"Gramerc-y, knight," said Rob-in, "My dinner when I have; I was never so greedy, by dere-worthy God, My dinner for to crave. But pay ere ye wend," said Rob-in, "Me thinketh it is good right; It was never the manner, by dere-worthy God, A yeoman to pay for a knight." "I have nought in my coffers," said the knight, "That I may proffer for shame." "Little John, go look," said Robin, "Ne let not for no blame. Tell me truth," then said Rob-in, "So God have part of thee." "I have no more but ten shillings," said the knight, "So God have part of me!" "If thou have no more," said Rob-in, "I will not one penn-y; And if thou have need of any more, More shall I lend thee. Go now forth, Little John, The truth tell thou me, If there be no more but ten shillings No penny of that I see." Little John spread down his mantle Full fair upon the ground, And there he found in the knight's coff-er But even half a pound. Little John let it lie full still, And went to his master full low. "What tiding-e, John?" said Rob-in. "Sir, the knight is true enow." "Fill of the best wine," said Rob-in, "The knight shall begin; Much wonder thinketh me Thy clothing is so thin. Tell me one word," said Rob-in, "And counsel shall it be; I trow thou were made a knight of force, Or else of yeomanry; Or else thou hast been a sorry housband And lived in stroke and strife; An okerer, or lechour," said Rob-in, "With wrong hast thou led thy life." "I am none of them," said the knight, "By him that mad-e me; An hundred winter here before, Mine aunsetters knights have be. But oft it hath befal, Rob-in, A man hath be disgrate; But God that sitteth in heaven above May amend his state. Within two or three year, Robin," he said, "My neighbours well it kend, Four hundred pound of good mon-ey Full well then might I spend. Now have I no good," said the knight, "But my children and my wife; God hath shapen such an end, Till he it may amend." "In what manner," said Rob-in, "Hast thou lore thy rich-esse?" "For my great folly," he said, "And for my kind-enesse. I had a son, for sooth, Rob-in, That should have been my heir, When he was twenty winter old, In field would joust full fair; He slew a knight of Lancashire, And a squyer bold; For to save him in his right My goods beth set and sold; My lands beth set to wed, Rob-in, Until a certain day, To a rich abbot here beside, Of Saint Mar-y abbay." "What is the summ-e?" said Rob-in, "Truth then tell thou me."