It had been better for William a Trent To hang upon a gallow Than for to lie in the greenwood, There slain with an arrow.

19.

And it is said, when men be met, Six can do more than three: And they have ta'en Little John, And bound him fast to a tree.

20.

'Thou shalt be drawn by dale and down, And hanged high on a hill.'

'But thou may fail,' quoth Little John, 'If it be Christ's own will.'

21.

Let us leave talking of Little John, For he is bound fast to a tree, And talk of Guy and Robin Hood In the greenwood where they be;

22.

How these two yeomen together they met, Under the leaves of lyne, To see what merchandise they made Even at that same time.

23.

'Good morrow, good fellow,' quoth Sir Guy; 'Good morrow, good fellow,' quoth he; 'Methinks by this bow thou bears in thy hand, A good archer thou seems to be.

24.

'I am wilful of my way,' quoth Sir Guy, 'And of my morning tide.'

'I'll lead thee through the wood,' quoth Robin, 'Good fellow, I'll be thy guide.'

25.

'I seek an outlaw,' quoth Sir Guy, 'Men call him Robin Hood; I had rather meet with him upon a day Than forty pound of gold.'

26.

'If you two met, it would be seen whether were better Afore ye did part away; Let us some other pastime find, Good fellow, I thee pray.

27.

'Let us some other masteries make, And we will walk in the woods even; We may chance meet with Robin Hood At some unset steven.'

28.

They cut them down the summer shroggs Which grew both under a briar, And set them three score rood in twain, To shoot the p.r.i.c.ks full near.

29.

'Lead on, good fellow,' said Sir Guy, 'Lead on, I do bid thee.'

'Nay by my faith,' quoth Robin Hood, 'The leader thou shalt be.'

30.

The first good shot that Robin led, Did not shoot an inch the p.r.i.c.k fro; Guy was an archer good enough, But he could ne'er shoot so.

31.

The second shot Sir Guy shot, He shot within the garland; But Robin Hood shot it better than he, For he clove the good p.r.i.c.k-wand.

32.

'G.o.d's blessing on thy heart!' says Guy, 'Good fellow, thy shooting is good; For an thy heart be as good as thy hands, Thou were better than Robin Hood.

33.

'Tell me thy name, good fellow,' quoth Guy, Under the leaves of lyne: 'Nay, by my faith,' quoth good Robin, 'Till thou have told me thine.'

34.

'I dwell by dale and down,' quoth Guy, 'And I have done many a curst turn; And he that calls me by my right name Calls me Guy of good Gisborne.'

35.

'My dwelling is in the wood,' says Robin; 'By thee I set right nought; My name is Robin Hood of Barnesdale, A fellow thou hast long sought.'

36.

He that had neither been kith nor kin Might have seen a full fair sight, To see how together these yeomen went, With blades both brown and bright;

37.

To have seen how these yeomen together fought Two hours of a summer's day; It, was neither Guy nor Robin Hood That fettled them to fly away.

38.

Robin was reckless on a root, And stumbled at that tide, And Guy was quick and nimble withal, And hit him o'er the left side.

39.

'Ah, dear Lady!' said Robin Hood, 'Thou art both mother and may!

I think it was never man's destiny To die before his day.'

40.

Robin thought on Our Lady dear, And soon leapt up again, And thus he came with an awkward stroke; Good Sir Guy he has slain.

41.

He took Sir Guy's head by the hair, And sticked it on his bow's end: 'Thou hast been traitor all thy life, Which thing must have an end.'

42.

Robin pulled forth an Irish knife, And nicked Sir Guy in the face, That he was never on a woman born Could tell who Sir Guy was.

43.

Says, 'Lie there, lie there, good Sir Guy, And with me be not wroth; If thou have had the worse strokes at my hand, Thou shalt have the better cloth.'

44.

Robin did off his gown of green, Sir Guy he did it throw; And he put on that capul-hide That clad him top to toe.

45.

'The bow, the arrows, and little horn, And with me now I'll bear; For now I will go to Barnesdale, To see how my men do fare.'

46.

Robin set Guy's horn to his mouth, A loud blast in it he did blow; That beheard the sheriff of Nottingham, As he leaned under a low.

47.

'Hearken! hearken!' said the sheriff, 'I heard no tidings but good; For yonder I hear Sir Guy's horn blow, For he hath slain Robin Hood.'

48.

'For yonder I hear Sir Guy's horn blow, It blows so well in tide, For yonder comes that wighty yeoman, Clad in his capul-hide.

49.

'Come hither, thou good Sir Guy, Ask of me what thou wilt have': 'I'll none of thy gold,' says Robin Hood, 'Nor I'll none of it have.'

50.