For though my ryme be ragged, Rudely rayne beaten, It hath in it some pyth. For, as farre as I can se, It is wronge with eche degre; For the temporalte Accuseth the spiritualte; Dothe grudge and complayne And make therof a jape; With money, if it wyll hap, To catche the forked cap. 90 In Paradyse to be. "O my swet store, Thy place yt ys above; What man may do more Than only dy therfore, " Lady, for thy love? Who shall," etc. II 14 21 'Quho is at my windo? Quho? Quho? Go from my windo, go, go! Quho callis thair Sa lyke a strangair? Go from my windo, go!" "Lord I am heir, ane wretchit mortall That for thy mercy dois cry and call Unto the, my Lord celestiall. Se quho is at thy windo, quho!" Forsothe they are to lewd To say so, all beshrewd! What cher? Gud cher! gud cher, gud cher ! "Lyft up your hartes and be glad,” Now the kyng of hevyn his byrth hath take, Say eche to oder for hys sake, I tell you all with hart so fre, The gudman of this place in fere 1 III. CONVIVIAL SONGS 12 16 4. "Sweavens are swift, master," quoth John, 'As the wind that blowes ore a hill; 5. For if itt be never soe lowde this night, To-morrow it may be still." "Buske yee, bowne yee, my merry men all, For John shall goe with mee; For I'le goe seeke yond wight yeomen In greenwood where they bee." 6. They cast on their gowne of greene, Until they came to the merry greenwood, There were they ware of a wight yeoman, His body leaned to a tree. 7. A sword and a dagger he wore by his side, 20 30 8. "Stand you still, master," quoth Litle John, "Under this trusty tree, And I will goe to yond wight yeoman, 9. "A, John, by me thou setts noe store, And that's a ffarley thinge; IO. 4 How offt send I my men beffore, And tarry my-selfe behinde? "It is noe cunning a knave to ken; II. But often words they breeden bale; The gates he knowes eche one. 12. And when hee came to Barnesdale, 40 50 1 avenged 2 dreams horse-hide strange valley "That ere thou grew on a tree! For this day thou art my bale, My boote when thou shold bee!" 17. This shoote it was but looselye shott, The arrowe flew in vaine, And it mett one of the sheriffes men; 18. It had beene better for William a Trent There slaine with an arrowe. 19. And it is sayd, when men be mett, Six can doe more than three: And they have tane Litle John, And bound him ffast to a tree. 70 20. "Thou shalt be drawen by dale and downe," quoth the sheriffe, "And hanged hye on a hill:" "But thou may ffayle," quoth Litle John, 21. Let us leave talking of Litle John, And talke of Guy and Robin Hood In the green woode where they bee. 22. How these two yeomen together they mett, Under the leaves of lyne, To see what marchandise they made 80 90 23. "Good morrow, good fellow," quoth Sir Guy; "Good morrow, good ffellow," quoth hee; "Methinkes by this bow thou beares in thy hand, A good archer thou seems to bee." 24. "I am wilfull of my way," quoth Sir Guye, “And of my morning tyde:"' "I'le lead thee through the wood," quoth Robin, "Good ffellow, I'le be thy guide." 1 yew * made ready help • astray 1 hour 2 wands apart |