Francis James Child

“ I will give thee both gold and fee.'
'If thou be Robin Hood,' bold Arthur reply'd,
'As I think well thou art,
Then here's my hand, my name's Arthur a Bland,
We two will never depart.
'But tell me, O tell me, where is Little John?
Of him fain would I hear;
For we are alide by the mothers side,
And he is my kinsman near.'
Than Robin Hood blew on the beaugle horn,
He blew full lowd and shrill,
But quickly anon appeard Little John,
Come tripping down a green hill.
'O what is the matter?' then said Little John,
'Master, I pray you tell;
Why do you stand with your staff in your hand? ”

“ Lord Lovel he died as tomorrow;
Lady Nancy she died out of pure, pure grief,
Lord Lovel he died out of sorrow.
Lady Nancy was laid in St. Pancras church,
Lord Lovel was laid in the choir;
And out of her bosom there grew a red rose,
And out of her lover's a briar.
They grew, and they grew, to the church-steeple too,
And then they could grow no higher;
So there they entwined in a true-lover's knot,
For all lovers true to admire. ”

“ True lovers I can get many a ane,
But a father I can never get mair.’
O she’s taen out her handkerchief,
It was o the holland sae fine,
And aye she dighted her father’s bloody wounds,
That were redder than the wine.
‘O chuse, O chuse, Lady Margret,’ he said,
‘O whether will ye gang or bide?’
‘I’ll gang, I’ll gang, Lord William,’ she said,
‘For ye have left me no other guide.’
He’s lifted her on a milk-white steed,
And himself on a dapple grey,
With a bugelet horn hung down by his side,
And slowly they baith rade away. ”

“ That Young Bichen he made his moan,
As he lay bound in irons strong,
In a dark and deep dungeon.
'An I were again in fair England,
As many merry day I have been,
Then I would curb my roving youth
No more to see a strange land.
'O an I were free again now,
And my feet well set on the sea,
I would live in peace in my own country,
And a foreign land I no more would see.'
The savage Moor had but one daughter,
I wot her name was Susan Py;
She heard Young Bichen make his moan,
At the prison-door as she past by. ”

“ Wiltow twinn with thy maidenhead, or thy sweet life?"
"O kind sir, if I hae't at my will,
I'll twinn with my life, keep my maidenhead still."
He's taen out his we pen-knife,
He's twinned this young lady of her sweet life.
He wiped his knife along the dew;
But the more he wiped, the redder it grew.
The youngest of them she's to the wood gane,
To seek her two sisters, and to bring them hame.
There she met with an outlyer bold,
Lies many long nights in the woods so cold.
"Istow a maid, or istow a wife?
Wiltow twinn with thy maidenhead, or thy sweet life?" ”

“ Of the best that could be found;
Eleven of them spoke all at once,
Saying, The name of Grime shall never go down!
And then a jury of men was brought,
More the pity for to be!
Eleven of them spoke all at once,
Saying, Hugh in the Grime, you are guilty.
Hugh in the Grime was cast to be hangd,
Many of his friends did for him lack;
For fifteen foot in the prisin he did jump,
With his hands tyed fast behind his back.
Then bespoke our good Lady Ward,
As she set on the bench so high:
'A peck of white pennys I'll give to my lord,
If he'll grant Hugh Grime to me. ”

“ As fast as she could gang.
'Open your door, Lady Mary,' she says,
'And lat me come in;
For I hear baby greet,
But an a lady meen.'
'There is na bab in my bower, madam,
Nor never thinks to be,
But the strong pains of gravel
This night has seized me.'
She pat her fit to the door,
But an her knee,
Baith of brass and iron bands
In flinders she gard flee. ”

“ Send for the doctor to come and see me.'
The doctor was sent for and instantly came,
Knelt down by the bedside where Queen Jeanie lay on:
'O doctor, dear doctor, if doctor you be,
Open my left side and let the babe free.'
Her left side was opened, the young prince was found:
'O doctor, dear doctor, lay me down on the ground.'
Her bones were all broken and laid at her feet,
And they anointed her body with the ointment so sweet,
And ay as they weeped they wrung their hands sore,
For the fair flower of England will flourish no more. ”

