Chapter 3

[Annotations: 1.1: ‘Lythe and listin,’ hearken and listen: a very common opening. 1.2: ‘frebore,’ free-born. 2.2,3: ‘Whyles . . . outlaw’: supplied from the Wynkyn de Worde text. 4.4: _i.e._, worthy of a groom, or young man. 5.3: ‘and,’ if. 6.4: ‘unkouth,’ unknown. 7.1: Wanting in all versions. 7.3: ‘som,’ supplied from Wynken de Worde’s text. 8.4: ‘messis,’ masses. 9.4: ‘allther moste,’ most of all. 10.2: ‘dout,’ fear. 12.3: ‘reve,’ pillage. 13.1: ‘no force,’ no matter. 16.2: ‘lere,’ learn. 16.3: ‘fer dayes,’ late in the day: ‘gest,’ exploit. 18.1: The Sayles, a small part of the manor of Pontefract. 18.2: Watling Street = the great North Road. 18.4: ‘Up chaunce,’ in case. 19.4: ‘dight,’ prepared. 21.2: ‘dernë strete,’ hidden or obscure path. 23.1: ‘iyn,’ eyes. 25.2: ‘Hendë,’ noble. 27.2: ‘in fere,’ in company. 28.2: ‘carefull chere,’ sorrowful face. 28.4: ‘lere,’ cheek. 31.4: ‘meynë,’ company. 32.4: ‘noumbles,’ entrails. 34.1: ‘Do gladly’ = make yourself at home; a hospitable expression. Cp. 103.1 and 232.1. 37.1: ‘or ye wende,’ before you go. 38.4: ‘let not,’ leave nothing undone. 39.2,4: ‘have parte of,’ perhaps means ‘protect,’ or ‘take my part.’ 45.3: This refers to ‘distraint of knighthood,’ instituted in 1224, compelling military tenants to receive knighthood or pay a composition. 46.3: ‘okerer,’ usurer. 48.2: ‘disgrate,’ unfortunate. 49.4: From the rhyme it is obvious the verses have here been confused, especially as all copies print 50.3 before 50.2. 52.4: ‘just,’ joust, tilt. 53.4, 54.1: ‘beth’ (in another version ‘both’), are. 54.1: ‘sette to wedde,’ put in pledge. 56.1: ‘lese,’ lose. 57.1: ‘quyke’ = quick, alive. 59.4: ‘blowe,’ utter. 60.2: ‘on a rowe,’ in file. 61.1: ‘ruthe,’ pity. 61.4: ‘chere,’ entertainment. 62.2: ‘borrowe,’ security. 64.2: ‘shope,’ shaped. 65.4: ‘or,’ before. 66.3: ‘pay,’ liking. 72.2: ‘mete,’ measured. So 73.1 ‘met’ = measured. 74.1: ‘loughe,’ laughed. 78.4: ‘tene,’ trouble. 81.2: ‘knave,’ servant. 81.3: _i.e._, he shall stand for thee instead of a yeoman.]

THE SECOND FYTTE (82-143)

+Argument.+--The knight goes to York to pay down his four hundred pounds to the abbot of St. Mary Abbey, who has retained the services of the high justice of England ‘with cloth and fee,’ an offence defined as conspiracy by statutes of the first three Edwards (see _Notes and Queries_, First Series, vol. vi. p. 479). The knight, pretending he has not brought the money, requests an extension of time; but the abbot will not hear of it, and is supported in his refusal by the justice: the knight’s lands will be forfeited. The justice advises the abbot (117, etc.) to give the knight a sum to ‘make a release’ and prevent subsequent legal difficulties. The knight brings the matter to an end by paying down the four hundred pounds, saying that had the abbot been more courteous, he should have had interest on the loan.

The knight returns to his home in Wyresdale, and saves up the sum to be repaid to Robin Hood. As he sets out for Barnsdale with a goodly company, he finds a great wrestling-match taking place at Wentbridge,[1] which delays him a while.

