Concerning the imagined historical foundation of the Lytell Geste, see the general remarks on Robin Hood prefixed to this volume.
Lithe and lysten, gentylmen,
That be of frebore blode;
I shall you tell of a good yemàn,
His name was Robyn Hode.
Robyn was a proude outlawe,5
Whyles he walked on grounde;
So curteyse an outlawe as he was one
Was never none yfounde.
Robyn stode in [Bernysdale],
And lened hym to a tre,10
And by hym stode Lytell Johan,
A good yeman was he;
And also dyde good Scathelock,
And Much the millers sone;
There was no ynche of his body,15
But it was worthe a grome.
Than bespake hym Lytell Johan
All unto Robyn Hode,
"Mayster, yf ye wolde dyne betyme,
It wolde do you moch good."20
Then bespake good Robyn,
"To dyne I have no [lest],
Tyll I have some bolde baròn,
Or some unketh gest,
"[Or els some byshop or abbot]25
That may paye for the best;
Or some knyght or some squyere
That dwelleth here by west."
A good maner than had Robyn,
In londe where that he were,30
Every daye or he woulde dyne
Thre messes wolde he here:
The one in the worshyp of the fader,
The other of the holy goost,
The thyrde was of our dere lady,35
That he loved of all other moste.