| 1 |
Both gentlemen, or yeomen bould,
Or whatsoever you are,
To have a stately story tould,
Attention now prepare. |
| 2 |
It is a tale of Robin Hood,
Which I to you will tell,
Which being rightly understood,
I know will please you well. |
| 3 |
This Robbin, so much talked on,
Was once a man of fame,
Instiled Earle of Huntington,
Lord Robert Hood by name. |
| 4 |
In courtship and magnificence,
His carriage won him prayse,
And greater favor with his prince
Than any in his dayes. |
| 5 |
In bounteous liberality
He too much did excell,
And loved men of quality
More than exceeding well. |
| 6 |
His great revennues all he sould
For wine and costly cheere;
He kept three hundred bowmen bold,
He shooting loved so deare. |
| 7 |
No archer living in his time
With him might well compare;
He practisd all his youthfull prime
That exercise most rare. |
| 8 |
At last, by his profuse expence,
He had consumd his wealth,
And being outlawed by his prince,
In woods he livd by stealth. |
| 9 |
The abbot of Saint Maries rich,
To whom he mony ought,
His hatred to this earle was such
That he his downefall wrought. |
| 10 |
So being outlawed, as 'tis told,
He with a crew went forth
Of lusty cutters, stout and bold,
And robbed in the North. |
| 11 |
Among the rest, one Little John,
A yeoman bold and free,
Who could, if it stood him upon,
With ease encounter three. |
| 12 |
One hundred men in all he got,
With whom, the story sayes,
Three hundred common men durst not
Hold combate any wayes. |
| 13 |
They Yorkshire woods frequented much,
And Lancashire also,
Wherein their practises were such
That they wrought mickle woe. |
| 14 |
None rich durst travell to and fro,
Though nere so strongly armd,
But by these theeves, so strong in show,
They still were robd and harmd. |
| 15 |
His chiefest spight to the clergie was,
That lived in monstrous pride;
No one of them he would let passe
Along the high-way side, |
| 16 |
But first they must to dinner goe,
And afterwards to shrift:
Full many a one he served so,
Thus while he livd by theft. |
| 17 |
monkes nor fryers he would let goe,
Without paying their fees:
If they thought much to be usd so,
Their stones he made them leese. |
| 18 |
For such as they the country filld
With bastards in those dayes;
Which to prevent, these sparkes did geld
All that came by their wayes. |
| 19 |
But Robbin Hood so gentle was,
And bore so brave a minde,
If any in distresse did passe,
To them he was so kinde |
| 20 |
That he would give and lend to them,
To helpe them at their neede:
This made all poore men pray for him,
And wish he well might speede. |
| 21 |
The widdow and the fatherlesse
He would send meanes unto,
And those whom famine did oppresse
Found him a friendly foe. |
| 22 |
Nor would he doe a woman wrong,
But see her safe conveid;
He would protect with power strong
All those who crav'd his ayde. |
| 23 |
The abbot of Saint Maries then,
Who him undid before,
Was riding with two hundred men,
And gold and silver store. |
| 24 |
But Robbin Hood upon him set
With his couragious sparkes,
And all the coyne perforce did get,
Which was twelve thousand markes. |
| 25 |
He bound the abbot to a tree,
And would not let him passe
Before that to his men and he
His lordship had sayd masse. |
| 26 |
Which being done, upon his horse
He set him fast astride,
And with his face towards his ar–
He forced him to ride. |
| 27 |
His men were faine to be his guide,
For he rode backward home;
The abbot, being thus villifide,
Did sorely chafe and fume. |
| 28 |
Thus Robbin Hood did vindicate
His former wrongs receivd;
For 'twas this covetous prelate
That him of land bereavd. |
| 29 |
The abbot he rode to the king
With all the haste he could,
And to his Grace he every thing
Exactly did unfold. |
| 30 |
And sayd if that no course were tane,
By force or stratagem,
To take this rebell and his traine,
No man should passe for them. |
| 31 |
The king protested by and by
Unto the abbot then
