A payre of gloves, a rede golde rynge,
A pype of wyne, in good fay;
What man bereth him best, i-wys,
The pryce shall bere away.
There was a yeman in that place,225
And best worthy was he,
And for he was ferre and frend bestad,
Islayne he sholde have be.
The knyght had reuth of this yemàn,
In place where that he stode,230
He said that yoman sholde have no harme,
For love of Robyn Hode.
The knyght presed into the place,
An hondred folowed hym [fre],
With bowes bent, and arowes sharpe,235
For to shende that company.
They sholdred all, and made hym rome,
To wete what he wolde say;
He toke the yeman by the honde,
And gave hym all the playe.240
He gave hym fyve marke for his wyne,
There it laye on the molde,
And bad it sholde be sette a broche,
Drynke who so wolde.
Thus longe taryed this gentyll knyght,245
Tyll that playe was done,
So longe abode Robyn fastynge,
Thre houres after the none.
[1], Ritson, this way.
[2], hym, sic Ch. & M.
[25]. The prior, in an abbey, was the officer immediately under the abbot; in priories and conventual cathedrals he was the superior.—Ritson.