{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch120.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch120.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch120.htm","text":"120A.1 \u2018I WILL neuer eate oor drinke,\u2019 Robin Hood said,\n\u2018Nor meate will doo me noe good,\nTill I haue beene at merry Churchlees,\nMy vaines for to let blood.\u2019\n120A.2 \u2018That I reade not,\u2019 said Will Scarllett,\n\u2018Master, by the assente of me,\nWithout halfe a hundred of your best bowmen\nYou take to goe with yee.\n120A.3 \u2018For there a good yeoman doth abide\nWill be sure to quarrell with thee,\nAnd if thou haue need of vs, master,\nIn faith we will not flee.\u2019\n120A.4 \u2018And thou be feard, thou William Scarlett,\nAtt home I read thee bee:\u2019\n\u2018And you be wrothe, my deare master,\nYou shall neuer heare more of mee.\u2019\n* * * * *\n120A.5 \u2018For there shall noe man with me goe,\nNor man with mee ryde,\nAnd Litle Iohn shall be my man,\nAnd beare my benbow by my side.\u2019\n120A.6 \u2018You\u2019st beare your bowe, master, your selfe,\nAnd shoote for a peny with mee:\u2019\n\u2018To that I doe assent,\u2019 Robin Hood sayd,\n\u2018And soe, Iohn, lett it bee.\u2019\n120A.7 They two bolde children shotten together,\nAll day theire selfe in ranke,\nVntill they came to blacke water,\nAnd over it laid a planke.\n120A.8 Vpon it there kneeled an old woman,\nWas banning Robin Hoode;\n\u2018Why dost thou bann Robin Hoode?\u2019 said Robin,\n. . . .\n* * * * *\n120A.9 . . . .\n\u2018To giue to Robin Hoode;\nWee weepen for his deare body,\nThat this day must be lett bloode.\u2019\n120A.10 \u2018The dame prior is my aunts daughter,\nAnd nie vnto my kinne;\nI know shee wold me noe harme this day,\nFor all the world to winne.\u2019\n120A.11 Forth then shotten these children two,\nAnd they did neuer lin,\nVntill they came to merry Churchlees,\nTo merry Churchlee[s] with-in.\n120A.12 And when they came to merry Churchlees,\nThey knoced vpon a pin;\nVpp then rose dame prioresse,\nAnd lett good Robin in.\n120A.13 Then Robin gaue to dame prioresse\nTwenty pound in gold,\nAnd bad her spend while that wold last,\nAnd shee shold haue more when shee wold.\n120A.14 And downe then came dame prioresse,\nDowne she came in that ilke,\nWith a pair off blood-irons in her hands,\nWere wrapped all in silke.\n120A.15 \u2018Sett a chaffing-dish to the fyer,\u2019 said dame prioresse,\n\u2018And stripp thou vp thy sleeue:\u2019\nI hold him but an vnwise man\nThat will noe warning leeve.\n120A.16 Shee laid the blood-irons to Robin Hoods vaine,\nAlacke, the more pitye!\nAnd pearct the vaine, and let out the bloode,\nThat full red was to see.\n120A.17 And first it bled, the thicke, thicke bloode,\nAnd afterwards the thinne,\nAnd well then wist good Robin Hoode\nTreason there was within.\n120A.18 \u2018What cheere my master?\u2019 said Litle Iohn;\n\u2018In faith, Iohn, litle goode;\u2019\n. . . .\n. . . .\n* * * * *\n120A.19 \u2018I haue upon a gowne of greene,\nIs cut short by my knee,\nAnd in my hand a bright browne brand\nThat will well bite of thee.\u2019\n120A.20 But forth then of a shot-windowe\nGood Robin Hood he could glide;\nRed Roger, with a grounden glaue,\nThrust him through the milke-white side.\n120A.21 But Robin was light and nimble of foote,\nAnd thought to abate his pride,\nFfor betwixt his head and his shoulders\nHe made a wound full wide.\n120A.22 Says, Ly there, ly there, Red Roger,\nThe doggs they must thee eate;\n\u2018For I may haue my houzle,\u2019 he said,\n\u2018For I may both goe and speake.\n120A.23 \u2018Now giue me mood,\u2019 Robin said to Litle Iohn,\n\u2018Giue me mood with thy hand;\nI trust to God in heauen soe hye\nMy houzle will me bestand.