Classic Poem

THE SECONDE FYTTE.

Now is the knight went on his way,
This game he thought full good,
When he looked on Barnisdale,
He blessed Robin Hood;
And when he thought on Barnisdale
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 abbay;
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 month came there a knight
And borrowed four hundred pound
Upon all his land free,
But he come this ilke day
Disherited shall he be. "

" It is full early, " said the prior,
" The day is not yet far gone,
I had lieyer to pay an hundred pound,
And lay it down anone.
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 lond;
An ye be so light of your consciince,
Ye do to him much wrong. "

" Thou art ever in my beard, " said the abbot,
" By God and Saint Richard! "

With that came in a fat-headed monk,
The high cellarer;

" He is dead or hanged, " said the monk,
" By him that bought me dear,
And we shall have to spend in this place
Four hundred pound by year. "

The abbot and the high cellarer,
Sterte forth full bold.

The high justice of Englond
The abbot there did hold;
The high justice and many mo
Had take into their hond
Wholly all the knightes debt,
To put that knight to wrong.
They deemed the knight wonder sore,
The abbot and his meyne:
" But he come this ilke day
Disherited shall he be. "

" He will not come yet, " said the justice,
" I dare well undertake "
But in sorrowe time for them all
The knight came to the gate.
Then bespake that gentle knight
Unto his meyne,

" Now put on your simple weeds
That ye brought from the sea. "

And came to the gates anone,
The porter was ready himself,
And welcomed them every one.

" Welcome, sir knyght, " said the porter,
" My lord to meat is he,
And so is many a gentle man,
For the love of thee. "
The porter swore a full great oath,
" By him 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 him that died on a tree. "

Lordes were to meat iset
In that abbotes hall,
The knight went forth and kneeled down,
And salved 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 him that maked me. "

" Thou art a shrewd debtor! " said the abbot;
" Sir justice, drink to me!
What dost thou here, " said the abbot,
" But thou hadst brought thy pay? "

" Fore God, " 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, fore God, " said he.

" Now, good sir abbot, be my friend,
For thy curteyse,
And hold my landes in thy hand
Till I have made thee gree;
And I will be thy true servant,
And truly serve thee,
Till ye have foür hundred pound
Of money good and free. "

The abbot sware a full great oath,
" By him that died on a tree,
Get the land where thou may,
For thou gettest none of me. "

" By dere-worthy God, " then said the knight,
" That all this world wrought,
But I have my land again,
Full dear it shall be bought;
God, that was of a maiden borne,
Lene us well to speed!
For it is good to assay a friend
Ere that a man have need. "

The abbot loathly on him gan look,
And villainously gan call;
" Out, " he said, " thou false knight!
get thee out of my hall! "

" Thou liest, " then said the gentle knight,
" Abbot in thy hall;
False knight was I never,
By him 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 joustes and in tournement
Full far then have I be,
And put myself as far in press
As any that e'er I see. "

" What will ye give more? " said the justice,
" And the knight shall make a release;
And elles dare I safely swear
Ye hold never your land in peace. "

" An hundred pound, " said the abbot.

The justice said, " Give him two. "

" Naÿè, by God, " said the knight,
" Yet get ye it not so:
Though ye would give a thousand more,
Yet were thou never the nere;
Shall there never be mine heir,
Abbot, justice, ne frere. "

He stert him to a board anon,
To a table round,
And there he shook out of a bag
Even foür hundred pound.

" Have here thy gold, sir abbot, " said the knight,
" Which that thou lentest me;
Haddest thou been curteys at my coming,
Rewarded shouldst thou have be. "
The abbot sat still, and ate no more,
For all his royal cheer,
He cast his hood on his shoulder,
And fast began to stare.
" Take me my gold again, " said the abbot,
" Sir justice, that I took thee. "

" Not a penny, " said the justice,
" By him that died on a tree. "

" Sir abbot, and ye men of law,
Now have I held my day,
Now shall I have my land again,
For aught that you can say. "
The knight stert out of the door,
Away was all his care,
And on he put his good clothing,
The other he left there.
He went him forth full merry singing,
As men have told in tale,
His lady met him at the gate,
At home in Uterysdale.

" Welcome, my lord, " said his lady;
" Sir, lost is all your good? "

" Be merry, dame, " said the knight,
" And pray for Robin Hood,
That ever his soule be in bliss,
He holp me out of my tene;
Ne had not be his kindenesse,
Beggars had we been.
The abbot and I accorded ben,
He is served of his pay;
The good yeoman lent it me,
As I came by the way. "

This knight then dwelled fair at home,
The sooth for to say,
Till he had got four hundred pound,
All ready for to pay
He purveyed him an hundred bows,
The stringes well ydight,
An hundred sheaf of arrows good,
The heads burnished full bright,
And every arrow an elle long,
With peacock well ydight,
I-nocked all with white silver,
It was a seemly sight.
He purveyed him an hundred men,
Well harneysed in that stead,
And himself in that same set,
And clothed in white and red.
He bare a launsgay in his hand,
And a man led his male,
And ridden with a light song,
Unto Barnisdale.

As he went at a bridge there was a wresteling,
And there tarried was he,
And there was all the best yeomen
Of all the west countree.
A full fair game there was upset,
A white bull up i-pight;
A great courser with saddle and bridle,
With gold burnished full bright;
A pair of gloves, a red gold ring,
A pipe of wine, in good fay:
What man beareth him best, i-wis,
The prize shall bear away.

There was a yeoman in that place,
And best worthy was he,
And for he was ferre and fremd bestad,
I-slain he should have be
The knight had ruth of this yeoman,
In place where that he stood,
He said that yeoman should have no harm,
For love of Robin Hood.
The knight pressed into the place,
An hundred followed him free,
With bowes bent, and arrows sharp,
For to shend that company.
They shouldered all, and made him room,
To wete what he would say,
He took the yeoman by the hand,
And gave him all the play;
He gave him five mark for his wine,
There it lay on the mould,
And bade it should be set abroach,
Drinke who so would.
Thus long tarried this gentle knight,
Till that play was done,
So long abode Robin fasting,
Three hours after the none.