117 Robin Hood and the Monk
I
In somer, when the shawes956 be sheyne957,
And leves be large and long,
Hit is full mery in feyre foreste
To here the foulys song:
II
To se the dere draw to the dale,
And leve the hillès hee,
And shadow hem in the levë’s grene,
Under the grene-wode tre.
III
Hit befel on Whitsontide,
Erly in a May mornyng,
The Son up feyre can shyne,
And the briddis mery can syng.
IV
‘This is a mery mornyng,’ seid Litull John,
‘Be Hym that dyed on tre;
A more mery man then I am one
Lyves not in Cristiantë.
V
‘Pluk up thi hert, my dere mayster,’
Litull John can sey,
‘And thynk hit is a full fayre tyme
In a mornyng of May.’
VI
‘Ye, on thyng greves me,’ seid Robyn,
’And does my hert mych woo;
That I may not no solem day
To mas nor matyns goo.
VII
‘Hit is a fourtnet and more,’ seid he,
‘Syn I my Savyour see;
To day wil I to Notyngham,’ seid Robyn,
‘With the myght of mylde Marye.’
VIII
Than spake Moche, the mylner son,—
Ever more wel hym betyde!
‘Take twelve of thi wyght yemèn958,
Well weppynd, be thi side.
Such on wolde thi selfe slon959,
That twelve dar not abyde.’
IX
‘Of all my mery men,’ seid Robyn,
‘Be my feith I wil non have,
But Litull John shall beyre my bow,
Til that me list to drawe.’
X
‘Thou shall beyre thin own,’ seid Litull John,
‘Maister, and I wyl beyre myne,
And we well shete a peny960,’ seid Litull John,
‘Under the grene-wode lyne961.’
XI
‘I wil not shete a peny,’ seyd Robyn Hode,
‘In feith, Litull John, with the,
But ever for on as thou shetis,’ seide Robyn,
‘In feith I holde962 the thre.’
XII
Thus shet thei forth, these yemen two,
Bothe at buske963 and brome,
Til Litull John wan of his maister
Five shillings to hose and shone.
XIII
A ferly964 strife fel them betwene,
As they went bi the wey;
Litull John seid he had won five shillings,
And Robyn Hode seid schortly nay.
XIV
With that Robyn Hode lyed965 Litull John,
And smote hym with his hande;
Litull John waxèd wroth therwith,
And pull’d out his bright bronde.
XV
‘Were thou not my maister,’ seid Litull John,
‘Thou shuldis be hit ful sore;
Get the a man wher thou wilt,
For thou getis me no more.’
XVI
Then Robyn goes to Notyngham,
Hym selfe mornyng allone,
And Litull John to mery Scherwode,
The pathes he knew ilkone966.
XVII
Whan Robyn came to Notyngham,
Sertenly withouten layn967,
He prayed to God and myld Mary
To bryng hym out save agayn.
XVIII
He gos in to Seynt Mary chirch,
And kneled down before the rode;
Alle that e’er were the church within
Beheld wel Robyn Hode.
XIX
Beside hym stod a gret-hedid munke,
I pray to God woo he be!
Fful sone he knew gode Robyn,
As sone as he hym se.
XX
Out at the durre he ran,
Fful sone and anon;
Alle the yatis968 of Notyngham
He made to be sparred969 euerychon.
XXI
‘Rise up,’ he seid, ‘thou prowde Schereff,
Buske970 the and make the bowne971;
I have spyèd the Kynggis felon,
Fforsothe he is in this town.
XXII
‘I have spyèd the false felon,
As he stondis at his masse;
Hit is long of972 the,’ seide the munke
’And ever he fro us passe.
XXIII
‘This traytur name is Robyn Hode,
Under the grene-wode lynde;
He robbyt me onys of a hundred pound,
Hit shalle never out of my mynde.’
XXIV
Up then rose this prowde Shereff,
And radly973 made hym yare974;
Many was the moder son
To the kyrk with hym can fare.
XXV
In at the durres thei throly thrast975,
With stavès ful gode wone976;
‘Alas, alas!’ seid Robyn Hode,
‘Now mysse I Litull John.’
