His hood hanged in his eyen two, He rode in simple array; A sorrier man than he was one, Rode never in summer's day. Little JOHN was full curteys, And set him on his knee, "Welcome be ye, gentle Knight! Welcome are ye to me! Welcome be thou to green wood, Hende Knight and free! My master hath abiden you fasting, Sir! all these hours three!" "Who is your master?" said the Knight. JOHN said, "ROBIN HOOD!" "He is a good yeoman," said the Knight; "Of him I have heard much good! I grant," he said, "with you to wend, My brethren all in-fere: My purpose was to have dined to-day At Blyth or Doncaster." Forth then went that gentle Knight, With a careful cheer; The tears out of his eyen ran, And fell down by his leer. They brought him unto the lodge door: When ROBIN 'gan him see, Full courteously did off his hood, And set him on his knee. "Welcome, Sir Knight!" then said ROBIN, "Welcome thou art to me; I have abide you fasting, Sir, All these hours three!" Then answered the gentle Knight With words fair and free, "God thee save, good ROBIN! And all thy fair meiny!" They washed together, and wiped both; And set till their dinner: Bread and wine they had enough, And nombles of the deer; Swans and pheasants they had full good, And fowls of the river. There failed never so little a bird That ever was bred on brere. "Do gladly, Sir Knight!" said ROBIN. "Grammercy, Sir!" said he, "Such a dinner had I not Of all these weekes three: If I come again, ROBIN, Here by this country, As good a dinner, I shall thee make As thou hast made to me!" "Grammercy, Knight!" said ROBIN, "My dinner when I have I was never so greedy, by dear-worthy God! My dinner for to crave: But pay ere ye wend!" said ROBIN; "Methinketh it is good right, It was never the manner, by dear-worthy God! A yeoman 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 HOOD, "Ne let not, for no blame, Tell me truth!" said ROBIN, "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 ROBIN, "I will not one penny! 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, Not one penny that I see!" Little JOHN spread down his mantle Full fair upon the ground; And there he found, in the Knight's coffer, But even half a pound. Little JOHN let it lie full still, And went to his master full low. "What tidings, JOHN?" said ROBIN. "Sir, the Knight is true enow!" "Fill of the best wine!" said ROBIN, "The Knight shall begin! Much wonder thinketh me Thy clothing is so thin! Tell me one word," said ROBIN, "And counsel shall it be: