‘This is a mery mornyng,’ seid Litull John, ‘Be Hym that dyed on tre; A more mery man then I am one Lyves not in Cristiantë. V ‘Pluk up thi hert, my dere mayster,’ Litull John can sey, ‘And thynk hit is a full fayre tyme In a mornyng of May.’ VI ‘Ye, on thyng greves me,’ seid Robyn, ‘And does my hert mych woo; That I may not no solem day To mas nor matyns goo. VII ‘Hit is a fourtnet and more,’ seid he, ‘Syn I my Savyour see; To day wil I to Notyngham,’ seid Robyn, ‘With the myght of mylde Marye.’ VIII Than spake Moche, the mylner son,-- Ever more wel hym betyde! ‘Take twelve of thi wyght yemèn[958], Well weppynd, be thi side. Such on wolde thi selfe slon[959], That twelve dar not abyde.’ IX ‘Of all my mery men,’ seid Robyn, ‘Be my feith I wil non have, But Litull John shall beyre my bow, Til that me list to drawe.’ X ‘Thou shall beyre thin own,’ seid Litull John, ‘Maister, and I wyl beyre myne, And we well shete a peny[960],’ seid Litull John, ‘Under the grene-wode lyne[961].’ XI ‘I wil not shete a peny,’ seyd Robyn Hode, ‘In feith, Litull John, with the, But ever for on as thou shetis,’ seide Robyn, ‘In feith I holde[962] the thre.’ XII Thus shet thei forth, these yemen two, Bothe at buske[963] and brome, Til Litull John wan of his maister Five shillings to hose and shone. XIII A ferly[964] strife fel them betwene, As they went bi the wey; Litull John seid he had won five shillings, And Robyn Hode seid schortly nay. XIV With that Robyn Hode lyed[965] Litull John, And smote hym with his hande; Litull John waxèd wroth therwith, And pull’d out his bright bronde. XV ‘Were thou not my maister,’ seid Litull John, ‘Thou shuldis be hit ful sore; Get the a man wher thou wilt, For thou getis me no more.’ XVI Then Robyn goes to Notyngham, Hym selfe mornyng allone, And Litull John to mery Scherwode, The pathes he knew ilkone[966]. XVII Whan Robyn came to Notyngham, Sertenly withouten layn[967], He prayed to God and myld Mary To bryng hym out save agayn. XVIII He gos in to Seynt Mary chirch, And kneled down before the rode; Alle that e’er were the church within Beheld wel Robyn Hode. XIX Beside hym stod a gret-hedid munke, I pray to God woo he be! Fful sone he knew gode Robyn, As sone as he hym se. XX Out at the durre he ran, Fful sone and anon; Alle the yatis[968] of Notyngham He made to be sparred[969] euerychon. XXI ‘Rise up,’ he seid, ‘thou prowde Schereff, Buske[970] the and make the bowne[971]; I have spyèd the Kynggis felon, Fforsothe he is in this town. XXII