XXVI
But Robyn toke out a two-hond sworde,
That hangit down be his kne;
Ther as the Schereff and his men stode thyckust,
Thethurwarde wolde he.
XXVII
Thryes thorowout them he ran then,
Forsothe as I yow sey,
And woundyt mony a moder son,
And twelve he slew that day.
XXVIII
His sworde upon the Schereff hed
Sertanly he brake in two;
‘The smyth that the made,’ seid Robyn,
‘I pray to God wyrke hym woo!
XXIX
‘Ffor now am I weppynlesse,’ seid Robyn,
‘Alasse! agayn my wylle;
But if977 I may fle these traytors fro,
I wot thei wil me kyll.’
XXX
Robyn into the churchë ran,
Throout hem everilkon...
[Then word is gone to his yemen
In grene-wode wher they wone978.]
XXXI
Sum fel in swonyng as thei were dede,
And lay stil as any stone;
Non of theym were in her mynde
But only Litull John.
XXXII
‘Let be your rule979,’ seid Litull John,
‘Ffor his luf that dyed on tre;
Ye that shulde be dughty980 men,
Het is gret shame to se.
XXXIII
‘Oure maister has bene hard bystode
And yet scapyd away;
Pluk up your hertis, and leve this mone981,
And harkyn what I shal say.
XXXIV
‘He has seruyd Oure Lady many a day,
And yet wil, securly;
Therfor I trust in hir specialy
No wyckud deth shal he dye.
XXXV
‘Therfor be glad,’ seid Litull John,
‘And let this mournyng be;
And I shal be the munkis gyde982,
With the myght of mylde Mary.’
XXXVI
[Than spake Moche, the mylner son,]
‘We will go but we two.’—
‘An I mete hym,’ seid Litull John,
[‘I trust to wyrke hym woo.]
XXXVII
‘Loke that ye kepe wel owre tristil-tre983,
Under the levys smale984,
And spare non of this venyson,
That gose in thys vale.’
XXXVIII
Fforthe then went these yemen two,
Litull John and Moche on fere985,
And lokid on Moch’ emys hows986,—
The hye-way lay full nere.
XXXIX
Litull John stode at a wyndow in the mornyng,
And lokid forth at a stage987;
He was war wher the munke came ridyng,
And with hym a litul page.
XL
‘Be my feith,’ seid Litull John to Moch,
‘I can the tel tithyngus988 gode;
I se wher the monke cumys rydyng,
I know hym be his wyde hode.’
XLI
They went in to the way, these yemen bothe,
As curtes men and hende989;
Thei spyrred990 tithyngus at the munke,
As they hade bene his frende.
XLII
‘Ffro whens come ye?’ seid Litull John,
‘Tel us tithyngus, I yow pray,
Off a false owtlay, callid Robyn Hode,
Was takyn yisterday.
XLIII
‘He robbyt me and my felowes bothe
Of twenti marke in serten;
If that false owtlay be takyn,
Ffor sothe we wolde be fayn.’
XLIV
‘So did he me,’ seid the munke,
‘Of a hundred pound and more;
I layde furst hande hym apon,
Ye may thonke me therfore.’
XLV
‘I pray God thanke you,’ seid Litull John,
’And we wil when we may;
We wil go with you, with your leve,
And bryng yow on your way.
XLVI
‘Ffor Robyn Hode hase many a wilde felow,
I tell you in certen;
If thei wist ye rode this way,
In feith ye shulde be slayn.’
XLVII
As thei went talking be the way,
The munke and Litull John,
John toke the munkis horse be the hede,
Fful sone and anon.
XLVIII
John toke the munkis horse be the hed,
Fforsothe as I yow say;
So did Much the litull page,
Ffor he shulde not scape away.
XLIX
Be the golett991 of the hode
John pulled the munkè down;
John was nothyng of hym agast992,
He lete hym falle on his crown.
L
Litull John was sore agrevyd,
And drew owt his swerde in hye993;
This munkè saw he shulde be ded,
Lowd mercy can he crye.
