.

He took sir Guy's head by the hair,
And stuck it upon his bow's-end:
Thou hast been a traitor all thy life,
Which thing must have an end.

Robin pull'd forth an Irish knife,
And nick'd sir Guy in the face,
That he was never o' woman born,
Could tell whose head it was.

Says, Lie there, lie there now, sir Guy,
And with me be not wroth;
If thou have had the worst strokes at my hand,
Thou shalt have the better cloth.

Robin did off his gown of green,
And on sir Guy did throw,
And he put on that capull hide,
That clad him top to toe.

The bow, the arrows, and little horn,
Now with me I will bear;
For I will away to Barnesdale,
To see how my men do fare.

Robin Hood set Guy's horn to his mouth,
And a loud blast in it did blow,
That beheard the sheriff of Nottingham,
As he leaned under a lowe.[23]

Hearken, hearken, said the sheriff,
I hear now tidings good,
For yonder I hear sir Guy's horn blow,
And he hath slain Robin Hood.

Yonder I hear sir Guy's horn blow,
It blows so well in tide,
And yonder comes that wighty yeoman,
Clad in his capull hide.

Come hither, come hither, thou good sir Guy,
Ask what thou wilt of me.
O I will none of thy gold, said Robin,
Nor I will none of thy fee.

But now I have slain the master, he says,
Let me go strike the knave;
For this is all the reward I ask;
Nor no other will I have.

Thou art a madman, said the sheriff,
Thou shouldst have had a knight's fee:
But seeing thy asking hath been so bad,
Well granted it shall be.

When Little John heard his master speak,
Well knew he it was his steven:[24]
Now shall I be loosed, quoth Little John,
With Christe his might in heaven.

Fast Robin he hied him to Little John,
He thought to loose him belive;[25]
The sheriff and all his company
Fast after him did drive.

Stand back, stand back, said Robin;
Why draw you me so near?
It was never the use in our country,
One's shrift another should hear.

But Robin pull'd forth an Irish knife,
And loosed John hand and foot,
And gave him sir Guy's bow into his hand,
And bade it be his boote.

Then John he took Guy's bow in his hand,
His bolts and arrows each one: