Therefore he arm'd five hundred men,
With furniture compleate;
But the outlawes slewe halfe of them,
And made the rest retreate.180
The long bow and the arrow keene
They were so us'd unto,
That still he kept the forrest greene
In spite o' th' proudest foe.
Twelve of the abbots men he tooke,185
Who came him to have ta'ne,
When all the rest the field forsooke;
These he did entertaine
With banquetting and merriment,
And, having us'd them well,190
He to their lord them safely sent,
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,195
And him to favour bring,
He would surrender backe again
The money which before
Was taken by him and his men
From him and many more.200
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 rich205
That did the poore oppresse,
To feel his coyne his hands did itch;
He'd have it, more or lesse.
And sometimes, when the high-way fayl'd,
Then he his courage rouses,210
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,215
Which else maintayn'd but few.