f Englonde,
Graunte me myn askynge.

440.
'I made a chapell in Bernysdale,
That semely is to se,
It is of Mary Magdaleyne,
And thereto wolde I be.

441.
'I myght never in this seven nyght
No tyme to slepe ne wynke,
Nother all these seven dayes
Nother ete ne drynke.

442.
'Me longeth sore to Bernysdale,
I may not be therfro;
Barefote and wolwarde I have hyght
Thyder for to go.'

443.
'Yf it be so,' than sayd our kynge,
'It may no better be;
Seven nyght I gyve thee leve,
No lengre, to dwell fro me.'

444.
'Gramercy, lorde,' then sayd Robyn,
And set hym on his kne;
He toke his leve full courteysly,
To grene wode then went he.

445.
When he came to grene wode,
In a mery mornynge,
There he herde the notes small
Of byrdes mery syngynge.

446.
'It is ferre gone,' sayd Robyn,
'That I was last here;
Me lyste a lytell for to shote
At the donne dere.'

447.
Robyn slewe a full grete harte;
His horne than gan he blow,
That all the outlawes of that forest
That horne coud they knowe,

448.
And gadred them togyder,
In a lytell throwe.
Seven score of wyght yonge men
Came redy on a rowe,

449.
And fayre dyde of theyr hodes,
And set them on theyr kne:
'Welcome,' they sayd, 'our dere mayster,
Under this grene-wode tre.'

450.
Robyn dwelled in grene wode
Twenty yere and two;
For all drede of Edwarde our kynge,
Agayne wolde he not goo.

451.
Yet he was begyled, i-wys,
Through a wycked woman,
The pryoresse of Kyrkesly,
That nye was of hys kynne:

452.
For the love of a knyght,
Syr Roger of Donkesly,
That was her owne speciall;
Full evyll mote they the!

453.
They toke togyder theyr counsell
Robyn Hood for to sle,
And how they myght best do that dede,
His banis for to be.

454.
Than bespake good Robyn,
In place where as he stode,
'Tomorow I muste to Kyrkesly,
Craftely to be leten blode.'

455.
Syr Roger of Donkestere
By the pryoresse he lay,
And there they betrayed good Robyn Hode,
Through theyr false playe.

456.
Cryst have mercy on his soul,
That dyed on the rode!
For he was a good outlawe,
And dyde pore men moch gode.

[Annotations:
421.1: 'kest of' = cast off: 'cole,' frock (cp. 372.1).
423.1: 'bente,' took.
423.2: