Ballads of Robin Hood and other Outlaws Part 8

[Annotations: 83.4: From here to 118.3 the Edinburgh fragment is wanting.

86.1: 'covent' = convent.

87.1: Wanting: supplied by Ritson.

87.3: 'But,' unless: 'ylke,' same.

88.3: 'lever,' rather.

91.4: 'selerer' cellarer or steward.

92.2: 'bought,' ransomed.

93.3: 'highe,' supplied from Copland's edition.

95.1: 'demed,' judged.

95.4: 'dysheryte,' dispossessed; cf. 87.4.

98.: Wanting in all editions: supplied by Ritson.

100.3: 'coresed,' perhaps = coursed; _i.e._ a horse used in tourneys, a courser, or charger.

102.4: 'salved,' greeted.

103.1: See 34.1.

104.3: 'shrewed,' cursed.

105.2: 'But,' unless. So 111.3 106.4: 'fone,' foes.

107.1,2: 'retained by presents of cloth and money.' --Child.

108.4: 'made the gree,' paid my dues. (Old French _gre_, Latin _gratum_.) 112.2: 'Leve,' grant.

112.4: 'Or that,' before that. The proverb is a favourite in Middle English: see _Early English Lyrics_, CXI.

116.3: 'as ferre in prees,' in as thick a part of the fight.

118.4: From here to 124.1 the Edinburgh fragment is available.

119.2: 'nere,' nearer. Cp. _Robin Hood and the Potter_, 46.3.

123.2: 'toke,' gave.

126.4: 'Verysdale,' Wyresdale or Wyersdale.

127.4: The Edinburgh fragment is again available as far as 133.2.

128.2: 'tene,' trouble.

131.2: 'ydyght,' fitted.

132.3: 'Inocked' = i-nocked, notched.

133.1,2: The latter halves of these lines are torn away in the Edinburgh fragment. The Cambridge text is resumed at 133.3.

133.2: 'stede,' place.

134.1: 'launsgay,' javelin.

134.2: 'male,' baggage. Cp. 374.1.

135.1: So the Cambridge text: Child suggests '? But at Wentbrydge ther was.' See Argument.

136.2: 'i-pyght,' put.

136.4: Edinburgh fragment again.

138.3: 'frembde bested,' in the position of a foreigner or stranger.

See fore-note.

140.2: 'free,' supplied from the 'fere,' misprinted in the Cambridge text. Copland, 'in fere.'

140.4: 'shende,' put to rout.

141.1: 'rome,' room.]

THE THIRD FYTTE (144-204)

+Argument.+--The narrative of the knight's loan is for the moment dropped, in order to relate a gest of Little John, who is now (81.2) the knight's 'knave' or squire. Going forth 'upon a mery day,' Little John shoots with such skill that he attracts the attention of the Sheriff of Nottingham (who is here and elsewhere the type of Robin Hood's enemies), and enters his service for a year under the name of Reynold Greenleaf.

While the sheriff is hunting, Little John fights his servants, robs his treasure-house, and escapes back to Robin Hood with 'three hundred pound and more.' He then bethinks him of a shrewd wile, and inveigles the sheriff to leave his hunting in order to see a right fair hart and seven score of deer, which turn out to be Robin and his men. Robin Hood exacts an oath of the sheriff, equivalent to an armistice; and he returns home, having had his fill of the greenwood.

THE THIRD FYTTE

144.

Lyth and lystyn, gentilmen, All that now be here; Of Litell Johnn, that was the knightes man, Goode myrth ye shall here.

145.

It was upon a mery day That yonge men wolde go shete; Lytell Johnn fet his bowe anone, And sayde he wolde them mete.

146.

Thre tymes Litell Johnn shet aboute, And alwey he slet the wande; The proude sherif of Notingham By the markes can stande.

147.

The sherif swore a full greate othe: 'By hym that dyede on a tre, This man is the best arschere That ever yet sawe I me.

148.

'Say me nowe, wight yonge man, What is nowe thy name?

In what countre were thou borne, And where is thy wonynge wane?'

149.

'In Holdernes, sir, I was borne, I-wys al of my dame; Men cal me Reynolde Grenelef Whan I am at home.'

150.

'Sey me, Reynolde Grenelefe, Wolde thou dwell with me?

And every yere I woll thee gyve Twenty marke to thy fee.'

151.

'I have a maister,' sayde Litell Johnn, 'A curteys knight is he; May ye leve gete of hym, The better may it be.'

152.

The sherif gate Litell John Twelve monethes of the knight; Therefore he gave him right anone A G.o.de hors and a wight.

153.

Nowe is Litell John the sherifes man, G.o.d lende us well to spede!

But alwey thought Lytell John To quyte hym wele his mede.

154.

'Nowe so G.o.d me helpe,' sayde Litell John, 'And by my true leutye, I shall be the worst servaunt to hym That ever yet had he.'

155.

It fell upon a Wednesday The sherif on huntynge was gone, And Litel John lay in his bed, And was foriete at home.

156.

Therfore he was fastinge Til it was past the none; 'G.o.de sir stuarde, I pray to thee, Gyve me my dynere,' saide Litell John.

157.

'It is longe for Grenelefe Fastinge thus for to be; Therfor I pray thee, sir stuarde, Mi dyner gif me.'

158.

'Shalt thou never ete ne drynke' saide the stuarde, 'Tyll my lorde be come to towne.'

'I make myn avowe to G.o.d,' saide Litell John, 'I had lever to crake thy crowne.'

159.