‘Go, you try, master,’ says Little John, ‘Go, you try, master, most speedilie, Or by my body,’ says Little John, ‘I am sure this night you will not know me.’ Then Robin Hood he drew his sword, And the pedlar by his pack did stand, They fought till the blood in streams did flow, Till he cried, ‘Pedlar, pray hold your hand!’ ‘Pedlar, pedlar! what is thy name? Come speedilie and tell to me.’ ‘My name! my name, I ne’er will tell, Till both your names you have told to me.’ ‘The one of us is bold Robin Hood, And the other Little John, so free.’ ‘Now,’ says the pedlar, ‘it lays to my good will, Whether my name I chuse to tell to thee. ‘I am Gamble Gold {61} of the gay green woods, And travellèd far beyond the sea; For killing a man in my father’s land, From my country I was forced to flee.’ ‘If you are Gamble Gold of the gay green woods, And travellèd far beyond the sea, You are my mother’s own sister’s son; What nearer cousins then can we be?’ They sheathèd their swords with friendly words, So merrily they did agree; They went to a tavern and there they dined, And bottles cracked most merrilie. THE OUTLANDISH KNIGHT. [THIS is the common English stall copy of a ballad of which there are a variety of versions, for an account of which, and of the presumed origin of the story, the reader is referred to the notes on the _Water o’ Wearie’s Well_, in the _Scottish Traditional Versions of Ancient Ballads_, published by the Percy Society. By the term ‘outlandish’ is signified an inhabitant of that portion of the border which was formerly known by the name of ‘the Debateable Land,’ a district which, though claimed by both England and Scotland, could not be said to belong to either country. The people on each side of the border applied the term ‘outlandish’ to the Debateable residents. The tune to _The Outlandish Knight_ has never been printed; it is peculiar to the ballad, and, from its popularity, is well known.] AN Outlandish knight came from the North lands, And he came a wooing to me; He told me he’d take me unto the North lands, And there he would marry me. ‘Come, fetch me some of your father’s gold, And some of your mother’s fee; And two of the best nags out of the stable, Where they stand thirty and three.’ She fetched him some of her father’s gold, And some of the mother’s fee; And two of the best nags out of the stable, Where they stood thirty and three. She mounted her on her milk-white steed, He on the dapple grey; They rode till they came unto the sea side, Three hours before it was day. ‘Light off, light off thy milk-white steed, And deliver it unto me; Six pretty maids have I drownèd here, And thou the seventh shall be.