Percy Manuscript, p. 21; Hales and Fnrnivall, I, 53.
| 1 |
'I will neuer eate oor drinke,' Robin Hood said,
'Nor meate will doo me noe good,
Till I haue beene at merry Churchlees,
My vaines for to let blood.' |
| 2 |
'That I reade not,' said Will Scarllett,
'Master, by the assente of me,
Without halfe a hundred of your best bowmen
You take to goe with yee. |
| 3 |
'For there a good yeoman doth abide
Will be sure to quarrell with thee,
And if thou haue need of vs, master,
In faith we will not flee.' |
| 4 |
'And thou be feard, thou William Scarlett,
Att home I read thee bee:'
'And you be wrothe, my deare master,
You shall neuer heare more of mee.'
* * * * * |
| 5 |
'For there shall noe man with me goe,
Nor man with mee ryde,
And Litle Iohn shall be my man,
And beare my benbow by my side.' |
| 6 |
'You'st beare your bowe, master, your selfe,
And shoote for a peny with mee:'
'To that I doe assent,' Robin Hood sayd,
'And soe, Iohn, lett it bee.' |
| 7 |
They two bolde children shotten together,
All day theire selfe in ranke,
Vntill they came to blacke water,
And over it laid a planke. |
| 8 |
Vpon it there kneeled an old woman,
Was banning Robin Hoode;
'Why dost thou bann Robin Hoode?' said Robin,
. . . .
* * * * * |
| 9 |
. . . .
'To giue to Robin Hoode;
Wee weepen for his deare body,
That this day must be lett bloode.' |
| 10 |
'The dame prior is my aunts daughter,
And nie vnto my kinne;
I know shee wold me noe harme this day,
For all the world to winne.' |
| 11 |
Forth then shotten these children two,
And they did neuer lin,
Vntill they came to merry Churchlees,
To merry Churchlee[s] with-in. |
| 12 |
And when they came to merry Churchlees,
They knoced vpon a pin;
Vpp then rose dame prioresse,
And lett good Robin in. |
| 13 |
Then Robin gaue to dame prioresse
Twenty pound in gold,
And bad her spend while that wold last,
And shee shold haue more when shee wold. |
| 14 |
And downe then came dame prioresse,
Downe she came in that ilke,
With a pair off blood-irons in her hands,
Were wrapped all in silke. |
| 15 |
'Sett a chaffing-dish to the fyer,' said dame prioresse,
'And stripp thou vp thy sleeue:'
I hold him but an vnwise man
That will noe warning leeve. |
| 16 |
Shee laid the blood-irons to Robin Hoods vaine,
Alacke, the more pitye!
And pearct the vaine, and let out the bloode,
That full red was to see. |
| 17 |
And first it bled, the thicke, thicke bloode,
And afterwards the thinne,
And well then wist good Robin Hoode
Treason there was within. |
| 18 |
'What cheere my master?' said Litle Iohn;
'In faith, Iohn, litle goode;'
. . . .
. . . .
* * * * * |
| 19 |
'I haue upon a gowne of greene,
Is cut short by my knee,
And in my hand a bright browne brand
That will well bite of thee.' |
| 20 |
But forth then of a shot-windowe
Good Robin Hood he could glide;
Red Roger, with a grounden glaue,
Thrust him through the milke-white side. |
| 21 |
But Robin was light and nimble of foote,
And thought to abate his pride,
Ffor betwixt his head and his shoulders
He made a wound full wide. |
| 22 |
Says, Ly there, ly there, Red Roger,
The doggs they must thee eate;
'For I may haue my houzle,' he said,
'For I may both goe and speake. |
| 23 |
'Now giue me mood,' Robin said to Litle Iohn,
'Giue me mood with thy hand;
I trust to God in heauen soe hye
My houzle will me bestand.' |
| 24 |
'Now giue me leaue, giue me leaue, master,' he said,
'For Christs loue giue leaue to me,
To set a fier within this hall,
And to burne vp all Churchlee.' |
| 25 |
'That I reade not,' said Robin Hoode then,
'Litle Iohn, for it may not be;
If I shold doe any widow hurt, at my latter end,
God,' he said, 'wold blame me; |
| 26 |
'But take me vpon thy backe, Litle Iohn,
And beare me to yonder streete,
And there make me a full fayre graue,
Of grauell and of greete. |
| 27 |
'And sett my bright sword at my head,
Mine arrowes at my feete,
And lay my vew-bow by my side,
My met-yard wi . . |
