If that be all, the tinker he said, As I may say to you, Your news is not worth a f—t, Since that they all bee true. {191} For drinking good ale and ‘beer,’ You will not lose your part. No, by my faith, quoth Robin Hood, I love it with all my heart. What news abroad ? quoth Robin Hood, Tell me what thou dost hear : Seeing thou goest from town to town, Some news thou need not fear. All the news I have, the tinker said, I hear it is for good, It is to seek a bold outlàw, Which they call Robin Hood. I have a warrand from the king, To take him where I can ; If you can tell me where hee is, I will make you a man. The king would give a hundred pound That he could but him see ; And if wee can but now him get, It will serve thee and mee. Let me see that warrant, said Robin Hood, Ile see if it bee right ; And I will do the best I can For to take him this night. {192} That will I not, the tinker said, None with it I will trust ; And where hee is if you’ll not tell, Take him by force I must. But Robin Hood perceiving well How then the game would go, “If you would go to Nottingham, We shall find him I know.” The tinker had a crab-tree staff, Which was both good and strong, Robin hee had a good strong blade ; So they went both along. And when they came to Nottingham, There they both tooke their inn ; And they called for ale and wine, To drink it was no sin. But ale and wine they drank so fast, That the tinker hee forgot What thing he was about to do ; It fell so to his lot, That, while the tinker fell asleep, ‘Robin’ made haste[294] away, And left the tinker in the lurch, For the great shot to pay. {193} But when the tinker wakenèd, And saw that he was gone, He call’d then even for his host, And thus hee made his moan : I had a warrant from the king, Which might have done me good, That is to take a bold outlàw, Some call him Robin Hood : But now my warrant and mony’s gone, Nothing I have to pay ; And he that promis’d to be my friend, He is gone and fled away. That friend you tell on, said the host, They call him Robin Hood ; And when that first hee met with you, He ment you little good. “Had I but known it had been hee, When that I had him here, Th’ one of us should have tri’d our might Which should have paid full dear. In the mean time I will away, No longer here Ile bide, But I will go and seek him out, Whatever do me betide. {194} But one thing I would gladly know, What here I have to pay.” Ten shillings just, then said the host, “Ile pay without delay ; Or elce take here my working-bag, And my good hammer too ; And if that I light but on the knave, I will then soon pay you.” The onely way, then said the host, And not to stand in fear, Is to seek him among the parks, Killing of the kings deer.