"Busk you thitherward, my dear mast-er, Anon, and wend with me." The sheriff rode, and Little John Of foot he was full smart, And when they came afore Robin: "Lo, here is the master hart!" Still stood the proud sher-iff, A sorry man was he: "Wo worth thee, Raynold Greenleaf! Thou hast now betray-ed me." "I make mine avow," said Little John, "Mast-er, ye be to blame, I was misserved of my dinere, When I was with you at hame." Soon he was to supper set, And served with silver white; And when the sher-iff see his vess-el, For sorrow he might not eat. "Make good cheer," said Robin Hood, "Sher-iff, for charit-y, And for the love of Little John; Thy life is granted to thee." When they had supp-ed well, The day was all agone, Robin commanded Little John To draw off his hosen and his shone, His kirtle and his coat a pye, That was furr-ed well fine, And take him a green mant-ell, To lap his body therein. Robin commanded his wight young men, Under the green wood tree, They shall lie in that same sort, That the sheriff might them see. All night lay that proud sher-iff In his breche and in his sherte, No wonder it was, in green wood, Though his sides do smerte. "Make glad cheer," said Robin Hood, "Sher-iff, for charit-e, For this is our ord-er i-wis, Under the green wood tree." "This is harder order," said the sheriff, "Than any anker or frere; For all the gold in merry Engl-and I would not long dwell here." "All these twelve months," said Rob-in, "Thou shalt dwell with me; I shall thee teach, thou proud sher-iff, An outlaw for to be." "Ere I here another night lie," said the sheriff, "Robin, now I pray thee, Smite off my head rather to-morn, And I forgive it thee. Let me go," then said the sher-iff, "For saint Charit-e, And I will be thy best friend That ever yet had thee." "Thou shalt swear me an oath," said Robin, "On my bright brand, Thou shalt never awayte me scathe, By water ne by land; And if thou find any of my men, By night or by day, Upon thine oath thou shalt swear, To help them that thou may." Now hath the sheriff i-swore his oath, And home he gan to gone, He was as full of green wood As ever was heap of stone. THE FOURTH FYTTE. The sheriff dwelled in Nottingham, He was fain that he was gone, And Robin and his merry men Went to wood anone. "Go we to dinner," said Little John. Robin Hood said, "Nay; For I dread Our Lady be wroth with me, For she sent me not my pay."