Sloane Manuscript, 2593, fol. 14 b, British Museum.
| 1 |
I herde a carpyng of a clerk,
Al at ȝone wodes ende,
Of gode Robyn and Gandeleyn;
Was þer non oþer þynge.
Robynn lyth in grene wode bowndyn |
| 2 |
Stronge theuys wern þo chylderin non,
But bowmen gode and hende;
He wentyn to wode to getyn hem fleych,
If God wold it hem sende. |
| 3 |
Al day wentyn þo chylderin too,
And fleych fowndyn he non,
Til it were a-geyn euyn;
Þe chylderin wold gon hom. |
| 4 |
Half an honderid of fat falyf der
He comyn a-ȝon,
And alle he wern fayr and fat i-now,
But markyd was þer non:
'Be dere God,' seyde gode Robyn,
'Here of we xul haue on.' |
| 5 |
Robyn bent his joly bowe,
Þer in he set a flo;
Þe fattest der of alle
Þe herte he clef a to. |
| 6 |
He hadde not þe der i-flawe,
Ne half out of þe hyde,
There cam a schrewde arwe out of þe west,
Þat felde Robertes pryde. |
| 7 |
Gandeleyn lokyd hym est and west,
Be euery syde:
'Hoo hat myn mayster slayin?
Ho hat don þis dede?
Xal I neuer out of grene wode go
Til I se [his] sydis blede.' |
| 8 |
Gandeleyn lokyd hym est and lokyd west,
And sowt vnder þe sunne;
He saw a lytil boy
He clepyn Wrennok of Donne. |
| 9 |
A good bowe in his hond,
A brod arwe þer ine,
And fowre and twenti goode arwys,
Trusyd in a þrumme:
'Be war þe, war þe, Gandeleyn,
Her-of þu xalt han summe. |
| 10 |
'Be war þe, war þe, Gandeleyn,
Her of þu gyst plente:'
'Euer on for an oþer,' seyde Gandeleyn;
'Mysaunter haue he xal fle. |
| 11 |
'Qwer-at xal our marke be?'
Seyde Gandeleyn:
'Eueryche at oþeris herte,'
Seyde Wrennok ageyn. |
| 12 |
Ho xal ȝeue þe ferste schote?'
Seyde Gandeleyn:
'And I xul ȝeue þe on be-forn,'
Seyde Wrennok ageyn. |
| 13 |
Wrennok schette a ful good schote,
And he schet not to hye;
Þrow þe sanchoþis of his bryk;
It towchyd neyþer thye. |
| 14 |
'Now hast þu ȝouyn me on be-forn,'
Al þus to Wrennok seyde he,
'And þrow þe myȝt of our lady
A bettere I xal ȝeue þe.' |
| 15 |
Gandeleyn bent his goode bowe,
And set þer in a flo;
He schet þrow his grene certyl,
His herte he clef on too. |
| 16 |
'Now xalt þu neuer ȝelpe, Wrennok,
At ale ne at wyn,
Þat þu hast slawe goode Robyn,
And his knaue Gandeleyn. |
| 17 |
'Now xalt þu neuer ȝelpe, Wrennok,
At wyn ne at ale,
Þat þu hast slawe goode Robyn,
And Gandeleyn his knaue.'
Robyn lyȝth in grene wode bowndyn |