“ When all men were asleep,
There walkd a ghost, Fair Margaret's ghost,
And stood at his bed's feet.
Sweet William he dremed a dream, and he said,
'I wish it prove for good;
My chamber was full of wild men's wine,
And my bride-bed stood in blood.'
Then he calld up his stable-groom,
To saddle his nag with speed:
'This night will I ride to Fair Margaret's bowr,
With the leave of my lady.
'Oh is Fair Margaret in the kitchen?
Or is she in the hall?
. . . . .
. . . . ”

“ To the merry green wood then went Robin Hood,
With a sad and sorrowfull heart.
And Marian, poor soul, was troubled in mind,
For the absence of her friend;
With finger in eye, shee often did cry,
And his person did much commend.
Perplexed and vexed, and troubled in mind,
Shee drest her self like a page,
And ranged the wood to find Robin Hood,
The bravest of men in that age.
With quiver and bow, sword, buckler, and all,
Thus armed was Marian most bold,
Still wandering about to find Robin out,
Whose person was better then gold. ”

“ Amongst her maries, so frank and free;
'You may weep, you may weep, Margaret,' she says,
'For hanged must the laird of Logie be.'
She has torn her silken scarf and hood,
And so has she her yellow hair:
'Now fare you well, both king and queen,
And adieu to Scotland for ever mair!'
She has put off her goun of silk,
And so has she her gay clothing:
'Go fetch me a knife, and I'll kill myself,
Since the laird of Logie is not mine.'
Then out bespoke our gracious queen,
And she spoke words most tenderlie ”

“ Was patchd from ballup to side;
'By the truth of my body,' bold Robin can say,
'This man lovd little pride.'
Then he put on the old man's hose,
Were patchd from knee to wrist;
'By the truth of my body,' said bold Robin Hood,
'I'd laugh if I had any list.'
Then he put on the old man's shoes,
Were patchd both beneath and aboon;
Then Robin Hood swore a solemn oath,
It's good habit that makes a man.
Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone,
With a link a down and a down,
And there he met with the proud sheriff,
Was walking along the town. ”

“ Sweet William, having his two-edged sword,
He leaned it quite low to the ground,
And he has given his own true-love
A deep and deadly wound.
'What aileth thee, Sweet William?' she says,
'What harm now have I done?
I never harmed a hair of your head
Since ever this love began.'
'Oh live, oh live, my own true-love,
Oh live but half an hour,
And the best doctor in London town
Shall come within thy bower.'
'How can I live? how shall I live?
How can I live half an hour? ”

“ You may tell her to come to the merry greenwood,
To speak to Child Nory.
'Here is a ring, a ring,' he says,
'It's all gold but the stane;
You may tell her to come to the merry greenwood,
And ask the leave o nane.'
'So well do I love your errand, my master,
But far better do I love my life;
O would ye have me go to Lord Barnard's castle,
To betray away his wife?'
'O don't I give you meat,' he says,
'And don't I pay you fee? ”

“ Or is it for me, my dochter dear,
I have been so long in Spain?'
'I have had no sore sickness,
Nor yet have I loved a man;
But it is for you, my father dear,
Thou've been so long in Spain.'
'Cast aff, cast aff thy brown silk gown,
And spread it on yonder stone,
And I will tell you by and by
Whether thou art a maid or none.'
She's coosten off her brown silk gown,
And spread it on yonder stone,
And her belly was big, and her face pale and wan,
And she was about half gone.
'Is it to a man o micht?
Or to a man of fame? ”

“ I swear you lie in heart.
'For I never yet hurt any man
That honest is and true;
But those that give their minds to live
Upon other men's due.
'I never hurt the husbandman,
That use to till the ground;
Nor spill their blood that range the wood
To follow hawk or hound.
'My chiefest spite to clergy is,
Who in these days bear a great sway;
With fryars and monks, with their fine sprunks,
I make my chiefest prey. ”

“ Come over this ditch and fight with me.'
'O no! not so, my bully Grahame!
That eer such a word should spoken be!
Shall I venture my body in field to fight
With a man that's faith and troth to me?'
'Away, away, O bully Bewick,
And of all that care, man, let us be!
If thou be a man, as I trow thou art,
Come over this ditch and fight with me.'
'Now, if it be my fortune thee, Grahame, to kill,
As God's will's, man, it all must be;
But if it be my fortune thee, Grahame, to kill,
'Tis home again I'll never gae.'
'Thou art of my mind then, bully Bewick,
And sworn-brethren will we be ”

