‘Within these two years, Robin,’ he said, ‘My neighbours well it kenn’d[747], Four hundred pounds of good monèy Full well then might I spend,
‘Now have I no good,’ said the Knight, ‘God hath shapen such an end, But my children and my wife, Till God it may amend.’
‘In what mannèr,’ then said Robin, ‘Hast thou lorn[748] thy richess?’ ‘For my great folly,’ he said, ‘And for my kindèness.
‘I had a son forsooth, Robin, That should have been mine heir; When he was twenty winter old In field would joust full fair.
‘He slew a knight of Lancashire, And a squièr bold; For to save him in his right My goods are set and sold.
‘My lands are set to wed[749], Robin, Until a certain day, To a rich Abbot here beside Of St. Mary’s Abbèy.’
‘What is the sum?’ said Robin Hood; ‘The truthè tell thou me;’ ‘Sir,’ he said, ‘four hundred pound; The Abbot told[750] it me.’
‘An thou lose thy land,’ said Robin Hood, ‘What shall fall of[751] thee?’-- ‘Hastily I will me busk[752] Over the saltè sea,
‘And see where Christ was quick and dead, On the mount of Calvary; Farewell, friend, and have good day; It may no better be.’
Tears fell out of his eyen two; He would have gone his way; ‘Farewell, friends, and have good day, I have no more to pay.’
‘Where be thy friends,’ said Robin Hood. ‘Sir, never one will me know; While I was rich enough at home Great boast then would they blow.
‘And now they run away from me, As beastès in a raw[753]; They takè no more heed of me Than they me never saw.’
For ruth then weptè Little John, Scathèlock and Much in fere; ‘Fill of the best wine,’ said Robin, ‘For here is a simple cheer.
‘Hast thou any friends,’ said Robin Hood, ‘Thy borrows[754] that will be?’ ‘I havè none,’ then said the Knight, ‘But Him that died on tree!’
‘Do way thy japès[755],’ said Robin, ‘Thereof will I right none; Ween’st thou I would have God to[756] borrow, Peter, Paul or John?
‘Nay, by Him that madè me, And shope[757] both sun and moon, Find better borrow,’ said Robin, ‘Or money get’st thou none.’
‘I have none other,’ said the Knight, ‘The soothè for to say, But if[758] it be Our dear Lady; She fail’d never ere this day.’
‘By dear-worth God,’ said Robin Hood, ‘To seek all England thorough, Yet found I never to my pay A muchè better borrow.
