Fifteenth Century Prose and Verse Part 13

We be yeoman of this forest, Under the green-wood tree, We live by our King's deer, Under the green-wood tree; And ye have churches and rents both, And gold full great plenty: Give us some of your spending, For saint charity!"

Then bespake our comely King, Anon then said he, "I brought no more to green wood.

But forty pounds with me.

I have lain at Nottingham, This fortnight with our King; And spent I have full much good On many a great Lording: And I have but forty pounds, No more than have I me.

But if I had a hundred pounds, I would give it to thee!"

ROBIN took the forty pounds, And departed it in two parts: Halfendell he gave his merry men, And bade them merry to be.

Full courteously ROBIN 'gan say, "Sir, have this for your spending!

We shall meet another day."

"Grammercy!" then said our King.

"But well thee greeteth EDWARD our King, And sent to thee his seal; And biddeth thee come to Nottingham, Both to meat and meal!"

He took out the broad targe And soon he let him see.

ROBIN could his courtesy, And set him on his knee.

"I love no man in all the world So well as I do my King!

Welcome is my Lord's seal!

And monk for thy tiding, Sir Abbot, for thy tidings, To-day, thou shalt dine with me!

For the love of my King, Under my trystel tree."

Forth he led our comely King Full fair by the hand; Many a deer there was slain, And full fast dightand.

ROBIN took a full great horn, And loud he 'gan blow, Seven score of wight young men Came ready on a row.

All they kneeled on their knee Full fair before ROBIN.

The King said, himself until, And swore, "By Saint AUSTIN!

Here is a wondrous seemly sight!

Methinketh, by G.o.d's pine!

His men are more at his bidding Than my men be at mine."

Full hastily was their dinner ydight, And thereto 'gan they gone; They served our King with all their might, Both ROBIN and Little JOHN.

Anon before our King was set The fat venison, The good white bread, the good red wine, And thereto the fine ale brown.

"Make good cheer!" said ROBIN, "Abbot, for charity!

And for this ilk tiding Blessed might thou be!

Now shalt thou see what life we lead, Or thou hence wend, That thou may inform our King When ye together lend."

Up they start all in haste, Their bows were smartly bent: Our King was never so sore aghast; He wended to have been shent!

Two yards there were up set Thereto 'gan they gang.

"By fifty paces," our King said, "The marks were too long!"

On every side a rose garland, They shot under the line.

"Whoso faileth of the rose garland," saith ROBIN, "His tackle he shall tine, And yield it to his Master, Be it never so fine!

(For no man will I spare, So drink I ale or wine!) And bear a buffet on his head Iwis right all bare."

And all that fell in ROBIN's lot, He smote them wondrous sore.

Twice ROBIN shot about, And ever he cleaved the wand; And so did good "GILBERT, With the good white hand."

Little JOHN and good SCATHELOCK, For nothing would they spare.

When they failed of the garland ROBIN smote them full sore.

At the last shot, that ROBIN shot For all his friends' fare; Yet he failed of the garland Three fingers and more.

Then bespake good GILBERT, And thus he 'gan say, "Master," he said, "your tackle is lost, Stand forth and take your pay!"

"If it be so," said ROBIN, "That may no better be; Sir Abbot, I deliver thee mine arrow!

I pray thee, Sir, serve thou me!"

"It falleth not for mine order," said our King, "ROBIN, by thy leave, For to smite no good yeoman, For doubt I should him grieve."

"Smite on boldly," said ROBIN, "I give thee large leave!"

Anon our King, with that word, He folded up his sleeve, And such a buffet he gave ROBIN, To ground he yede full near.

"I make mine avow to G.o.d," said ROBIN, "Thou art a stalwart frere!

There is pith in thine arm," said ROBIN, "I trow thou canst well shoot."

Thus our King and ROBIN HOOD, Together then they met.

ROBIN beheld our comely King, Wistly in the face: So did Sir RICHARD AT THE LEE, And kneeled down in that place.

And so did all the wild outlaws, When they see them kneel.

"My Lord, the King of England, Now I know you well."

"Mercy, then, ROBIN," said our King, "Under your trystel tree, Of thy goodness and thy grace, For my men and me!"

"Yes, for G.o.d!" said ROBIN, "and also G.o.d me save!

I ask mercy, my Lord the King, And for my men I crave!"

"Yes, for G.o.d!" then said our King, "And thereto 'sent I me; With that thou leave the green wood, And all thy company; And come home, Sir, to my Court, And there dwell with me."

"I make mine avow to G.o.d!" said ROBIN, "And right so shall it be, I will come to your Court, Your service for to see!

And bring with me, of my men, Seven score and three.

But me like well your service, I come again full soon; And shoot at the dun deer As I wont to done."

+The eighth fytte.+

"Hast thou any green cloth," said our King, "That thou wilt sell now to me?"

"Yea, for G.o.d!" said ROBIN, "Thirty yards and three."

"ROBIN," said our King, "Now pray I thee!

Sell me some of that cloth To me and my meiny."

"Yes, for G.o.d!" then said ROBIN, "Or else I were a fool!

Another day ye will me clothe, I trow against the yule."

The King cast off his cowl then, A green garment he did on, And every knight also, i-wis, Another had full soon.

When they were clothed in Lincoln green, They cast away their gray.

"Now we shall to Nottingham!

All thus," our King 'gan say.

Their bows bent, and forth they went, Shooting all in-fere Toward the town of Nottingham, Outlaws as they were.

Our King and ROBIN rode together, For sooth as I you say, And they shot Pluck-buffet, As they went by the way.

And many a buffet our King won Of ROBIN HOOD that day; And nothing spared good ROBIN Our King in his pay.

"So G.o.d me help!" said our King, "Thy game is nought to lere; I should not get a shot of thee, Though I shoot all this year!"

All the people of Nottingham, They stood and beheld, They saw nothing but mantles of green That covered all the field: Then every man to other 'gan say, "I dread our King be slone; Come ROBIN HOOD to the town, ywis In life he left never one!"

Full hastily they began to flee, Both yeomen and knaves, And old wives that might evil go They hipped on their staves.

The King laughed full fast, And commanded them again: When they see our comely King I-wis they were full fain.

They eat and drank and made them glad, And sang with notes high.

Then bespake our comely King To Sir RICHARD AT THE LEE: He gave him there his land again; A good man he bade him be.

ROBIN thanked our comely King And set him on his knee.

Had ROBIN dwelled in the King's Court But twelve months and three; That he had spent an hundred pound, And all his men's fee.

In every place where ROBIN came, Evermore he laid down, Both for Knights and for Squires To get him great renown.

By then the year was all agone He had no man but twain, Little JOHN and good SCATHELOCK With him all for to gone.

ROBIN saw young men shoot Full far upon a day.

"Alas," then said good ROBIN, "My wealth is went away!

Sometime I was an archer good, A stiff, and eke a strong, I was counted the best archer That was in merry England.

Alas," then said good ROBIN, "Alas, and well a wo!

If I dwell longer with the King, Sorrow will me slo!"

Forth then went ROBIN HOOD, Till he came to our King: "My Lord the King of England, Grant me mine asking!

I made a chapel in Bernysdale, That seemly is to see: It is of MARY MAGDALENE; And thereto would I be!

I might never in this seven night No time to sleep ne wink; Neither all these seven days Neither eat ne drink: Me longeth sore to Bernysdale.

I may not be therefro, Barefoot and woolward I have hight Thither for to go."

"If it be so," then said our King, "It may no better be!

Seven nights I give thee leave, No longer, to dwell from me."

"Grammercy, Lord!" then said ROBIN, And set him on his knee.