Naught ! I were better to have bided in the cloister . John Abbot availeth more than John Amend-All . By ' r Lady ! here they come . '' One after another , tall , likely fellows began to stroll into the lawn . Each as he came produced a knife and a horn cup , helped himself from the caldron , and sat down upon the grass to eat . They were very variously equipped and armed ; some in rusty smocks , and with nothing but a knife and an old bow ; others in the height of forest gallantry , all in Lincoln green , both hood and jerkin , with dainty peacock arrows in their belts , a horn upon a baldrick , and a sword and dagger at their sides . They came in the silence of hunger , and scarce growled a salutation , but fell instantly to meat . There were , perhaps , a score of them already gathered , when a sound of suppressed cheering arose close by among the hawthorns , and immediately after five or six woodmen carrying a stretcher debauched upon the lawn . A tall , lusty fellow , somewhat grizzled , and as brown as a smoked ham , walked before them with an air of some authority , his bow at his back , a bright boar-spear in his hand . `` Lads ! '' he cried , `` good fellows all , and my right merry friends , y ' have sung this while on a dry whistle and lived at little ease . But what said I ever ? Abide Fortune constantly ; she turneth , turneth swift . And lo ! here is her little firstling -- even that good creature , ale ! '' There was a murmur of applause as the bearers set down the stretcher and displayed a goodly cask . `` And now haste ye , boys , '' the man continued . `` There is work toward .
A handful of archers are but now XXXXX to the ferry ; murrey and blue is their wear ; they are our butts -- they shall all taste arrows -- no man of them shall struggle through this wood .
bided come cried displayed fell growled set sung turneth whistle