A Bundle of Ballads Part 18

"Yes, fore G.o.d," then said Rob-in, "Or else I were a fool; Another day ye will me clothe, I trow, against the Yule."

The king cast off his cot-e then, A green garment he did on, And every knight had so, i-wis, They cloth-ed them full soon.

When they were clothed in Lincoln green, They cast away their gray.

Now we shall to Nottingham, All thus our king gan say.

Their bows they bent and forth they went, Shooting all in-fere, Toward the town of Nottingham, Outlaws as they were.

Our king and Robin rode together, For sooth as I you say, And they shot pluck-buffet, As they went by the way; And many a buffet our king wan, Of Robin Hood that day: And nothing spar-ed good Rob-in Our king in his pay.

"So G.o.d me help-e," said our king, "Thy name is nought to lere, I should not get a shot of thee, Though I shot all this year."

All the people of Nottingham They stood and beheld, They saw nothing but mantles of green, They covered all the feld; Then every man to other gan say, "I dread our king be slone; Come Robin Hood to the town, i-wis, On live he leaveth not one."

Full hastily they began to flee, Both yeomen and knaves, And old wives that might evil go, They hopp-ed on their staves.

The king be lough full fast, And commanded them again; When they see our comely king, I-wis they were full fain.

They ate and drank, and made them glad, And sang with not-es hie.

Then bespake our comely king To Sir Richard at the Lee: He gave him there his land again, A good man he bade him be.

Robin thanked our comely king, And set him on his knee.

Had Robin dwelled in the king's court But twelv-e months and three, That he had spent an hundred pound, And all his menn-es fee, In every place where Robin came, Ever more he laid down, Both for knights and squires, To get him great renown.

By then the year was all agone, He had no man but twain, Little John and good Scathlocke, With him all for to gane.

Robin saw yong-e men to shoot, Full fair upon a day, "Alas!" then said good Rob-in, "My wealth is went away.

Sometime I was an archer good, A stiff and eke a strong, I was committed the best arch-er That was in merry Englond.

Alas!" then said good Rob-in, "Alas and well away!

If I dwell longer with the king, Sorrow will me slay!"

Forth then went Robin Hood, Till he came to our king: "My lord the king of Englond, Grant me mine ask-ing.

I made a chapel in Barnysdale, That seemly is to see, It is of Mary Magdalene, And thereto would I be; I might never in this seven-night, No time to sleep ne wink, Neither all these seven days, Neither eat ne drink.

Me longeth sore to Barnysdale, I may not be therefro, Barefoot and woolward I have hight Thither for to go."

"If it be so," then said our king, "It may no better be; Seven-night I give thee leave, No longer, to dwell fro me."

"Gram-ercy, lord," then said Rob-in, And set him on his knee; He took his leave full courteously, To green wood then went he.

When he came to green-e wood, In a merr-y morning, There he heard the not-es small Of bird-es merry sing-ing.

"It is ferre gone," said Rob-in, "That I was last here, Me list a little for to shoot At the dunne deer."

Robin slew a full great hart, His horn then gan he blow, That all the outlaws of that for-est, That horn could they know, And gathered them together, In a little throw, Seven score of wight young men, Came ready on a row; And fair did off their hoods, And set them on their knee: "Welcome," they said, "our mast-er, Under this green wood tree!"

Robin dwelled in green wood, Twenty year and two, For all dread of Edward our king, Again would he not go.

Yet he was beguiled, i-wis, Through a wicked wom-an, The Prioress of Kirklees, That nigh was of his kin, For the love of a knight, Sir Roger of Doncaster, That was her own special, Full evil mote they thee,

They took together their couns-el, Robin Hood for to sle, And how they might best do that deed, His banis for to be.

Then bespak-e good Rob-in, In place whereas he stood, "To-morrow I must to Kirklees, Craftily to be letten blood."

Sir Roger of Doncaster, By the Prioress he lay, And there they betrayed good Robin Hood, Through their fals-e play.

Christ have mercy on his soul, That di-ed on the rood!

For he was a good outlaw, And did poor men much good.

KING EDWARD IV. AND THE TANNER OF TAMWORTH.

In summer time, when leaves grow green, And blossoms bedeck the tree, King Edward would a hunting ride, Some pastime for to see.

With hawk and hound he made him boun, With horn, and eke with bow; To Drayton Ba.s.set he took his way, With all his lords arow.

And he had ridden o'er dale and down By eight of clock in the day, When he was ware of a bold tann-er, Come riding along the way.

A fair russet coat the tanner had on, Fast b.u.t.toned under his chin, And under him a good cow-hide, And a mare of four s.h.i.+ll-ing.

"Now stand you still, my good lords all Under the green wood spray; And I will wend to yonder fell-ow, To weet what he will say."--

"G.o.d speed, G.o.d speed thee," said our king.-- "Thou art welcome, sir," said he.-- "The readiest way to Drayton Ba.s.set I pray thee to show to me."--

"To Drayton Ba.s.set wouldst thou go, Fro the place where thou dost stand?

The next pair of gallows thou comest unto Turn in upon thy right hand."--

"That is an unready way," said our king, "Thou doest but jest, I see; Now show me out the nearest way, And I pray thee wend with me."--

"Away with a vengeance!" quoth the tanner: "I hold thee out of thy wit: All day have I ridden on Brock my mare, And I am fasting yet."--

"Go with me down to Drayton Ba.s.set, No dainties we will spare; All day shalt thou eat and drink of the best, And I will pay thy fare."--

"Gram-ercy for nothing," the tanner replied, "Thou payest no fare of mine: I trow I've more n.o.bles in my purse, Than thou hast pence in thine."--

"G.o.d give thee joy of them," said the king, "And send them well to prief."-- The tanner would fain have been away, For he weened he had been a thief.

"What art thou," he said, "thou fine fell-ow?

Of thee I am in great fear, For the clothes thou wearest upon thy back Might beseem a lord to wear."--

"I never stole them," quoth our king, "I tell you, sir, by the rood."-- "Then thou playest, as many an unthrift doth, And standest in midst of thy good."--

"What tidings hear you," said the king.

"As you ride far and near?"-- "I hear no tidings, sir, by the ma.s.s, But that cow-hides are dear."--

"Cow-hides! cow-hides! what things are those?

I marvel what they be!"-- "What, art thou a fool?" the tanner replied; "I carry one under me."--

"What craftsman art thou?" said the king, "I pray thee tell me trow."-- "I am a barker, sir, by my trade.

Now tell me what art thou?"--

"I am a poor courtier, sir," quoth he, "That am forth of service worn; And fain I would thy 'prentice be, Thy cunning for to learn."--

"Marry, heaven forfend," the tanner replied, "That thou my 'prentice were!

Thou'dst spend more good than I should win, By forty s.h.i.+lling a year."--

"Yet one thing would I," said our king, "If thou wilt not seem strange: Though my horse be better than thy mare, Yet with thee I fain would change."--

"Why, if with me thou fain wilt change, As change full well may we, By the faith of my body, thou proud fell-ow I will have some boot of thee."--

"That were against reason," said the king, "I swear, so mote I thee: My horse is better than thy mare, And that thou well may'st see."--