That Robbin Hood with speed should dye,
With all his merry men. |
| 32 |
But ere the king did any send,
He did another feate,
Which did his Grace much more offend;
The fact indeed was great. |
| 33 |
in a short time after that,
The kings receivers went
Towards London with the coyne they got,
For 's highnesse northerne rent. |
| 34 |
Bold Robbin Hood and Little John,
With the rest of their traine,
Not dreading law, set them upon,
And did their gold obtaine. |
| 35 |
The king much moved at the same,
And the abbots talke also,
In this his anger did proclaime,
And sent word to and fro, |
| 36 |
That whosoere, alive or dead,
Could bring him Robbin Hood,
Should have one thousand markes, well payd
In gold and silver good. |
| 37 |
This promise of the king did make
Full many yeomen bold
Attempt stout Robbin Hood to take,
With all the force they could. |
| 38 |
But still when any came to him,
Within the gay greene wood,
He entertainement gave to them,
With venison fat and good. |
| 39 |
And shewd to them such martiall sport,
With his long bow and arrow,
That they of him did give report,
How that it was great sorow, |
| 40 |
That such a worthy man as he
Should thus be put to shift,
Being late a lord of high degree,
Of living quite bereft. |
| 41 |
The king, to take him, more and more
Sent men of mickle might,
But he and his still beate them sore,
And conquered them in fight. |
| 42 |
Or else, with love and courtesie,
To him he won their hearts:
Thus still he livd by robbery,
Throughout the northerne parts. |
| 43 |
And all the country stood in dread
Of Robbin Hood and 's men;
For stouter lads nere livd by bread,
In those dayes nor since then. |
| 44 |
The abbot which before I nam'd
Sought all the meanes he could
To have by force this rebell tane,
And his adherents bold. |
| 45 |
Therefore he armd five hundred men,
With furniture compleate,
But the outlawes slew halfe of them,
And made the rest retreate. |
| 46 |
The long bow and the arrow keene
They were so usd unto
That still they kept the forest greene,
In spight o th' proudest foe. |
| 47 |
Twelve of the abbots men he tooke,
Who came him to have tane,
When all the rest the field forsooke;
These he did entertaine |
| 48 |
With banquetting and merriment,
And, having usd them well,
He to their lord them safely sent,
And willd them him to tell |
| 49 |
That if he would be pleasd at last
To beg of our good king
That he might pardon what was past,
And him to favour bring, |
| 50 |
He would surrender backe agen
The money which before
Was taken by him and his men,
From him and many more. |
| 51 |
Poore men might safely passe by him,
And some that way would chuse,
For well they knew that to helpe them
He evermore did use. |
| 52 |
But where he knew a miser rich,
That did the poore oppresse,
To feele his coyne his hand did itch;
Hee'de have it, more or lesse. |
| 53 |
And sometimes, when the high-way fayld,
Then he his courage rouses;
He and his men have oft assayld
Such rich men in their houses. |
| 54 |
So that, through dread of Robbin then
And his adventurous crew,
The mizers kept great store of men,
Which else maintaynd but few. |
| 55 |
King Richard, of that name the first,
Sirnamed Cuer de Lyon,
Went to defeate the Pagans curst,
Who kept the coasts of Syon. |
| 56 |
The bishop of Ely, chancelor,
Was left as vice-roy here,
Who like a potent emperor,
Did proudly domminere. |
| 57 |
Our chronicles of him report
That commonly he rode
With a thousand horse from court to court,
Where he would make abode. |
| 58 |
He, riding downe towards the north,
With his aforesayd traine,
Robbin and his did issue forth,
Them all to entertaine. |
| 59 |
And, with the gallant gray-goose wing,
They shewed to them such play,
That made their horses kicke and fling,
And downe their riders lay. |
| 60 |
Full glad and faine the bishop was,
For all his thousand men,
To seeke what meanes he could to passe
From out of Robbins ken. |
| 61 |
