ROBIN HOOD AND THE MONK In summer, when the woods are bright, And the leaves are large and long, It is full merry in the fair forest To hear the bird's song, To see the dear draw to the dale, And leave the hills high, And shelter themselves in the leaves green, Under the greenwood tree. It befell on Whitsontide Early on a May morning, The sun did fairly shine, And the birds did merrily sing. "This is a merry morning," said Little John, "Be Him that died on a tree; A more merry man then I am one Lives not in Christianity. "Pluck up your heart, my dear master," Little John did say, "And think it is a full fair time On a morning of May." "Yet, one thing greaves me," said Robin, "And does my heart much woe: That I may not on any holy day Go to mass nor matins. "It is a fortnight and more," he said, "Since I have my Saviour seen; Today I will go to Nottingham," said Robin, "With the might of mild Mary." Then spoke Much, the miller's son, Ever more well betide him! "Take twelve of your strong yeomen, Well weaponed, by your side. Such who would yourself slay, Would dare not abide those twelve." "Of all my merry men," said Robin, "By my faith I will have none, But Little John shall bear my bow, Till that I desire to draw." "You shall bear your own," said Little John, "Master, and I will bear mine, And we will shoot for a penny," said Little John, Under the greenwood line." "I will not shoot for a penny," said Robin Hood, "In truth, Little John, with you, But for every one that you shoot," said Robin, "In truth I will give you three (pennies)." Thus they shot, these yeomen two, Both at bush and shrub, Till Little John won of his master Five shillings for hose and shoes. A great strife fell between them, As they went by the wey; Little John said he had won five shillings, And Robin Hood said shortly, no. With that Robin Hood called Little John a liar, And struck him with his hand; Little John became angry therewith, And pulled out his bright sword. "Were you not my master," said Little John, "You should be hit very badly; Get you a man where you will, For you will have me no more." Then Robin went to Nottingham, Himself on that morning, all alone, And Little John went to merry Sherwood, The paths he knew each one. When Robin came to Nottingham, Certainly without lie, He prayed to God and mild Mary To bring him back safe again. He went into Saint Mary church, And kneeled down before the cross; All that were within the church Well Beheld Robin Hood. Beside him stood a great-headed monk, I pray to God woe be to him! Very soon he knew good Robin, As soon as he saw him. Out of the door he ran, Very soon and at once; All the gates of Nottingham He made to be barred, everyone. "Rise up," he said, "you proud sheriff, Hurry and make yourself ready; I have spied the king's felon, For truth, he is in this town. "I have spied the false felon, As he stands at his mass; It is your fault," said the monk, "If he should ever from us pass. "This traitor's name is Robin Hood, Under the greenwood line; He robbed me once of a hundred pounds, It shall never be out of my mind." Up then rose this proud sheriff, And quickly made himself ready; Many was the mother's son Who did go with him to the church. In at the doors they thoroughly thrust, With staves full good enough; "Alas, alas!" said Robin Hood, "Now I miss Little John." But Robin took out a two-handed sword, That hanged down by his knee; There where the sheriff and his men stood thickest Forward he would go. Thrice through them he ran, For truth as I tell you, And wounded many a mother's son, And twelve he slew that day. His sword upon the sheriff's head Certanly, he broke it in two; "The smith that made you," said Robin, "I pray to God, work him woe! "For now am I weaponless," said Robin, "Alas! against my will; But if I don't flee from these traitors, I know they will kill me." Robin ran into the church, Throughout them everyone... . . . . Several stanzas here are illegible due to the damp . . . . ...Some fell in swooning as though they were dead, And lay still as any stone; None of them were in their right mind But only Little John. "Let up your wailing," said Little John, "For His life that died on the tree, You that should be doughty men; It is a great shame to see. "Our master has been hard beset And yet escaped away; Pluck up your hearts, and leave this moaning, And listen to what I shall say. "He has served Our Lady many a day, And will yet, surely; Therefore I trust in her specialty No wicked death shall he die. "Therefore be glad," said Little John, "And let this mourning stop; And I shall be the monk's guide, With the might of mild Mary, If I meet hym," said Little John "We will go but we two. "Look that you keep well our trysting-tree, Under the leaves small, And spare none of the venison, That goes in this vale." Forward then went these yeomen two, Little John and Much together, And looked at Much's uncle's house; The highway was very near. Little John stood at a window in the morning, And looked out from an upper room; He was aware where the monk came riding, And with him a little page. "By my faith," said Little John to Much, "I can tell you good tidings; I see where the monk comes riding, I know him by his wide hood." They went into the way, these yeomen both, As courteous men and gracious; They asked tidings of the monk, As if they had been his friend. "From where do you come?" said Little John, "Tell us tidings, I pray you, Of a false outlaw, Who was taken yesterday. "He robbed me and my fellows both Of twenty marks in certain; If that false outlaw has been taken, In truth we would be glad." "So did he me," said the monk, Of a hundred pounds and more; I first laid hands upon him, You may thank me then