The word ‘frembde’ (138.3) is now obsolete except in Scots and north-country dialect, and is spelled in various ways. It occurs more than once in Chaucer, and twice in Sidney’s _Arcadia_. ‘Fremit,’ the common Scots form, may be found in Burns. More recently, it appears in books of Westmoreland, Cumberland, or Northumberland dialect. Cp. Mrs. Gaskell, _Sylvia’s Lovers_: ‘There’s a fremd man i’ t’ house.’ It means ‘foreign’ or ‘strange.’

[Footnote 2: Wentbridge is mentioned in _Robin Hood and the Potter_, 6.1. The river Went is the northern boundary of Barnsdale.]

THE SECOND FYTTE

82. Now is the knight gone on his way; This game hym thought full gode; Whanne he loked on Bernësdale He blessyd Robyn Hode.

83. And whanne he thought on Bernysdale, On Scarlok, Much and Johnn He blyssyd them for the best company That ever he in come.

84. Then spake that gentyll knyght, To Lytel Johan gan he saye, ‘To-morrowe I must to Yorke toune, To Saynt Mary abbay.

85. ‘And to the abbot of that place Foure hondred pounde I must pay; And but I be there upon this nyght My londe is lost for ay.’

86. The abbot sayd to his covent, There he stode on grounde, ‘This day twelfe moneth came there a knyght And borowed foure hondred pounde.

87. [‘He borowed four hondred pounde] Upon all his londë fre; But he come this ylkë day Disherited shall he be.’

88. ‘It is full erely,’ sayd the pryoure, The day is not yet ferre gone; I had lever to pay an hondred pounde, And lay downe anone.

89. ‘The knyght is ferre beyonde the see, In Englonde is his ryght, And suffreth honger and colde And many a sory nyght.

90. ‘It were grete pytë,’ said the pryoure, ‘So to have his londe; And ye be so lyght of your consyence, Ye do to hym moch wronge.’

91. ‘Thou arte ever in my berde,’ sayd the abbot, ‘By God and Saynt Rycharde’; With that cam in a fat-heded monke, The heygh selerer.

92. ‘He is dede or hanged,’ sayd the monke, ‘By God that bought me dere, And we shall have to spende in this place Foure hondred pounde by yere.’

93. The abbot and the hy selerer Stertë forthe full bolde, The highe justyce of Englonde The abbot there dyde holde.

94. The hye justyce and many mo Had take in to theyr honde Holy all the knyghtës det, To put that knyght to wronge.

95. They demed the knyght wonder sore, The abbot and his meynë: ‘But he come this ylkë day Dysheryte shall he be.’

96. ‘He wyll not come yet,’ sayd the justyce, ‘I dare well undertake’; But in sorowe tymë for them all The knight came to the gate.

97. Than bespake that gentyll knyght Untyll his meynë: ‘Now put on your symple wedes That ye brought fro the see.’

98. [They put on their symple wedes,] They came to the gates anone; The porter was redy hymselfe And welcomed them everychone.

99. ‘Welcome, syr knyght,’ sayd the porter, ‘My lorde to mete is he, And so is many a gentyll man, For the love of thee.’

100. The porter swore a full grete othe: ‘By God that madë me, Here be the best coresed hors That ever yet sawe I me.

101. ‘Lede them in to the stable,’ he sayd, ‘That eased myght they be’; ‘They shall not come therin,’ sayd the knyght, ‘By God that dyed on a tre.’

102. Lordës were to mete isette In that abbotes hall; The knyght went forth and kneled down, And salved them grete and small.

103. ‘Do gladly, syr abbot,’ sayd the knyght, ‘I am come to holde my day.’ The fyrst word that the abbot spake, ‘Hast thou brought my pay?’

104. ‘Not one peny,’ sayd the knyght, ‘By God that makëd me.’ ‘Thou art a shrewed dettour,’ sayd the abbot; ‘Syr justyce, drynke to me.

105. ‘What doost thou here,’ sayd the abbot, ‘But thou haddest brought thy pay?’ ‘For God,’ than sayd the knyght, ‘To pray of a lenger daye.’

106. ‘Thy daye is broke,’ sayd the justyce, ‘Londë getest thou none.’ ‘Now, good syr justyce, be my frende And fende me of my fone!’

107. ‘I am holde with the abbot,’ sayd the justyce, ‘Both with cloth and fee.’ ‘Now, good syr sheryf, be my frende!’ ‘Nay, for God,’ sayd he.

