n,
'The soth must we see.'
'By Our Lady,' than sayd the monke,
'That were no curteysye,

257.
'To bydde a man to dyner,
And syth hym bete and bynde.'
'It is our olde maner,' sayd Robyn,
'To leve but lytell behynde.'

258.
The monke toke the hors with spore,
No lenger wolde he abyde:
'Aske to drynke,' than sayd Robyn,
'Or that ye forther ryde.'

259.
'Nay, for God,' than sayd the monke,
'Me reweth I cam so nere;
For better chepe I myght have dyned
In Blythe or in Dankestere.'

260.
'Grete well your abbot,' sayd Robyn,
'And your pryour, I you pray,
And byd hym send me such a monke
To dyner every day.'

261.
Now lete we that monke be styll,
And speke we of that knyght:
Yet he came to holde his day,
Whyle that it was lyght.

262.
He dyde him streyt to Bernysdale,
Under the grene-wode tre,
And he founde there Robyn Hode,
And all his mery meyne.

263.
The knyght lyght doune of his good palfray,
Robyn whan he gan see;
So curteysly he dyde adoune his hode,
And set hym on his knee.

264.
'God the save, Robyn Hode,
And all this company!'
'Welcome be thou, gentyll knyght,
And ryght welcome to me.'

265.
Than bespake hym Robyn Hode,
To that knyght so fre;
'What nede dryveth thee to grene-wode?
I praye thee, syr knyght, tell me.

266.
'And welcome be thou, gentyll knyght,
Why hast thou be so longe?'
'For the abbot and the hye justyce
Wolde have had my londe.'

267.
'Hast thou thy londe agayne?' sayd Robyn;
'Treuth than tell thou me.'
'Ye, for God,' sayd the knyght,
'And that thanke I God and thee.

268.
'But take no grefe, that I have be so longe;
I came by a wrastelynge,
And there I holpe a pore yeman,
With wronge was put behynde.'

269.
'Nay, for God,' sayd Robyn,
'Syr knyght, that thanke I thee;
What man that helpeth a good yeman,
His frende than wyll I be.'

270.
'Have here foure hondred pounde,' than sayd the knyght,
'The whiche ye lent to me;
And here is also twenty marke
For your curteysy.'

271.
'Nay, for God,' than sayd Robyn,
'Thou broke it well for ay;
For Our Lady, by her hye selerer,
Hath sent to me my pay.

272.
'And yf I toke it i-twyse,
A shame it were to me;
But trewely, gentyll knyght,
Welcome arte thou to me.'

273.