MUCH.  O, good cheer anon, sir; she shall have venison her bellyful.

MAT.  Matilda is as joyful of thy good
As joy can make her:  how fares Robin Hood?

ROB.  H. Well, my Matilda, and if thou agree,
Nothing but mirth shall wait on thee and me.

MAT.  O God, how full of perfect mirth were I
To see thy grief turn’d to true jollity!

ROB.  H. Give me thy hand; now God’s curse on me light,
If I forsake not grief, in griefs despite. 
Much, make a cry, and, yeomen, stand ye round: 
I charge ye never more let woful sound
Be heard among ye; but whatever fall,
Laugh grief to scorn, and so make sorrow small,
Much, make a cry, and loudly:  Little John.

MUCH.  O God, O God! help, help, help!  I am undone, I am undone!

LIT.  JOHN.  Why, how now, Much?  Peace, peace, you roaring slave.

MUCH.  My master bad me cry, and I will cry till he bid me leave. 
Help, help, help!  Ay, marry will I.

ROB.  H. Peace, Much.  Read on the articles, good John.

LIT.  JOHN.  First, no man must presume to call our master
By name of Earl, Lord, Baron, Knight, or Squire;
But simply by the name of Robin Hood.

ROB.  H. Say, yeomen, to this order will ye yield?

ALL.  We yield to serve our master, Robin Hood.

LIT.  JOHN.  Next, ’tis agreed, if thereto she agree,
That fair Matilda henceforth change her name,
And while it is the chance of Robin Hood
To live in Sherwood a poor outlaw’s life,
She by Maid Marian’s name be only call’d.

MAT.  I am contented; read on, Little John: 
Henceforth let me be nam’d Maid Marian.

LIT.  JOHN.  Thirdly, no yeoman, following Robin Hood
In Sherwood, shall [ab]use widow, wife, or maid;
But by true labour lustful thoughts expel.

ROB.  H. How like ye this?

ALL.  Master, we like it well.

MUCH.  But I cry no to it.  What shall I do with Jenny then?

SCAR.  Peace, Much:  go forward with the orders, fellow John.

LIT.  JOHN.  Fourthly, no passenger with whom ye meet
Shall ye let pass, till he with Robin feast;
Except a post, a carrier, or such folk
As use with food to serve the market towns.

ALL.  An order which we gladly will observe.

LIT.  JOHN.  Fifthly, you never shall the poor man wrong,
Nor spare a priest, a usurer, or a clerk.

MUCH.  Nor a fair wench, meet we her in the dark!

LIT.  JOHN.  Lastly, you shall defend with all your power
Maids, widows, orphans, and distressed men.

ALL.  All these we vow to keep as we are men.

ROB.  H. Then wend ye to the greenwood merrily,
And let the light roes bootless from ye run. 
Marian and I, as sovereigns of your toils,
Will wait within our bower your bent bows’ spoils.

MUCH.  I will among them, master.