108. ‘Now, good syr abbot, be my frende, For thy curteysë, And holde my londës in thy honde Tyll I have made the gree!

109. ‘And I wyll be thy true servaunte, And trewely serve the, Tyll ye have foure hondred pounde Of money good and free.’

110. The abbot sware a full grete othe, ‘By God that dyed on a tree, Get the londë where thou may, For thou getest none of me.’

111. ‘By dere worthy God,’ then sayd the knyght, ‘That all this worldë wrought, But I have my londe agayne, Full dere it shall be bought.

112. ‘God, that was of a mayden borne, Leve us well to spede! For it is good to assay a frende Or that a man have nede.’

113. The abbot lothely on hym gan loke, And vylaynesly hym gan call; ‘Out,’ he sayd, ‘thou false knyght, Spede thee out of my hall!’

114. ‘Thou lyest,’ then sayd the gentyll knyght, ‘Abbot, in thy hal; False knyght was I never, By God that made us all.’

115. Up then stode that gentyll knyght, To the abbot sayd he, ‘To suffre a knyght to knele so longe, Thou canst no curteysye.

116. ‘In joustës and in tournement Full ferre than have I be, And put myself as ferre in prees As ony that ever I se.’

117. ‘What wyll ye gyve more,’ sayd the justyce, ‘And the knyght shall make a releyse? And ellës dare I safly swere Ye holde never your londe in pees.’

118. ‘An hondred pounde,’ sayd the abbot; The justice sayd, ‘Gyve hym two’; ‘Nay, be God,’ sayd the knyght, ‘Yit gete ye it not so.

119. ‘Though ye wolde gyve a thousand more, Yet were ye never the nere; Shal there never be myn heyre Abbot, justice, ne frere.’

120. He stert hym to a borde anone, Tyll a table rounde, And there he shoke oute of a bagge Even four hundred pound.

121. ‘Have here thi golde, sir abbot,’ saide the knight, ‘Which that thou lentest me; Had thou ben curtes at my comynge, Rewarded shuldest thou have be.’

122. The abbot sat styll, and ete no more, For all his ryall fare; He cast his hede on his shulder, And fast began to stare.

123. ‘Take me my golde agayne,’ saide the abbot, ‘Sir justice, that I toke thee.’ ‘Not a peni,’ said the justice, ‘Bi God, that dyed on tree.’

124. ‘Sir abbot, and ye men of lawe, Now have I holde my daye: Now shall I have my londe agayne, For ought that you can saye.’

125. The knyght stert out of the dore, Awaye was all his care, And on he put his good clothynge, The other he lefte there.

126. He wente hym forth full mery syngynge, As men have tolde in tale; His lady met hym at the gate, At home in Verysdale.

127. ‘Welcome, my lorde,’ sayd his lady; ‘Syr, lost is all your good?’ ‘Be mery, dame,’ sayd the knyght, ‘And pray for Robyn Hode,

128. ‘That ever his soulë be in blysse: He holpe me out of tene; Ne had be his kyndënesse, Beggers had we bene.

129. ‘The abbot and I accorded ben, He is served of his pay; The god yoman lent it me As I cam by the way.’

130. This knight than dwelled fayre at home, The sothë for to saye, Tyll he had gete four hundred pound, Al redy for to pay.

131. He purveyed him an hundred bowes, The stryngës well ydyght, An hundred shefe of arowes gode, The hedys burneshed full bryght;

132. And every arowe an ellë longe, With pecok well idyght, Inocked all with whyte silver; It was a semely syght.

133. He purveyed him an hondreth men, Well harnessed in that stede, And hym selfe in that same sete, And clothed in whyte and rede.

134. He bare a launsgay in his honde, And a man ledde his male, And reden with a lyght songe Unto Bernysdale.

135. But as he went at a brydge ther was a wrastelyng, And there taryed was he, And there was all the best yemen Of all the west countree.

136. A full fayre game there was up set, A whyte bulle up i-pyght, A grete courser, with sadle and brydil, With golde burnyssht full bryght.

137. A payre of gloves, a rede golde rynge, A pype of wyne, in fay; What man that bereth hym best i-wys The pryce shall bere away.

