A Gest of Robin Hood (pp.197-220 in the volume) (Page 19 of 24)
(p.215) For sorowe he myght
nat ete
Make glad chere sayde robyn hode:
Sherif for charite
And for ye loue of litille Iohn
Thy lyfe I graunt to the.
Whan they had souped welle.
The day was al gone.
Robyn commaunde litelle Iohn.
To drawe of his hosen and his shone:
His kirtelle and his cote of pie
That was fured welle & fine & to hym
a grene mantel
To lap his body therin
Robyn commaundyd his wight yonge men.
Under the grene wode tree:
They shulde lye in that same sute
That the sherif myght them see.
Alle nyght lay the proude sherif
In his breche and in his chert.
No wonder it was in grene wode
Though his sydes gan to smerte.
Make glad chere sayde Robyn hode.
Sheref for charite For this is our ordre I wys
Under the grene wode tree
This is harder order sayde the sherief.
Than any ankir or frere
For alle the golde in mery englonde
I wolde nat longe dwelle her
All this xij. monthes sayde Robin
Thou shalt dwelle with me.
I shalle the teche proude sherif
An outlawe for to be
Or I be here another nyght sayde the sherif.
Robyn nowe pray I the.
