| |
How Little John robbed the Sheriff of Nottingham and delivered him into Robin Hood’s hands
CXLIV
Lithe and listen, gentlemen, | |
| All that now be here, | |
| Of Little John, that was the Knight’s man, | |
| Good mirth shall ye hear. | |
| |
CXLV
It was upon a merry day, | 5 |
| That young men would go shete; | |
| Little John fet his bow anon, | |
| And said he would them meet. | |
| |
CXLVI
Three times Little John shot about, | |
| And alway cleft the wand, | 10 |
| The proud Sherìff of Nottingham | |
| By the marks gan stand. | |
| |
CXLVII
The Sheriff swore a full great oath, | |
| ‘By Him that died on a tree, | |
| This man is the best archèr | 15 |
| That yet saw I me. | |
| |
CXLVIII
‘Say me now, wight young man, | |
| What is now thy name? | |
| In what country were thou born, | |
| And where is thy woning wane?’— | 20 |
| |
CXLIX
‘In Holderness I was bore, | |
| I-wis, all of my dame, | |
| Men call me Reynold Greenleaf, | |
| When I am at hame.’— | |
| |
CL
‘Say me, Reynold Greenleaf, | 25 |
| Wilt thou dwell with me? | |
| And every year I will thee give | |
| Twenty mark to thy fee.’— | |
| |
CLI
‘I have a master,’ said Little John, | |
| ‘A courteous knight is he | 30 |
| May ye get leave of him, | |
| The better may it be.’ | |
| |
CLII
The Sheriff got Little John | |
| Twelve months of the Knight, | |
| Therefore he gave him right anon | 35 |
| A good horse and a wight. | |
| |
CLIII
Now is Little John the Sheriff’s man, | |
| He give us well to speed, | |
| But alway thought Little John | |
| To quit him well his meed. | 40 |
| |
CLIV
‘Now so God me help,’ said Little John, | |
| ‘And by my true lewtè, | |
| I shall be the worst servant to him | |
| That ever yet had he.’ | |
| |
CLV
It befell upon a Wednesday, | 45 |
| The Sheriff on hunting was gone, | |
| And Little John lay in his bed, | |
| And was forgotten at home. | |
| |
CLVI
Therefore he was fasting | |
| Till it was past the noon. | 50 |
| ‘Good sir steward, I pray thee, | |
| Give me to dine,’ said Little John. | |
| |
CLVII
‘It is too long for Greenleaf, | |
| Fasting so long to be; | |
| Therefore I pray thee, steward, | 55 |
| My dinner give thou me.’ | |
| |
CLVIII
‘Shalt thou never eat nor drink,’ said the steward, | |
| ‘Till my lord be come to town.’ | |
| ‘I make mine avow to God,’ said Little John, | |
| ‘I had liefer to crack thy crown.’ | 60 |
| |
CLIX
The butler was full uncourteous, | |
| There he stood on floor, | |
| He started to the buttery, | |
| And shut fast the door. | |
| |
CLX
Little John gave the butler such a rap, | 65 |
| His back yede nigh in two: | |
| Tho’ he lived an hundred winter, | |
| The worse he should go. | |
| |
CLXI
He spurn’d the door with his foot, | |
| It went up well and fine, | 70 |
| And there he made a large livery | |
| Both of ale and wine. | |
| |
CLXII
‘Sith ye will not dine,’ said Little John, | |
| ‘I shall give you to drink, | |
| And though ye live an hundred winter, | 75 |
| On Little John ye shall think.’ | |
| |
CLXIII
Little John ate, and Little John drank, | |
| The while that he wolde. | |
| The Sheriff had in his kitchen a cook, | |
| A stout man and a bold. | 80 |
| |
CLXIV
‘I make mine avow to God,’ said the cook, | |
| ‘Thou art a shrewd hind, | |
| In an household to dwell, | |
| For to ask thus to dine.’ | |
| |
CLXV
And there he lent Little John, | 85 |
| Good strokès three. | |
