"Yf thou have no more," sayd Robyn,
"I wyll not one peny;
And yf thou have nede of ony more,
More shall I len the.160
"Go now forth, Lytell Johan,
The trouthe tell thou me;
Yf there be no more but ten shillings,
Not one peny that I se."
Lytell Johan spred downe his mantell,165
Full fayre upon the grounde,
And there he found in the knyghtes cofer
But even halfe a pounde.
Lytyll Johan let it lye full styll,
And went to his mayster full lowe:170
"What tydynge, Johan?" sayd Robyn:
"Syr, the knyght is trewe inough."
"Fyll of the best wyne," sayd Robyn,
"The knyght shall begynne;
Moch wonder thynketh me175
Thy clothynge is so thynne.
"Tell me one worde," sayd Robyn,
"And counsell shall it be;
[I trowe thou were made a knyght of forse],
Or elles of yemanry;180
"Or elles thou hast ben a sory housband,
And leved in stroke and stryfe;
An okerer, or elles a lechoure," sayd Robyn,
"With wronge hast thou lede thy lyfe."
"I am none of them," sayd the knyght,185
"By god that made me;
An hondreth wynter here before,
Myne aunsetters knyghtes have be.
"But ofte it hath befal, Robyn,
A man hath be dysgrate;190
But god that syteth in heven above
May amend his state.
"Within [two] or thre yere, Robyn," he sayd,
"My neyghbores well it [kende],
Foure hondreth pounde of good money195
Full wel than myghte I spende.