Of twenty mark in certain;
If that false outlaw be taken;
For sooth we would be fain.'

44.
'So did he me,' said the monk,
'Of a hundred pound and more;
I laid first hand him upon,
Ye may thank me therefore.'

45.
'I pray God thank you,' said Little John,
'And we will when we may;
We will go with you, with your leave,
And bring you on your way.

46.
'For Robin Hood has many a wild fellow,
I tell you in certain;
If they wist you rode this way,
In faith ye should be slain.'

47.
As they went talking by the way,
The monk and Little John,
John took the monkes horse by the head,
Full soon and anon.

48.
John took the monkes horse by the head,
Forsooth as I you say;
So did Much the little page,
For he should not scape away.

49.
By the gullet of the hood
John pulled the monke down;
John was nothing of him agast,
He let him fall on his crown.

50.
Little John was sore aggrieved,
And drew out his sword on high;
This monke saw he should be dead,
Loud mercy can he cry.

51.
'He was my master,' said Little John,
'That thou hast brought in bale;
Shall thou never come at our king,
For to tell him tale.'

52.
John smote off the monkes head,
No longer would he dwell;
So did Much the little page,
For fear lest he would tell.

53.
There they buried them both,
In neither moss nor ling,
And Little John and Much in fere
Bare the letters to our king.

54.
... ... ...
He kneeled down upon his knee:
'God you save, my liege lord,
Jesus you save and see!

55.
'God you save, my liege king!'
To speak John was full bold;
He gave him the letters in his hand,
The king did it unfold.

56.
The king read the letters anon,
And said, 'So mote I the,
There was never yeoman in merry England
I longed so sore to see.

57.
'Where is the monk that these should have brought?'
Our king can say:
'By my troth,' said Little John,
'He died after the way.'

58.
The king gave Much and Little John
Twenty pound in certain,
And made them yeomen of the crown,
And bade them go again.

59.
He gave John the seal in hand,
The sheriff for to bear,
To bring Robin him to,
And no man do him dere.

60.
John took his leave at our king,
The sooth as I you say;
The next wa