Come and listen, you gentlemen all,Hey down, down, an a down,That mirth do love for to hear,And a story true Ile tell unto you,If that you will but draw near.{275}In elder times, when merriment was,And archery was holden good,There was an outlàw, as many ‘do’ know,Which men called Robin Hood.Upon a time it chanced so,Bold Robin was merry disposed,His time for to spend he did intendEither with friends or foes.Then he got upon a gallant brave steed,The which was worth angels ten,With a mantle of green, most brave to be seen,He left all his merry men.And riding towards Nottingham,Some pastime for to ’spy,There was he aware of a jolly beggàr,As ere he beheld with his eye.An old pacht coat the beggar had on,Which he daily did use to wear ;And many a bag about him did wag,Which made Robin318to him repair.God speed, God speed, said Robin Hood,What countryman ? tell to me.“I am Yorkshire, sir ; but, ere you go far,Some charity give unto me.”{276}Why, what wouldst thou have ? said Robin Hood,I pray thee tell unto me.No lands nor livings, the beggar he said,But a penny for charitie.I have no money, said Robin Hood then,But a ranger within the wood ;I am an outlaw, as many do know,My name it is Robin Hood.But yet I must tell the, bonny beggàr,That a bout with [thee] I must try ;Thy coat of grey, lay down I say,And my mantle of green shall lye by.Content, content, the beggar he cry’d,Thy part it will be the worse ;For I hope this bout to give thee the rout,And then have at thy purse.So the beggar he had a mickle long staffe,And Robin319a nut-brown sword ;So the beggar drew nigh, and at Robin let fly,But gave him never a word.Fight on, fight on, said Robin Hood then,This game well pleaseth me.For every blow that Robin gave,The beggar gave buffets three.{277}And fighting there full hard and sore,Not far from Nottingham town,They never fled, till from Robin Hoods headThe blood came trickling down.O, hold thy hand, said Robin Hood then,And thou and I will agree.If that be true, the beggar he said,Thy mantle come give unto me.Now a change, a change, cri’d Robin Hood,Thy bags and coat give me ;And this mantle of mine Ile to thee resign,My horse and my braverie.When Robin320had got the beggars clothes,He looked round about ;Methinks, said he, I seem to beA beggar brave and stout.For now I have a bag for my bread,So I have another for corn ;I have one for salt, and another for malt,And one for my little horn.And now I will a begging goe,Some charitie for to find.And if any more of Robin you’ll know,In ‘the’ second part ’tis behind.{278}Now Robin he is to Nottingham bound,With his bag hanging down to his knee,His staff, and his coat, scarce worth a groat,Yet merrilie passed he.As Robin he passed the streets along,He heard a pittiful cry ;Three brethren dear, as he did hear,Condemned were to dye.Then Robin he highed to the sheriffs [house],Some reliefe for to seek ;He skipt, and leapt, and capered full high,As he went along the street.But when to the sheriffs doore he came,There a gentleman fine and brave,Thou beggar, said he, come tell unto meWhat it is thou wouldest have.No meat, nor drink, said Robin Hood then,That I come here to crave ;But to get the lives of yeomen three,And that I fain would have.That cannot be, thou bold beggàr,Their fact it is so clear ;I tell to thee, they hanged must be,For stealing of our king’s deer.{279}But when to the gallows they did come,There was many a weeping eye :O, hold your peace, said Robin Hood then,For certain ‘they shall’ not dye.Then Robin he set his horn to his mouth,And he blew out blastes three,Till a hundred bold archers braveCame kneeling down to his knee.What is your will, mastèr ? they said,We are at your command.Shoot east, shoot west, said Robin Hood then,And see you spare no man.Then they shot east, and they shot west,Their arrows were so keen ;The sheriffe he, and his companie,No longer ‘could’ be seen.Then he stept to those brethren three,And away he has them tane ;The sheriffe was crost, and many a man lost,That dead lay on the plain.And away they went into the merry green wood,And sung with a merry glee ;And Robin Hood took these brethren goodTo be of his yeomandrie.
