed, I hold hym never no good archar, That shoteth at buttes so wyde.'

147. 'Whereat?' than sayd our king, 'I pray thee tell me.' 'At suche a but, syr,' he sayd. 'As men use in my countree.'

148. Wyllyam wente into a fyeld, And his two brethren with him: There they set up two hasell roddes Twenty score paces betwene.

149. 'I hold him an archar,' said Cloudesle, 'That yonder wande cleveth in two.' 'Here is none suche,' sayd the kyng, 'Nor none that can so do.'

150. 'I shall assaye, syr,' sayd Cloudesle, 'Or that I farther go.' Cloudesly with a bearyng arowe Clave the wand in two.

151. 'Thou art the best archer,' then said the king, 'Forsothe that ever I se.' 'And yet for your love,' sayd Wyllyam, 'I wyll do more maystry.

152. 'I have a sonne is seven yere olde, He is to me full deare; I wyll hym tye to a stake; All shall se, that be here;

153. 'And lay an apple upon hys head, And go syxe score paces hym fro, And I my selfe with a brode arow Shall cleve the apple in two.'

154. 'Now haste thee then sayd the kyng, 'By hym that dyed on a tre; But yf thou do not as thou hest sayde, Hanged shalt thou be.

155. 'And thou touche his head or gowne, In syght that men may se, By all the sayntes that be in heaven, I shall hange you all thre.'

156. 'That I have promised,' said William, 'I wyll it never forsake.' And there even before the kynge In the earth he drove a stake:

157. And bound therto his eldest sonne, And bad hym stand styll thereat; And turned the childes face fro him, Because he should not stert.

158. An apple upon his head he set, And then his bowe he bent: Syxe score paces they were outmet, And thether Cloudesle went.

159. There he drew out fayre brode arrowe, Hys bowe was great and longe, He set that arrowe in his bowe, That was both styffe and stronge.

160. He prayed the people, that wer there, That they wold still stand, For he that shoteth for such a wager Behoveth a stedfast hand.