[987] at a stage = on an upper floor. [988] tithyngus = tidings. [989] hende = civil. [990] spyrred = spiered, inquired. [991] golett = gullet, throat. [992] of him agast = alarmed about him. [993] hye = haste. [994] bale = harm. [995] ferd = fear. [996] mot I the = I thrive. [997] after = behind on. [998] dere = injury. [999] next = nighest. [1000] yede = went. [1001] ychon = each one. [1002] sawten = assault. [1003] did of his hode = took off his hat. [1004] her = their. [1005] comyn bell = town bell. [1006] warison = reward. [1007] stye = path, alley. [1008] kepe I be = care I to be. [1009] yete = ate. [1010] grith = charter of peace. _118. Robin Hood and the Curtal Friar_ _But how many months be in the year? There are thirteen, I say; The midsummer moon is the merryest of all Next to the merry month of May._ I In summer time, when leaves grow green, And flowers are fresh and gay, Robin Hood and his merry men Were [all] disposed to play. II Then some would leap, and some would run, And some use artillery: ‘Which of you can a good bow draw, A good archer to be? III ‘Which of you can kill a buck? Or who can kill a doe? Or who can kill a hart of grease, Five hundred foot him fro?’ IV Will Scadlock he kill’d a buck, And Midge he kill’d a doe, And Little John kill’d a hart of grease, Five hundred foot him fro. V ‘God’s blessing on thy heart,’ said Robin Hood, ‘That hath [shot] such a shot for me; I would ride my horse an hundred miles, To finde one could match with thee’ VI That caus’d Will Scadlock to laugh, He laugh’d full heartily: ‘There lives a curtal friar in Fountains Abbey Will beat both him and thee. VII ‘That curtal friar in Fountains Abbey Well can a strong bow draw; He will beat you and your yeomen, Set them all on a row.’ VIII Robin Hood took a solemn oath, It was by Mary free, That he would neither eat nor drink Till the friar he did see. IX Robin Hood put on his harness good, And on his head a cap of steel, Broad sword and buckler by his side, And they became him weel. X He took his bow into his hand, It was made of a trusty tree, With a sheaf of arrows at his belt, To the Fountains Dale went he. XI And coming unto Fountain[s] Dale, No further would he ride; There was he aware of a curtal friar, Walking by the water-side. XII The friar had on a harness good, And on his head a cap of steel, Broad sword and buckler by his side, And they became him weel. XIII Robin Hood lighted off his horse, And tied him to a thorn: ‘Carry me over the water, thou curtal friar, Or else thy life’s forlorn.’ XIV