“ He’s hired an old horse and feed an old man,
To carry her back to Northumberland.
O when she came her father before,
A may’s love whiles is easy won
She fell down on her knees so low
For she was the fair flower of Northumberland.
‘O daughter, O daughter, why was ye so bold,
Or why was your love so easy won,
To be a Scottish whore in your fifteen year old?
And you the fair flower of Northumberland!’
Her mother she gently on her did smile,
O that her love was so easy won!
‘She is not the first that the Scotts have beguild,
But she’s still the fair flower of Northumberland. ”

“ And so is the men of Thirlwa 'nd Williehaver,
And all their companies thereabout,
That is minded to do mischief,
And at their stealing stands not out.
But yet we will not slander them all,
For there is of them good enough;
It is a sore consumed tree
That on it bears not one fresh bough.
Lord God! is not this a pitiful case,
That men dare not drive their goods to t' fell,
But limmer thieves drives them away,
That fears neither heaven nor hell?
Lord, send us peace into the realm,
That every man may live on his own! ”

“ Every rose grows merry wi thyme
And I will ask thee questions three,
And then thou wilt be a true lover of mine.
"Thou must buy me a cambrick smock
Without any stitch of needlework.
"Thou must wash it in yonder strand,
Where wood never grew and water neer ran.
"Thou must dry it on yonder thorn,
Where the sun never shined on since Adam was formed."
"Thou hast asked me questions three;
Sit down till I ask as many of thee.
"Thou must buy me an acre of land
Betwixt the salt water, love, and the sea-sand. ”

“ Refrain:Gentle hearts, be to me true.
She loved him long and many a day,
Till big with child she went away.
She went into the wide wilderness;
Poor she was to be pitied for heaviness.
She leant her back against a tree,
And there she endurd much misery.
She leant her back against an oak,
With bitter sighs these words she spoke.
She set her foot against a thorne,
And there she had two pretty babes born. ”

“ Then Robin Hood bent a very good bow,
To shoot, and that he would fain;
The stranger he bent a very good bow,
To shoot at bold Robin again.
'O hold thy hand, hold thy hand,' quoth Robin Hood,
'To shoot it would be in vain;
For if we should shoot the one at the other,
The one of us may be slain.
'But let's take our swords and our broad bucklers,
And gang under yonder tree:'
'As I hope to be sav'd,' the stranger said,
'One foot I will not flee.'
Then Robin Hood lent the stranger a blow
Most scar'd him out of his wit ”

“ That if I die in fair England,
In Scotland ye bury me.
'And now, my tender brothers dear,
This asking grant you me:'
'Your asking is but small,' they said,
'Weel granted it shall be.'
Then down as dead that lady drapd,
Beside her mother's knee;
Then out it spoke an auld witch-wife,
By the fire-side sat she.
Says, Drap the hot lead on her cheek,
And drop it on her chin,
And drop it on her rose-red lips,
And she will speak again:
For much a lady young will do,
To her true-love to win. ”

“ I never had but one true-love, In cold grave she was lain. 2 ‘I’ll do as much for my true-love As any young man may; I’ll sit and mourn all at her grave For a twelvemonth and a day.’ 3 The twelvemonth and a day being up, The dead began to speak: ‘Oh who sits weeping on my grave, And will not let me sleep?’ 4 ‘Tis I, my love, sits on your grave, And will not let you sleep ”

“ Then hid herself close in the besom of the broom,
To hear what her true-love would say.
He wakend and found the gold ring on his hand,
Then sorrow of heart he was in:
‘My love has been here, I do well understand,
And this wager I now shall not win. ”

“ He'll kill thy men and thee.'
Johnie took sword into his hand,
And walked cross the plain;
There was many a weeping lady there,
To see young Johnie slain.
The Talliant, never knowing this,
Now he'll be Johnie's dead,
But, like unto a swallow swift,
He flew out owre his head.
Johnie was a valliant man,
Weel taught in war was he,
And on the point of his broad sword
The Talliant stickit he.
Johnie took sword into his hand,
And walked cross the plain:
'Are there here any moe of your English dogs
That's wanting to be slain? ”