138. There was a yoman in that place, And best worthy was he, And for he was ferre and frembde bested, Slayne he shulde have be.

139. The knight had ruthe of this yoman, In placë where that he stode; He sayde that yoman shulde have no harme, For love of Robyn Hode.

140. The knyght presed in to the place, An hundreth folowed hym [free], With bowes bent and arowes sharpe, For to shende that companye.

141. They shulderd all and made hym rome, To wete what he wolde say; He took the yeman bi the hande, And gave hym al the play.

142. He gave hym five marke for his wyne, There it lay on the molde, And bad it shulde be set a broche, Drynkë who so wolde.

143. Thus longe taried this gentyll knyght, Tyll that play was done; So long abode Robyn fastinge Thre hourës after the none.

[Annotations: 83.4: From here to 118.3 the Edinburgh fragment is wanting. 86.1: ‘covent’ = convent. 87.1: Wanting: supplied by Ritson. 87.3: ‘But,’ unless: ‘ylkë,’ same. 88.3: ‘lever,’ rather. 91.4: ‘selerer’ cellarer or steward. 92.2: ‘bought,’ ransomed. 93.3: ‘highe,’ supplied from Copland’s edition. 95.1: ‘demed,’ judged. 95.4: ‘dysheryte,’ dispossessed; cf. 87.4. 98.: Wanting in all editions: supplied by Ritson. 100.3: ‘coresed,’ perhaps = coursed; _i.e._ a horse used in tourneys, a courser, or charger. 102.4: ‘salved,’ greeted. 103.1: See 34.1. 104.3: ‘shrewed,’ cursed. 105.2: ‘But,’ unless. So 111.3 106.4: ‘fone,’ foes. 107.1,2: ‘retained by presents of cloth and money.’ --Child. 108.4: ‘made the gree,’ paid my dues. (Old French _gre_, Latin _gratum_.) 112.2: ‘Leve,’ grant. 112.4: ‘Or that,’ before that. The proverb is a favourite in Middle English: see _Early English Lyrics_, CXI. 116.3: ‘as ferre in prees,’ in as thick a part of the fight. 118.4: From here to 124.1 the Edinburgh fragment is available. 119.2: ‘nere,’ nearer. Cp. _Robin Hood and the Potter_, 46.3. 123.2: ‘toke,’ gave. 126.4: ‘Verysdale,’ Wyresdale or Wyersdale. 127.4: The Edinburgh fragment is again available as far as 133.2. 128.2: ‘tene,’ trouble. 131.2: ‘ydyght,’ fitted. 132.3: ‘Inocked’ = i-nocked, notched. 133.1,2: The latter halves of these lines are torn away in the Edinburgh fragment. The Cambridge text is resumed at 133.3. 133.2: ‘stede,’ place. 134.1: ‘launsgay,’ javelin. 134.2: ‘male,’ baggage. Cp. 374.1. 135.1: So the Cambridge text: Child suggests ‘? But at Wentbrydge ther was.’ See Argument. 136.2: ‘i-pyght,’ put. 136.4: Edinburgh fragment again. 138.3: ‘frembde bested,’ in the position of a foreigner or stranger. See fore-note. 140.2: ‘free,’ supplied from the ‘fere,’ misprinted in the Cambridge text. Copland, ‘in fere.’ 140.4: ‘shende,’ put to rout. 141.1: ‘rome,’ room.]

THE THIRD FYTTE (144-204)

+Argument.+--The narrative of the knight’s loan is for the moment dropped, in order to relate a gest of Little John, who is now (81.2) the knight’s ‘knave’ or squire. Going forth ‘upon a mery day,’ Little John shoots with such skill that he attracts the attention of the Sheriff of Nottingham (who is here and elsewhere the type of Robin Hood’s enemies), and enters his service for a year under the name of Reynold Greenleaf. While the sheriff is hunting, Little John fights his servants, robs his treasure-house, and escapes back to Robin Hood with ‘three hundred pound and more.’ He then bethinks him of a shrewd wile, and inveigles the sheriff to leave his hunting in order to see a right fair hart and seven score of deer, which turn out to be Robin and his men. Robin Hood exacts an oath of the sheriff, equivalent to an armistice; and he returns home, having had his fill of the greenwood.

