| |
| COME, listen to me, you gallants so free, | |
| All you that love mirth for to hear, | |
| And I will tell you of a bold outlaw, | |
| That lived in Nottinghamshire. | |
| |
| As Robin Hood in the forest stood, | 5 |
| All under the greenwood tree, | |
| There he was aware of a brave young man, | |
| As fine as fine might be. | |
| |
| The youngster was clad in scarlet-red, | |
| In scarlet fine and gay; | 10 |
| And he did frisk it over the plain, | |
| And chanted a roundelay. | |
| |
| 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. | |
| |
| The scarlet he wore the day before | |
| It was clean cast away; | |
| And at every step he fetched a sigh, | |
| “Alack and well-a-day!” | 20 |
| |
| Then stepped forth brave Little John, | |
| And Midge, the miller’s son; | |
| Which made the young man bend his bow, | |
| Whenas he see them come. | |
| |
| “Stand off! stand off!” the young man said, | 25 |
| “What is your will with me?” | |
| “You must come before our master straight, | |
| Under yon greenwood tree.” | |
| |
| And when he came bold Robin before, | |
| Robin asked him courteously, | 30 |
| “O, hast thou any money to spare, | |
| For my merry men and me?” | |
| |
| “I have no money,” the young man said, | |
| “But five shillings and a ring; | |
| And that I have kept these seven long years, | 35 |
| To have at my wedding. | |
| |
| “Yesterday I should have married a maid, | |
| But she was from me ta’en, | |
| And chosen to be an old knight’s delight, | |
| Whereby my poor heart is slain.” | 40 |
| |
| “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 Allan-a-Dale.” | |
| |
| “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?” | |
| |
| “I have no money,” then quoth the young man, | |
| “No ready gold or fee, | 50 |
| But I will swear upon a book | |
| Thy true servant for to be.” | |
| |
| “How many miles is it to thy true-love? | |
| Come tell me without guile.” | |
| “By the faith of my body,” then said the young man, | 55 |
| “It is but five little mile.” | |
| |
| Then Robin he hasted over the plain, | |
| He did neither stint nor lin, 1 | |
| Until he came unto the church | |
| Where Allan should keep his wedding. | 60 |
| |
| “What hast thou here?” the bishop then said, | |
| “I prithee now tell unto me.” | |
| “I am a bold harper,” quoth Robin Hood, | |
| “And the best in the north country.” | |
| |
| “O, welcome, O, welcome,” the bishop he said, | 65 |
| “That music best pleaseth me.” | |
| “You shall have no music,” quoth Robin Hood, | |
| “Till the bride and bridegroom I see.” | |
| |
| With that came in a wealthy knight, | |
| Which was both grave and old; | 70 |
| And after him a finikin lass, | |
| Did shine like the glistering gold. | |
| |
| “This is not a fit match,” quoth Robin Hood, | |
| “That you do seem to make here; | |
| For since we are come into the church, | 75 |
| The bride shall chuse her own dear.” | |
| |
| Then Robin Hood put his horn to his mouth, | |
| And blew blasts two and three; | |
| When four-and twenty yeomen bold | |
| Came leaping over the lea. | 80 |
| |
| And when they came into the churchyard, | |
| Marching all in a row, | |
| The very first man was Allan-a-Dale, | |
| To give bold Robin his bow. | |
| |
| “This is thy true-love,” Robin he said, | 85 |
| “Young Allan, as I hear say; | |
| And you shall be married at this same time, | |
| Before we depart away.” | |
| |
| “That shall not be,” the bishop he cried, | |
| “For thy word shall not stand; | 90 |
| They shall be three times asked in the church, | |
| As the law is of our land.” | |
| |
| Robin Hood pulled off the bishop’s coat, | |
| And put it upon Little John; | |
| “By the faith of my body,” then Robin said, | 95 |
| “This cloth doth make thee a man.” | |
| |
| When Little John went into the quire, | |
| The people began to laugh; | |
| He asked them seven times in the church | |
| Lest three times should not be enough. | 100 |
| |
| “Who gives me this maid?” said Little John, | |
| Quoth Robin Hood, “That do I; | |
| And he that takes her from Allan-a-Dale, | |
| Full dearly he shall her buy.” | |
| |
| And then, having ended this merry wedding, | 105 |
| The bride looked like a queen; | |
| And so they returned to the merry greenwood, | |
| Amongst the leaves so green. | |
