'O, who are these,' the sheriff he said, 'Come tripping over the lee?' 'They're my attendants,' brave Robin did say; They took the gallows from the slack, They set it in the glen, They hanged the proud sheriff on that, ROBIN HOOD'S DEATH AND BURIAL. [The close of this ballad singularly resembles a Romaic song on the death of a famous klepht, or brigand, in Fauriel's collection.] When Robin Hood and Little John, Went o'er yon bank of broom, Said Robin Hood to Little John, 'We have shot for many a pound: 'But I am not able to shoot one shot more, But I have a cousin lives down below, Please God, she will bleed me.' Now Robin is to fair Kirkley gone, As fast as he can win; But before he came there, as we do hear, He was taken very ill. And when that he came to fair Kirkley-hall, He knock'd all at the ring, But none was so ready as his cousin herself For to let bold Robin in. 'Will you please to sit down, cousin Robin,' she said, 'No, I will neither eat nor drink Till I am blooded by thee.' 'Well, I have a room, cousin Robin,' she said, 'Which you did never see, And if you please to walk therein, She took him by the lily-white hand, She blooded him in the vein of the arm, He then bethought him of a casement door, He was so weak he could not leap, He then bethought him of his bugle-horn, He set his horn unto his mouth, And blew out weak blasts three. Then Little John, when hearing him, As he sat under the tree, 'I fear my master is near dead, He blows so wearily.' Then Little John to fair Kirkley is gone, As fast as he can dri'e; But when he came to Kirkley-hall, He broke locks two or three: Until he came bold Robin to, 'A boon, a boon,' cries Little John, 'What is that boon,' quoth Robin Hood, 'Little John, thou begs of me?' 'It is to burn fair Kirkley-hall, And all their nunnery.' 'Now nay, now nay,' quoth Robin Hood, 'That boon I'll not grant thee; I never hurt woman in all my life, Nor man in woman's company. 'I never hurt fair maid in all my time, Nor at my end shall it be; But give me my bent bow in my hand, 'Lay me a green sod under my head, And lay my bent bow by my side, And make my grave of gravel and green, 'Let me have length and breadth enough, These words they readily promis'd him, Which did bold Robin please; And there they buried bold Robin Hood, Near to the fair Kirklèys. DOMESTIC. THE BAILIFF'S DAUGHTER OF ISLINGTON. There was a youthe, and a well-beloved youthe, He loved the bayliffes daughter deare, Yet she was coye, and would not believe Noe nor at any time would she Any countenance to him showe. But when his friendes did understand And when he had been seven long yeares, 'Many a teare have I shed for her sake, Then all the maids of Islington As as she went along the high road, She started up, with a colour soe redd, 'One penny, one penny, kind sir,' she sayd, 'Will ease me of much paine.' 'Before I give you one penny, sweet-heart, 'I prythee, sweet-heart, then tell to mee, 'If she be dead, then take my horse, 'O staye, O staye, thou goodlye youthe, She is here alive, she is not dead, 'O farewell griefe, and welcome joye, Ten thousand times therefore ; For nowe I have founde mine owne true love, Whom I thought I should never see more.' |