'This worde shalbe holde,' sayde Lytell Johnn,
'And this lesson we shall lere;
It is fer dayes; God sende us a gest,
That we were at our dynere.'

17.
'Take thy gode bowe in thy honde,' sayde Robyn;
'Late Much wende with thee;
And so shal Willyam Scarlok,
And no man abyde with me.

18.
'And walke up to the Saylis
And so to Watlinge Strete,
And wayte after some unkuth gest,
Up chaunce ye may them mete.

19.
'Be he erle, or ani baron,
Abbot, or ani knyght,
Bringhe hym to lodge to me;
His dyner shall be dight.'

20.
They wente up to the Saylis,
These yemen all three;
They loked est, they loked weest,
They myght no man see.

21.
But as they loked in to Bernysdale,
Bi a derne strete,
Than came a knyght ridinghe;
Full sone they gan hym mete.

22.
All dreri was his semblaunce,
And lytell was his pryde;
His one fote in the styrop stode,
That othere wavyd beside.

23.
His hode hanged in his iyn two;
He rode in symple aray;
A soriar man than he was one
Rode never in somer day.

24.
Litell Johnn was full curteyes,
And sette hym on his kne:
'Welcome be ye, gentyll knyght,
Welcom ar ye to me.

25.
'Welcom be thou to grene wode,
Hende knyght and fre;
My maister hath abiden you fastinge,
Syr, al these oures thre.'

26.
'Who is thy maister?' sayde the knyght;
Johnn sayde, 'Robyn Hode';
'He is a gode yoman,' sayde the knyght,
'Of hym I have herde moche gode.

27.
'I graunte,' he sayde, 'with you to wende,
My bretherne, all in fere;
My purpos was to have dyned to day
At Blith or Dancastere.'

28.
Furth than went this gentyl knight,
With a carefull chere;
The teris oute of his iyen ran,
And fell downe by his lere.

29.
They brought him to the lodge-dore;
Whan Robyn gan hym see,
Full curtesly dyd of his hode
And sette hym on his knee.

30.
'Welcome, sir knight,' than sayde Robyn,
'Welcome art thou to me;
I have abyden you fastinge, sir,
All these ouris thre.'

31.
Than answered the gentyll knight,
With wordes fayre and fre:
'God thee save, goode Robyn,
And all thy fayre meyne.'

32.
They wasshed togeder and wyped bothe,
And sette to theyr dynere;
Brede and wyne they had right ynoughe,
And noumbles of the dere.

33.
Swannes and fessauntes the