f Nottingham,
Right here shalt thou be.
Shut the gates, and draw the bridge,
And let no man come in;
And arm you well, and make you read-y,
And to the wall ye win.
For one thing, Rob-in, I thee behote,
I swear by Saint Quin-tin,
These twelve days thou wonest with me,
To sup, eat, and dine."

Boards were laid, and cloth-es spread,
Readily and anon;
Robin Hood and his merry men
To meat gan they gon.

THE SIXTH FYTTE.

Lithe and listen, gentle men,
And hearken unto your song;
How the proud sheriff of Nottingham,
And men of arm-es strong,
Full fast came to the high sher-iff,
The country up to rout,
And they beset the knight's cast-ell,
The wall-es all about.
The proud sher-iff loud-e gan cry,
And said, "Thou traitor knight,
Thou keepest here the king's enemy,
Against the laws and right!"

"Sir, I will avow that I have done,
The deeds that here be dight,
Upon all the land-es that I have,
As I am a true knight.
Wend-e forth, sirs, on your way,
And doth no more to me,
Till ye wite our king-es will
What he will say to thee."

The sheriff thus had his answ-er,
Without an-y leas-ing,
Forth he yode to London town,
All for to tell our king.
There he told him of that knight,
And eke of Robin Hood,
And also of the bold arch-ers,
That noble were and good.
"He would avow that he had done,
To maintain the outlaws strong;
He would be lord, and set you at nought,
In all the north lond."

"I will be at Nottingham," said the king,
"Within this fortnight,
And take I will Robin Hood,
And so I will that knight.
Go home, thou proud sher-iff,
And do as I bid thee,
And ordain good arch-ers enow,
Of all the wide countree."

The sheriff had his leave i-take,
And went him on his way;
And Robin Hood to green wood
Upon a certain day;
And Little John was whole of the arrow,
That shot was in his knee,
And did him straight to Robin Hood,
Under the green wood tree.
Robin Hood walked in the for-est,
Under the leav-es green,
The proud sher-iff of Nottingham,
Therefore he had great teen.

The sheriff there failed of Robin Hood