LI
‘He was my maister,’ seid Litull John,
‘That thou hase browght in bale994;
Shalle thou never cum at our Kyng,
Ffor to telle hym tale.’
LII
John smote of the munkis hed,
No longer wolde he dwell;
So did Moch the litull page,
Ffor ferd995 lest he wolde tell.
LIII
Ther thei beryèd hem bothe,
In nouther mosse nor lyng,
And Litull John and Much in fere
Bare the letturs to oure Kyng.
LIV
[Whan John came unto oure Kyng]
He knelid down on his kne:
God yow save, my legè lorde,
Jhesus yow save and se!
LV
‘God yow save, my legè Kyng!’
To speke John was full bolde;
He gaf hym the letturs in his hond,
The Kyng did hit unfold.
LVI
The Kyng red the letturs anon,
And seid, ‘So mot I the996,
Ther was never yoman in mery Inglond
I longut so sore to se.
LVII
‘Wher is the munke that these shuld have brought?’
Ourè Kyng can say:
‘Be my trouth,’ seid Litull John,
‘He dyed after997 the way.’
LVIII
The Kyng gaf Moch and Litull John
Twenti pound in sertan,
And made theim yemen of the crown,
And bade theim go agayn.
LIX
He gaf John the seel in hand,
The Sheref for to bere,
To bryng Robyn hym to,
And no man do hym dere998.
LX
John toke his leve at oure Kyng,
The sothe as I yow say;
The next999 way to Notyngham
To take, he yede1000 the way.
LXI
Whan John came to Notyngham
The yatis were sparred ychon1001;
John callid up the porter,
He answerid sone anon.
LXII
‘What is the cause,’ seid Litull John,
‘Thou sparris the yates so fast?’—
‘Because of Robyn Hode,’ seid the porter,
‘In depe prison is cast.
LXIII
‘John and Moch and Wyll Scathlok,
Ffor sothe as I yow say,
Thei slew oure men upon our wallis,
And sawten1002 us every day.’
LXIV
Litull John spyrred after the Schereff,
And sone he hym fonde;
He oppyned the Kyngus prive seell,
And gaf hym in his honde.
LXV
Whan the Scheref saw the Kyngus seell,
He did of his hode1003 anon:
‘Wher is the munke that bare the letturs?’
He seid to Litull John.
LXVI
‘He is so fayn of hym,’ seid Litull John,
‘Fforsothe as I yow say,
He has made hym abot of Westmynster,
A lorde of that abbay.’
LXVII
The Scheref made John godè chere,
And gaf hym wyne of the best;
At nyght thei went to her1004 beddè,
And every man to his rest.
LXVIII
When the Scheref was on slepe,
Dronken of wyne and ale,
Litull John and Moch forsothe
Toke the way unto the jale.
LXIX
Litull John callid up the jayler,
And bade hym rise anon;
He seyd Robyn Hode had brokyn prison,
And out of hit was gon.
LXX
The porter rose anon sertan,
As sone as he herd John calle;
Litull John was redy with a swerd,
And bare hym to the walle.
LXXI
‘Now wil I be porter,’ seid Litull John,
‘And take the keyes in honde:’
He toke the way to Robyn Hode,
And sone he hym unbonde.
LXXII
He gaf hym a gode swerd in his hond,
His hed therwith for to kepe,
And ther as the walle was lowyst
Anon down can thei lepe.
LXXIII
Be that the cok began to crow,
The day began to spryng,
The Scheref fond the jaylier ded;
The comyn bell1005 made he ryng.
LXXIV
He made a crye thoroout al the town,
Wheder he be yoman or knave,
That cowthè bryng hym Robyn Hode,
His warison1006 he shuld have.
LXXV
‘Ffor I dar never,’ said the Scheref,
‘Cum before oure Kyng;
Ffor if I do, I wot serten
Ffor sothe he wil me heng.’
LXXVI
The Scheref made to seke Notyngham,
Bothe be strete and stye1007,
And Robyn was in mery Scherwode,
As light as lef on lynde.
