Thou shalt be drawn by dale and down,
And hang'd high on a hill.
But thou mayst fail of thy purpose, quoth John,
If it be Christe his will.
Let us leave talking of Little John,
And think of Robin Hood,
How he is gone to the wight yeoman,
Where under the leaves he stood.
Good morrow, good fellow, said Robin so fair,
Good morrow, good fellow, quoth he:
Methinks by this bow thou bear'st in thy hand,
A good archer thou shouldst be.
I am wilful[14] of my way, quo' the yeoman,
And of my morning tide.
I'll lead thee through the wood, said Robin;
Good fellow, I'll be thy guide.
I seek an outlaw, the stranger said,
Men call him Robin Hood;
Rather I'd meet with that proud outlaw
Than forty pounds so good.
Now come with me, thou wighty yeoman,
And Robin thou soon shalt see:
But first let us some pastime find
Under the greenwood tree.
First let us some mastery make
Among the woods so even,
We may chance to meet with Robin Hood
Here at some unset[15] steven.
They cut them down two summer shoggs,[16]
That grew both under a briar,
And set them threescore rod, in twain,
To shoot the pricks[17] y-fere.[18]
Lead on, good fellow, quoth Robin Hood,
Lead on, I do bid thee.
Nay by my faith, good fellow, he said,
My leader thou shalt be.
The first time Robin shot at the prick,
He miss'd but an inch it fro';
The yeoman he was an archer good,
But he could never shoot so.