Up Robin took him on his back, And bare him well a mile; Many a time he laid him down, And shot another while. CCCIX Then was there a fair castèll, A little within the wood; Double-ditch’d it was about, And wallèd, by the rood. CCCX And there dwelt that gentle Knight, Sir Richard at the Lee, That Robin haddè lent his good, Under the green-wood tree. CCCXI In he took good Robin, And all his company: ‘Welcome be thou, Robin Hood, Welcome art thou to me; CCCXII ‘And much I thank thee of thy comfort, And of thy courtesy, And of thy great kindness, Under the green-wood tree; CCCXIII ‘I love no man in all this world So much as I do thee; For all the proud Sheriff of Nottingham, Right here shalt thou be. CCCXIV ‘Shut the gates and draw the bridge, And let no man come in, And arm you well, and make you ready, And to the walls ye win[874]. CCCXV ‘For one thing, Robin, I thee behote[875], I swear by Saint Quintìn, These twelve days thou wonest[876] with me, To sup, eat, and dine.’ CCCXVI Boards were laid, and cloths spread, Readily and anon; Robin Hood and his merry men To meat gan they gone. _The Sixth Fytte_ How Sir Richard was cast by the Sheriff into Prison, and rescued by Robin Hood CCCXVII Lithe and listen, Gentlemen, And hearken to my song; How the proud Sheriff of Nottingham And men of armès strong CCCXVIII Full fast came to the High Sheriff, The country up to rout[877], And they beset the Knight’s castell, The wallès all about. CCCXIX The proudè Sheriff loud gan cry, And said, ‘Thou traitor Knight, Thou keep’st here the King’s enemies, Against the law and right.’-- CCCXX ‘Sir, I will avow that I have done, The deeds that here be dight[878], Upon all the lands that I have, As I am a true knight. CCCXXI ‘Wend forth, sirs, on your way, And doth no more to me, Till ye wit our King his will What he will say to thee.’ CCCXXII The Sheriff thus had his answère, Without any leasing[879]; Forth he yede[880] to London town, All for to tell our King. CCCXXIII There he told him of that Knight, And eke of Robin Hood, And also of the bold archers That were so noble and good. CCCXXIV ‘He would avow that he had done, To maintain the outlaws strong, He would be lord, and set you at nought, In all the north londe.’ CCCXXV ‘I will be at Nottingham,’ said our King, ‘Within this fortènight, And take I willè Robin Hood, And so I will that Knight. CCCXXVI ‘Go home, thou proud Sheriff, And do as I bid thee, And ordain good archers enough, Of all the wide countrey.’ CCCXXVII