,
He might not have his prey,
Then he awaited that gentle knight,
Both by night and by day.
Ever he awaited that gentle knight,
Sir Richard at the Lee.
As he went on hawking by the river side,
And let his hawk-es flee,
Took he there this gentle knight,
With men of arm-es strong,
And led him home to Nottingham ward,
I-bound both foot and hond.

The sheriff swore a full great oath,
By him that died on a tree,
He had liever than an hundred pound,
That Robin Hood had he.

Then the lad-y, the knight-es wife,
A fair lad-y and free,
She set her on a good palfr-ey,
To green wood anon rode she.
When she came to the for-est,
Under the green wood tree,
Found-e she there Robin Hood,
And all his fair meyn-e.

"God thee save, good Robin Hood,
And all thy compan-y;
For our deare Ladyes love,
A boon grant thou to me.
Let thou never my wedded lord
Shamefully slain to be;
He is fast i-bounde to Nottingham ward,
For the love of thee."

Anon then said good Rob-in,
To that lad-ye free,
"What man hath your lord i-take?"

"The proud sheriff," then said she.
"Forsooth as I thee say;
He is not yet three mil-es
Pass-ed on your way."

Up then stert-e good Rob-in,
As a man that had be wode:
"Busk you, my merr-y young men,
For him that died on a rode;
And he that this sorrow forsaketh,
By him that died on a tree,
Shall he never in green wood be,
Nor longer dwell with me."

Soon there were good bows i-bent,
More than seven score,
Hedge ne ditch spar-ed they none,
That was them before.

"I make mine avow," said Robin,
"The knight would I fain see,
And if I ma-y him take,
Iquit then shall he be."

And when they came to Nottingham,
They walk-ed in the street,
And with the proud sheriff, i-wis,
Soon-e gan they meet.

"Abide, thou proud sher-iff," he said,
"Abide and speak with me,
Of some tidings of our king,
I would fain hear of thee.
This seven year, by dere-worthy God,
Ne yede I so fast on foot,
I make mine avow, thou proud sheriff,
Is not for thy good."

Robin bent a good bow-e,
An arrow he drew at his will,