English and Scottish Ballads Volume V Part 49

She blooded him in the vein of the arm, And lock'd him up in the room; 30 There did he bleed all the live-long day, Untill the next day at noon.

He then bethought him of a cas.e.m.e.nt door, Thinking for to be gone;[L34]

He was so weak he could not leap, 35 Nor he could not get down.

He then bethought him of his bugle-horn, Which hung low down to his knee; He set his horn unto his mouth, And blew out weak blasts three. 40

Then Little John, when hearing him, As he sat under the tree, "I fear my master is near dead, He blows so wearily."

Then Little John to fair Kirkley is gone, 45 As fast as he can dree; But when he came to Kirkley-hall, He broke locks two or three:

Untill he came bold Robin to, Then he fell on his knee; 50 "A boon, a boon," cries Little John, "Master, I beg of thee."

"What is that boon," quoth Robin Hood, "Little John, thou begs of me?"

"It is to burn fair Kirkley-hall, 55 And all their nunnery."

"Now nay, now nay," quoth Robin Hood, "That boon I'll not grant thee; I never hurt woman in all my life,[L59]

Nor man in woman's company. 60

"I never hurt fair maid in all my time, Nor at my end shall it be; But give me my bent bow in my hand, And a broad arrow I'll let flee; And where this arrow is taken up, 65 There shall my grave digg'd be.

"Lay me a green sod under my head,[L67]

And another at my feet;[L68]

And lay my bent bow by my side, Which was my music sweet; 70 And make my grave of gravel and green, Which is most right and meet.

"Let me have length and breadth enough, With under my head a green sod;[L74]

That they may say, when I am dead, 75 Here lies bold Robin Hood."

These words they readily promis'd him, Which did bold Robin please: And there they buried bold Robin Hood, Near to the fair Kirkleys. 80

20. Till I blood letted be.

24. You blood shall letted be.

26, let, Ritson.

34, get down.

59, burnt. This stanza is omitted in one edition.

67, 68.

With verdant sods most neatly put, weet as the green-wood tree.

74. With a green sod under my head, Ritson.

ROBIN HOOD AND QUEEN KATHERINE.

Ritson's _Robin Hood_, ii. 87.

"From an old black-letter copy in a private collection, compared with another in that of Anthony a Wood. The full t.i.tle is: "_Renowned Robin Hood; or, his famous archery truly related in the worthy exploits he acted before queen Katherine, he being an outlaw man; and how he obtained his own and his fellows pardon_. _To a new tune._

"It is scarcely worth observing that there was no queen consort named Katherine before Henry the Fifth's time: but as Henry the Eighth had no less than three wives so called, the name would be sufficiently familiar to our ballad-maker." RITSON.

Gold tane from the kings harbengers, _Downe, a downe, a downe_, As seldome hath beene seene, _Downe, a downe, a downe_, And carried by bold Robin Hood For a present to the queen, _Downe, a downe, a downe_.

"If that I live a yeare to an end," 5 Thus can queene Katherine say, "Bold Robin Hood, I will be thy friend, And all thy yeomen gay."

The queene is to her chamber gone, As fast as she can win;[L10] 10 She calls unto her lovely page, His name was Richard Patrington.

"Come thou hither to mee, thou lovely page, Come thou hither to mee; For thou must post to Nottingham, 15 As fast as thou can dree.

"And as thou goest to Nottingham, Search all the English wood, Enquire of one good yeoman or another, That can tell thee of Robin Hood." 20

Sometimes hee went, sometimes hee ran, As fast as hee could win; And when hee came to Nottingham, There hee took up his inne.

And when he came to Nottingham, 25 And had tooke up his inne, He calls for a pottle of Rhenish wine, And dranke a health to his queene.

There sate a yeoman by his side, "Tell mee, sweet page," said hee, 30 "What is thy businesse and thy cause, So far in the north countrey?"

"This is my businesse and the cause, Sir, I'le tell it you for good, To enquire of one good yeoman or another, 35 To tell mee of Robin Hood."

"I'le get my horse betimes in the morne, By it be break of day, And I will shew thee bold Robin Hood, And all his yeomen gay." 40

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;

"She bids you post to fair London court, 45 Not fearing any thing: For there shall be a little sport, And she hath sent you her ring."

Robin Hood tooke his mantle from his back, It was of the Lincolne greene, 50 And sent it by this lovely page, For a present unto the queene.

In summer time, when leaves grow green, It [wa]s a seemely sight to see, How Robin Hood himselfe had drest, 55 And all his yeomandry.

He clothed his men in Lincolne green, And himselfe in scarlet red; Blacke hats, white feathers, all alike, Now bold Robin Hood is rid. 60

And when hee came at Londons court, Hee fell downe on his knee.

"Thou art welcome, Locksly," said the queen, "And all thy good yeomandree."

The king is into Finsbury field,[L65] 65 Marching in battle ray, And after follows bold Robin Hood, And all his yeomen gay.

"Come hither, Tepus," said the king, "Bow-bearer after me; 70 Come measure me out with this line, How long our mark must be.

"What is the wager?" said the queene, "That must I now know here:"

"Three hundred tun of Rhenish wine, 75 Three hundred tun of beere;

"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." 80