315 ‘For one thynge, Robyn, I the behote; I swere by Saynt Quyntyne, These forty dayes thou wonnest with me, To soupe, ete, and dyne.’ 316 Bordes were layde, and clothes were spredde, Redely and anone; Roby_n_ Hode and his mery me_n_ To metë can they gone. THE VI. FYTTE. 317 Lythe and lysten, gentylmen, And herkyn to your songe; Howe the proudë shyref of Notyngham, And men of armys stronge, 318 Full fast cam to the hyë shyref, The contrë vp to route, And they besette the knyghtës castell, The wallës all aboute. 319 The proudë shyref loude gan crye, And sayde, Thou traytour knight, Thou kepest here the kynges enemys, Agaynst the lawe and right. 320 ‘Syr, I wyll auowe that I haue done, The dedys that here be dyght, Vpon all the landës that I haue, As I am a trewë knyght. 321 ‘Wende furth, sirs, on your way, And do no more to me Tyll ye wyt oure kyngës wille, What he wyll say to the.’ 322 The shyref thus had his answere, Without any lesynge; [Fu]rth he yede to London towne, All for to tel our ki_n_ge. 323 Ther he telde hi_m_ of that knight, And eke of Robyn Hode, And also of the bolde archars, That were soo noble and gode. 324 ‘He wyll auowe that he hath done, To mayntene the outlawes stronge; He wyll be lorde, and set you at nought, In all the northe londe.’ 325 ‘I wil be at Notyngham,’ saide our kynge, ‘Within this fourteenyght, And take I wyll Roby_n_ Hode, And so I wyll th_a_t knight. 326 ‘Go nowe home, shyref,’ sayde our kynge, ‘And do as I byd the; And ordey_n_ gode archers ynowe, Of all the wydë contrë.’ 327 The shyref had his leue i-take, And went hym on his way, And Robyn Hode to grenë wode, Vpon a certen day. 328 And Lytel John was hole of the arowe That shot was in his kne, And dyd hym streyght to Robyn Hode, Vnder the grenë-wode tree. 329 Roby_n_ Hode walked in the forest, Vnder the leuys grene; The proudë shyref of Notyngham Thereof he had grete tene. 330 The shyref there fayled of Robyn Hode, He myght not haue his pray; Than he awayted this gentyll knyght, Bothe by nyght and day. 331 Euer he wayted the gentyll knyght, Syr Richarde at the Lee, As he went on haukynge by the ryuer-syde, And lete [his] haukës flee. 332 Toke he there this gentyll knight, With men of armys stronge, And led hym to Notyngham warde, Bounde bothe fote and hande. 333 The sheref sware a full grete othe, Bi hy_m_ th_a_t dyed on rode, He had leuer tha_n_ an hundred pound That he had Roby_n_ Hode. 334 This harde the knyghtës wyfe, A fayr lady and a free; She set hir on a gode palfrey, To grenë wode anone rode she. 335 Wha_n_ne she ca_m_ in the forest, Vnd_er_ the grenë-wode tree, Fonde she there Roby_n_ Hode, And al his fayre menë.