gown of green,
Is cut short by my knee,
And in my hand a bright brown brand
That will well bite of thee.'

20.
But forth then of a shot-window,
Good Robin Hood he could glide;
Red Roger, with a grounden glaive,
Thrust him through the milk-white side.

21.
But Robin was light and nimble of foot,
And thought to abate his pride,
For between his head and his shoulders
He made a wound full wide.

22.
Says, 'Lie there, lie there, Red Roger,
The dogs they must thee eat;
For I may have my housel,' he said,
'For I may both go and speak.

23.
'Now give me mood,' Robin said to Little John,
'Give me mood with thy hand;
I trust to God in heaven so high
My housel will me bestand.'

24.
'Now give me leave, give me leave, master,' he said,
'For Christ's love give leave to me
To set a fire within this hall,
And to burn up all Churchlee.'

25.
'That I rede not,' said Robin Hood then,
'Little John, for it may not be;
If I should do any widow hurt, at my latter end,
God,' he said, 'would blame me;

26.
'But take me upon thy back, Little John,
And bear me to yonder street,
And there make me a full fair grave
Of gravel and of greet.

27.
And set my bright sword at my head,
Mine arrows at my feet,
And lay my yew-bow by my side,
My met-yard wi . . .'

[Annotations:
2.1: 'rede,' advise.
4.1,3: 'And,' if.
4.4: 'A stanza or more seems to be lost here.' --Child. There is,
however, no break in the MS.
6.1: 'You'st' = you shall.
8.2: 'banning,' cursing.
11.2: 'lin,' stop.
14.2: 'in that ilk' [time], at that same moment.
14.3: 'blood-irons,' lancets for bleeding.
20.3: 'glaive,' a sword or knife tied to the end of a pole.
22.3: 'housel,' communion, sacrament.
23.1: 'give me mood': Child suggests 'give me my God,' _i.e._
the consecrated Host. He admits it is a bold emendation, but
cites some striking parallels in support of it.
23.4: 'bestand,' help.
26.4: 'greet,' grit, sand.
27.4: 'met-yard,' measuring-rod.]

ADAM BELL, CLYM OF THE CLOUGH AND WILLIAM OF CLOUDESLY

+The Text.+--The earliest complete text, here given, was printed by
William Copland between 1548 and 1568: there are extant two printed
fragments, one printed by John Byddell in 1536, and the other in a type
older than Copland's. Later, there