Classic Poem

But Robin he walkes in the g[reene] fforrest,
As merry as bird on boughe,
But he that feitches good Robins head,
Hee 'le find him game enoughe.

But Robine he walkes in the greene fforrest,
Vnder his trusty-tree;
Sayes, Hearken, hearken, my merrymen all,
What tydings is come to me.

The sheriffe he hath made a cry,
Hee 'le have my head i-wis;
But ere a tweluemonth come to an end
I may chance to light on his.

Robin he marcht in the greene forrest,
Vnder the greenwood scray,
And there he was ware of a proud bucher,
Came driuing flesh by the way.

The bucher he had a cut-taild dogg,
And at Robins face he flew;
But Robin he was a good sword,
The bucher's dogg he slew.

" Why slayes thou my dogg?" sayes the bucher,
" For he did none ill to thee;
By all the s ain ts that are in heaven
Thou shalt haue buffetts three."

He tooke his staffe then in his hand,
And he turnd him round about:
" Thou hast a litle wild blood in thy head,
Good fellow, thou 'st haue it letten out."

" He that does that deed," sayes Robin,
" I'le count him for a man;
But that while will I draw my sword,
And fend it if I can."

But Robin he stroke att the bloudy bucher,
In place were he did stand,

*****

" I [am] a younge bucher," sayes Robin,
" You fine dames am I come amonge;
But euer I beseech you, good Mrs Sheriffe,
You must see me take noe wronge."

" Thou art verry welcome," said M aster Sherriff's wiffe,
" Thy inne heere up [to] take;
If any good ffellow come in thy companie,
Hee 'st be welcome for thy sake."

Robin called ffor ale, soe did he for wine,
And for it he did pay:
" I must to my markett goe," says Robin,
" For I hold time itt of the day."

But Robin is to the markett gone,
Soe quickly and beliue,
He sold more flesh for one peny
Then othe[r] buchers did for fiue.

The drew about the younge bucher,
Like sheepe into a fold;
Yea neuer a bucher had sold a bitt
Till Robin he had all sold.

When Robin Hood had his markett made,
His flesh was sold and gone;
Yea he had receiued but a litle mony,
But thirty pence and one.

Seaven buchers, the garded Robin Hood,
Ffull many time and oft;
Sayes, We must drinke w i th you, brother bucher,
It 's custome of our crafte.

" If that be the custome of yo u r crafte,
As heere you tell to me,
Att four of the clocke in the afternoone
At the sheriffs hall I wilbe."

*****

. . . . . . . . . .
" If thou doe like it well;
Yea heere is more by three hundred pound
Then thou hast beasts to sell."

Robyn sayd naught, the more he thought:
" Mony neere comes out of time;
If once I catch thee in the greene fforest,
Tha t mony it shall be mine."

But on the next day seuen butchers
Came to guard the sheriffe that day;
But Robin he was the whigh[t]est man,
He led them all the way.

He led them into the greene fforest,
Vnder the trusty tree;
Yea, there were harts, and ther were hynds,
And staggs w i th heads full high.

Yea, there were harts and there were hynds,
And many a goodly ffawne;
" Now praised be God," says bold Robin,
" All these they be my owne.

" These are my horned beasts," says Robin,
" M aster Sherriffe, w hi ch must make the stake;"
" But euer alacke, now," said the sheriffe,
" Tha t tydings comes to late!"

Robin sett a shrill horne to his mouth,
And a loud blast he did blow,
And then halfe a hundred bold archers
Came rakeing on a row.

But when the came before bold Robin,
Even there the stood all bare:
" You are welcome, m aster , from Nottingham:
How haue you sold your ware?"

*****

. . . . . . . . . .
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It proues bold Robin Hood.

" Yea, he hath robbed me of all my gold
And siluer tha t euer I had;
But that I had a verry good wife at home,
I shold haue lost my head.

" But I had a verry good wife at home,
W h ich made him gentle cheere,
And therfor, for my wifes sake,
I shold haue better favor heere.

" But such favor as he shewed me
I might haue of the devills dam,
That will rob a man of all he hath,
And send him naked home."

" That is very well done," then says his wiffe,
" Itt is well done, I say;
You might haue tarryed att Nottingham,
Soe fayre as I did you pray."

" I haue learned wisdome," sayes the sherriffe,
" And, wife, I haue learned of thee;
But if Robin walke easte, or he walke west,
He shall neuer be sought for me."