‘But now I have slaine the master,’ he sayes, ‘Let me go strike the knave; This is all the rewarde I aske; Nor noe other will I have.’ LII ‘Thou art a madman,’ said the Sheriffe, ‘Thou sholdest have had a knight’s fee: But seeing thy asking hath beene so bad, Well granted it shall be.’ LIII When Little John heard his master speake, Well knewe he it was his steven[954]: ‘Now shall I be looset,’ quoth Little John, ‘With Christ his might in heaven.’ LIV Robin hee hyed him to Little John, He thought to loose him belive[955]; The Sheriffe and all his companye Fast after him did drive. LV ‘Stand abacke! stand abacke!’ sayd Robin Hood; ‘Why draw you mee soe neere? Itt was never the use in our countrye, One’s shrift another shold heere.’ LVI But Robin pull’d forth an Irysh kniffe, And losed John hand and foote, And gave him Sir Guy’s bow into his hand, And bade it be his boote. LVII Then John he took Guy’s bow in his hand, His boltes and arrowes eche one: When the Sheriffe saw Little John bend his bow, He fettled him to be gone. LVIII Towards his house in Nottingham towne He fled full fast away; And soe did all his companye: Not one behind wold stay. LIX But he cold neither goe soe fast, Nor away soe fast cold runne, But Little John with an arrowe soe broad, Did cleave his herte in twinne. FOOTNOTES: [926] shaws = woods. [927] sheene = bright. [928] shradds = coppices(?). [929] woodweele = woodlark, thrush(?). [930] sweaven = dream. [931] wight = sturdy. [932] wroken = revenged. [933] Buske = dress. [934] bowne = get ready. [935] capull-hyde = horse-hide. [936] farley = wondrous strange. [937] gates = ways, paths. [938] slade = hollow. [939] fettl’d = prepared. [940] boote = help. [941] wilfull = astray. [942] tyde = time of day. [943] masteryes = trials of skill. [944] unsett steven = time not appointed. [945] shroggs = shrubs. [946] threescore rood in twinne = sixty rods apart. [947] prickes = marks. [948] lyne = linden. [949] reachles on = reckless, careless of. [950] may = maid. [951] aukward = back-handed. [952] capull-hyde = horse-hide. [953] lowe = hillock. [954] steven = voice. [955] belive = straightway. _117. Robin Hood and the Monk_ I In somer, when the shawes[956] be sheyne[957], And leves be large and long, Hit is full mery in feyre foreste To here the foulys song: II To se the dere draw to the dale, And leve the hillès hee, And shadow hem in the levë’s grene, Under the grene-wode tre. III Hit befel on Whitsontide, Erly in a May mornyng, The Son up feyre can shyne, And the briddis mery can syng. IV