It is a tale of Robin Hood,
Which i to you will tell;
Which, being rightly understood,
I know will please you well.
This Robin, so much talked on,
Was once a man of fame,
Instiled Earl of Huntington,
Lord Robin Hood by name.
In courtship and magnificence
His carriage won him praise,
And greater favour with his prince
Than any in those days.
In bounteous liberality,
He too much did excell, And loved men of quality
More than exceeding well.
His great revenues all he sold
For wine and costly chear;
He kept three hundred bow-men bold,
He shooting lov'd so dear.
No archer in his living time,
With him might well
He practis'd all his youthful prime
That exercise most rare.
At last, by his profuse expense,
He had consumed his wealth;
And, being outlaw'd by his prince,
In woods he liv'd by stealth.
The abbot of Saint Maries rich,
To whom he money ought,
His hatred to the earl was such
That he his downfal wrought.
So being outlaw'd (as 'tis told)
He with a crew went forth
Of lusty cutters stout and bold,
And robbed in the north.
Among the rest one Little John,
A yeoman bold and free,
Who could (if it stood him upon)
With ease encounter three.
One hundred men in all he got,
With whom (the story says)
Three hundred common men durst not
Hold combat any waies.
They Yorkshire woods frequented much, And Lancashire also,
Wherein, their practises were such
That they wrought muckle woe.
None rich durst travel to and fro,
Though ne'er so strongly arm'd,
But by these thieves (so strong in show)
They still were rob'd and harm'd.
His chiefest spight to th' clergy was,
That liv'd in monstrous pride:
No one of them he would let pass
Along the highway side,
But first they must to dinner go,
And afterwards to shrift:
Full many a one he served so,
Thus while he liv'd by theft.
No monks nor fryers he would let go,
Without paying their fees:
If they thought much to be used so,
Their stones he made them lese.
For such as they the country fill'd
With bastards in those days:
Which to prevent, these sparks did geld
All that came in their ways.
But Robin Hood so gentle was,
And bore so brave a mind,
If any in distress did pass,
To them he was so kind,
That he would give and lend to them,
To help them in their need:
This made all poor men pray for him,
And wish he well might speed.
The widow and the fatherless
He would send means unto;
And those whom famine did oppress
Found him a friendly foe.
Nor would he do a woman wrong.
But see her safe convey'd:
He would protect with power strong
All those who crav'd his aid.
The abbot of Saint Maries then,
Who him undid before,
Was riding with two hundred men,
And gold and silver store:
But Robin Hood upon him set,
With his couragious sparks,
And all the coyn perforce did get,
Which was twelve thousand marks.
He bound the abbot to a tree,
And would not let him pass,
Before that to his men and he
His lordship had said mass:
Which being done, upon his horse
He set him fast astride,
And with his face towards his tail
He forced him to ride.
His men were forced to be his guide,
For he rode backward home.
The abbot, being thus villify'd,
Did sorely chafe and fume.
Thus Robin Hood did vindicate
His former wrongs receiv'd:
For 'twas this covetous prelate
That him of land bereav'd.
The abbot he rode to the king,
With all the haste he could;
And to his grace he everything
Exactly did unfold:
And said that if no course were ta'n,
By force or stratagem,
To take this rebel and his train,
No man should pass for them.
The king protested by and by
Unto the abbot then,
That Robin Hood with speed should dye
With all his merry men.
But ere the king did any send,
He did another feat,
Which did his grace much more offend,
The fact indeed was great.
For in a short time after that
The king's receivers went
Towards London with the coyn they'd got,
For's highness northern rent:
Bold Robin Hood and Little John,
With the rest of their train,
Not dreading law, set them upon,
And did their gold obtain.
The king, much moved at the same,
And the abbot's talk also,
In this his anger did proclaim,
And sent word to and fro,
That whosoever alive or dead
Could bring bold Robin Hood,
Should have one thousand marks well paid
In gold and silver good.
This promise of the king did make
Full many yeomen bold
Attempt stout Robin Hood to take
With all the force they could.
But still when any came to him,
Within the gay green wood,
He entertainment gave to them
With venison fat and good;
And shew'd to them such martial sport
With his long bow and arrow,
That they of him did give report,
How that it was great sorow
That such a worthy man as he
Should thus be put to shift,
Being a late lord of high degree,
Of living quite bereft.
The king to take him more and more
Sent men of mickle might;
But he and his still beat them sore,
Or else with love and courtesie
To him he won their hearts.
Thus still he lived by robbery
Throughout the northern parts;
And all the country stood in dread
Of Robin Hood and 's men:
For stouter lads ne'r liv'd by bread,
In those days, nor since then.
The abbot, which before i nam't,
Sought all the means he could
To have by force this rebel ta'n,
And his adherents bold.
Therefore be arm'd five hundred mer
With furniture compleat;
But the outlaws slew half of them,
And made the rest retreat.
The long bow and the arrow keen
They were so used unto,
That still he kept the forrest green
In spight o' th' proudest foe.
Twelve of the abbot's men he took,
Who came to have him ta'n,
When all the rest the field forsook,
These he did entertain
With banqueting and merriment,
And having used them well,
He to their lord them safely sent,
And will'd them him to tell,
That if he would be pleased at last
To beg of our good king,
That he might pardon what was past,
And him to favour bring,
He would surrender back againe
The money which before
Was taken by him and his men
From him and many more.
Poor men might safely pass by him,
And some that way would chuse,
For well they knew that to help them
He evermore did use.
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