Than forty pounds so good.

Now come with me, thou wighty yeoman,
And Robin thou soon shalt see:
But first let us some pastime find
Under the greenwood tree.

First let us some mastery make
Among the woods so even,
We may chance to meet with Robin Hood
Here at some unset[15] steven.

They cut them down two summer shoggs,[16]
That grew both under a briar,
And set them threescore rod, in twain,
To shoot the pricks[17] y-fere.[18]

Lead on, good fellow, quoth Robin Hood,
Lead on, I do bid thee.
Nay by my faith, good fellow, he said,
My leader thou shalt be.

The first time Robin shot at the prick,
He miss'd but an inch it fro';
The yeoman he was an archer good,
But he could never shoot so.

The second shoot had the wighty yeoman,
He shot within the garland;[19]
But Robin he shot far better than he,
For he clave the good prick-wand.

A blessing upon thy heart, he said;
Good fellow, thy shooting is good;
For an thy heart be as good as thy hand,
Thou wert better than Robin Hood.

Now tell me thy name, good fellow, said he,
Under the leaves of lyne.[20]
Nay, by my faith, quoth bold Robin,
Till thou have told me thine.

I dwell by dale and down, quoth he,
And Robin to take I'm sworn;
And when I am called by my right name,
I am Guy of good Gisborne.

My dwelling is in this wood, says Robin,
By thee I set right nought:
I am Robin Hood of Barnesdale,
Whom thou so long hast sought.

He that had neither been kith nor kin,
Might have seen a full fair sight,
To see how together these yeomen went
With blades both brown and bright.

To see how these yeomen together they fought
Two hours of a summer's day:
Yet neither Robin Hood nor sir Guy
Them fettled to fly away.

[Illustration: ROBIN HOOD AND GUY OF GISBORNE.]

Robin was reachles[21] of a root,
And stumbled at that tide;
And Guy was quick and nimble withal,
And hit him o'er the left side.

Ah dear Lady, said Robin Hood, thou,
Thou art both mother and may',[22]
I think it was never man's destiny
To die before his day.

Robin thought on our Lady dear,
And soon leapt up again,
And straight he came with a backward stroke,
And he sir Guy hath slain