Come and listen, you gentlemen all,Hey down, down, an a down,That mirth do love for to hear,And a story true Ile tell unto you,If that you will but draw near.{275}In elder times, when merriment was,And archery was holden good,There was an outlàw, as many ‘do’ know,Which men called Robin Hood.Upon a time it chanced so,Bold Robin was merry disposed,His time for to spend he did intendEither with friends or foes.Then he got upon a gallant brave steed,The which was worth angels ten,With a mantle of green, most brave to be seen,He left all his merry men.And riding towards Nottingham,Some pastime for to ’spy,There was he aware of a jolly beggàr,As ere he beheld with his eye.An old pacht coat the beggar had on,Which he daily did use to wear ;And many a bag about him did wag,Which made Robin318to him repair.God speed, God speed, said Robin Hood,What countryman ? tell to me.“I am Yorkshire, sir ; but, ere you go far,Some charity give unto me.”{276}Why, what wouldst thou have ? said Robin Hood,I pray thee tell unto me.No lands nor livings, the beggar he said,But a penny for charitie.I have no money, said Robin Hood then,But a ranger within the wood ;I am an outlaw, as many do know,My name it is Robin Hood.But yet I must tell the, bonny beggàr,That a bout with [thee] I must try ;Thy coat of grey, lay down I say,And my mantle of green shall lye by.Content, content, the beggar he cry’d,Thy part it will be the worse ;For I hope this bout to give thee the rout,And then have at thy purse.So the beggar he had a mickle long staffe,And Robin319a nut-brown sword ;So the beggar drew nigh, and at Robin let fly,But gave him never a word.Fight on, fight on, said Robin Hood then,This game well pleaseth me.For every blow that Robin gave,The beggar gave buffets three.{277}And fighting there full hard and sore,Not far from Nottingham town,They never fled, till from Robin Hoods headThe blood came trickling down.O, hold thy hand, said Robin Hood then,And thou and I will agree.If that be true, the beggar he said,Thy mantle come give unto me.Now a change, a change, cri’d Robin Hood,Thy bags and coat give me ;And this mantle of mine Ile to thee resign,My horse and my braverie.When Robin320had got the beggars clothes,He looked round about ;Methinks, said he, I seem to beA beggar brave and stout.For now I have a bag for my bread,So I have another for corn ;I have one for salt, and another for malt,And one for my little horn.And now I will a begging goe,Some charitie for to find.And if any more of Robin you’ll know,In ‘the’ second part ’tis behind.{278}Now Robin he is to Nottingham bound,With his bag hanging down to his knee,His staff, and his coat, scarce worth a groat,Yet merrilie passed he.As Robin he passed the streets along,He heard a pittiful cry ;Three brethren dear, as he did hear,Condemned were to dye.Then Robin he highed to the sheriffs [house],Some reliefe for to seek ;He skipt, and leapt, and capered full high,As he went along the street.But when to the sheriffs doore he came,There a gentleman fine and brave,Thou beggar, said he, come tell unto meWhat it is thou wouldest have.No meat, nor drink, said Robin Hood then,That I come here to crave ;But to get the lives of yeomen three,And that I fain would have.That cannot be, thou bold beggàr,Their fact it is so clear ;I tell to thee, they hanged must be,For stealing of our king’s deer.{279}But when to the gallows they did come,There was many a weeping eye :O, hold your peace, said Robin Hood then,For certain ‘they shall’ not dye.Then Robin he set his horn to his mouth,And he blew out blastes three,Till a hundred bold archers braveCame kneeling down to his knee.What is your will, mastèr ? they said,We are at your command.Shoot east, shoot west, said Robin Hood then,And see you spare no man.Then they shot east, and they shot west,Their arrows were so keen ;The sheriffe he, and his companie,No longer ‘could’ be seen.Then he stept to those brethren three,And away he has them tane ;The sheriffe was crost, and many a man lost,That dead lay on the plain.And away they went into the merry green wood,And sung with a merry glee ;And Robin Hood took these brethren goodTo be of his yeomandrie.
