Our king was great above his cowl,A broad hat on his crown,Right as he were abbot-like,They rode up into the town.
Stiff boots our king had on,Forsooth as I you say,He rode sing-ing to green wood,The convent was clothed in gray,His mail horse,and his great som-ers,Followed our king behind,Till they came to green-e wood,A mile under the lind:
There they met with good Rob-in,Standing on the way,And so did many a bold arch-er,For sooth as I you say.
Robin took the king-es horse,Hastily in that stead,And said,"Sir abbot,by your leave,A while ye must abide;
We be yeom-en of this for-est,Under the green wood tree,We live by our king-es deer,Other shift have not we;
And ye have churches and rent-es both,And gold full great plent-y;
Give us some of your spend-ing,For saint Charity."
Than bespake our comely king,Anon then said he,"I brought no more to green-e wood,But forty pound with me.
I have lain at Nottingham,This fortnight with our king,And spent I have full much good,On many a great lording;
And I have but forty pound,No more then have I me;
But if I had an hundred pound,I would give it to thee."
Robin took the forty pound,And departed it in two part-ye,Halfendell he gave his merry men,And bade them merr-y to be.
Full courteously Rob-in gan say,"Sir,have this for your spend-ing,We shall meet another day."
"Gramerc-y,"then said our king,"But well thee greeteth Edw-ard our king,And sent to thee his seal,And biddeth thee come to Nottingham,Both to meat and meal."
He took out the broad tarpe,And soon he let him see;
Robin coud his courtesy,And set him on his knee:
"I love no man in all the world So well as I do my king,Welcome is my lord-es seal;
And,monk,for thy tid-ing,Sir abbot,for thy tiding-es,To-day thou shalt dine with me,For the love of my king,Under my trystell tree."
Forth he led our comely king,Full fair by the hand,Many a deer there was slain,And full fast dightand.