| ‘I make mine avow,’ said Little John, | |
| ‘These strokes liketh well me. | |
| |
CLXVI
‘Thou art a bold man and an hardy, | |
| And so thinketh me; | 90 |
| And or I pass from this place, | |
| Assay’d better shalt thou be.’ | |
| |
CLXVII
Little John drew a good sword, | |
| The cook took another in hand; | |
| They thought nothing for to flee, | 95 |
| But stiffly for to stand. | |
| |
CLXVIII
There they fought sore together, | |
| Two mile way and more, | |
| Might neither other harm done, | |
| The mountenance of an hour. | 100 |
| |
CLXIX
‘I make mine avow to God,’ said Little John, | |
| ‘And by my true lewtè, | |
| Thou art one of the best swordsmen | |
| That ever yet saw I me. | |
| |
CLXX
‘Couldest thou shoot as well in a bow, | 105 |
| To green-wood thou shouldest with me, | |
| And two times in the year thy clothing | |
| I-changèd should be; | |
| |
CLXXI
‘And every year of Robin Hood | |
| Twenty mark to thy fee.’— | 110 |
| ‘Put up thy sword,’ said the cook, | |
| ‘And fellows will we be.’ | |
| |
CLXXII
Then he fette to Little John | |
| The numbles of a doe, | |
| Good bread and full good wine, | 115 |
| They ate and drank thereto. | |
| |
CLXXIII
And when they had drunken well, | |
| Their troths together they plight, | |
| That they would be with Robin | |
| That ilk same day at night. | 120 |
| |
CLXXIV
They did them to the treasure-house, | |
| As fast as they might gone, | |
| The locks that were of good steel | |
| They broke them every one; | |
| |
CLXXV
They took away the silver vessel, | 125 |
| And all that they might get, | |
| Pieces, masars, and spoons, | |
| Would they none forget; | |
| |
CLXXVI
Also they took the good pence, | |
| Three hundred pound and three; | 130 |
| And did them straight to Robin Hood, | |
| Under the green-wood tree. | |
| |
CLXXVII
‘God thee save, my dear master, | |
| And Christ thee save and see!’ | |
| And then said Robin to Little John, | 135 |
| ‘Welcome might thou be; | |
| |
CLXXVIII
‘And also be that fair yeoman | |
| Thou bringest there with thee. | |
| What tidings from Nottingham | |
| Little John, tell thou me?’— | 140 |
| |
CLXXIX
‘Well thee greeteth the proud Sheriff, | |
| And send thee here by me | |
| His cook and his silver vessel, | |
| And three hundred pound and three.’— | |
| |
CLXXX
‘I make mine avow to God,’ said Robin, | 145 |
| ‘And to the Trinity, | |
| It was never by his good will, | |
| This good is come to me.’ | |
| |
CLXXXI
Little John him there bethought, | |
| On a shrewèd wile, | 150 |
| Five mile in the forest he ran, | |
| Him happèd at his will. | |
| |
CLXXXII
Then he met the proud Sheriff, | |
| Hunting with hound and horn, | |
| Little John cou’d his courtesy, | 155 |
| And kneelèd him beforn: | |
| |
CLXXXIII
‘God thee save, my dear master, | |
| And Christ thee save and see!’— | |
| ‘Reynold Greenleaf,’ said the Sheriff, | |
| ‘Where hast thou now be?’— | 160 |
| |
CLXXXIV
‘I have been in this forest, | |
| A fair sight can I see, | |
| It was one of the fairest sights | |
| That ever yet saw I me; | |
| |
CLXXXV
‘Yonder I see a right fair hart, | 165 |
| His colour is of green, | |
| Seven score of deer upon an herd | |
| Be with him all bedene; | |
| |
CLXXXVI
‘His tyndès are so sharp, master, | |
| Of sixty and well mo, | 170 |
| That I durst not shoot for dread | |
| Lest they would me sloo.’ | |
| |
CLXXXVII
