Gutch's Robin Hood, II, 345, from a manuscript of Mr. Payne
Collier's, supposed to have been written about 1650.
| 1 |
As Robin Hood sat by a tree,
He espied a prettie may,
And when she chanced him to see,
She turnd her head away. |
| 2 |
'O feare me not, thou prettie mayde,
And doe not flie from mee;
I am the kindest man,' he said,
'That ever eye did see.' |
| 3 |
Then to her he did doffe his cap,
And to her lowted low;
'To meete with thee I hold it good hap,
If thou wilt not say noe.' |
| 4 |
Then he put his hand around her waste,
Soe small, so tight, and trim,
And after sought her lip to taste,
And she to kissed him. |
| 5 |
'Where dost thou dwell, my prettie maide?
I prithee tell to me;'
'I am a tanner's daughter,' she said,
'John Hobbes of Barneslee.' |
| 6 |
'And whither goest thou, pretty maide?
Shall I be thy true love?'
'If thou art not afeard,' she said,
'My true love thou shalt prove.' |
| 7 |
'What should I feare?' then he replied;
'I am thy true love now;'
'I have two brethren, and their pride
Would scorn such one as thou.' |
| 8 |
'That will we try,' quoth Robin Hood;
'I was not made their scorne;
Ile shed my blood to doe the[e] good,
As sure as they were borne.' |
| 9 |
'My brothers are proude and fierce and strong;'
'I am,' said he, 'The same,
And if they offer thee to wrong,
Theyle finde Ile play their game. |
| 10 |
'Through the free forrest I can run,
The king may not controll;
They are but barking tanners' sons,
To me they shall pay toll. |
| 11 |
'And if not mine be sheepe and kine,
I have cattle on my land;
On venison eche day I may dine,
Whiles they have none in hand.' |
| 12 |
These wordes had Robin Hood scarce spoke,
When they two men did see,
Come riding till their horses smoke:
'My brothers both,' cried shee. |
| 13 |
Each had a good sword by his side,
And furiouslie they rode
To where they Robin Hood espied,
That with the maiden stood. |
| 14 |
'Flee hence, flee hence, away with speede!'
Cried she to Robin Hood,
'For if thou stay, thoult surely bleede;
I could not see thy blood.' |
| 15 |
'With us, false maiden, come away,
And leave that outlawe bolde;
Why fledst thou from thy home this day,
And left thy father olde?' |
| 16 |
Robin stept backe but paces five,
Unto a sturdie tree;
'Ile fight whiles I am left alive;
Stay thou, sweete maide, with mee.' |
| 17 |
He stood before, she stoode behinde,
The brothers two drewe nie;
'Our sister now to us resign,
Or thou full sure shalt die.' |
| 18 |
Then cried the maide, 'My brethren deare,
With ye Ile freely wend,
But harm not this young forrester,
Noe ill doth he pretend.' |
| 19 |
'Stande up, sweete maide, I plight my troth;
Fall thou not on thy knee;
Ile force thy cruell brothers both
To bend the knee to thee. |
| 20 |
'Stand thou behinde this sturdie oke,
I soone will quell their pride;
Thoult see my sword with furie smoke,
And in their hearts' blood died.' |
| 21 |
He set his backe against a tree,
His foote against a stone;
The first blow that he gave so free
Cleft one man to the bone. |
| 22 |
The tanners bold they fought right well,
And it was one to two;
But Robin did them both refell,
All in the damsell's viewe. |
| 23 |
The red blood ran from Robins brow,
All downe unto his knee;
'O holde your handes, my brethren now,
I will goe backe with yee.' |
| 24 |
'Stand backe, stand backe, my pretty maide,
Stand backe and let me fight;
By sweete St. James be no[t] afraide
But I will it requite.' |
| 25 |
Then Robin did his sword uplift,
And let it fall againe;
The oldest brothers head it cleft,
Right through unto his braine. |
| 26 |
'O hold thy hand, bolde forrester,
Or ill may thee betide;
Slay not my youngest brother here,
He is my father's pride.' |
| 27 |
'Away, for I would scorne to owe,
My life to the[e], false maide!'
The youngest cried, and aimd a blow
That lit on Robin's head. |
| 28 |
Then Robin leand against the tree,
His life nie gone did seeme;
His eyes did swim, he could not see
The maiden start betweene. |
| 29 |
It was not long ere Robin Hood
Could welde his sword so bright;
Upon his feete he firmly stood,
And did renew the fight. |
| 30 |
Untill the tanner scarce could heave
His weapon in the aire;
But Robin would not him bereave
Of life, and left him there. |
| 31 |
Then to the greenewood did he fly,
And with him went the maide;
For him she vowd that she would dye,
He'd live for her, he said. |
