“The curtail fryer,” Dr. Stukeley says, “is a cordelier, from the cord or rope which they wore round their wast, to whip themselves with. They were,” adds he, “of the Franciscan order.” Our fryer, however, is undoubtedly so called from his “curtall dogs,” or curs, as we now say (Courtalt, F.) In fact, he is no fryer at all, but a monk of Fountains Abbey, which was of the Cistercian order. {210} In summer time, when leaves grow green, And flowers are fresh and gay, Robin Hood and his merry men [They] were disposed to play. Then some would leape, and some would runne, And some would use artillery : “Which of you can a good bow draw, A good archèr for to be ? Which of you can kill a bucke, Or who can kill a doe ; Or who can kill a hart of Greece Five hundreth foot him fro ?” Will Scadlòcke he kild a bucke And Midge he kild a doe ; And Little John kild a hart of Greece, Five hundreth foot him fro. Gods blessing on thy heart, said Robin Hood, That hath such a shot for me ; I would ride my horse a hundred miles, To find one could match thee. That caused Will Scadlòcke to laugh, He laught full heartily : “There lives a curtall fryer in Fountaines-Abbey Will beate both him and thee. {211} The curtall fryer in Fountaines-Abbey Well can a strong bow draw, He will beat you and your yeomèn, Set them all on a row.” Robin Hood he tooke a solemne oath, It was by Mary free, That he would neither eate nor drinke, Till the fryer he did see. Robin Hood put on his harnesse good, On his head a cap of steel, Broad sword and buckler by his side, And they became him weele. He tooke his bow into his hand, It was made of a trusty tree, With a sheafe of arrowes at his belt, And to Fountaine-Dale went he. And comming unto Fountaine-Dale, No farther he would ride ; There he was aware of the curtall fryer, Walking by the water side. The fryer had on a harnesse good, On his head a cap of steel, Broad sword and buckler by his side, And they became him weele. {212} Robin Hood lighted off his horse, And tyed him to a thorne : “Carry me over the water, thou curtall fryer, Or else thy life’s forlorne.” The fryer tooke Robin Hood on his backe, Deepe water he did bestride, And spake neither good word nor bad, Till he came at the other side. Lightly leapt Robin offe the fryers backe ; The fryer said to him againe, Carry me over this water, [thou] fine fellòw, Or it shall breed thy paine. Robin Hood took the fryer on his backe, Deepe water he did bestride, And spake neither good word nor bad, Till he came at the other side. Lightly leapt the fryer off Robin Hoods backe, Robin Hood said to him againe, Carry me over this water, thou curtall fryer, Or it shall breede thy pain. The fryer tooke Robin on’s backe againe, And stept in to the knee. Till he came at the middle streame, Neither good nor bad spake he, {213}