\u2019\n120A.24 \u2018Now giue me leaue, giue me leaue, master,\u2019 he said,\n\u2018For Christs loue giue leaue to me,\nTo set a fier within this hall,\nAnd to burne vp all Churchlee.\u2019\n120A.25 \u2018That I reade not,\u2019 said Robin Hoode then,\n\u2018Litle Iohn, for it may not be;\nIf I shold doe any widow hurt, at my latter end,\nGod,\u2019 he said, \u2019wold blame me;\n120A.26 \u2018But take me vpon thy backe, Litle Iohn,\nAnd beare me to yonder streete,\nAnd there make me a full fayre graue,\nOf grauell and of greete.\n120A.27 \u2018And sett my bright sword at my head,\nMine arrowes at my feete,\nAnd lay my vew-bow by my side,\nMy met-yard wi . .\n120B: Robin Hood\u2019s Death\n120B.1 WHEN Robin Hood and Little John\nDown a down a down a down\nWent oer yon bank of broom,\nSaid Robin Hood bold to Little John,\nWe have shot for many a pound.\nHey, etc.\n120B.2 But I am not able to shoot one shot more,\nMy broad arrows will not flee;\nBut I have a cousin lives down below,\nPlease God, she will bleed me.\n120B.3 Now Robin he is to fair Kirkly gone,\nAs fast as he can win;\nBut before he came there, as we do hear,\nHe was taken very ill.\n120B.4 And when he came to fair Kirkly-hall,\nHe knockd all at the ring,\nBut none was so ready as his cousin herself\nFor to let bold Robin in.\n120B.5 \u2018Will you please to sit down, cousin Robin,\u2019 she said,\n\u2018And drink some beer with me?\u2019\n\u2018No, I will neither eat nor drink,\nTill I am blooded by thee.\u2019\n120B.6 \u2018Well, I have a room, cousin Robin,\u2019 she said,\n\u2018Which you did never see,\nAnd if you please to walk therein,\nYou blooded by me shall be.\u2019\n120B.7 She took him by the lily-white hand,\nAnd led him to a private room,\nAnd there she blooded bold Robin Hood,\nWhile one drop of blood would run down.\n120B.8 She blooded him in a vein of the arm,\nAnd locked him up in the room;\nThen did he bleed all the live-long day,\nUntil the next day at noon.\n120B.9 He then bethought him of a casement there,\nThinking for to get down;\nBut was so weak he could not leap,\nHe could not get him down.\n120B.10 He then bethought him of his bugle-horn,\nWhich hung low down to his knee;\nHe set his horn unto his mouth,\nAnd blew out weak blasts three.\n120B.11 Then Little John, when hearing him,\nAs he sat under a tree,\n\u2018I fear my master is now near dead,\nHe blows so wearily.\u2019\n120B.12 Then Little John to fair Kirkly is gone,\nAs fast as he can dree;\nBut when he came to Kirkly-hall,\nHe broke locks two or three:\n120B.13 Until he came bold Robin to see,\nThen he fell on his knee;\n\u2018A boon, a boon,\u2019 cries Little John,\n\u2018Master, I beg of thee.\u2019\n120B.14 \u2018What is that boon,\u2019 said Robin Hood,\n\u2018Little John, [thou] begs of me?\u2019\n\u2018It is to burn fair Kirkly-hall,\nAnd all their nonnery.\u2019\n120B.15 \u2018Now nay, now nay,\u2019 quoth Robin Hood,\n\u2018That boon I\u2019ll not grant thee;\nI never hurt woman in all my life,\nNor men in woman\u2019s company.\n120B.16 \u2018I never hurt fair maid in all my time,\nNor at mine end shall it be;\nBut give me my bent bow in my hand,\nAnd a broad arrow I\u2019ll let flee;\nAnd where this arrow is taken up,\nThere shall my grave digged be.\n120B.17 \u2018Lay me a green sod under my head,\nAnd another at my feet;\nAnd lay my bent bow by my side,\nWhich was my music sweet;\nAnd make my grave of gravel and green,\nWhich is most right and meet.\n120B.18 \u2018Let me have length and breadth enough,\nWith a green sod under my head;\nThat they may say, when I am dead\nHere lies bold Robin Hood.\u2019\n120B.19 These words they readily granted him,\nWhich did bold Robin please:\nAnd there they buried bold Robin Hood,\nWithin the fair Kirkleys.","title":"The Child Ballads: 120. Robin Hood's Death","type":"page"}