Welcome art thou to me!" When ROBIN had told his tale, He laughed and had good cheer, "By my troth!" then said the Knight, "Your money is ready here!" "Brook it well!" said ROBIN, "Thou gentle Knight so free! And welcome be thou, gentle Knight, Under my trystel tree! But what shall these bows do?" said ROBIN, "And these arrows yfeathered free?" "By God!" then said the Knight, "A poor present to thee!" "Come now forth, Little JOHN, And go to my treasure, And bring me there four hundred pounds The Monk overtold it me. Have here four hundred pounds, Thou gentle Knight and true! And buy horse and harness good, And gilt thy spurs all new! And if thou fail any spending, Come to ROBIN HOOD! And, by my troth, thou shalt none fail The whiles I have any good; And brook well thy four hundred pounds Which I lent to thee! And make thyself no more so bare; By the counsel of me." Thus then helped him, good ROBIN, The Knight all of his care: God that sits in heaven high Grant us well to fare! +The fifth fytte.+ Now hath the Knight his leave ytake, And went him on his way. ROBIN HOOD and his merry men Dwelled still full many a day. Lithe and listen, Gentlemen! And hearken what I shall say, How the proud Sheriff of NOTTINGHAM Did cry a full fair Play, That all the best archers of the North Should come upon a day; And he that shooteth alder best, The game shall bear away! He that shooteth alder best Furthest, fair, and low, At a pair of finely butts, Under the green-wood shaw, A right good arrow he shall have, The shaft of silver white, The head and feathers of rich red gold, In England is none like. This then heard good ROBIN, Under his trystel tree. "Make you ready, ye wight young men, That shooting will I see! Busk you, my merry young men, Ye shall go with me! And I will wit the Sheriff's faith; True and if be he!" When they had their bows ybent, 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 were the bold archers That shooted with bowes strong. "There shall but six shoot with me, The others shall keep my head, And stand with good bows bent That I be not deceived." The fourth outlaw, his bow 'gan bend, And that was ROBIN HOOD: And that beheld the proud Sheriff, All by the butt he stood. Thrice ROBIN shot about, And always sliced the wand; And so did good "GILBERT With the white 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: Ever more was the best, Forsooth, ROBIN HOOD. Him was delivered the good arrow, For best worthy was he: He took the gift so courteously; To green wood would he! They cried out on ROBIN HOOD,