336 ‘God the sauë, godë Robyn, And all thy company; For Our derë Ladyes sake, A bonë graunte thou me. 337 ‘Late neuer my wedded lorde Shamefully slayne be; He is fast bowne to Notingham warde, For the loue of the.’ 338 Anone than saide goode Robyn To that lady so fre, What man hath your lorde [i-]take? . . . . . . 339 . . . . . . ‘For soth as I the say; He is nat yet thre mylës Passed on his way.’ 340 Vp than sterte gode Robyn, As man that had ben wode: ‘Buske you, my mery men, For hym that dyed on rode. 341 ‘And he that this sorowe forsaketh, By hym that dyed on tre, Shall he neuer in grenë wode No lenger dwel with me.’ 342 Sone there were gode bowës bent, Mo than seuen score; Hedge ne dyche spared they none That was them before. 343 ‘I make myn auowe to God,’ sayde Robyn, ‘The sherif wolde I fayne see; And if I may hy_m_ take, I-quyte shall it be.’ 344 And whan they came to Notingham, They walked i_n_ the strete; And w_i_t_h_ the proudë sherif i-wys Sonë can they mete. 345 ‘Abyde, thou proudë sherif,’ he sayde, ‘Abyde, and speke with me; Of some tidi_n_ges of oure kinge I wolde fayne here of the. 346 ‘This seuen yere, by dere worthy God, Ne yede I this fast on fote; I make myn auowe to God, thou proudë sherif, It is nat for thy gode.’ 347 Robyn bent a full goode bowe, An arrowe he drowe at wyll; He hit so the proudë sherife Vpon the grounde he lay full still. 348 And or he myght vp aryse, On his fete to stonde, He smote of the sherifs hede With his bright[ë] bronde. 349 ‘Lye thou there, thou proudë sherife, Euyll mote thou cheue! There myght no man to the truste #b.# The whyles thou were a lyue.’ 350 His men drewe out theyr bryght swerdes, That were so sharpe and kene, And layde on the sheryues men, And dryued them downe bydene. 351 Robyn stert to that knyght, And cut a two his bonde, And toke hym in his hand a bowe, And bad hym by hym stonde. 352 ‘Leue thy hors the behynde, And lerne for to renne; Thou shalt with me to grenë wode, Through myrë, mosse, and fenne. 353 ‘Thou shalt with me to grenë wode, Without ony leasynge, Tyll that I haue gete vs grace Of Edwarde, our comly kynge.’ THE VII. FYTTE. 354 The kynge came to Notynghame, With knyghtës in grete araye, For to take that gentyll knyght And Robyn Hode, and yf he may. 355 He asked men of that countrë After Robyn Hode, And after that gentyll knyght, That was so bolde and stout. 356 Whan they had tolde hym the case Our kynge vnderstode ther tale, And seased in his honde The knyghtës londës all. 357 All the passe of Lancasshyre He went both ferre and nere, Tyll he came to Plomton Parke; He faylyd many of his dere.