This then heard good Rob-in, Under his trystell tree: "Make you ready, ye wight young men, That shooting will I see. Busk you, my merr-y young men, Ye shall go with me; And I will wete the sheriff's faith, True an if he be." When they had their bows i-bent, Their tackles feathered free, Seven score of wight young men Stood by Robin's knee. When they came to Nottingham, The butts were fair and long, Many was the bold arch-er That shooted with bow-es strong. "There shall but six shoot with me, The other shall keep my head, And stand with good bow-es bent That I be not deceived." The fourth outlaw his bow gan bend, And that was Robin Hood, And that beheld the proud sher-iff, All by the butt he stood. Thri-es Robin shot about, And alway he cleft the wand, And so did good Gilbert, With the whit-e hand. Little John and good Scathelock Were archers good and free; Little Much and good Reynold, The worst would they not be. When they had shot about, These archers fair and good, Evermore was the best, For sooth, Robin Hood. Him was delivered the good arr-ow, For best worthy was he; He took the gift so courteysly To green wood wold-e he. They cri-ed out on Robin Hood, And great horns gan they blow. "Wo worth thee! treason!" said Rob-in, "Full evil thou art to know! And woe be thou, thou proud sher-iff, Thus gladding thy guest, Otherwise thou behot-e me In yonder wild for-est; But had I thee in green wood, Under my trystell tree, Thou shouldest leave me a better wed Than thy true lewt-e." Full many a bow there was bent, And arrows let they glide, Many a kirtle there was rent, And hurt man-y a side. The outlaw-es shot was so strong, That no man might them drive, And the proud sherif-es men They fled away full blive. Robin saw the busshement to-broke, In green wood he would have be, Many an arrow there was shot Among that company. Little John was hurt full sore, With an arrow in his knee, That he might neither go nor ride: It was full great pit-e. "Master," then said Little John, "If ever thou lovest me, And for that ilk-e Lord-es love, That died upon a tree, And for the meeds of my serv-ice, That I have serv-ed thee, Let nev-er the proud sher-iff Aliv-e now find me; But take out thy brown sword, And smite all off my head, And give me wound-es dead and wide, That I after eat no bread." "I wold-e not that," said Rob-in, "John, that thou wer-e slawe, For all the gold in merry England, Though it lay now on a rawe."