And will’d them him to tell

That if he would be pleas’d at last

To beg of our good king

That he might pardon what was past,

And him to favour bring,

He would surrender backe agen

The money which before

Was taken by him and his men,

From him and many more.

Poore men might safely passe by him,

And some that way would chuse,

For well they knew that to helpe them

He evermore did use.

But where he knew a miser rich,

That did the poore oppresse,

To feele his coyne his hand did itch;

Hee’de have it, more or lesse.

And sometimes, when the high-way fayld,

Then he his courage rouses;

He and his men have oft assayld

Such rich men in their houses.

So that, through dread of Robbin then

And his adventurous crew,

The mizers kept great store of men,

Which else maintayn’d but few.

King Richard, of that name the first,

Sirnamed Cuer de Lyon,

Went to defeate the Pagans curst,

Who kept the coasts of Syon.

The Bishop of Ely, chancelor,

Was left as vice-roy here,

Who like a potent emperor

Did proudly domminere.

Our chronicles of him report

That commonly he rode

With a thousand horse from court to court,

Where he would make abode.

He, riding downe towards the north,

With his aforesayd traine,

Robbin and his did issue forth,

Them all to entertaine.

And, with the gallant gray-goose wing,

They shewed to them such play,

That made their horses kicke and fling,

And downe their riders lay.

Full glad and faine the bishop was,

For all his thousand men,

To seeke what meanes he could to passe

From out of Robbins ken.

Two hundred of his men were kil’d,

And fourescore horses good;

Thirty, who did as captives yeeld,

Were carryed to the greene wood.

Which afterwards were ransomed,

For twenty markes a man;

The rest set spurres to horse, and fled

To th’town of Warrington.

The bishop, sore enraged then,

Did, in King Richards name,

Muster a power of northerne men,

These outlawes bold to tame.

But Robbin, with his courtesie,

So wonne the meaner sort,

That they were loath on him to try

What rigor did import.

So that bold Robbin and his traine

Did live unhurt of them,

Untill King Richard came againe

From faire Jerusalem.

And then the talke of Robbin Hood

His royall eares did fill;

His Grace admir’d that i’th’ greene wood

He thus continued still.

So that the country farre and neare

Did give him great applause;

For none of them neede stand in feare,

But such as broake the lawes.

He wished well unto the king,

And prayed still for his health,

And never practised any thing

Against the common wealth.

Onely, because he was undone

By th’crewell clergie then,

All meanes that he could thinke upon

To vex such kinde of men

He enterprized, with hatefull spleene;

In which he was to blame,

For fault of some, to wreeke his teene

On all that by him came.

With wealth which he by robbery got

Eight almes-houses he built,

Thinking thereby to purge the blot

Of blood which he had spilt.

Such was their blinde devotion then,

Depending on their workes;

Which, if ’twere true, we Christian men

Inferiour were to Turkes.

But, to speake true of Robbin Hood,

And wrong him not a jot,