Fifteenth Century Prose and Verse Part 8

Hast thou any friends," said ROBIN, "The borrows that will be?"

"I have none!" then said the Knight, "But G.o.d that died on the tree!"

"Do way thy j.a.pes!" said ROBIN, "Thereof will I right none!

Weenest thou I will have G.o.d to borrow, PETER, PAUL, or JOHN?

Nay, by Him that me made, And shaped both sun and moon!

Find a better borrow," said ROBIN, "Or money gettest thou none!"

"I have none other!" said the Knight, "The sooth for to say, But if it be Our dear Lady She failed me never or this day!"

"By dear worthy G.o.d!" said ROBIN, "To seek all England through, Yet found I never to my pay A much better borrow!

Come now forth, Little JOHN!

And go to my treasure!

And bring me four hundred pound, And look that it well told be!"

Forth then went Little JOHN And SCATHELOCK went before, He told out four hundred pound By eighteen [? _eight and twenty_] score.

"Is this well told?" say Little MUCH."

JOHN said, "What grieveth thee?

It is alms to help a gentle Knight That is fallen in poverty!"

"Master!" then said Little JOHN, "His clothing is full thin!

Ye must give the Knight a livery To lap his body therein: For ye have scarlet and green, Master!

And many a rich array; There is no merchant in merry England So rich, I dare well say."

"Take him three yards of every colour, And look it well meeted be!"

Little JOHN took none other measure But his bow tree; And of every handful that he met He leaped over feet three.

"What devilkins draper!" said Little MUCH, "Thinkst thou to be?"

SCATHELOCK stood full still, and laughed, And said "By G.o.d Almight!

JOHN may give him the better measure, For it cost him but light!"

"Master!" said Little JOHN, All unto ROBIN HOOD, "Ye must give the Knight an horse To lead home all this good."

"Take him a grey courser!" said ROBIN, "And a saddle new!

He is Our Lady's Messenger; G.o.d leve that he be true!"

"And a good palfrey," said Little MUCH, "To maintain him in his right!"

"And a pair of boots," said SCATHELOCK, "For he is a gentle Knight!"

"What shalt thou give him, Little JOHN?" said ROBIN, "Sir; a pair of gilt spurs clean, To pray for all this company; G.o.d bring him out of teen!"

"When shall my day be," said the Knight, "Sir! and your will be?"

"This day twelvemonth!" said ROBIN, "Under this green-wood tree.

It were great shame," said ROBIN, "A Knight alone to ride; Without Squire, yeoman, or page, To walk by his side!

I shall thee lend, Little JOHN, my man; For he shall be thy knave!

In a yeoman's stead, he may thee stand, If thou great need have!"

+-- The second fytte.+

Now is the Knight went on his way, This game him thought full good, When he looked on Bernysdale, He blessed ROBIN HOOD: And when he bethought on Bernysdale, On SCATHELOCK, MUCH, and JOHN; He blessed them for the best company That ever he in come.

Then spake that gentle Knight, To Little JOHN 'gan he say, "To-morrow, I must to York town, To Saint Mary's Abbey, And to the Abbot of that place Four hundred pound I must pay: And but I be there upon this night My land is lost for aye!"

The Abbot said to his Convent, There he stood on ground: "This day twelve months came there a Knight, And borrowed four hundred pound.

[He borrowed four hundred pound]

Upon his land and fee; But he come this ilk day Disherited shall he be!"

"It is full early!" said the Prior, "The day is not yet far gone!

I had lever to pay an hundred pound And lay [it] down anon.

The Knight is far beyond the sea In England is his right, And suffereth hunger and cold And many a sorry night: It were great pity," said the Prior, "So to have his land: And ye be so light of your conscience Ye do to him much wrong!"

"Thou art ever in my beard," said the Abbot; "By G.o.d and Saint Richard!"

With that came in, a fat-headed monk, The High Cellarer.

"He is dead or hanged!" said the Monk, "By G.o.d that bought me dear!

And we shall have to spend in this place, Four hundred pounds by year!"

The Abbot and High Cellarer Start forth full bold: The Justice of England, The Abbot there did hold.

The High Justice, and many mo, Had taken into their hand Wholly all the Knight's debt, To put that Knight to wrong.

They deemed the Knight wonder sore The Abbot and his meiny, But he come this ilk day Disherited shall he be.

"He will not come yet," said the Justice, "I dare well undertake!"

But in sorrow time for them all, The Knight came to the gate.

Then bespake that gentle Knight Until his meiny, "Now, put on your simple weeds That ye brought from the sea!"

[They put on their simple weeds,]

They came to the gates anon, The Porter was ready himself, And welcomed them everych one.

"Welcome, Sir Knight!" said the Porter; "My Lord, to meat is he; And so is many a gentleman For the love of thee!"

The Porter swore a full great oath "By G.o.d that made me!

Here be the best coresed horse That ever yet saw I me!

Lead them into the stable!" he said, "That eased might they be!"

"They shall not come therein!" said the Knight, "By G.o.d that died on a tree!"

Lords were to meat yset In that Abbot's hall: The Knight went forth, and kneeled down, And salued them, great and small.

"Do gladly, Sir Abbot!" said the Knight, "I am come to hold my day!"

The first word the Abbot spake, "Hast thou brought my pay?"

"Not one penny!" said the Knight, "By G.o.d that maked me!"

"Thou art a shrewd debtor!" said the Abbot; "Sir Justice, drink to me!

What doest thou here," said the Abbot, "But thou hadst brought thy pay?"

"For G.o.d!" then said the Knight, "To pray of a longer day!"

"Thy day is broke!" said the Justice; "Land gettest thou none!"

"Now, good Sir Justice! be my friend!

And fend me of my fone!"

"I am hold with the Abbot!" said the Justice, "Both with cloth and fee!"

"Now, good Sir Sheriff! be my friend!"

"Nay, for G.o.d!" said he.

"Now, good Sir Abbot! be my friend!

For thy courtesy; And hold my lands in thy hand Till I have made thee gree: And I will be thy true servant And truly serve thee Till ye have four hundred pounds Of money good and free."

The Abbot sware a full great oath, "By G.o.d that died on a tree!

Get thee land where thou mayest; For thou gettest none of me!"

"By dear worthy G.o.d," then said the Knight, "That all this world wrought!

But I have my land again, Full dear it shall be bought!

G.o.d that was of Maiden born, Leave us well to speed!

For it is good to a.s.say a friend Or that a man have need!"

The Abbot loathly on him 'gan call: And villainously him 'gan look: "Out," he said, "thou false Knight!

Speed thee out of my hall!"

"Thou liest!" then said the gentle Knight, "Abbot in thy hall!

False Knight was I never, By G.o.d that made us all!"

Up then stood that gentle Knight: To the Abbot, said he, "To suffer a Knight to kneel so long, Thou canst no courtesy!

In jousts and in tournament Full far then have I be; And put myself as far in press As any that ever I see."

"What will ye give more," said the Justice, "And the Knight shall make a release?

And else I dare safely swear Ye hold never your land in peace!"

"An hundred pounds!" said the Abbot.

The Justice said, "Give him two!"

"Nay, by G.o.d!" said the Knight, "Yet get ye it not so!

Though ye would give a thousand more, Yet wert thou never the near!

Shalt there never be mine heir, Abbot! Justice! ne Friar!"

He started him to a board anon, Till a table round, And there he shook out of a bag Even four hundred pound.

"Have here thy gold, Sir Abbot!" said the Knight, "Which that thou lentest me!

Hadst thou been courteous at my coming, Rewarded shouldst thou have be!"