"
"I am none of them," said the knight,
"By him that mad-e me;
An hundred winter here before,
Mine aunsetters knights have be.
But oft it hath befal, Rob-in,
A man hath be disgrate;
But God that sitteth in heaven above
May amend his state.
Within two or three year, Robin," he said,
"My neighbours well it kend,
Four hundred pound of good mon-ey
Full well then might I spend.
Now have I no good," said the knight,
"But my children and my wife;
God hath shapen such an end,
Till he it may amend."
"In what manner," said Rob-in,
"Hast thou lore thy rich-esse?"
"For my great folly," he said,
"And for my kind-enesse.
I had a son, for sooth, Rob-in,
That should have been my heir,
When he was twenty winter old,
In field would joust full fair;
He slew a knight of Lancashire,
And a squyer bold;
For to save him in his right
My goods beth set and sold;
My lands beth set to wed, Rob-in,
Until a certain day,
To a rich abbot here beside,
Of Saint Mar-y abbay."
"What is the summ-e?" said Rob-in,
"Truth then tell thou me."
"Sir," he said, "four hundred pound,
The abb-ot told it to me.
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