re worthy God,' sayde Robyn,
'To seche all Englonde thorowe,
Yet fonde I never to my pay
A moche better borowe.

67.
'Come nowe furth, Litell Johnn,
And go to my tresoure,
And bringe me foure hundred pound,
And loke well tolde it be.'

68.
Furth than went Litell Johnn,
And Scarlok went before;
He tolde oute foure hundred pounde
By eight and twenty score.

69.
'Is thys well tolde?' sayde lytell Much;
Johnn sayde: 'What greveth thee?
It is almus to helpe a gentyll knyght
That is fal in poverte.

70.
'Master,' than sayde Lityll John,
'His clothinge is full thynne;
Ye must gyve the knight a lyveray,
To lappe his body therein.

71.
'For ye have scarlet and grene, mayster,
And many a rich aray;
Ther is no marchaunt in mery Englond
So ryche, I dare well say.'

72.
'Take hym thre yerdes of every colour,
And loke well mete that it be.'
Lytell Johnn toke none other mesure
But his bowe-tree.

73.
And at every handfull that he met
He leped fotes three;
'What devylles drapar,' sayd litell Much,
'Thynkest thou for to be?'

74.
Scarlok stode full stil and loughe,
And sayd, 'By God Almyght,
Johnn may gyve hym gode mesure,
For it costeth hym but lyght.'

75.
'Mayster,' than said Litell Johnn
To gentill Robyn Hode,
'Ye must give the knight a hors
To lede home al this gode.'

76.
'Take him a gray coursar,' sayde Robyn,
'And a saydle newe;
He is Oure Ladye's messangere;
God graunt that he be true.'

77.
'And a gode palfray,' sayde lytell Much,
'To mayntene hym in his right';
'And a peyre of botes,' sayde Scarlok,
'For he is a gentyll knight.'

78.
'What shalt thou gyve him, Litell John?'
'Sir, a peyre of gilt sporis clene,
To pray for all this company;
God bringe hym oute of tene.'

79.
'Whan shal mi day be,' said the knight,
'Sir, and your wyll be?'
'This day twelve moneth,' saide Robyn,
'Under this grene-wode tre.

80.
'It were great shame,' said Robyn,
'A knight alone to ryde,
Withoute squyre, yoman, or page,
To walke by his syde.

81.
'I shal thee lende Litell Johnn, my man,
For he shalbe thy knave;
In a yeman's stede he may thee stande,
If thou greate nede have.'

[Annotations:
1.1: 'Lythe and listin,' hearken and listen: a very common opening.
1