Of more than full an hundred men,
But forty tarryed still,
Who were resolv'd to sticke to him
Let fortune worke her will.340
If none had fled, all for his sake
Had got their pardon free;
The king to favour meant to take
His merry men and he.
But e're the pardon to him came345
This famous archer dy'd:
His death and manner of the same
I'le presently describe.
For, being vext to think upon
His followers revolt,350
In melancholly passiòn
He did recount his fault.
"Perfideous traytors!" sayd he then,
"In all your dangers past
Have I you guarded as my men,355
To leave me thus at last!"
This sad perplexity did cause
A feaver, as some say,
Which him unto confusion drawes,
Though by a stranger way.360
This deadly danger to prevent,
He hie'd him with all speede
Unto a nunnery, with intent
For his healths-sake to bleede.
A faithlesse fryer did pretend365
In love to let him blood,
But he by falshood wrought the end
Of famous Robbin Hood.
The fryer, as some say, did this
To vindicate the wrong370
Which to the clergy he and his
Had done by power strong.
Thus dyed he by trechery,
That could not dye by force:
Had he liv'd longer, certainely375
King Richard, in remorse,