Two hundred of his men were kil'd,
And fourscore horses good;
Thirty, who did as captives yeeld,
Were carryed to the greene wood. |
| 62 |
Which afterwards were ransomed,
For twenty markes a man;
The rest set spurres to horse, and fled
To th' town of Warrington. |
| 63 |
The bishop, sore enraged then,
Did, in King Richards name,
Muster a power of northerne men,
These outlawes bold to tame. |
| 64 |
But Robbin, with his courtesie,
So wonne the meaner sort,
That they were loath on him to try
What rigor did import. |
| 65 |
So that bold Robbin and his traine
Did live unhurt of them,
Vntill King Richard came againe
From faire Jerusalem. |
| 66 |
And then the talke of Robbin Hood
His royall eares did fill;
His Grace admir'd that ith' greene wood
He thus continued still. |
| 67 |
So that the country farre and neare
Did give him great applause;
For none of them neede stand in feare,
But such as broke the lawes. |
| 68 |
He wished well unto the king,
And prayed still for his health,
And never practised any thing
Against the common wealth. |
| 69 |
Onely, because he was undone
By th' crewell clergie then,
All meanes that he could thinke upon
To vexe such kinde of men |
| 70 |
He enterprized, with hatefull spleene;
In which he was to blame,
For fault of some, to wreeke his teene
On all that by him came. |
| 71 |
With wealth which he by robbery got
Eight almes-houses he built,
Thinking thereby to purge the blot
Of blood which he had spilt. |
| 72 |
Such was their blinde devotion then,
Depending on their workes;
Which, it 'twere true, we Christian men
Inferiour were to Turkes. |
| 73 |
But, to speak true of Robbin Hood,
And wrong him not a iot,
He never would shed any mans blood
That him invaded not. |
| 74 |
Nor would he iniure husbandmen,
That toyld at cart and plough;
For well he knew, were 't not for them,
To live no man knew how. |
| 75 |
The king in person, with some lords,
To Notingham did ride,
To try what strength and skill affords
To crush these outlawes pride. |
| 76 |
And, as he once before had done,
He did againe proclaime,
That whosoere would take upon
To bring to Notingham, |
| 77 |
Or any place within the land,
Rebellious Robbin Hood,
Should be preferd in place to stand
With those of noble blood. |
| 78 |
When Robbin Hood heard of the same,
Within a little space,
Into the towne of Notingham
A letter to his Grace |
| 79 |
He shot upon an arrow-head,
One evening cunningly;
Which was brought to the king, and read
Before his Maiestie. |
| 80 |
The tennour of this letter was,
That Robbin would submit,
And be true leigeman to his Grace,
In any thing that's fit, |
| 81 |
So that his Highnesse would forgive
Him and his merry men all;
If not, he must i th' greene wood live,
And take what chance did fall. |
| 82 |
The king would faine have pardoned him,
But that some lords say,
This president will much condemne
Your Grace another day. |
| 83 |
While that the king and lords did stay
Debating on this thing,
Some of these outlawes fled away
Unto the Scottish king. |
| 84 |
For they supposed, if he were tane,
Or to the king did yeeld,
By th' commons all the rest on 's traine
Full quickely would be quelld. |
| 85 |
Of more than full a hundred men
But forty tarryed still,
Who were resolvd to sticke to him,
Let fortune worke her will. |
| 86 |
If none had fled, all for his sake
Had got their pardon free;
The king to favour meant to take
His merry men and he. |
| 87 |
But ere the pardon to him came,
This famous archer dy'd:
His death, and manner of the same,
I'le presently describe. |
| 88 |
For, being vext to thinke upon
His followers revolt,
In melancholly passion
He did recount their fault. |
| 89 |
'Perfideous traytors!' sayd he then,
'In all your dangers past
Have I you guarded as my men
To leave me thus at last?' |
| 90 |
This sad perplexity did cause
A fever, as some say,
Which him unto confusion drawes,
Though by a stranger way. |
| 91 |
This deadly danger to prevent,