THE THIRD FYTTE

144. Lyth and lystyn, gentilmen, All that now be here; Of Litell Johnn, that was the knightës man, Goode myrth ye shall here.

145. It was upon a mery day That yonge men wolde go shete; Lytell Johnn fet his bowe anone, And sayde he wolde them mete.

146. Thre tymes Litell Johnn shet aboute, And alwey he slet the wande; The proudë sherif of Notingham By the markës can stande.

147. The sherif swore a full greate othe: ‘By hym that dyede on a tre, This man is the best arschere That ever yet sawe I me.

148. ‘Say me nowe, wight yonge man, What is nowe thy name? In what countrë were thou borne, And where is thy wonynge wane?’

149. ‘In Holdernes, sir, I was borne, I-wys al of my dame; Men cal me Reynolde Grenëlef Whan I am at home.’

150. ‘Sey me, Reynolde Grenëlefe, Wolde thou dwell with me? And every yere I woll thee gyve Twenty marke to thy fee.’

151. ‘I have a maister,’ sayde Litell Johnn, ‘A curteys knight is he; May ye levë gete of hym, The better may it be.’

152. The sherif gate Litell John Twelve monethës of the knight; Therefore he gave him right anone A gode hors and a wight.

153. Nowe is Litell John the sherifes man, God lende us well to spede! But alwey thought Lytell John To quyte hym wele his mede.

154. ‘Nowe so God me helpe,’ sayde Litell John, ‘And by my true leutye, I shall be the worst servaunt to hym That ever yet had he.’

155. It fell upon a Wednesday The sherif on huntynge was gone, And Litel John lay in his bed, And was foriete at home.

156. Therfore he was fastinge Til it was past the none; ‘Gode sir stuarde, I pray to thee, Gyve me my dynere,’ saide Litell John.

157. ‘It is longe for Grenëlefe Fastinge thus for to be; Therfor I pray thee, sir stuarde, Mi dyner gif me.’

158. ‘Shalt thou never ete ne drynke’ saide the stuarde, ‘Tyll my lorde be come to towne.’ ‘I make myn avowe to God,’ saide Litell John, ‘I had lever to crake thy crowne.’

159. The boteler was full uncurteys, There he stode on flore; He start to the botery And shet fast the dore.

160. Lytell Johnn gave the boteler suche a tap His backe went nere in two; Though he lived an hundred ier, The wors shuld he go.

161. He sporned the dore with his fote; It went open wel and fyne; And there he made large lyveray, Bothe of ale and of wyne.

162. ‘Sith ye wol nat dyne,’ sayde Litell John, ‘I shall gyve you to drinke; And though ye lyve an hundred wynter, On Lytel Johnn ye shall thinke.’

163. Litell John ete, and Litel John drank, The while that he wolde; The sherife had in his kechyn a coke, A stoute man and a bolde.

164. ‘I make myn avowe to God,’ said the coke, ‘Thou arte a shrewde hynde In ani hous for to dwel, For to aske thus to dyne.’

165. And there he lent Litell John Godë strokis thre; ‘I make myn avowe to God,’ sayde Lytell John, ‘These strokis lyked well me.

166. ‘Thou arte a bolde man and hardy, And so thinketh me; And or I pas fro this place Assayed better shalt thou be.’

167. Lytell Johnn drew a ful gode sworde, The coke took another in hande; They thought no thynge for to fle, But stifly for to stande.

168. There they faught sore togedere Two mylë way and well more; Myght nether other harme done, The mountnaunce of an owre.

169. ‘I make myn avowe to God,’ sayde Litell Johnn, ‘And by my true lewtë; Thou art one of the best sworde-men That ever yit sawe I me.

170. ‘Cowdest thou shote as well in a bowe, To grene wode thou shuldest with me, And two times in the yere thy clothinge Chaunged shuldë be;

171. ‘And every yere of Robyn Hode Twenty merke to thy fe.’ ‘Put up thy swerde,’ saide the coke, ‘And felowes woll we be.’

