| 1 |
Gold tane from the kings harbengers,
Down a down a down
As seldome hath been seen,
Down a down a down
And carried by bold Robin Hood
For a present to the queen.
Down a down a down |
| 2 |
'If that I live a year to an end,'
Thus gan Queen Katherin say,
'Bold Robin Hood, I will be thy friend,
And all thy yeomen gay.' |
| 3 |
The queen is to her chamber gone,
As fast as she can wen;
She cals unto her lovely page,
His name was Richard Patringten. |
| 4 |
'Come hither to mee, thou lovely page,
Come thou hither to mee;
For thou must post to Notingham,
As fast as thou canst dree. |
| 5 |
'And as thou goest to Notingham,
Search all those English wood;
Enquire of one good yeoman or another
That can tell thee of Robin Hood.' |
| 6 |
Sometimes he went, sometimes hee ran,
As fast as he could win;
And when hee came to Notingham,
There he took up his inne. |
| 7 |
And when he came to Notingham,
And had took up his inne,
He calls for a pottle of Renish wine,
And drank a health to his queen. |
| 8 |
There sat a yeoman by his side;
'Tell mee, sweet page,' said hee,
'What is thy business or the cause,
So far in the North Country?' |
| 9 |
'This is my business and the cause,
Sir, I'le tell it you for good,
To inquire of one good yeoman or another
To tell mee of Robin Hood.' |
| 10 |
'I'le get my horse betime in the morn,
By it be break of day,
And I will shew thee bold Robin Hood,
And all his yeomen gay.' |
| 11 |
When that he came at Robin Hoods place,
Hee fell down on his knee:
'Queen Katherine she doth greet you well,
She greets you well by mee. |
| 12 |
'She bids you post to fair London court,
Not fearing any thing;
For there shall be a little sport,
And she hath sent you her ring.' |
| 13 |
Robin took his mantle from his back —
It was of the Lincoln green —
And sent it by this lovely page,
For a present unto the queen. |
| 14 |
In summer time, when leaves grow green,
It is a seemly sight to see
How Robin Hood himself had drest,
And all his yeomandry. |
| 15 |
He cloathed his men in Lincoln green,
And himself in scarlet red,
Black hats, white feathers, all alike;
Now bold Robin Hood is rid. |
| 16 |
And when he came at Londons court,
Hee fell downe on his knee:
'Thou art welcome, Locksly,' said the queen,
'And all thy good yeomendree.' |
| 17 |
The king is into Finsbury field,
Marching in battel ray,
And after follows bold Robin Hood,
And all his yeomen gay. |
| 18 |
'Come hither, Tepus,' said the king,
'Bow-bearer after mee,
Come measure mee out with this line
How long our mark shall be.' |
| 19 |
'What is the wager?' said the queen,
'That must I now know here:'
'Three hundred tun of Renish wine,
Three hundred tun of beer. |
| 20 |
'Three hundred of the fattest harts
That run on Dallom lee;
That's a princely wager,' said the king,
'That needs must I tell thee.' |
| 21 |
With that bespake one Clifton then,
Full quickly and full soon;
'Measure no mark for us, most soveraign leige,
Wee'l shoot at sun and moon.' |
| 22 |
'Ful fifteen score your mark shall be,
Ful fifteen score shall stand;'
'I'le lay my bow,' said Clifton then,
'I'le cleave the willow wand.' |
| 23 |
With that the kings archers led about,
While it was three and none;
With that the ladies began to shout,
Madam, your game is gone! |
| 24 |
'A boon, a boon,' Queen Katherine cries,
'I crave on my bare knee;
Is there any knight of your privy counsel
Of Queen Katherines part will be? |
| 25 |
'Come hither to mee, Sir Richard Lee,
Thou art a knight full good;
For I do know by thy pedigree
Thou springst from Goweres blood. |
| 26 |
'Come hither to me, thou Bishop of Herefordshire' —
For a noble priest was he —
'By my silver miter,' said the bishop then,
'I'le not bet one peny. |
| 27 |
'The king has archers of his own,
Full ready and full light,
And these be strangers every one,
No man knows what they height.' |
| 28 |
'What wilt thou bet,' said Robin Hood,
'Thou seest our game the worse?'
'By my silver miter,' said the bishop then,
'All the mony within my purse.' |
| 29 |
'What is in thy purse?' said Robin Hood,
'Throw it down on the ground;'
'Fifteen score nobles,' said the bishop then,
'It's neer an hundred pound.' |
| 30 |
Robin Hood took his bagge from his side,
And threw it down on the green;
William Scadlocke went smiling away,
'I know who this mony must win.' |
| 31 |
With that the queens archers led about,
While it was three and three;
With that the ladies gave a shout,
'Woodcock, beware thyn ee!' |
| 32 |
'It is three and three, now,' said the king,
'The next three pays for all;'
Robin Hood went and whispered to the queen,
'The kings part shall be but small.' |
| 33 |
Robin Hood he led about,
He shot it under hand,
And Clifton, with a bearing arrow,
He clave the willow wand. |
| 34 |
And little Midge, the Miller's son,
Hee shot not much the worse;
He shot within a finger of the prick;
'Now, bishop, beware thy purse!' |
| 35 |
'A boon, a boon,' Queen Katherine cries,
'I crave on my bare knee, —
That you will angry be with none
That is of my party.' |
| 36 |
'They shall have forty days to come,
And forty days to go,
And three times forty to sport and play;
Then welcome friend or fo.' |
| 37 |
'Then thou art welcome, Robin Hood,' said the queen,
'And so is Little John,
So is Midge, the Miller's son;
Thrice welcome every one.' |
| 38 |
'Is this Robin Hood?' the king now said;
'For it was told to mee
That he was slain in the pallace-gate,
So far in the North Country.' |
| 39 |
'Is this Robin Hood,' said the bishop then,
'As I see well to be?
Had I knowne that had been that bold outlaw,
I would not have bet one peny. |
| 40 |
'Hee took me late one Saturday at night,
And bound mee fast to a tree,
And made mee sing a mass, God wot,
To him and his yeomendree.' |
| 41 |
'What and if I did?' says Robin Hood,
'Of that mass I was full fain;
For recompense to thee,' he says,
'Here's half thy gold again.' |
| 42 |
'Now nay, now nay,' saies Little John,
'Master, that shall not be;
We must give gifts to the kings officers;
That gold will serve thee and mee.' |
