This ballad, from the York edition of “Robin Hood’s Garland,” is probably one of the oldest extant of which he is the subject. In the more common editions is a modernised copy, in which the “silly old woman” is converted into “a gay lady;” but even this is more ancient than many of the pieces here inserted, and is entitled, by its merit, to a place in the Appendix. The circumstance of Robin’s changing clothes with the palmer is, possibly, taken from an old romance intitled “The noble hystory of the moost excellent and myghty prynce and hygh renowmed knyght kynge Ponthus of Galyce and of lytell Brytayne, Enprynted at London in Flete strete at the sygne of the sonne by Wynkyn de Worde, In the yere of our lorde god, M.CCCCC.XI.,” 4to, b. l., sig. I. 6: “And as he [Ponthus] rode he met with a poore palmer beggynge his brede the whiche had his gowne all to clouted and an olde pylled hatte, so he alyght and sayd to the palmer, frende we shall make a chaunge of all our garmentes, for {304} ye shall have my gowne and I shall have yours and your hatte. A syr sayd the palmer ye bourde you with me. In good fayth sayd Ponthus I do not, so he dyspoyled hym and cladde hym with all his rayment, and he put vpon hym the poore mannes gowne, his gyrdell, his hosyn, his shone, his hatte, and his bourden.” There are twelve months in all the year, As I hear many say, But the merriest month in all the year Is the merry month of May. Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone With a link a down, and a day, And there he met a silly old woman Was weeping on the way. “What news ? what news ? thou silly old woman, What news hast thou for me ?” Said she, There’s three squires in Nottingham town, To-day ‘are’[322] condemned to die. Oh, have they parishes burnt ? he said, Or have they ministers slain ? Or have they robbed any virgìn ? Or with other men’s wives have lain ? “They have no parishes burnt, good sir, Nor yet have ministers slain, Nor have they robbed any virgìn, Nor with other men’s wives have lain.” {305} Oh, what have they done ? said Robin Hood, I pray thee tell to me. “It’s for slaying of the kings fallow deer, Bearing their long bows with thee.” Dost thou not mind, old woman, he said, Since thou made me sup and dine ? By the truth of my body, quoth bold Robin Hood, You could not tell it in better time. Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone, With a link, a down, and a ‘day,’[323] And there he met with a silly old palmer, Was walking along the highway. “What news ? what news ? thou silly old man, What news, I do thee pray ?” Said he, Three squires in Nottingham town, Are condemn’d to die this day. “Come change thy apparel with me, old man, Come change thy apparel for mine ; Here is forty shillings in good silvèr, Go drink it in beer or wine.”