This fytte is based on the story, extremely common and essentially popular, especially in England, of a meeting between a king in disguise and one of his subjects. Doubtless there was a ballad of Robin Hood and the king; but the only one we possess, _The King’s Disguise and Friendship with Robin Hood_, is a late and a loose paraphrase of this fytte and the next. The commonest stories and ballads of this type in English are _The King and the Barker_ (_i.e._ Tanner), _King Edward the Fourth and the Tanner of Tamworth_, _King James and the Tinker_, and _King Henry II. and the Miller of Mansfield_. Usually the point of the story is the lack of ceremony displayed by the subject, and the royal good-humour and largesse of the king. There is only an arbitrary division between Fyttes VII. and VIII.; and one or two other points will be discussed in introducing the next and last fytte. THE SEVENTH FYTTE 354. The kynge came to Notynghame, With knyghtës in grete araye, For to take that gentyll knyght And Robyn Hode, and yf he may. 355. He askëd men of that countrë After Robyn Hode, And after that gentyll knyght, That was so bolde and stout. 356. Whan they had tolde hym the case Our kynge understode ther tale, And seased in his honde The knyghtës londës all. 357. All the passe of Lancasshyre He went both ferre and nere, Tyll he came to Plomton Parke; He faylyd many of his dere. 358. There our kynge was wont to se Herdës many one, He coud unneth fynde one dere, That bare ony good home. 359. The kynge was wonder wroth withall, And swore by the Trynytë, ‘I wolde I had Robyn Hode, With eyen I myght hym se. 360. ‘And he that wolde smyte of the knyghtës hede, And brynge it to me, He shall have the knyghtës londes, Syr Rycharde at the Le. 361. ‘I gyve it hym with my charter, And sele it with my honde, To have and holde for ever more, In all mery Englonde.’ 362. Than bespake a fayre olde knyght, That was treue in his fay: ‘A, my leegë lorde the kynge, One worde I shall you say. 363. ‘There is no man in this countrë May have the knyghtës londes, Whyle Robyn Hode may ryde or gone, And bere a bowe in his hondes, 364. ‘That he ne shall lese his hede, That is the best ball in his hode: Give it no man, my lorde the kynge, That ye wyll any good.’ 365. Half a yere dwelled our comly kynge In Notyngham, and well more; Coude he not here of Robyn Hode, In what countrë that he were. 366. But alway went good Robyn By halke and eke by hyll, And alway slewe the kyngës dere, And welt them at his wyll. 367. Than bespake a proude fostere, That stode by our kyngës kne: ‘Yf ye wyll see good Robyn, Ye must do after me. 368. ‘Take fyve of the best knyghtes That be in your lede, And walke downe by yon abbay, And gete you monkës wede.