Percy Manuscript, p. 15; Hales and Furnivall, I, 32.
| * |
* * *
'BUT hold y . . hold y . . . ' says Robin,
'My merrymen, I bid yee,
For this [is] one of the best pindars
That euer I saw with mine eye. |
| 2 |
'But hast thou any meat, thou iolly pindar,
For my merrymen and me?'
. . . .
. . . . |
| 3 |
'But I haue bread and cheese,' sayes the pindar,
'And ale all on the best:'
'That's cheere good enoughe,' said Robin,
'For any such vnbidden guest. |
| 4 |
'But wilt be my man?' said good Robin,
'And come and dwell with me?
And twise in a yeere thy clothing [shall] be changed
If my man thou wilt bee,
The tone shall be of light Lincolne greene,
The tother of Picklory.' |
| 5 |
'Att Michallmas comes a well good time,
When men haue gotten in their fee;
I'le sett as litle by my master
As he now setts by me,
I'le take my benbowe in my hande,
And come into the grenwoode to thee.' |
