A Bundle of Ballads [27]
an hundred winter, The worse he should-e go. He spurned the door with his foot, It went up well and fine, And there he made a large liveray Both of ale and wine. "Sith ye will not dine," said Little John, "I shall give you to drink, And though ye live an hundred winter, On Little John ye shall think!" Little John ate, and Little John drank, The whil-e that he would. The sheriff had in his kitchen a cook, A stout man and a bold.
"I make mine avow to God," said the cook, "Thou art a shrewd-e hind, In an household to dwell, For to ask thus to dine." And there he lent Little John, Good strok-es three.
"I make mine avow," said Little John, "These strok-es liketh well me. Thou art a bold man and an hardy, And so thinketh me; And ere I pass from this place, Assayed better shalt thou be."
Little John drew a good sword, The cook took another in hand; They thought nothing for to flee, But stiffly for to stand. There they fought sor-e together, Two mile way and more, Might neither other harm don, The mountenance of an hour. "I make mine avow," said Little John, "And by my true lewt-e, Thou art one of the best swordmen That ever yet saw I me. Couldest thou shoot as well in a bow, To green wood thou shouldest with me, And two times in the year thy clothing I-changed should-e be; And every year of Robin Hood Twent-y mark to thy fee."
"Put up thy sword," said the cook, "And fellows will we be."
Then he fet to Little John The numbles of a doe, Good bread and full good wine, They ate and drank thereto. And when they had drunken well, Their troths together they plight, That they would be with Rob-in That ilke same day at night. They hied them to the treasure-house, As fast as they might gone, The locks that were of good steel They brake them every one; They took away the silver vessel, And all that they might get, Pi-eces, mas-ars, and spoons, Would they none forget; Also they took the good pence, Three hundred pound and three; And did them straight to Robin Hood, Under the green wood tree.
"God thee save, my dear mast-er, And Christ thee save and see."
And then said Rob-in to Little John, "Welcome might thou be; And also be that fair yeom-an Thou bringest there with thee. What tiding-es from Nottingham? Little John, tell thou me."
"Well thee greeteth the proud sher-iff, And sendeth thee here by me, His cook and his silv-er vessel, And three hundred pound and three."
"I make mine avow to God," said Robin, "And to the Trinit-y, It was never by his good will, This good is come to me."
Little John him there bethought, On a shrewed wile, Five mile in the for-est he ran, Him happ-ed at his will; Then be met the proud sher-iff, Hunt-ing with hound and horn, Little John coud his curteysye, And kneel-ed him beforn: "God thee save, my dear mast-er, And Christ thee save and see."
"Raynold Greenleaf," said the sher-iff, "Where hast thou now be?"
"I have be in this for-est, A fair sight can I see, It was one of the fairest sights That ever yet saw I me; Yonder I see a right fair hart, His colour is of green, Seven score of deer upon an herd, Be with him all bedene; His tynde are so sharp, mast-er, Of sixty and well mo, That I durst not shoot for drede Lest they wold me slo."
"I make mine avow to God," said the sheriff, "That sight would I fain see."
"Busk you thitherward, my dear mast-er, Anon, and wend with me."
The sheriff rode, and Little John Of foot he was full smart, And when they came afore Robin: "Lo, here is the master hart!"
Still stood the proud sher-iff, A sorry man was he: "Wo worth thee, Raynold Greenleaf! Thou hast now betray-ed me."
"I make mine avow," said Little John, "Mast-er, ye be to blame, I was misserved of my dinere, When I was with you at hame."
Soon he was to supper set, And served with silver white; And when the sher-iff see his vess-el, For sorrow he might not eat. "Make good cheer," said Robin Hood, "Sher-iff, for charit-y, And for the love of
"I make mine avow to God," said the cook, "Thou art a shrewd-e hind, In an household to dwell, For to ask thus to dine." And there he lent Little John, Good strok-es three.
"I make mine avow," said Little John, "These strok-es liketh well me. Thou art a bold man and an hardy, And so thinketh me; And ere I pass from this place, Assayed better shalt thou be."
Little John drew a good sword, The cook took another in hand; They thought nothing for to flee, But stiffly for to stand. There they fought sor-e together, Two mile way and more, Might neither other harm don, The mountenance of an hour. "I make mine avow," said Little John, "And by my true lewt-e, Thou art one of the best swordmen That ever yet saw I me. Couldest thou shoot as well in a bow, To green wood thou shouldest with me, And two times in the year thy clothing I-changed should-e be; And every year of Robin Hood Twent-y mark to thy fee."
"Put up thy sword," said the cook, "And fellows will we be."
Then he fet to Little John The numbles of a doe, Good bread and full good wine, They ate and drank thereto. And when they had drunken well, Their troths together they plight, That they would be with Rob-in That ilke same day at night. They hied them to the treasure-house, As fast as they might gone, The locks that were of good steel They brake them every one; They took away the silver vessel, And all that they might get, Pi-eces, mas-ars, and spoons, Would they none forget; Also they took the good pence, Three hundred pound and three; And did them straight to Robin Hood, Under the green wood tree.
"God thee save, my dear mast-er, And Christ thee save and see."
And then said Rob-in to Little John, "Welcome might thou be; And also be that fair yeom-an Thou bringest there with thee. What tiding-es from Nottingham? Little John, tell thou me."
"Well thee greeteth the proud sher-iff, And sendeth thee here by me, His cook and his silv-er vessel, And three hundred pound and three."
"I make mine avow to God," said Robin, "And to the Trinit-y, It was never by his good will, This good is come to me."
Little John him there bethought, On a shrewed wile, Five mile in the for-est he ran, Him happ-ed at his will; Then be met the proud sher-iff, Hunt-ing with hound and horn, Little John coud his curteysye, And kneel-ed him beforn: "God thee save, my dear mast-er, And Christ thee save and see."
"Raynold Greenleaf," said the sher-iff, "Where hast thou now be?"
"I have be in this for-est, A fair sight can I see, It was one of the fairest sights That ever yet saw I me; Yonder I see a right fair hart, His colour is of green, Seven score of deer upon an herd, Be with him all bedene; His tynde are so sharp, mast-er, Of sixty and well mo, That I durst not shoot for drede Lest they wold me slo."
"I make mine avow to God," said the sheriff, "That sight would I fain see."
"Busk you thitherward, my dear mast-er, Anon, and wend with me."
The sheriff rode, and Little John Of foot he was full smart, And when they came afore Robin: "Lo, here is the master hart!"
Still stood the proud sher-iff, A sorry man was he: "Wo worth thee, Raynold Greenleaf! Thou hast now betray-ed me."
"I make mine avow," said Little John, "Mast-er, ye be to blame, I was misserved of my dinere, When I was with you at hame."
Soon he was to supper set, And served with silver white; And when the sher-iff see his vess-el, For sorrow he might not eat. "Make good cheer," said Robin Hood, "Sher-iff, for charit-y, And for the love of