“ And he has murdered the king of Onore,
As innocent as he was born.
This maid she awak'd in the middle of the night,
Was in a drowsy dream;
She found her bride's-bed swim with blood,
Bot and her good lord slain. ”

“ Amongst all his nobility, with joy and much mirth,
I must tell him to one penny what he is worth.
‘And the next question I must not flout,
How long he shall be riding the world about;
And the third question I must not shrink,
But tell him truly what he does think.’
‘O master, did you never hear it yet,
That a fool may learn a wiseman wit? ”

“ As out of prison would let me go free.'
'O in seven long years, I'll make a vow
For seven long years, and keep it strong,
That if you'll wed no other woman,
O I will wed no other man.'
O she took him to her father's harbor,
And gave to him a ship of fame,
Saying, Farewell, farewell to you, Lord Bateman,
I fear I never shall see you again.
Now seven long years is gone and past,
And fourteen days, well known to me;
She packed up all her gay clothing,
And swore Lord Bateman she would go see.
O when she arrived at Lord Bateman's castle,
How boldly then she rang the bell! ”

“ Then Robin Hood pardon had straight of the king,
And so had they every one;
The fame of these days most loudly does ring,
Of Robin Hood, Scarlet and John.
Great honours to Robin Hood after were done,
As stories for certain do say;
The king made him Earl of fair Huntington,
Whose fame will never decay.
Thus have you heard the fame of these men,
Good archers they were every one;
We never shal see the like shooters again
As Robin Hood, Scarlet and John. ”

“ Says, Hold your tongue, Jeannie, let all your folly be;
I'll wed you to Dumfedline, he is better than he.
'O hold your tongue, father, and let me alane;
If I getna Glenlogie, I'll never have ane.
'His bonny jimp middle, his black rolling eye,
If I getna Glenlogie, I'm sure I shall die.'
But her father's old chaplain, a man of great skill,
He wrote a broad letter, and penned it well.
Saying, O brave Glenlogie, why must it be so?
A maid's love laid on you, shall she die in her woe?
Then reading the letter, his heart was like to break
That such a leal virgin should die for his sake. ”

“ From Scotland new come home.
'O sweet Margret, O dear Margret,
I pray thee speak to me;
Give me my faith and troth, Margret,
As I gave it to thee.'
'Thy faith and troth thou's never get,
Nor yet will I thee lend,
Till that thou come within my bower,
And kiss my cheek and chin.'
'If I shoud come within thy bower,
I am no earthly man;
And shoud I kiss thy rosy lips,
Thy days will not be lang.
'O sweet Margret, O dear Margret,
I pray thee speak to me ”

“ She had gone with the roving gypsies.
'Saddle to me my bonny gray mare,
Saddle to me my pony;
I will go where the green grass grow,
To find out the roving gypsies.
'Last night she slept in a fair feather-bed,
And blankets by bonins;
Tonight she sleeps in a cold shed-barn,
Through following the roving gypsies.
'Why did you leave your houses and your lands?
Why did you leave your babies?
Why did you leave your decent married man,
To follow the roving gypsies?'
'What cares I for my houses and my lands?
What cares I for my babies?
What cares I for my decent married man? ”

“ Her name is Fair Nancybelle;
She died for the love of a courteous young knicht,
His name is Lord Lavel.
'O hast thou died, Fair Nancybelle,
O hast thou died for me!
O hast thou died, Fair Nancybelle!
Then I will die for thee.'
Fair Nancybelle died, as it might be, this day,
Lord Lavel he died tomorrow;
Fair Nancybelle died with pure, pure love,
Lord Lavel he died with sorrow. ”

“ That she wears every day.'
When he gade to Fair Annie's bower,
He tirled at the pin;
So ready was Fair Annie hersell
To open and let him in.
'What news, what news, my little boy?
What news hast thou to me?'
'You must prepare for Lord Thomas' wedding,
And that's bad news for thee.'
'Good news, good news,' Fair Annie says,
'Good news is it for me,
For me to be bride and him bridegroom,
And that's good news for me.'
'He forbids thee to put on thy silks so black,
Or yet thy silks so brown;
But thou must put on thy suddled silks,
That thou wears up and down. ”