He hide him with all speede
Vnto a nunnery, with intent
For his healths sake to bleede. |
| 92 |
A faithlesse fryer did pretend
In love to let him blood;
But he by falshood wrought the end
Of famous Robbin Hood . |
| 93 |
The fryer, as some say, did this
To vindicate the wrong
Which to the clergie he and his
Had done by power strong. |
| 94 |
Thus dyed he by trechery,
That could not dye by force;
Had he livd longer, certainely,
King Richard, in remorse, |
| 95 |
Had unto favour him receavd;
He brave men elevated;
'Tis pitty he was of life bereavd
By one which he so hated. |
| 96 |
A treacherous leech this fryer was,
To let him bleed to death;
And Robbin was, me thinkes, an asse,
To trust him with his breath. |
| 97 |
His corpes the priores of the place,
The next day that he dy'd,
Caused to be buried, in mean case,
Close by the high-way side. |
| 98 |
And over him she caused a stone
To be fixed on the ground;
An epitaph was set thereon,
Wherein his name was found. |
| 99 |
The date o th' yeare, and day also,
Shee made to be set there,
That all who by the way did goe
Might see it plaine appeare |
| 100 |
That such a man as Robbin Hood
Was buried in that place;
And how he lived in the greene wood,
And robd there for a space. |
| 101 |
It seems that although the clergie he
Had put to mickle woe,
He should not quite forgotten be,
Although he was their foe. |
| 102 |
This woman, though she did him hate,
Yet loved his memory;
And thought it wondrous pitty that
His fame should with him dye. |
| 103 |
This epitaph, as records tell,
Within this hundred yeares
By many was discerned well,
But time all things outweares. |
| 104 |
His followers, when he was dead,
Were some received to grace;
The rest to forraigne countries fled,
And left their native place. |
| 105 |
Although his funerall was but meane,
This woman had in minde
Least his fame should be buried cleane
From those that came behind. |
| 106 |
For certainely, before nor since,
No man ere understood,
Vnder the reigne of any prince,
Of one like Robbin Hood. |
| 107 |
Full thirteene yeares, and something more,
These outlawes lived thus,
Feared of the rich, loved of the poore,
A thing most marvelous. |
| 108 |
A thing impossible to us
This story seemes to be;
None dares be now so venturous;
But times are chang'd, we see. |
| 109 |
We that live in these latter dayes
Of civill government,
If neede be, have a hundred wayes
Such outlawes to prevent. |
| 110 |
In those dayes men more barbarous were,
And lived lesse in awe;
Now, God be thanked! people feare
More to offend the law. |
| 111 |
No roaring guns were then in use,
They dreampt of no such thing;
Our English men in fight did chuse
The gallant gray-goose wing. |
| 112 |
In which activity these men,
Through practise, were so good,
That in those dayes non equald them,
Specially Robbin Hood. |
| 113 |
So that, it seemes, keeping in caves,
In woods and forrests thicke,
Thei'd beate a multitude with staves,
Their arrowes did so pricke. |
| 114 |
And none durst neare unto them come,
Unlesse in courtesie;
All such he bravely would send home,
With mirth and iollity. |
| 115 |
Which courtesie won him such love,
As I before have told;
'Twas the cheefe cause that he did prove
More prosperous than he could. |
| 116 |
Let us be thankefull for these times
Of plenty, truth, and peace,
And leave our great and horrid crimes,
Least they cause this to cease. |
| 117 |
I know there's many fained tales
Of Robbin Hood and 's crew;
But chronicles, which seldome fayles,
Reports this to be true. |
| 118 |
Let none then thinke this a lye,
For, if 'twere put to th' worst,
They may the truth of all discry
I th' raigne of Richard the first. |
| 119 |
If any reader please to try,
As I direction show,
The truth of this brave history,
Hee'l finde it true I know. |
| 120 |
And I shall thinke my labour well
Bestowed, to purpose good,
When 't shall be sayd that I did tell
True tales of Robbin Hood. |
