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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1880 Excerpt:...stouter lads ne're liv'd by bread In those days, nor since then. The abbot which before I nam'd Sought all the meanes he could To have by force this rebelo ta'ne, And his adherents bold. Therefore he arm'd five hundred men, With furniture compleate; But the outlawes slewe halfe of them, And made the rest retreate. The long bow and the arrow keene They were so us'd unto, That still he kept the forrest greene In spite o' th' proudest foe. Twelve of the abbots men he tooke, Who came him to have ta'ne, When all the rest the field forsooke; These he did entertaine With banquetting and merriment, And, having us'd them well, He to their lord them safely sent, And will'd them him to tell, That if he would be pleas'd at last To beg of our good king That he might pardon what was past, And him to favour bring, He would surrender backe again The money which before Was taken by him and his men From him and many more. Poore men might safely passe by him, And some that way would chuse, For well they knew that to helpe them He evermore did use. But where he knew a miser rich That did the poore oppresse, To feel his coyne his hands did itch;He'd have it, more or lesse. And sometimes, when the high-way fayl'd, Then he his courage rouses, He and his men have oft assayld Such rich men in their houses. So that, through dread of Robbin then, And his adventurous crew, The mizers kept great store of men, Which else maintayn'd but few. King Richard of that name the first, Sirnamed Cuer de Lyon, Went to defeate the Pagans curst, Who kept the coasts of Syon. The bishop of Ely, chancelor, Was left a vice-roy here, Who like a potent emperor Did proudly domminere. Our chronicles of him report, That commonly he rode With a thousand horse from court to court, Where he would make abode. He...