LXXVII
Then bespake gode Litull John,
To Robyn Hode can he say,
‘I have done the a gode turne for an evyll,
Quyte the whan thou may.
LXXVIII
‘I have done the a gode turne,’ seid Litull John,
‘Fforsothe as I yow say;
I have brought the under grene-wode lyne;
Ffare wel, and have gode day.’
LXXIX
‘Nay, be my trouth,’ seid Robyn Hode,
‘So shall hit never be;
I make the maister,’ seid Robyn Hode,
‘Off alle my men and me.’
LXXX
‘Nay, be my trouth,’ seid Litull John,
‘So shalle hit never be;
But lat me be a felow,’ seid Litull John,
‘No noder kepe I be1008.’
LXXXI
Thus John gate Robyn Hode out of prison,
Sertan withoutyn layn;
Whan his men saw hym hol and sounde,
Fforsothe they were full fayne.
LXXXII
They fillèd in wyne, and made hem glad,
Under the levys smale,
And yete1009 pastès of venyson,
That gode was with ale.
LXXXIII
Than wordè came to oure Kyng
How Robyn Hode was gon,
And how the Scheref of Notyngham
Durst never loke hym upon.
LXXXIV
Then bespake oure cumly Kyng,
In an angur hye:
‘Litull John hase begyled the Schereff,
In faith so hase he me.
LXXXV
‘Litull John has begyled us bothe
And that full wel I se;
Or ellis the Schereff of Notyngham
Hye hongut shulde he be.
LXXXVI
‘I made hem yemen of the crowne,
And gaf hem fee with my hond;
I gaf hem grith1010,’ seid oure Kyng,
‘Thorowout all mery Inglond.
LXXXVII
‘I gaf theym grith,’ then seid oure Kyng;
‘I say, so mot I the,
Fforsothe soch a yeman as he is on
In all Inglond ar not thre.
LXXXVIII
‘He is trew to his maister,’ seid our Kyng;
‘I sey, be swete Seynt John,
He lovys better Robyn Hode
Then he dose us ychon.
LXXXIX
‘Robyn Hode is ever bond to hym,
Bothe in strete and stalle;
Speke no more of this mater,’ seid oure Kyng,
‘But John has begyled us alle.’
XC
Thus endys the talkyng of the munke
And Robyn Hode i-wysse;
God, that is ever a crowned kyng,
Bryng us all to his blisse!
Footnotes
956 shawes = woods.
957 sheyne = bright, beautiful.
958 wyght yemèn = sturdy yeomen.
959 slon = slay.
960 shete a peny = shoot for a penny.
961 lyne = linden.
962 holde = wager.
963 buske = bush.
964 ferly = wondrous, strange.
965 lyed = gave the lie to.
966 ilkone = each one.
967 layn = concealment.
968 yatis = gates.
969 sparred = barred.
970 Buske = get ready.
971 bowne = bound, ready.
972 long of = along of, i. e. thy fault.
973 radly = quickly.
974 yare = ready.
975 throly thrast = pressed stubbornly.
976 gode wone = good number, plenty.
977 But if = unless.
978 wone = dwelt.
979 rule = ‘taking on,’ lamenting.
980 dughty = doughty.
981 mone = moan.
982 gyde = be the guide, take charge of.
983 tristil-tre = trysting-tree, rendezvous.
984 smale = small.
985 on fere = in company.
986 emys hows = uncle’s house.
987 at a stage = on an upper floor.
988 tithyngus = tidings.
989 hende = civil.
990 spyrred = spiered, inquired.
991 golett = gullet, throat.
992 of him agast = alarmed about him.
993 hye = haste.
994 bale = harm.
995 ferd = fear.
996 mot I the = I thrive.
997 after = behind on.
998 dere = injury.
999 next = nighest.
1000 yede = went.
1001 ychon = each one.
1002 sawten = assault.
1003 did of his hode = took off his hat.
1004 her = their.
1005 comyn bell = town bell.
1006 warison = reward.
1007 stye = path, alley.
1008 kepe I be = care I to be.
1009 yete = ate.
1010 grith = charter of peace.