"Now, by my troth," says good Robin,45
"I trow there's enough said;
If he get scouth to wield his tree,
I fear you'll both be paid."
"Be ye not fear'd, our good master,
That we two can be dung50
With any blutter base beggar,
That has nought but a rung.
"His staff shall stand him in no stead;
That you shall shortly see;
But back again he shall be led,55
And fast bound shall he be,
To see if ye will have him slain,
Or hangèd on a tree."
"But cast you slily in his way,
Before he be aware,60
And on his pike-staff first hands lay,
You'll speed the better far."
Now leave we Robin with his man,
Again to play the child,
And learn himself to stand and gang65
By haulds, for all his eild.
Now pass we to the bold beggàr
That rakèd o'er the hill,
Who never mended his pace no more
Nor he had done no ill.70
The young men knew the country well,
[So soon where he would be,]
[And they have taken another way,]
Was nearer by miles three.
They rudely ran with all their might,75
Spared neither dub nor mire,
They started neither at laigh nor hight,
No travel made them tire.
Till they before the beggar wan,
And coost them in his way;80
A little wood lay in a glen,
And there they both did stay.
They stood up closely by a tree,
In ilk side of the gate,
Until the beggar came them to,85
That thought not of such fate.