Come and listen, you gentlemen all,Hey down, down, an a down,That mirth do love for to hear,And a story true Ile tell unto you,If that you will but draw near.{275}
Come and listen, you gentlemen all,
Hey down, down, an a down,
That mirth do love for to hear,
And a story true Ile tell unto you,
If that you will but draw near.{275}
In elder times, when merriment was,And archery was holden good,There was an outlàw, as many ‘do’ know,Which men called Robin Hood.
In elder times, when merriment was,
And archery was holden good,
There was an outlàw, as many ‘do’ know,
Which men called Robin Hood.
Upon a time it chanced so,Bold Robin was merry disposed,His time for to spend he did intendEither with friends or foes.
Upon a time it chanced so,
Bold Robin was merry disposed,
His time for to spend he did intend
Either with friends or foes.
Then he got upon a gallant brave steed,The which was worth angels ten,With a mantle of green, most brave to be seen,He left all his merry men.
Then he got upon a gallant brave steed,
The which was worth angels ten,
With a mantle of green, most brave to be seen,
He left all his merry men.
And riding towards Nottingham,Some pastime for to ’spy,There was he aware of a jolly beggàr,As ere he beheld with his eye.
And riding towards Nottingham,
Some pastime for to ’spy,
There was he aware of a jolly beggàr,
As ere he beheld with his eye.
An old pacht coat the beggar had on,Which he daily did use to wear ;And many a bag about him did wag,Which made Robin318to him repair.
An old pacht coat the beggar had on,
Which he daily did use to wear ;
And many a bag about him did wag,
Which made Robin318to him repair.
God speed, God speed, said Robin Hood,What countryman ? tell to me.“I am Yorkshire, sir ; but, ere you go far,Some charity give unto me.”{276}
God speed, God speed, said Robin Hood,
What countryman ? tell to me.
“I am Yorkshire, sir ; but, ere you go far,
Some charity give unto me.”{276}
Why, what wouldst thou have ? said Robin Hood,I pray thee tell unto me.No lands nor livings, the beggar he said,But a penny for charitie.
Why, what wouldst thou have ? said Robin Hood,
I pray thee tell unto me.
No lands nor livings, the beggar he said,
But a penny for charitie.
I have no money, said Robin Hood then,But a ranger within the wood ;I am an outlaw, as many do know,My name it is Robin Hood.
I have no money, said Robin Hood then,
But a ranger within the wood ;
I am an outlaw, as many do know,
My name it is Robin Hood.
But yet I must tell the, bonny beggàr,That a bout with [thee] I must try ;Thy coat of grey, lay down I say,And my mantle of green shall lye by.
But yet I must tell the, bonny beggàr,
That a bout with [thee] I must try ;
Thy coat of grey, lay down I say,
And my mantle of green shall lye by.
Content, content, the beggar he cry’d,Thy part it will be the worse ;For I hope this bout to give thee the rout,And then have at thy purse.
Content, content, the beggar he cry’d,
Thy part it will be the worse ;
For I hope this bout to give thee the rout,
And then have at thy purse.
So the beggar he had a mickle long staffe,And Robin319a nut-brown sword ;So the beggar drew nigh, and at Robin let fly,But gave him never a word.
So the beggar he had a mickle long staffe,
And Robin319a nut-brown sword ;
So the beggar drew nigh, and at Robin let fly,
But gave him never a word.
Fight on, fight on, said Robin Hood then,This game well pleaseth me.For every blow that Robin gave,The beggar gave buffets three.{277}
Fight on, fight on, said Robin Hood then,
This game well pleaseth me.
For every blow that Robin gave,
The beggar gave buffets three.{277}
And fighting there full hard and sore,Not far from Nottingham town,They never fled, till from Robin Hoods headThe blood came trickling down.
And fighting there full hard and sore,
Not far from Nottingham town,
They never fled, till from Robin Hoods head
The blood came trickling down.
O, hold thy hand, said Robin Hood then,And thou and I will agree.If that be true, the beggar he said,Thy mantle come give unto me.
O, hold thy hand, said Robin Hood then,
And thou and I will agree.
If that be true, the beggar he said,
Thy mantle come give unto me.
Now a change, a change, cri’d Robin Hood,Thy bags and coat give me ;And this mantle of mine Ile to thee resign,My horse and my braverie.
