13. And Scarlett a foote
flyinge was,
Over stockes and stone,
For the sheriffe with seven score men
Fast after him is gone.
14. “Yet one shoote
I’ll shoote,” sayes Litle John,
“With Crist his might and mayne;
I’ll make yond fellow that flyes soe
fast
To be both glad and faine.”
15. John bent up a good veiwe
bow[24],
And fetteled[25] him to shoote;
The bow was made of a tender boughe,
And fell downe to his foote.
16. “Woe worth[26]
thee, wicked wood,” sayd Litle John,
“That ere thou grew on a tree!
For this day thou art my bale,
My boote[27] when thou shold bee!”
17. This shoote it was but
looselye shott,
The arrowe flew in vaine,
And it mett one of the sheriffe’s men;
Good William a Trent was slaine.
18. It had beene better for
William a Trent
To hange upon a gallowe
Then for to lye in the greenwoode,
There slaine with an arrowe.
19. And it is sayed, when
men be mett,
Six can doe more than three:
And they have tane Litle John,
And bound him fast to a tree.
20. “Thou shalt be
drawen by dale and downe,” quoth the sheriffe[28],
“And hanged hye on a hill:”
“But thou may fayle,” quoth Litle
John
“If it be Christ’s owne will.”
21. Let us leave talking
of Litle John,
For hee is bound fast to a tree,
And talke of Guy and Robin Hood
In the green woode where they bee.
22. How these two yeomen
together they mett,
Under the leaves of lyne,
To see what marchandise they made
Even at that same time.
23. “Good morrow, good
fellow,” quoth Sir Guy;
“Good morrow, good fellow,”
quoth hee;
“Methinkes by this bow thou beares
in thy hand,
A good archer thou seems to bee.”
24. “I am wilfull of
my way[29],” quoth Sir Guy,
“And of my morning tyde:”
“I’ll lead thee through the wood,”
quoth Robin,
“Good fellow, I’ll be thy guide.”
25. “I seeke an outlaw,”
quoth Sir Guy,
“Men call him Robin Hood;
I had rather meet with him upon a day
Then forty pound of golde.”
26. “If you tow mett,
it wold be seene whether were better
Afore yee did part awaye;
Let us some other pastime find,
Good fellow, I thee pray.”
27. “Let us some other
masteryes make,
And we will walke in the woods even;
Wee may chance meet with Robin Hood
At some unsett steven[30].”
28. They cutt them downe
the summer shroggs[31]
Which grew both under a bryar,
And sett them three score rood in twinn[32],
To shoote the prickes[33] full neare.
29. “Leade on, good
fellow,” sayd Sir Guye,
“Leade on, I doe bidd thee:”
“Nay, by my faith,” quoth Robin
Hood,
“The leader thou shalt bee.”
30. The first good shoot
that Robin ledd,
Did not shoote an inch the pricke froe,
Guy was an archer good enoughe,
But he could neere shoote soe.