Oh, thine apparel is good, he said, And mine is ragged and torn ; Wherever you go, wherever you ride, Laugh ne’er an old man to scorn. {306} “Come change thy apparel with me, old churl, Come change thy apparel with mine ; Here are twenty pieces of good broad gold, Go feast thy brethren with wine.” Then he put on the old man’s hat, It stood full high on the crown ; “The first bold bargain that I come at, It shall make thee come down.” Then he put on the old man’s cloak, