"Stand up again," then said the king,125
"I'll thee thy pardon give;
Stand up, my friend; who can contend,
When I give leave to live?"
So they are all gone to Nottingham,
All shouting as they came:130
But when the people them did see,
They thought the king was slain;
And for that cause th' outlaws were come,
To rule all as they list;
And for to shun, which way to run,135
The people did not wist.
The plowman left the plow in the field,
The smith ran from his shop;
Old folks also, that scarce could go,
Over their sticks did hop.140
The king did soon let them understand
He had been in the green-wood,
And from that day, for evermore,
He'd forgiven Robin Hood.
Then [when] the people they did hear,145
And [that] the truth was known,
They all did sing, "God save the king!
Hang care, the town's our own!"
"What's that Robin Hood?" then said the sheriff,
"That varlet I do hate;150
Both me and mine he caus'd to dine,
And serv'd us all with one plate."
"Ho, ho," said Robin Hood, "I know what you mean;
Come, take your gold again;
Be friends with me, and I with thee,155
And so with every man.
"Now, master sheriff, you are paid,
And since you are beginner,
As well as you give me my due,
For you ne'er paid for that dinner.160
"But if that it should please the king
So much your house to grace,
To sup with you, for, to speak true,
[I] know you ne'er was base."