"He is a strong thief," said the monk,
"Of him heard I never good."
"Thou liest!" then said Little John,
"And that shall rew-e thee;
He is a yeoman of the for-est,
To dine hath bod-e thee."
Much was ready with a bolt,
Redly and anon,
He set the monk tofore the breast,
To the ground that he can gon.
Of fifty-two wight young men,
There abode not one,
Save a little page, and a groom
To lead the somers with Little John.
They brought the monk to the lodge door,
Whether he were loth or lief,
For to speak with Robin Hood,
Maugr-e in their teeth.
Robin did adown his hood,
The monk when that he see;
The monk was not so courteyous,
His hood then let he be.
"He is a churl, master, by dere-worthy God,"
Then said Little John.
"Thereof no force," said Rob-in,
"For courtesy can he none.
How man-y men," said Rob-in,
"Had this monk, John?"
"Fifty and two when that we met,
But many of them be gone."
"Let blow a horn," said Robin,
"That fellowship may us know."
Seven score of wight yeomen,
Came pricking on a row,
And everich of them a good mant-ell,
Of scarlet and of ray,
All they came to good Rob-in,
To wite what he would say.
They made the monk to wash and wipe,
And sit at his dinere,
Robin Hood and Little John
They served them both infere.
"Do gladly, monk," said Robin.
"Gram-ercy, sir," said he.
"Where is your abbey, whan ye are at home,
And who is your avow-e?"
"Saint Mary abbey," said the monk,
"Though I be simple here."
"In what offic-e?" said Rob-in.
"Sir, the high cellarer."
"Ye be the more welcome," said Rob-in,
"So ever mote I thee.
Fill of the best wine," said Rob-in,
"This monk shall drink to me.
But I have great marvel," said Rob-in,
"Of all this long-e day,
I dread Our Lady be wroth with me,
She sent me not my pay."
"Have no doubt, master," said Little John,
"Ye have no need I say,
This monk it hath brought, I dare well swear,
For he is of her abbay."
"And she was a borow," said Robin,
"Between a knight and me,
Of a little money that I him lent,
Under the green wood tree;
And if thou hast that silver i-brought,
I pray thee let me see,
And I shall help thee eftsoons,
If thou have need of me."
The monk swore a full great oath,
With a sorry cheer,
"Of the borowhood thou speakest to me,
Heard I never ere!"
"I make mine avow to God," said Robin,
"Monk, thou art to blame,
For God is hold a righteous man,
And so is his dame.
Thou toldest with thine own tongue,
Thou may not say nay,
How that thou art her serv-ant
And servest her every day,
And thou art made her messenger,
My money for to pay,
Therefore I con thee more thank,
Thou art come at thy day.
What is in your coffers?" said Robin,
"True then tell thou me."
"Sir," he said, "twenty mark,
All so mote I thee."
"If there be no more," said Robin,
"I will not one penny;
If thou hast mister of any more,
Sir, more I shall lend to thee;
And if I find more," said Robin,
"I-wis thou shalt it forgone;
For of thy spending silver, monk,
Thereof will I right none.
Go now forth, Little John,
And the truth tell thou me;
If there be no more but twenty mark,
No penny of that I see."
Little John spread his mantle down,
As he had done before,
And he told out of the monk-es mail,
Eight hundred pound and more.
Little John let it lie full still,
And went to his master in haste;
"Sir," he said, "the monk is true enow,
Our lady hath doubled your cost."
"I make mine avow to God," said Robin,
"Monk, what told I thee?
Our Lady is the truest woman,
That ever yet found I me.
By dere-worthy God," said Robin,
"To seek all England thorowe,
Yet found I never to my pay
A much better borowe.
Fill of the best wine, do him drink," said Robin;
"And greet well thy Lady hend,
And if she have need of Robin Hood,
A friend she shall him find;
And if she needeth any more silv-er,
Come thou again to me,
And, by this token she hath me sent,
She shall have such three!"
The monk was going to London ward,
There to hold great mote,
The knight that rode so high on horse,
To bring him under foot.
"Whither be ye away?" said Robin.
"Sir, to manors in this lond,
To reckon with our rev-es,
That have done much wrong."
"Come now forth, Little John,
And hearken to my tale,
A better yeoman I know none,
To search a monk-es mail.
How much is in yonder other courser?" said Robin,
"The sooth must we see."
"By our Lady," then said the monk,
"That were no courtes-y
To bid a man to dinner,
And sith him beat and bind."
"It is our old manner," said Rob-in,
"To leave but little behind."
The monk took the horse with spur,
No longer would he abide.
"Ask to drink," then said Rob-in,
"Ere that ye further ride."
"Nay, fore God," then said the monk,
"Me reweth I came so near,
For better cheap I might have dined,
In Blyth or in Doncastere."
"Greet well your abbot," said Rob-in,
"And your prior, I you pray,
And bid him send me such a monk
To dinner every day!"
Now let we that monk be still,
And speak we of that knight,
Yet he came to hold his day
While that it was light.
He did him straight to Barnisdale,
Under the green wood tree,
And he found there Robin Hood,
And all his merry meyn-e.
The knight light downe of his good palfr-ey,
Rob-in when he gan see.
So courteysly he did adown his hood,
And set him on his knee.
"God thee save, good Robin Hood,
And all this company."
"Welcome be thou, gentle knight,
And right welc-ome to me."
Then bespake him Robin Hood,
To that knight so free,
"What need driveth thee to green wood?
I pray thee, sir knight, tell me.
And welcome be thou, gentle knight,
Why hast thou be so long?"
"For the abbot and the high justice
Would have had my lond."
"Hast thou thy land again?" said Robin,
"Truth then tell thou me."
"Yea, fore God," said the knight,
"And that thank I God and thee.
But take not a grief," said the knight,
"That I have been so long;
I came by a wresteling,
And there I did help a poor yeom-an,
With wrong was put behind."
"Nay, fore God," said Rob-in,
"Sir knight, that thank I thee;
What man that helpeth a good yeom-an,
His friend then will I be."
"Have here four hundred pound," then said the knight,
"The which ye lent to me;
And here is also twenty mark
For your courtes-y."
"Nay, fore God," then said Robin,
"Thou brook it well for aye,
For our Lady, by her cellarer,
Hath sent to me my pay;
And if I took it twice,
A shame it were to me:
But truly, gentle knight,
Welc-ome art thou to me."
When Rob-in had told his tale,
He laughed and had good cheer.
"By my troth," then said the knight,
"Your money is ready here."
"Brook it well," said Rob-in,
"Thou gentle knight so free;
And welcome be thou, gentle knight,
Under my trystell tree.
But what shall these bows do?" said Robin,
"And these arrows i-feathered free?"
"It is," then said the knight,
"A poor pres-ent to thee."
"Come now forth, Little John,
And go to my treasur-y,
And bring me there four hundred pound,
The monk over-told it to me.
Have here four hundred pound,
Thou gentle knight and true,
And buy horse and harness good,
And gild thy spurs all new:
And if thou fail an-y spend-ing,
Come to Robin Hood,
And by my troth thou shalt none fail
The whiles I have any good.
And brook well thy four hundred pound,
Which I lent to thee,
And make thyself no more so bare,
By the counsel of me."
Thus then holp him good Rob-in,
The knight of all his care.
God, that sitteth in heaven high,
Grant us well to fare.