Percy Manuscript, p. 15; Hales and Furnivall, I, 37.
| 1 |
Now list you, lithe you, gentlemen,
A while for a litle space,
And I shall tell you how Queene Katterine
Gott Robin Hood his grace. |
| 2 |
Gold taken from the kings harbengers
Seldome times hath beene seene,
. . . .
. . . .
* * * * * |
| 3 |
. . . .
'Queene Katherine, I say to thee;'
'That's a princly wager,' quoth Queene Katherine,
'Betweene your grace and me. |
| 4 |
'Where must I haue mine archers?' says Queene Katherine;
'You haue the flower of archery:'
'Now take your choice, dame,' he sayes,
'Thorow out all England free. |
| 5 |
'Yea from North Wales to Westchester,
And also to Couentry;
And when you haue chosen the best you can,
The wager must goe with mee.' |
| 6 |
'If that prooue,' says Queene Katherine,
'Soone that wilbe tride and knowne;
Many a man counts of another mans pursse,
And after looseth his owne.' |
| 7 |
The queene is to her palace gone,
To her page thus shee can say:
Come hither to me, Dicke Patrinton,
Trusty and trew this day. |
| 8 |
Thou must bring me the names of my archers all,
All strangers must they bee,
Yea from North Wales to West Chester,
And alsoe to Couentrie. |
| 9 |
Commend me to Robin Hood, says Queene Katherine,
And alsoe to Litle John,
And specially to Will Scarlett,
Ffryar Tucke and Maid Marryan. |
| 10 |
Robin Hood we must call Loxly,
And Little John the Millers sonne;
Thus wee then must change their names,
They must be strangers euery one. |
| 11 |
Commend mee to Robin Hood, sayes Queene Katherine,
And marke, page, what I say;
In London they must be with me
[Vpon St Georges day.]
* * * * * |
| 12 |
. . . .
'These words hath sent by me;
Att London you must be with her
Vpon St Georg[e]s day. |
| 13 |
'Vpon St Georg[e]s day att noone
Att London needs must you bee;
Shee wold not misse your companie
For all the gold in Cristinty. |
| 14 |
'Shee hath tane a shooting for your sake,
The greatest in Christentie,
And her part you must needs take
Against her prince, Henery. |
| 15 |
'Shee sends you heere her gay gold ring
A trew token for to bee;
And, as you are [a] banisht man,
Shee trusts to sett you free.' |
| 16 |
'And I loose that wager,' says bold Robin Hoode,
'I'le bring mony to pay for me;
And wether that I win or loose,
On my queenes part I will be.' |
| 17 |
In sommer time when leaues grow greene,
And flowers are fresh and gay,
Then Robin Hood he deckt his men
Eche one in braue array. |
| 18 |
He deckt his men in Lincolne greene,
Himselfe in scarlett red;
Fayre of theire brest then was it seene
When his siluer armes were spread. |
| 19 |
With hattis white and fethers blacke,
And bowes and arrowes keene,
And thus he ietted towards louly London,
To present Queene Katherine. |
| 20 |
But when they cam to louly London,
They kneeled vpon their knee;
Sayes, God you saue, Queene Katherine,
And all your dignitie!
* * * * * |
| 21 |
. . . . . . of my guard,'
Thus can King Henry say,
'And those that wilbe of Queene Katerines side,
They are welcome to me this day.' |
| 22 |
'Then come hither to me, Sir Richard Lee,
Thou art a knight full good;
Well it is knowen from thy pedygree
Thou came from Gawiins blood. |
| 23 |
'Come hither, Bishopp of Hereford,' quoth Queene Katherine —
A good preacher I watt was hee —
'And stand thou heere vpon a odd side,
On my side for to bee.' |
| 24 |
'I like not that,' sayes the bishopp then,
'By faikine of my body,
For if I might haue my owne will,
On the kings I wold bee.' |
| 25 |
'What will thou be[t] against vs,' says Loxly then,
'And stake it on the ground?'
'That will I doe, fine fellow,' he says,
'And it drawes to fiue hundreth pound.' |
| 26 |
'There is a bett,' says Loxly then;
'Wee'le stake it merrily;'
But Loxly knew full well in his mind
And whose that gold shold bee. |
| 27 |
Then the queenes archers they shot about
Till it was three and three;
Then the lady's gaue a merry shout,
Sayes, Woodcocke, beware thine eye! |
| 28 |
'Well, gam and gam,' then quoth our king,
'The third three payes for all;'
Then Robine rounded with our queene,
Says, The kings part shall be small. |
| 29 |
Loxly puld forth a broad arrowe,
He shott it vnder hand,
. . s vnto .
. . .
* * * * * |
| 30 |
. . . .
'For once he vndidd mee;
If I thought it had beene bold Robin Hoode,
I wold not haue betted one peny. |
| 31 |
'Is this Robin Hood?' says the bishopp againe;
'Once I knew him to soone;
He made me say a masse against my will,
Att two a clocke in the afternoone. |
| 32 |
'He bound me fast vnto a tree,
Soe did he my merry men;
He borrowed ten pound against my will,
But he neuer paid me againe.' |
| 33 |
'What and if I did?' says bold Robin Hood,
'Of that masse I was full faine;
In recompence, befor king and queene
Take halfe of thy gold againe.' |
| 34 |
'I thanke thee for nothing,' says the bishopp,
'Thy large gift to well is knowne,
That will borrow a mans mony against his will,
And pay him againe with his owne.' |
| 35 |
'What if he did soe?' says King Henery,
'For that I loue him neuer the worsse;
Take vp thy gold againe, bold Robin Hood,
And put [it] in thy pursse. |
| 36 |
'If thou woldest leaue thy bold outlawes,
And come and dwell with me,
Then I wold say thou art welcome, bold Robin Hood,
The flower of archery.' |
| 37 |
'I will not leaue my bold outlawes
For all the gold in Christentie;
In merry Sherwood I'le take my end,
Vnder my trusty tree. |
| 38 |
'And gett your shooters, my leeig[e], where you will,
For in faith you shall haue none of me;
And when Queene Katherine puts up her f[inger]
Att her Graces commandement I'le bee.' |
