And comes Will Stutly ‘to’ :

“I pray thee, Will, before thou die,

Of thy dear friends take leave :—

I needs must borrow him for a while,

How say you, master ‘shrieve’ ?”

Now, as I live, the sheriff he said,

That varlet will I know ;

Some sturdy rebell is that same,

Therefore let him not go.

Then Little John most hastily,