Now a change, a change, cri’d Robin Hood,
Thy bags and coat give me ;
And this mantle of mine Ile to thee resign,
My horse and my braverie.
When Robin320had got the beggars clothes,He looked round about ;Methinks, said he, I seem to beA beggar brave and stout.
When Robin320had got the beggars clothes,
He looked round about ;
Methinks, said he, I seem to be
A beggar brave and stout.
For now I have a bag for my bread,So I have another for corn ;I have one for salt, and another for malt,And one for my little horn.
For now I have a bag for my bread,
So I have another for corn ;
I have one for salt, and another for malt,
And one for my little horn.
And now I will a begging goe,Some charitie for to find.And if any more of Robin you’ll know,In ‘the’ second part ’tis behind.{278}
And now I will a begging goe,
Some charitie for to find.
And if any more of Robin you’ll know,
In ‘the’ second part ’tis behind.{278}
Now Robin he is to Nottingham bound,With his bag hanging down to his knee,His staff, and his coat, scarce worth a groat,Yet merrilie passed he.
Now Robin he is to Nottingham bound,
With his bag hanging down to his knee,
His staff, and his coat, scarce worth a groat,
Yet merrilie passed he.
As Robin he passed the streets along,He heard a pittiful cry ;Three brethren dear, as he did hear,Condemned were to dye.
As Robin he passed the streets along,
He heard a pittiful cry ;
Three brethren dear, as he did hear,
Condemned were to dye.
Then Robin he highed to the sheriffs [house],Some reliefe for to seek ;He skipt, and leapt, and capered full high,As he went along the street.
Then Robin he highed to the sheriffs [house],
Some reliefe for to seek ;
He skipt, and leapt, and capered full high,
As he went along the street.
But when to the sheriffs doore he came,There a gentleman fine and brave,Thou beggar, said he, come tell unto meWhat it is thou wouldest have.
But when to the sheriffs doore he came,
There a gentleman fine and brave,
Thou beggar, said he, come tell unto me
What it is thou wouldest have.
No meat, nor drink, said Robin Hood then,That I come here to crave ;But to get the lives of yeomen three,And that I fain would have.
No meat, nor drink, said Robin Hood then,
That I come here to crave ;
But to get the lives of yeomen three,
And that I fain would have.
That cannot be, thou bold beggàr,Their fact it is so clear ;I tell to thee, they hanged must be,For stealing of our king’s deer.{279}
That cannot be, thou bold beggàr,
Their fact it is so clear ;
I tell to thee, they hanged must be,
For stealing of our king’s deer.{279}
But when to the gallows they did come,There was many a weeping eye :O, hold your peace, said Robin Hood then,For certain ‘they shall’ not dye.
But when to the gallows they did come,
There was many a weeping eye :
O, hold your peace, said Robin Hood then,
For certain ‘they shall’ not dye.
Then Robin he set his horn to his mouth,And he blew out blastes three,Till a hundred bold archers braveCame kneeling down to his knee.
Then Robin he set his horn to his mouth,
And he blew out blastes three,
Till a hundred bold archers brave
Came kneeling down to his knee.
What is your will, mastèr ? they said,We are at your command.Shoot east, shoot west, said Robin Hood then,And see you spare no man.
What is your will, mastèr ? they said,
We are at your command.
Shoot east, shoot west, said Robin Hood then,
And see you spare no man.
Then they shot east, and they shot west,Their arrows were so keen ;The sheriffe he, and his companie,No longer ‘could’ be seen.
Then they shot east, and they shot west,
Their arrows were so keen ;
The sheriffe he, and his companie,
No longer ‘could’ be seen.
Then he stept to those brethren three,And away he has them tane ;The sheriffe was crost, and many a man lost,That dead lay on the plain.
Then he stept to those brethren three,
And away he has them tane ;
The sheriffe was crost, and many a man lost,
That dead lay on the plain.
And away they went into the merry green wood,And sung with a merry glee ;And Robin Hood took these brethren goodTo be of his yeomandrie.
And away they went into the merry green wood,
And sung with a merry glee ;
And Robin Hood took these brethren good
To be of his yeomandrie.