And gold and silver store.

But Robbin Hood upon him set

With his couragious sparkes,

And all the coyne perforce did get,

Which was twelve thousand markes.

He bound the abbot to a tree,

And would not let him passe

Before that to his men and he

His lordship had sayd masse.

Which being done, upon his horse

He set him fast astride,

And with his face towards his arse

He forced him to ride.

His men were faine to be his guide,

For he rode backward home;

The abbot, being thus vilified,

Did sorely chafe and fume.

Thus Robbin Hood did vindicate

His former wrongs receav’d;

For ‘twas this covetous prelate

That him of land bereav’d.

The abbot he rode to the king

With all the haste he could,

And to his Grace he every thing

Exactly did unfold.

And say’d if that no course were tane,

By force or stratagem,

To take this rebell and his traine,

No man should passe for them.

The king protested by and by

Unto the abbot then

That Robbin Hood with speed should dye,

With all his merry men.

But ere the king did any send,

He did another feate,

Which did his Grace much more offend;

The fact indeed was great.

For in a short time after that,

The king’s receivers went

Towards London with the coyne they got,

For’s Highnesse northerne rent.

Bold Robbin Hood and Little John,

With the rest of their traine,

Not dreading law, set them upon,

And did their gold obtaine.

The king much moved at the same,

And the abbot’s talke also,

In this his anger did proclaime,

And sent w яord to and fro,

That whosoe’re, alive or dead,

Could bring him Robbin Hood,

Should have one thousand markes, well payd

In gold and silver good.

This promise of the king did make

Full many yeomen bold

Attempt stout Robbin Hood to take,

With all the force they could.

But still when any came to him,

Within the gay greene wood,

He entertainement gave to them,

With venson fat and good.

And shewd to them such martiall sport,

With his long bow and arrow,

That they of him did give report,

How that it was great sorow,

That such a worthy man as he

Should thus be put to shift,

Being late a lord of high degree,

Of living quite bereft.

The king, to take him, more and more

Sent men of mickle might:

But he and his still beate them sore,

And conquered them in fight.

Or else, with love and courtesie,

To him he won their hearts:

Thus still he lived by robbery,

Throughout the northerne parts.

And all the country stood in dread

Of Robbin Hood and’s men;

For stouter lads nere liv’d by bread,

In those dayes nor since then.

The abbot which before I nam’d

Sought all the meanes he could

To have by force this rebell tane,

And his adherents bold.

Therefore he arm’d five hundred men,

With furniture compleate,

But the outlawes slew halfe of them,

And made the rest retreate.

The long bow and the arrow keene

They were so us’d unto

That still they kept the forest greene,

In spight o’th’ proudest foe.

Twelve of the abbot’s men he tooke,

Who came him to have tane;

When all the rest the field forsooke,

These he did entertaine

With banquetting and merriment,

And, having us’d them well,

He to their lord them safely sent,