at Wentbrydge
ther was.' See Argument.
136.2: 'i-pyght,' put.
136.4: Edinburgh fragment again.
138.3: 'frembde bested,' in the position of a foreigner or stranger.
See fore-note.
140.2: 'free,' supplied from the 'fere,' misprinted in the Cambridge
text. Copland, 'in fere.'
140.4: 'shende,' put to rout.
141.1: 'rome,' room.]

THE THIRD FYTTE (144-204)

+Argument.+--The narrative of the knight's loan is for the moment
dropped, in order to relate a gest of Little John, who is now (81.2) the
knight's 'knave' or squire. Going forth 'upon a mery day,' Little John
shoots with such skill that he attracts the attention of the Sheriff of
Nottingham (who is here and elsewhere the type of Robin Hood's enemies),
and enters his service for a year under the name of Reynold Greenleaf.
While the sheriff is hunting, Little John fights his servants, robs his
treasure-house, and escapes back to Robin Hood with 'three hundred pound
and more.' He then bethinks him of a shrewd wile, and inveigles the
sheriff to leave his hunting in order to see a right fair hart and seven
score of deer, which turn out to be Robin and his men. Robin Hood exacts
an oath of the sheriff, equivalent to an armistice; and he returns home,
having had his fill of the greenwood.

THE THIRD FYTTE

144.
Lyth and lystyn, gentilmen,
All that now be here;
Of Litell Johnn, that was the knightes man,
Goode myrth ye shall here.

145.
It was upon a mery day
That yonge men wolde go shete;
Lytell Johnn fet his bowe anone,
And sayde he wolde them mete.

146.
Thre tymes Litell Johnn shet aboute,
And alwey he slet the wande;
The proude sherif of Notingham
By the markes can stande.

147.
The sherif swore a full greate othe:
'By hym that dyede on a tre,
This man is the best arschere
That ever yet sawe I me.

148.
'Say me nowe, wight yonge man,
What is nowe thy name?
In what countre were thou borne,
And where is thy wonynge wane?'

149.
'In Holdernes, sir, I was borne,
I-wys al of my dame;
Men cal me Reynolde Grenelef
Whan I am at home.'

150.
'Sey me, Reynolde Grenelefe,
Wolde thou dwell with me?
And every yere I woll thee gyve
Twenty marke to thy fee.'

151.
'I have a maister,' sayde Litell Johnn,
'A curteys knight is he;
May ye leve gete of hym,
The better may it be.'

152.
The sheri