| |
I
COME listen to me, you gallants so free, | |
| All you that love mirth for to hear, | |
| And I will you tell of a bold outlàw, | |
| That lived in Nottinghamshire. | |
| |
II
As Robin Hood in the forest stood, | 5 |
| All under the green-wood tree, | |
| There was he ware of a brave young man, | |
| As fine as fine might be. | |
| |
III
The youngster was clothed in scarlet red, | |
| In scarlet fine and gay, | 10 |
| And he did frisk it over the plain, | |
| And chanted a roundelay. | |
| |
IV
As Robin Hood next morning stood, | |
| Amongst the leaves so gay, | |
| There did he espy the same young man | 15 |
| Come drooping along the way. | |
| |
V
The scarlet he wore the day before, | |
| It was clean cast away; | |
| And every step he fetcht a sigh, | |
| ‘Alack and a well a day!’ | 20 |
| |
VI
Then steppèd forth brave Little John, | |
| And Much the miller’s son, | |
| Which made the young man bend his bow, | |
| When as he saw them come. | |
| |
VII
‘Stand off, stand off!’ the young man said, | 25 |
| ‘What is your will with me?’— | |
| ‘You must come before our master straight, | |
| Under yon green-wood tree.’ | |
| |
VIII
And when he came bold Robin before, | |
| Robin askt him courteously, | 30 |
| ‘O hast thou any money to spare, | |
| For my merry men and me?’ | |
| |
IX
‘I have no money,’ the young man said, | |
| ‘But five shillings and a ring; | |
| And that I have kept this seven long years, | 35 |
| To have it at my weddìng. | |
| |
X
‘Yesterday I should have married a maid, | |
| But she is now from me tane, | |
| And chosen to be an old knight’s delight, | |
| Whereby my poor heart is slain.’ | 40 |
| |
XI
‘What is thy name?’ then said Robin Hood, | |
| ‘Come tell me, without any fail.’— | |
| ‘By the faith of my body,’ then said the young man, | |
| ‘My name it is Alan a Dale.’ | |
| |
XII
‘What wilt thou give me,’ said Robin Hood, | 45 |
| ‘In ready gold or fee, | |
| To help thee to thy true-love again, | |
| And deliver her unto thee?’ | |
| |
XIII
‘I have no money,’ then quoth the young man, | |
| No ready gold nor fee, | 50 |
| But I will swear upon a book | |
| Thy true servant for to be.’— | |
| |
XIV
‘But how many miles to thy true-love? | |
| Come tell me without any guile.’— | |
| ‘By the faith of my body,’ then said the young man, | 55 |
| ‘It is but five little mile.’ | |
| |
XV
Then Robin he hasted over the plain, | |
| He did neither stintvnor lin, | |
| Until he came unto the church | |
| Where Alan should keep his wedding. | 60 |
| |
XVI
‘What dost thou do here?’ the Bishop he said, | |
| ‘I prithee now tell to me:’ | |
| ‘I am a bold harper,’ quoth Robin Hood, | |
| ‘And the best in the north countrey.’ | |
| |
XVII
‘O welcome, O welcome!’ the Bishop he said, | 65 |
| ‘That musick best pleaseth me.’— | |
| ‘You shall have no musick,’ quoth Robin Hood, | |
| ‘Till the bride and the bridegroom I see.’ | |
| |
XVIII
With that came in a wealthy knight, | |
| Which was both grave and old, | 70 |
| And after him a finikin lass, | |
| Did shine like glistering gold. | |
| |
XIX
‘This is no fit match,’ quoth bold Robin Hood, | |
| ‘That you do seem to make here; | |
| For since we are come unto the church, | 75 |
| The bride she shall chuse her own dear.’ | |
| |
XX
Then Robin Hood put his horn to his mouth, | |
| And blew blasts two or three; | |
| When four and twenty bowmen bold | |
| Come leaping over the lee. | 80 |
| |
XXI
And when they came into the churchyard, | |
| Marching all on a row, | |
| The first man was Alan a Dale, | |
| To give bold Robin his bow. | |
| |
XXII
‘This is thy true-love,’ Robin he said, | 85 |
| ‘Young Alan, as I hear say; | |
| And you shall be married at this same time, | |
| Before we depart away.’ | |
| |
XXIII
‘That shall not be,’ the Bishop he said, | |
| ‘For thy word it shall not stand; | 90 |
| They shall be three times askt in the church, | |
| As the law is of our land.’ | |
| |
XXIV
Robin Hood pull’d off the Bishop’s coat, | |
| And put it upon Little John; | |
| ‘By the faith of my body,’ then Robin said, | 95 |
| ‘This cloath doth make thee a man.’ | |
| |
XXV
When Little John went into the quire, | |
| The people began for to laugh; | |
| He askt them seven times in the church, | |
| Least three should not be enough. | 100 |
| |
XXVI
‘Who gives me this maid?’ then said Little John; | |
| Quoth Robin, ‘That do I! | |
| And he that doth take her from Alan a Dale | |
| Full dearly he shall her buy.’ | |
| |
XXVII
And thus having ended this merry weddìing, | 105 |
| The bride lookt as fresh as a queen, | |
| And so they return’d to the merry green-wood, | |
| Amongst the leaves so green. | |
|
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