"A boone, a boone," queen Katherine cries,
"I crave it on my bare knee;
Is there any knight of your privy counsèl95
Of queen Katherines part will be?
"Come hither to mee, sir Richard Lee,
Thou art a knight full good;
For I do knowe by thy pedigree
Thou sprung'st from Gowers blood.100
"Come hither to me, thou bishop of Herefordshire,"
For a noble priest was hee;
"By my silver miter," said the bishop then,
"Ile not bet one peny."
"The king hath archers of his own,105
Full ready and full light,
And these be strangers every one,
No man knowes what they hight."
"What wilt thou bet," said Robin Hood,
"Thou seest our game the worse?"110
"By my silver miter," then said the bishop,
"All the money within my purse."
"What is in thy purse?" said Robin Hood,
"Throw it downe on the ground."
"Fifteen score nobles," said the bishop;115
"It's neere an hundred pound."
Robin Hood took his bagge from his side,
And threw it downe on the greene;
William Scadlocke then went smiling away,
"I know who this money must win."120
With that the kings archers led about,
While it was three and three;
With that the ladies gave a shout,
"Woodcock, beware thy knee!"
"It is three and three, now," said the king,125
"The next three pays for all:"
Robin Hood went and whisper'd the queen,
"The kings part shall be but small."
Robin Hood hee led about,
Hee shot it under hand;130
And Clifton, with a bearing arrow,
Hee clave the willow wand.