"O what is here to do?" then said Little John, "Why ring all these bells?" said he; 30 "What dog is a hanging? come, let us be ganging, That we the truth may see." "Here is no dog a hanging," then one of them said, "Good fellow, we tell unto thee; But here is one dead that will give us cheese and bread,[L35] 35 And it may be one single penny."[L36] "We have brethren in London," another he said, "So have we in Coventry, In Barwick and Dover, and all the world over, But ne'er a crookt carril like thee. 40 "Therefore stand thee back, thou crooked carel, And take that knock on the crown:" "Nay," said Little John, "Ile not yet be gone, For a bout will I have of you round. "Now have at you all," then said Little John, 45 "If you be so full of your blows; Fight on all four, and nere give ore, Whether you be friends or foes." John nipped the dumb, and made him to rore, And the blind he made to see, 50 And he that a cripple had been seven years,[L51] He made run then faster than he. And flinging them all against the wall, With many a sturdie bang, It made John sing, to hear the gold ring, 55 Which against the walls cryed twang. Then he got out of the beggers cloak Three hundred pound in gold; "Good fortune had I," then said Little John, "Such a good sight to behold." 60 But what found he in the beggars bag, But three hundred pound and three? "If I drink water while this doth last, Then an ill death may I dye. "And my begging trade I will now give ore, 65 My fortune hath bin so good; Therefore Ile not stay, but I will away To the forrest of merry Sherwood." And when to the forrest of Sherwood he came, He quickly there did see 70 His master good, bold Robin Hood, And all his company. "What news? What news?" then said Robin Hood, "Come, Little John, tell unto me; How hast thou sped with thy beggers trade? 75 For that I fain would see." "No news but good," said Little John, "With begging ful wel I have sped; Six hundred and three I have here for thee, In silver and gold so red. 80 Then Robin took Little John by the hand, And danced about the oak tree: "If we drink water while this doth last, Then an il death may we die." So to conclude my merry new song, 85 All you that delight it to sing, 'Tis of Robin Hood, that archer good, And how Little John went a beggìng. 35, 36. The allusion is of course to the dole at funerals. 51, that could not. THE NOBLE FISHER-MAN, OR, ROBIN HOODS PREFERMENT: