Robyn behelde our comly kynge225
Wystly in the face,
So dyde syr Richarde at the Le,
And kneled downe in that place;
And so dyde all the wylde outlawes,
Whan they se them knele:230
"My lorde the kynge of Englonde,
Now I knowe you well.
"Mercy," then Robyn sayd to our kynge,
Under [his] trystyll tre,
"Of thy goodnesse and thy grace,235
For my men and me!
"Yes, for god," sayd Robyn,
"And also god me save;
I aske mercy, my lorde the kynge,
And for my men I crave."240
"Yes, for god," than sayd our kynge,
"Thy peticion I graunt the,
With that thou leve the grene wode,
And all thy company;
"And come home, syr, to my courte,245
[And there dwell with me."]
"I make myn avowe to god," sayd Robyn,
"And ryght so shall it be.
"I wyll come to your courte,
Your servyse for to se,250
And brynge with me of my men
Seven score and thre.
"But me lyke well your servyse,
I come agayne full soone,
And shote at the donne dere,255
As I am wonte to done."
[4], and yf, W.
[15]. Not in Cumberland, as Ritson states, but, says Hunter, a part of the forest of Knaresborough, in Yorkshire.