‘I make mine avow to God,’ said the Sheriff, | |
| ‘That sight would I fain see.’ | |
| ‘Busk you thitherward, my dear master, | 175 |
| Anon, and wend with me.’ | |
| |
CLXXXVIII
The Sheriff rode, and Little John | |
| Of foot he was full smart, | |
| And when they came afore Robin: | |
| ‘Lo, here is the master hart!’ | 180 |
| |
CLXXXIX
Still stood the proud Sheriff, | |
| A sorry man was he: | |
| ‘Woe worth thee, Reynold Greenleaf! | |
| Thou hast now betrayèd me.’ | |
| |
CXC
‘I make mine avow to God,’ said Little John, | 185 |
| ‘Master, ye be to blame, | |
| I was mis-served of my dinner, | |
| When I was with you at hame.’ | |
| |
CXCI
Soon he was to supper set, | |
| And servèd with silver white; | 190 |
| And when the Sheriff saw his vessel, | |
| For sorrow he might not eat. | |
| |
CXCII
‘Make good cheer,’ said Robin Hood, | |
| ‘Sheriff, for charity! | |
| And for the love of Little John, | 195 |
| Thy life is granted to thee.’ | |
| |
CXCIII
When they had suppèd well, | |
| The day was all agone, | |
| Robin commanded Little John | |
| To draw off his hosen and shoon, | 200 |
| |
CXCIV
His kirtle and his courtepy, | |
| That was furrèd well fine, | |
| And take him a green mantèl, | |
| To lap his body therein. | |
| |
CXCV
Robin commanded his wight young men, | 205 |
| Under the green-wood tree, | |
| They shall lie in that same sort; | |
| That the Sheriff might them see. | |
| |
CXCVI
All night lay that proud Sheriff, | |
| In his breech and in his shirt, | 210 |
| No wonder it was in green-wood, | |
| Tho’ his sides do smerte. | |
| |
CXCVII
‘Make glad cheer,’ said Robin Hood, | |
| ‘Sheriff, for charity! | |
| For this is our ordèr, i-wis, | 215 |
| Under the green-wood tree.’ | |
| |
CXCVIII
‘This is harder order,’ said the Sheriff, | |
| ‘Than any anchor or frere; | |
| For all the gold in merry England | |
| I would not long dwell here.’ | 220 |
| |
CXCIX
‘All these twelve months,’ said Robin | |
| ‘Thou shalt dwell with me; | |
| I shall thee teach, proud Sheriff, | |
| An outlaw for to be.’ | |
| |
CC
‘Or I here another night lie,’ said the Sheriff, | 225 |
| ‘Robin, now I pray thee, | |
| Smite off my head rather to-morne, | |
| And I forgive it thee. | |
| |
CCI
‘Let me go,’ then said the Sheriff, | |
| ‘For saint Charity! | 230 |
| And I will be thy best friend | |
| That ever yet had thee.’ | |
| |
CCII
‘Thou shalt swear me an oath,’ said Robin, | |
| ‘On my bright brand, | |
| Thou shalt never await me scathe, | 235 |
| By water nor by land. | |
| |
CCIII
‘And if thou find any of my men, | |
| By night or by day, | |
| Upon thine oath thou shalt swear, | |
| To help them that thou may.’ | 240 |
| |
CCIV
Now has the Sheriff i-sworn his oath, | |
| And home he began to gone, | |
| He was as full of green-wood | |
| As ever was hip of stone. | |
| | | GLOSS: shete] shoot. fet] fetched. wight] strong, brave. woning wane] usual dwelling-place. I-wis] assuredly. meed] reward. lewtè] loyalty. yede] went. livery] allowance of food. Sith] since. hind] knave, servant. lent] gave. mountenance] extent, space. fette] fetched. masars] maple-bowls. cou’d] knew. bedene] in company, together. tyndès] tines, antlers. sloo] slay. courtepy] a short coat or cloak. lap] wrap. smerte] smart. anchor] hermit. frere] friar. to-morne] to-morrow. brand] sword await] plan, plot. scathe] harm. hip] the fruit of the wild rose. |
|
| |