172. Thanne he fet to Lytell Johnn The nowmbles of a do, Gode brede, and full gode wyne; They ete and drank theretoo.

173. And when they had dronkyn well, Theyre trouthes togeder they plight That they wolde be with Robyn That ylkë samë nyght.

174. They dyd them to the tresoure-hows, As fast as they myght gone; The lokkes, that were of full gode stele, They brake them everichone.

175. They toke away the silver vessell, And all that thei might get; Pecis, masars, ne sponis, Wolde thei not forget.

176. Also they toke the godë pens, Thre hundred pounde and more, And did them streyte to Robyn Hode, Under the grene wode hore.

177. ‘God thee save, my dere mayster, And Criste thee save and se!’ And thanne sayde Robyn to Litell Johnn, ‘Welcome myght thou be.

178. ‘Also be that fayre yeman Thou bryngest there with thee; What tydyngës fro Notyngham? Lytill Johnn, tell thou me.’

179. ‘Well thee gretith the proude sheryf, And sendeth thee here by me His coke and his silver vessell, And thre hundred pounde and thre.’

180. ‘I make myne avowe to God,’ sayde Robyn, ‘And to the Trenytë, It was never by his gode wyll This gode is come to me.’

181. Lytyll Johnn there hym bethought On a shrewde wyle; Fyve myle in the forest he ran, Hym happëd all his wyll.

182. Than he met the proude sheref, Huntynge with houndes and horne; Lytell Johnn coude of curtesye, And knelyd hym beforne.

183. ‘God thee save, my dere mayster, Ande Criste thee save and se!’ ‘Reynolde Grenelefe,’ sayde the shryef, ‘Where hast thou nowe be?’

184. ‘I have be in this forest; A fayre syght can I se; It was one of the fayrest syghtes That ever yet sawe I me.

185. ‘Yonder I sawe a ryght fayre harte, His coloure is of grene; Seven score of dere upon a herde Be with hym all bydene.

186. ‘Their tyndes are so sharp, maister, Of sexty, and well mo, That I durst not shote for drede, Lest they wolde me slo.’

187. ‘I make myn avowe to God,’ sayde the shyref, ‘That syght wolde I fayne se.’ ‘Buske you thyderwarde, my dere mayster, Anone, and wende with me.’

188. The sherif rode, and Litell Johnn Of fote he was full smerte, And whane they came before Robyn, ‘Lo, sir, here is the mayster-herte.’

189. Still stode the proude sherief, A sory man was he; ‘Wo the worthe, Raynolde Grenelefe, Thou hast betrayed nowe me.’

190. ‘I make myn avowe to God,’ sayde Litell Johnn, ‘Mayster, ye be to blame; I was mysserved of my dynere When I was with you at home.’

191. Sone he was to souper sette, And served well with silver white, And when the sherif sawe his vessell, For sorowe he myght nat ete.

192. ‘Make glad chere,’ sayde Robyn Hode, ‘Sherif, for charitë, And for the love of Litill Johnn Thy lyfe I graunt to thee.’

193. Whan they had soupëd well, The day was al gone; Robyn commaunded Litell Johnn To drawe of his hosen and his shone;

194. His kirtell, and his cote of pie, That was fured well and fine, And toke hym a grene mantel, To lap his body therein.

195. Robyn commaundyd his wight yonge men, Under the grene-wode tree, They shulde lye in that same sute That the sherif myght them see.

196. All nyght lay the proude sherif In his breche and in his schert; No wonder it was, in grene wode, Though his sydës gan to smerte.

197. ‘Make glad chere,’ sayde Robyn Hode, ‘Sheref, for charitë; For this is our ordre i-wys Under the grene-wode tree.’

198. ‘This is harder order,’ sayde the sherief, ‘Than any ankir or frere; For all the golde in mery Englonde I wolde nat longe dwell her.’

199. ‘All this twelve monthes,’ sayde Robin, ‘Thou shalt dwell with me; I shall thee techë, proude sherif, An outlawe for to be.’

200. ‘Or I be here another nyght,’ sayde the sherif, ‘Robyn, nowe pray I thee, Smyte of min hede rather to-morrowe, And I forgyve it thee.

201. ‘Lat me go,’ than sayde the sherif, ‘For sayntë charitë, And I woll be the bestë frende That ever yet had ye.’