They cutt them downe two summer shroggs,[534]
That grew both under a breere,[535]
And sett them threescore rood in twaine115
To shoote the prickes[536] y-fere.[537]
Leade on, good fellowe, quoth Robin Hood,[538]
Leade on, I doe bidd thee.
Nay by my faith, good fellowe, hee sayd,[539]
My leader thou shalt bee.[540]120
The first time Robin shot at the pricke,[541]
He mist but an inch it froe:[541]
The yeoman he was an archer good,[541]
But he cold never shoote soe.
The second shoote had the wightye yeman,[542]125
He shote within the garlànde:[543]
But Robin he shott far better than hee,
For he clave the good pricke wande.[544]
A blessing upon thy heart, he sayd;[545]
Good fellowe, thy shooting is goode;130
For an thy hart be as good as thy hand,
Thou wert better then Robin Hoode.
Now tell me thy name, good fellowe, sayd he,[546]
Under the leaves of lyne.[547]
Nay by my faith, quoth bolde Robìn,[548]135
Till thou have told me thine.[549]
I dwell by dale and downe, quoth hee,
And Robin to take Ime sworne;
And when I am called by my right name
I am Guye of good Gisbòrne.140
My dwelling is in this wood, sayes Robin,
By thee I set right nought:
I am Robin Hood of Barnèsdale,
Whom thou so long hast sought.[550]
He that had neither beene kithe nor kin,145
Might have seene a full fayre sight,
To see how together these yeomen went
With blades both browne[551] and bright.
To see how these yeomen together they fought[552]
Two howres of a summers day:150
Yett neither Robin Hood nor sir Guy[553]
Them fettled to flye away.