Forsooth as I you say, So did Much the little page, For he should not stir away. By the gullet of the hood John pulled the monk down; John was nothing of him aghast, He let him fall on his crown. Little John was sore aggrieved, And drew out his sword in high; The monk saw he should be dead, Lord mercy can he cry. "He was my master," said Little John, "That thou has brought in bale; Shall thou never come at our king For to tell him tale." John smote off the monk's head, No longer would he dwell; So did Much the little page, For fear lest he would tell. There they buried them both In neither moss nor ling, And Little John and Much infere Bare the letters to our king. ***** He kneeled down upon his knee, "God you save, my liege lord, "Jesus you save and see. "God you save, my liege king," To speak John was full bold; He gave him the letters in his hand, The king did it unfold. (_bale_, trouble.) The king read the letters anon, And said, "so mot I thee, There was never yeoman in merry England I longed so sore to see. "Where is the monk that these should have brought?" Our king gan say; "By my troth," said Little John, "He died after the way." The king gave Much and Little John Twenty pound in certain, And made them yeomen of the crown, And bade them go again. He gave John the seal in hand, The sheriff for to bear, To bring Robin him to, And no man do him dere. John took his leave at our king, The sooth as I you say; The next way to Nottingham To take he yede the way. When John came to Nottingham The gates were sparred each one; John called up the porter, He answered soon anon. (_dere,_ harm. _yede_, went.) "What is the cause," said Little John, "Thou sparrest the gates so fast?" "Because of Robin Hood," said [the] porter, In deep prison is cast. "John, and Much, and Will Scathlock, Forsooth as I you say, There slew our men upon our walls, And sawten us every day." Little John speered after the sheriff, And soon he him found; He opened the king's privy seal, And gave him in his hand. When the sheriff saw the king's seal, He did off his hood anon; "Where is the monk that bare the letters?" He said to Little John. "He is so fain of him," said Little John, "Forsooth as I you say, He has made him abbot of Westminster, A lord of that abbey." The sheriff made John good cheer, And gave him wine of the best; At night they went to their bed, And every man to his rest. (_sawten,_ sought.) When the sheriff was on sleep Drunken of wine and ale, Little John and Much forsooth Took the way into the jail. Little John called up the jailor, And bade him rise anon; He said Robin Hood had broken prison,