"I dwell by dale and downe," quoth hee,
"And Robin to take Ime sworne;
And when I am called by my right name,
I am Guye of good Gisbòrne."140
"My dwelling is in this wood," sayes Robin,
"By thee I set right nought:
I am Robin Hood of Barnésdale,
Whom thou so long hast sought."
He that had nether beene kithe nor kin145
Might have seene a full fayre fight,
To see how together these yeomen went
With blades both browne and bright:
To see how these yeomen together they fought
Two howres of a summers day,150
Yett neither Robin Hood nor sir Guy
Them fettled to flye away.
Robin was reachles on a roote,
And stumbled at that tyde;
And Guy was quicke and nimble withall,155
And hitt him ore the left side.
"Ah, deere Ladye," sayd Robin Hood tho,
"Thou art both mother and may;
I think it was never mans destinye
To dye before his day."160
Robin thought on our ladye deere,
And soone leapt up againe,
And strait he came with an awkwarde stroke,
And he sir Guy hath slayne.
He took sir Guys head by the hayre,165
And sticked itt on his bowes end:
"Thou hast beene a traytor all thy liffe,
Which thing must have an end."
Robin pulled forth an Irish kniffe,
And nicked sir Guy in the face,170
That he was never on woman born
Cold tell whose head it was.
Sayes, "Lye there, lye there now, sir Guye,
And with me be not wrothe;
Iff thou have had the worse strokes at my hand,
Thou shalt have the better clothe."176