This then heard good Rob-in,Under his trystell tree:
"Make you ready,ye wight young men,That shooting will I see.
Busk you,my merr-y young men,Ye shall go with me;
And I will wete the sheriff's faith,True an if he be."
When they had their bows i-bent,Their tackles feathered free,Seven score of wight young men Stood by Robin's knee.
When they came to Nottingham,The butts were fair and long,Many was the bold arch-er That shooted with bow-es strong.
"There shall but six shoot with me,The other shall keep my head,And stand with good bow-es bent That I be not deceived."
The fourth outlaw his bow gan bend,And that was Robin Hood,And that beheld the proud sher-iff,All by the butt he stood.
Thri-es Robin shot about,And alway he cleft the wand,And so did good Gilbert,With the whit-e hand.
Little John and good Scathelock Were archers good and free;
Little Much and good Reynold,The worst would they not be.
When they had shot about,These archers fair and good,Evermore was the best,For sooth,Robin Hood.
Him was delivered the good arr-ow,For best worthy was he;
He took the gift so courteysly To green wood wold-e he.
They cri-ed out on Robin Hood,And great horns gan they blow.
"Wo worth thee!treason!"said Rob-in,"Full evil thou art to know!
And woe be thou,thou proud sher-iff,Thus gladding thy guest,Otherwise thou behot-e me In yonder wild for-est;
But had I thee in green wood,Under my trystell tree,Thou shouldest leave me a better wed Than thy true lewt-e."
Full many a bow there was bent,And arrows let they glide,Many a kirtle there was rent,And hurt man-y a side.
The outlaw-es shot was so strong,That no man might them drive,And the proud sherif-es men They fled away full blive.
Robin saw the busshement to-broke,In green wood he would have be,Many an arrow there was shot Among that company.