The Book of Brave Old Ballads Part 1

The Book of Brave Old Ballads.

by Unknown.

ROBIN HOOD AND GUY OF GISBORNE.

When shaws[1] be sheen,[2] and swards full fair, And leaves both large and long, It is merry walking in the fair forest To hear the small birds' song.

The woodweel[3] sang, and would not cease, Sitting upon the spray, So loud, he wakened Robin Hood, In the greenwood where he lay.

Now by my faith, said jolly Robin, A sweaven[4] I had this night; I dreamt me of two wight[5] yeomen That fast with me can fight.

Methought they did me beat and bind, And took my bow me fro'; If I be Robin alive in this land, I'll be wroken[6] on them two.

Sweavens are swift, master, quoth John, As the wind that blows o'er a hill; For if it be never so loud this night, To-morrow it may be still.

Busk ye, bowne[7] ye, my merry men all, And John shall go with me, For I'll go seek yon wight yeomen, In the greenwood where they be.

Then they cast on their gowns of green, And took their bows each one, And they away to the green forest, A shooting forth are gone;

Until they came to the merry greenwood, Where they had gladdest be, There were they aware of a wight yeoman, His body leaned to a tree.

A sword and a dagger he wore by his side, Of many a man the bane; And he was clad in his capull[8] hide Top and tail and mane.

Stand you still, master, quoth Little John, Under this tree so green, And I will go to yon wight yeoman To know what he doth mean.

Ah! John, by me thou settest no store, And that I fairly find; How oft send I my men before, And tarry myself behind?

It is no cunning a knave to ken, An[9] a man but hear him speak; An it were not for bursting of my bow, John, I thy head would break.

As often words they breeden bale,[10]

So they parted, Robin and John; And John is gone to Barnesdale: The gates[11] he knoweth each one.

But when he came to Barnesdale, Great heaviness there he had, For he found two of his own fellows Were slain both in a glade.

And Scarlett he was flying a-foot Fast over stock and stone, For the proud sheriff with seven score men Fast after him is gone.

One shot now I will shoot, quoth John, (With Christe his might and main;) I'll make yon fellow that flies so fast, To stop he shall be fain.

Then John bent up his long bende-bow, And fettled[12] him to shoot: The bow was made of tender bough, And fell down to his foot.

Woe worth, woe worth thee, wicked wood, That ere thou grew on a tree; For now this day thou art my bale, My boote[13] when thou shouldst be.

His shoot it was but loosely shot, Yet flew not the arrow in vain, For it met one of the sheriff's men,-- Good William-a-Trent was slain.

It had been better for William-a-Trent To have been a-bed with sorrow, Than to be that day in the greenwood glade To meet with Little John's arrow.

But as it is said, when men be met, Five can do more than three, The sheriff hath taken Little John, And bound him fast to a tree.

Thou shalt be drawn by dale and down, And hang'd high on a hill.

But thou mayst fail of thy purpose, quoth John, If it be Christe his will.

Let us leave talking of Little John, And think of Robin Hood, How he is gone to the wight yeoman, Where under the leaves he stood.

Good morrow, good fellow, said Robin so fair, Good morrow, good fellow, quoth he: Methinks by this bow thou bear'st in thy hand, A good archer thou shouldst be.

I am wilful[14] of my way, quo' the yeoman, And of my morning tide.

I'll lead thee through the wood, said Robin; Good fellow, I'll be thy guide.

I seek an outlaw, the stranger said, Men call him Robin Hood; Rather I'd meet with that proud outlaw Than forty pounds so good.

Now come with me, thou wighty yeoman, And Robin thou soon shalt see: But first let us some pastime find Under the greenwood tree.

First let us some mastery make Among the woods so even, We may chance to meet with Robin Hood Here at some unset[15] steven.

They cut them down two summer shoggs,[16]

That grew both under a briar, And set them threescore rod, in twain, To shoot the p.r.i.c.ks[17] y-fere.[18]

Lead on, good fellow, quoth Robin Hood, Lead on, I do bid thee.

Nay by my faith, good fellow, he said, My leader thou shalt be.

The first time Robin shot at the p.r.i.c.k, He miss'd but an inch it fro'; The yeoman he was an archer good, But he could never shoot so.

The second shoot had the wighty yeoman, He shot within the garland;[19]

But Robin he shot far better than he, For he clave the good p.r.i.c.k-wand.

A blessing upon thy heart, he said; Good fellow, thy shooting is good; For an thy heart be as good as thy hand, Thou wert better than Robin Hood.

Now tell me thy name, good fellow, said he, Under the leaves of lyne.[20]

Nay, by my faith, quoth bold Robin, Till thou have told me thine.

I dwell by dale and down, quoth he, And Robin to take I'm sworn; And when I am called by my right name, I am Guy of good Gisbrne.

My dwelling is in this wood, says Robin, By thee I set right nought: I am Robin Hood of Barnesdale, Whom thou so long hast sought.

He that had neither been kith nor kin, Might have seen a full fair sight, To see how together these yeomen went With blades both brown and bright.

To see how these yeomen together they fought Two hours of a summer's day: Yet neither Robin Hood nor sir Guy Them fettled to fly away.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ROBIN HOOD AND GUY OF GISBORNE.]

Robin was reachles[21] of a root, And stumbled at that tide; And Guy was quick and nimble withal, And hit him o'er the left side.

Ah dear Lady, said Robin Hood, thou, Thou art both mother and may',[22]

I think it was never man's destiny To die before his day.

Robin thought on our Lady dear, And soon leapt up again, And straight he came with a backward stroke, And he sir Guy hath slain.