The butcher he answer’d jolly Robìn, No matter where I dwell ; For a butcher I am, and to Nottingham I am going, my flesh to sell. What is [the] price of thy flesh ? said jolly Robìn, Come tell it soon unto me ; And the price of thy mare, be she never so dear, For a butcher fain would I be. The price of my flesh, the butcher repli’d, I soon will tell unto thee ; With my bonny mare, and they are not too dear, Four mark thou must give unto me. Four mark I will give me, saith jolly Robìn, Four mark it shall be thy fee ; The mony come count, and let me mount, For a butcher I fain would be. Now Robin he is to Nottingham gone, His butchers trade to begin ; With good intent to the sheriff he went, And there he took up his inn. {177} When other butchers they opened their meat, Bold Robin he then begun ; But how for to sell he knew not well, For a butcher he was but young. When other butchers no meat could sell, Robin got both gold and fee ; For he sold more meat for one peny Then others could do for three. But when he sold his meat so fast, No butcher by him could thrive ; For he sold more meat for one peny Than others could do for five. Which made the butchers of Nottingham To study as they did stand, Saying, Surely he ‘is’ some prodigal, That hath sold his fathers land. The butchers stepped to jolly Robìn, Acquainted with him for to be ; Come, brother, one said, we be all of one trade, Come, will you go dine with me ? Accurst of his heart, said jolly Robìn, That a butcher doth deny ; I will go with you, my brethren true, As fast as I can hie. {178} But when to the sheriffs house they came. To dinner they hied apace, And Robin Hood he the man must be Before them all to say grace. Pray god bless us all, said jolly Robìn, And our meat within this place ; A cup of sack so good will nourish our blood And so I do end my grace. Come fill us more wine, said jolly Robìn, Let us be merry while we do stay ; For wine and good cheer, be it never so dear, I vow I the reckning will pay. Come, ‘brothers,’ be merry, said jolly Robìn, Let us drink, and never give ore ; For the shot I will pay, ere I go my way, If it cost me five pounds and more. This is a mad blade, the butchers then said. Saies the sheriff, He is some prodigal, That some land has sold for silver and gold, And now he doth mean to spend all. Hast thou any horn beasts, the sheriff repli’d, Good fellow, to sell unto me ? “Yes, that I have, good master sheriff, I have hundreds two or three, {179} And a hundred aker of good free land, If you please it to see : And Ile make you as good assurance of it, As ever my father made me.” The sheriff he saddled his good palfrèy, And, with three hundred pound in gold, Away he went with bold Robin Hood, His horned beasts to behold.