Part 11 (1/2)
And if I find more,” said ROBIN, ”Iwis, thou shalt it forgo; For of thy spending silver, Monk!
Thereof will I right none.”
”Go now forth, Little JOHN, And the truth, tell thou me!
If there be no more but twenty marks No penny [of] that I see!”
Little JOHN spread his mantle down, As he had done before, And he told out of the Monk's mail Eight hundred pound and more.
Little JOHN let it lie full still, And went to his Master in haste; ”Sir!” he said, ”the Monk is true enough; Our Lady hath doubled your cast!”
”I make mine avow to G.o.d!” said ROBIN, ”Monk, what told I thee!
Our Lady is the truest woman That ever yet found I me!
By dear worthy G.o.d!” said ROBIN, ”To seek all England through; Yet found I never to my pay, A much better borrow.
Fill of the best wine, and do him drink!” said ROBIN; ”And greet well thy Lady hend; And if she have need to ROBIN HOOD, A friend she shall him find: And if she needeth any more silver, Come thou again to me!
And, by this token she hath me sent, She shall have such three!”
The Monk was going to London ward, There to hold great Mote, The Knight that rode so high on horse To bring him under foot.
”Whither be ye away?” said ROBIN.
”Sir, to manors in this land, To reckon with our Reeves That have done much wrong.”
”Come now forth, Little JOHN!
And hearken to my tale!
A better yeoman, I know none To seek a Monk's mail.
How much is in yonder other corser?” said ROBIN, ”The sooth must we see!”
”By our Lady!” then said the Monk, ”That were no courtesy; To bid a man to dinner, And sith him beat and bind!”
”It is our old manner!” said ROBIN, ”To leave but little behind.”
The Monk took the horse with spur, No longer would he abide!
”Ask to drink!” then said ROBIN, ”Or that ye further ride?”
”Nay, for G.o.d!” said the Monk, ”Me rueth I came so near!
For better cheap, I might have dined In Blyth or in Doncaster!”
”Greet well, your Abbot!” said ROBIN, ”And your Prior, I you pray!
And bid him send me such a Monk To dinner every day!”
Now let we that Monk be still; And speak we of the Knight!
Yet he came to hold his day While that it was light.
He did him strait to Bernysdale, Under the green-wood tree.
And he found there ROBIN HOOD And all his merry meiny.
The Knight light down off his good palfrey.
ROBIN when he 'gan see; So courteously he did adown his hood And set him on his knee.
”G.o.d thee save, ROBIN HOOD, And all this company!”
”Welcome, be thou, gentle Knight!
And right welcome to me!”
Then bespake him ROBIN HOOD, To that Knight so free, ”What need driveth thee to green wood?
I pray thee, Sir Knight, tell me!
And welcome be, thou gentle Knight!
Why hast thou been so long?”
”For the Abbot and high Justice Would have had my land?”
”Hast thou thy land again?” said ROBIN, ”Truth then tell thou me!”
”Yea, for G.o.d!” said the Knight, ”And that I thank G.o.d and thee!
But take not a grief,” said the Knight, ”That I have been so long, I came by a wrestling, And there I helped a poor yeoman, Who with wrong was put behind.”
”Nay, for G.o.d!” said ROBIN, ”Sir Knight, that thank I thee!
What man that helpeth a good yeoman, His friend then will I be.”
”Have here four hundred pounds!” then said the Knight ”The which ye lent me, And here is also twenty marks for your courtesy!”
”Nay, for G.o.d!” then said ROBIN, ”Thou brook it well for aye; For our Lady, by her Cellarer, Hath sent to me my pay!
And if I took it twice, A shame it were to me!