>Percy Manuscript, p. 5; Hales and Furnivall, I, 13;
Jamieson's Popular Ballads, II, 49.
| * |
* * *
. . . . . . . .
In faith thou shal[t] haue mine,
And twenty pound in thy purse,
To spend att ale and wine.' |
| 2 |
'Though your clothes are of light Lincolne green,
And mine gray russett and torne,
Yet it doth not you beseeme
To doe an old man scorne.' |
| 3 |
'I scorne thee not, old man,' says Robin,
'By the faith of my body;
Doe of thy clothes, thou shalt haue mine,
For it may noe better bee.' |
| 4 |
But Robin did on this old mans hose,
The were torne in the wrist;
'When I looke on my leggs,' said Robin,
'Then for to laugh I list.' |
| 5 |
But Robin did on the old mans shooes,
And the were cliitt full cleane;
'Now, by my faith,' sayes Litle Iohn,
'These are good for thornes keene.' |
| 6 |
But Robin did on the old mans cloake,
And it was torne in the necke;
'Now, by my faith,' said William Scarlett,
'Heere shold be set a specke.' |
| 7 |
But Robin did on this old mans hood,
Itt gogled on his crowne;
'When I come into Nottingham,' said Robin,
'My hood it will lighyly downe. |
| 8 |
'But yonder is an outwood,' said Robin,
'An outwood all and a shade,
And thither I reede you, my merrymen all,
The ready way to take. |
| 9 |
'And when you heare my litle horne blow,
Come raking all on a rowte
. . . .
. . . .
* * * * * |
| 10 |
But Robin he lope, and Robin he threw,
He lope over stocke and stone;
But those that saw Robin Hood run
Said he was a liuer old man. |
| 11 |
[Then Robin set his] horne to his mowth,
A loud blast cold h[e] blow;
Ffull three hundred bold yeomen
Came rakinge all on a row. |
| 12 |
But Robin cast downe his baggs of bread,
Soe did he his staffe with a face,
And in a doublet of red veluett
This yeoman stood in his place. |
| 13 |
'But bend your bowes, and stroke your strings,
Set the gallow-tree aboute,
And Christs cursse on his heart,' said Robin,
'That spares the sheriffe and the sergiant!' |
| 14 |
When the sheriffe see gentle Robin wold shoote,
He held vp both his hands;
Sayes, Aske, good Robin, and thou shalt haue,
Whether it be house or land. |
| 15 |
'I will neither haue house nor land,' said Robin,
'Nor gold, nor none of thy fee,
But I will haue those three squires
To the greene forest with me. |
| 16 |
'Now marry, Gods forbott,' said the sheriffe,
'That euer that shold bee;
For why, they be the kings felons,
They are all condemned to dye.' |
| 17 |
'But grant me my askinge,' said Robin,
'Or by the faith of my body
Thou shalt be the first man
Shall flower this gallow-tree.' |
| 18 |
'But I wi[ll haue t]hose three squires
. . . . |
