A Collection of Ballads Part 36

"Had I west that beforen, At Notynggam when we wer, Thow scholde not com yn feyr forest Of all thes thowsande eyr."

"That wot y well," seyde Roben, "Y thanke G.o.d that ye be her; Therfor schall ye leffe yowr horse with hos, And all your hother ger."

"That fend I G.o.dys forbode," kod the screffe, "So to lese mey G.o.dde;"

"Hether ye cam on horse foll hey, And hom schall ye go on fote; And gret well they weyffe at home, The woman ys foll G.o.dde.

"Y schall her sende a wheyt palffrey, Het hambellet as the weynde; Ner for the loffe of yowr weyffe, Off mor sorow scholde yow seyng."

Thes parted Robyn Hode and the screffe, To Notynggam he toke the waye; Hes weyffe feyr welcomed hem hom, And to hem gan sche saye:

"Seyr, how haffe yow fared yn grene foreyst?

Haffe ye browt Roben hom?"

"Dam, the deyell spede him, bothe bodey and bon, Y haffe hade a foll grete skorne.

"Of all the G.o.d that y haffe lade to grene wod, He hayt take het fro me, All bot this feyr palffrey, That he hayt sende to the."

With that sche toke op a lowde lawhyng, And swhar be hem that deyed on tre, "Now haffe yow payed for all the pottys That Roben gaffe to me.

"Now ye be corn hom to Notynggam, Ye schall haffe G.o.d ynowe;"

Now speke we of Roben Hode, And of the pottyr onder the grene bowhe.

"Potter, what was they pottys worthe To Notynggam that y ledde with me?"

"They wer worth two n.o.bellys," seyd he, "So mot y treyffe or the; So cowde y had for tham, And y had ther be."

"Thow schalt hafe ten ponde," seyde Roben, "Of money feyr and fre; And yever whan thou comest to grene wod, Wellcom, potter to me."

Thes partyd Robyn, the screffe, and the potter, Ondernethe the grene-wod tre; G.o.d haffe mersey on Robyn Hodys solle, And saffe all G.o.d yemanrey!

Ballad: Robin Hood And The Butcher

Come, all you brave gallants, and listen awhile, With hey down, down, an a down, That are in the bowers within; For of Robin Hood, that archer good, A song I intend for to sing.

Upon a time it chanced so, Bold Robin in forrest did 'spy A jolly butcher, with a bonny fine mare, With his flesh to the market did hye.

"Good morrow, good fellow," said jolly Robin, "What food hast [thou]? tell unto me; Thy trade to me tell, and where thou dost dwell, For I like well thy company."

The butcher he answer'd jolly Robin, "No matter where I dwell; For a butcher I am, and to Nottingham I am going, my flesh to sell."

"What's [the] price of thy flesh?" said jolly Robin, "Come, tell it soon unto me; And the price of thy mare, be she never so dear, For a butcher fain would I be."

"The price of my flesh," the butcher repli'd, "I soon will tell unto thee; With my bonny mare, and they are not too dear, Four mark thou must give unto me."

"Four mark I will give thee," saith jolly Robin, "Four mark it shall be thy fee; The mony come count, and let me mount, For a butcher I fain would be."

Now Robin he is to Nottingham gone, His butchers trade to begin; With good intent to the sheriff he went, And there he took up his inn.

When other butchers did open their meat, Bold Robin he then begun; But how for to sell he knew not well, For a butcher he was but young.

When other butchers no meat could sell, Robin got both gold and fee; For he sold more meat for one peny Then others could do for three.

But when he sold his meat so fast, No butcher by him could thrive; For he sold more meat for one peny Than others could do for five.

Which made the butchers of Nottingham To study as they did stand, Saying, "Surely he 'is' some prodigal, That hath sold his fathers land."

The butchers stepped to jolly Robin, Acquainted with him for to be; "Come, brother," one said, "we be all of one trade, Come, will you go dine with me?"

"Accurst of his heart," said jolly Robin, "That a butcher doth deny; I will go with you, my brethren true, As fast as I can hie."

But when to the sheriffs house they came, To dinner they hied apace, And Robin Hood he the man must be Before them all to say grace.

"Pray G.o.d bless us all," said jolly Robin, "And our meat within this place; A cup of sack so good will nourish our blood, And so do I end my grace."

"Come fill us more wine," said jolly Robin, "Let us be merry while we do stay; For wine and good cheer, be it never so dear, I vow I the reck'ning will pay.

"Come, 'brothers,' be merry," said jolly Robin, "Let us drink, and never give ore; For the shot I will pay, ere I go my way, If it cost me five pounds and more."

"This is a mad blade," the butchers then said; Saies the sheriff, "He is some prodigal, That some land has sold for silver and gold, And now he doth mean to spend all.

"Hast thou any horn beasts," the sheriff repli'd, "Good fellow, to sell unto me?"

"Yes, that I have, good master sheriff, I have hundreds two or three;

"And a hundred aker of good free land, If you please it to see: And Ile make you as good a.s.surance of it, As ever my father made me."

The sheriff he saddled his good palfrey, And, with three hundred pound in gold, Away he went with bold Robin Hood, His horned beasts to behold.

Away then the sheriff and Robin did ride, To the forrest of merry Sherwood; Then the sheriff did say, "G.o.d bless us this day From a man they call Robin Hood!"

But when a little farther they came, Bold Robin he chanced to spy A hundred head of good red deer, Come tripping the sheriff full nigh.

"How like you my horn'd beasts, good master sheriff?

They be fat and fair for to see;"

"I tell thee, good fellow, I would I were gone, For I like not thy company."

Then Robin set his horn to his mouth, And blew but blasts three; Then quickly anon there came Little John, And all his company.

"What is your will, master?" then said Little John, "Good master come tell unto me;"

"I have brought hither the sheriff of Nottingham This day to dine with thee."

"He is welcome to me," then said Little John, "I hope he will honestly pay; I know he has gold, if it be but well told, Will serve us to drink a whole day."

Then Robin took his mantle from his back, And laid it upon the ground: And out of the sheriffs portmantle He told three hundred pound.

Then Robin he brought him thorow the wood, And set him on his dapple gray; "O have me commanded to your wife at home;"

So Robin went laughing away.