| 1 |
All you that delight to spend some time
With a hey down down a down down
A merry song for to sing,
Vnto me draw neer, and you shall hear
How Little John went a begging. |
| 2 |
As Robin Hood walked the forrest along,
And all his yeomandree,
Sayes Robin, Some of you must a begging go,
And, Little John, it must be thee. |
| 3 |
Sayes John, If I must a begging go,
I will have a palmers weed,
With a staff and coat, and bags of all sort,
The better then I shall speed. |
| 4 |
Come, give me now a bag for my bread,
And another for my cheese,
And one for a peny, when as I get any,
That nothing I may leese. |
| 5 |
Now Little John he is a begging gone,
Seeking for some relief;
But of all the beggers he met on the way,
Little John he was the chief. |
| 6 |
But as he was walking himself alone,
Four beggers he chanced to spy,
Some deaf, and some blind, and some came behind;
Says John, Here's brave company! |
| 7 |
'Good-morrow,' said John, 'My brethren dear,
Good fortune I had you to see;
Which way do you go? pray let me know,
For I want some company. |
| 8 |
'O what is here to do?' then said Little John,
'Why rings all these bells?' said he;
'What dog is a hanging? come, let us be ganging,
That we the truth may see.' |
| 9 |
'Here is no dog a hanging,' then one of them said,
'Good fellow, we tell unto thee;
But here is one dead wil give us cheese and bred,
And it may be one single peny.' |
| 10 |
'We have brethren in London,' another he said,
'So have we in Coventry,
In Barwick and Dover, and all the world over,
But nere a crookt carril like thee. |
| 11 |
'Therefore stand thee back, thou crooked carel,
And take that knock on the crown;'
'Nay,' said Little John, 'I'le not yet be gone,
For a bout will I have with you round. |
| 12 |
'Now have at you all,' then said Little John,
'If you be so full of your blows;
Fight on, all four, and nere give ore,
Whether you be friends or foes.' |
| 13 |
John nipped the dumb, and made him to rore,
And the blind that could not see,
And he that a cripple had been seven years,
He made him run faster then he. |
| 14 |
And flinging them all against the wall,
With many a sturdie bang,
It made John sing, to hear the gold ring,
Which against the walls cryed twang. |
| 15 |
Then he got out of the beggers cloak
Three hundred pound in gold;
'Good fortune had I,' then said Little John,
'Such a good sight to behold.' |
| 16 |
But what found he in a beggers bag,
But three hundred pound and three?
'If I drink water while this doth last,
Then an ill death may I dye! |
| 17 |
d my begging-trade I will now give ore,
My fortune hath bin so good;
Therefore I'le not stay, but I will away
To the forrest of merry Sherwood.' |
| 18 |
And when to the forrest of Sherwood he came,
He quickly there did see
His master good, bold Robin Hood,
And all his company. |
| 19 |
'What news? What news?' then said Robin Hood,
'Come, Little John, tell unto me;
How hast thou sped with thy beggers trade?
For that I fain would see.' |
| 20 |
'No news but good,' then said Little John,
'With begging ful wel I have sped;
Six hundred and three I have here for thee,
In silver and gold so red.' |
| 21 |
Then Robin took Little John by the hand,
And danced about the oak-tree:
'If we drink water while this doth last,
Then an il death may we die!' |
| 22 |
So to conclude my merry new song,
All you that delight it to sing,
'Tis of Robin Hood, that archer good,
And how Little John went a begging. |
