"
Than bespake our comely king,
Anon then said he,
"I brought no more to green-e wood,
But forty pound with me.
I have lain at Nottingham,
This fortnight with our king,
And spent I have full much good,
On many a great lording;
And I have but forty pound,
No more then have I me;
But if I had an hundred pound,
I would give it to thee."
Robin took the forty pound,
And departed it in two part-ye,
Halfendell he gave his merry men,
And bade them merr-y to be.
Full courteously Rob-in gan say,
"Sir, have this for your spend-ing,
We shall meet another day."
"Gramerc-y," then said our king,
"But well thee greeteth Edw-ard our king,
And sent to thee his seal,
And biddeth thee come to Nottingham,
Both to meat and meal."
He took out the broad tarpe,
And soon he let him see;
Robin coud his courtesy,
And set him on his knee:
"I love no man in all the world
So well as I do my king,
Welcome is my lord-es seal;
And, monk, for thy tid-ing,
Sir abbot, for thy tiding-es,
To-day thou shalt dine with me,
For the love of my king,
Under my trystell tree."
Forth he led our comely king,
Full fair by the hand,
Many a deer there was slain,
And full fast dightand.
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