therefore." "I pray God thank you," said Little John, "And we will when we may; We will go with you, with your leave, And help you on your way. "For Robin Hood has many a wild fellow, I tell you in certain; If they knew you rode this way, In truth you would be slain." As they went talking by the way, The monk and Little John, John took the munk's horse by the head, Full sone and at once. John took the munk's horse by the head, In truth as I tell you; So did Much the little page, That he should not escape away. By the gulett of his hood John pulled the monk down; John was not afraid of him, He let him fall on his crown. Little John was so agreaved, And drew out his sword in haste; The monk saw he should be dead, before Lord mercy he could cry. "He was my master," said Little John, "That you have brought into harm; You shall never come before our king To tell him of this tale." John smote off the munk's head, No longer would he dwell; So did Much the little page's, For fear that he would tell. There they buried them both, In neither moss nor heath, And Little John and Much together Bore the letters to our king. Little John came to the king He kneeled down upon his knee: "God save you, my leige lord, Jesus save you and see! "God save you, my leige king!" To speak John was full bold; He gave him the letters in his hand, The king did unfold them. The king read the letters at once, And said, "So may I thrive, There was never a yeoman in merry England I longed so much to see. "Where is the monk that should have brought these?" Our king did say. "Be my truth," said Little John, "He died along the way." The king gave Much and Little John Twenty pounds in certain, And made them yeomen of the crown, And bade them go again. He gave John the seal in hand, To take to the sheriff, To bring Robin to him, And no man do him harm. John took his leave of our king, The truth I to you say; The nearest road to Nottingham He took the way. Whan John came to Nottingham The gates were sparred everyone; John called up to the porter, Who answered then at once. "What is the cause," said Little John, "That you bar the gates so fast?" "Because of Robin Hood," said the porter, "Into deep prison he is cast. "John and Much and Will Scarlett, For truth as I say to you, They slew our men upon our walls, And assaulted us every day." Little John asked after the sheriff, And soon he found him; He opened the king's private seal, And gave him it in his hand. When the sheriff saw the king's seel, He took off his Hood quickly: "Where is the monk that bore the letters?" He said to Little John. "The king is so fond of him," said Little John, "In truth as I say to you, He has made him abbot of Westminster, A lord of that abbey." The sherrif bade John good cheer, And gave him wine of the best; At night they went to their beds, And every man to his rest. When the sheriff went on to sleep, Drunken from wine and ale, Little John and Much, in truth Took the way to the jail. Little John called up the jailer, And bade him to rise at once; He said Robin Hood had broken his prison, And out of it was gone. The porter rose at once for certain, As soon as he heard John call; Little John was ready with a sword, And stabbed him through to the wall. "Now I will be jailer," said Little John, And he took the keys in his hand; He took the way to Robin Hood, And soon he unbound him. He gave him a good sword in his hand, His head therewith to keep, And there where the walls were lowest At once they could leap down. Before the cock began to crow, The day began to spring; The sheriff found the jailer dead, The common bell he made ring. He made a cry throughout all the town, Whether he be yeoman or knave, Whoever could bring him Robin Hood, His reward he should have. "For I dare never," said the sheriff, "Come before our king; For if I do, I am certain In truth, he will hang me." The sheriff went to search Nottingham, Both by street and alley, And Robin was in merry Sherwood, As light as a leaf on the tree. Then spoke good Little John, To Robin Hood he can say, "I have done you a good turn for an ill, Repay me when you may. "I have done you a good turn," said Little John "The truth as I tell you; I have brought you under the greenwood line; Farewell, and have a good day." "No, by my truth," said Robin, "So shall it never be; I make you master," said Robin, "Of all my men and me." "No, be my truth," said Little John, "So shall it never be; But let me be a fellow," said Little John, "Nothing else do I care to be." Thus John got Robin Hood out of prison, Certain without lie; When his men saw him whole and sound, In truth they were full glad. They filled up wine and made him glad, Under the leaves small, And ate pastes of venison, That was good with ale. Then word came to our king How Robin Hood was gone, And how the sheriff of Nottingham Did never look upon him. Then spoke our comely king, In a high anger: "Little John has beguiled the sheriff, In truth so has he me. "Little John has beguiled us both, And that I see full well; Or else the sheriff of Nottingham He should be hung high. "I made him yeoman of the crown, And gave him his fee with my hand; I gave him pardon," said our king, "Throughout all merry England. "I gave them pardon," then said our king; "I say, so may I prosper, In truth, such a yeoman as he is one There is not in all England. "He is true to his master," said our king; "I say, be sweet Saint John, He loves better Robin Hood Then he does us everyone. "Robin Hood is ever bound to him, Both in street and stable; Speak no more of this matter," said our king, "But John has beguiled us all." Thus ends the talking of the monk And Robin Hood I guess; God, that is ever a crowned king, Bring us all to His bliss!