Little John was hurt full sore,With an arrow in his knee,That he might neither go nor ride:
It was full great pit-e.
"Master,"then said Little John,"If ever thou lovest me,And for that ilk-e Lord-es love,That died upon a tree,And for the meeds of my serv-ice,That I have serv-ed thee,Let nev-er the proud sher-iff Aliv-e now find me;
But take out thy brown sword,And smite all off my head,And give me wound-es dead and wide,That I after eat no bread."
"I wold-e not that,"said Rob-in,"John,that thou wer-e slawe,For all the gold in merry England,Though it lay now on a rawe."
"God forbid,"said Little Much,"That died on a tree,That thou shouldest,Little John,Part our company!"
Up he took him on his back,And bare him well a mile,Many a time he laid him down,And shot another while.
Then was there a fair cast-ell,A little within the wood,Double-ditched it was about,And wall-ed,by the rood;
And there dwelled that gentle knight,Sir Richard at the Lee,That Rob-in had lent his good,Under the green wood tree.
In he took good Rob-in,And all his compan-y:
"Welcome be thou,Robin Hood,Welc-ome art thou me;
And much thank thee of thy comf-ort,And of thy courtesy,And of thy great kind-eness,Under the green wood tree;
I love no man in all this world So much as I do thee;
For all the proud sheriff of Nottingham,Right here shalt thou be.
Shut the gates,and draw the bridge,And let no man come in;
And arm you well,and make you read-y,And to the wall ye win.
For one thing,Rob-in,I thee behote,I swear by Saint Quin-tin,These twelve days thou wonest with me,To sup,eat,and dine."
Boards were laid,and cloth-es spread,Readily and anon;
Robin Hood and his merry men To meat gan they gon.
THE SIXTH FYTTE.
Lithe and listen,gentle men,And hearken unto your song;
How the proud sheriff of Nottingham,And men of arm-es strong,Full fast came to the high sher-iff,The country up to rout,And they beset the knight's cast-ell,The wall-es all about.
The proud sher-iff loud-e gan cry,And said,"Thou traitor knight,Thou keepest here the king's enemy,Against the laws and right!"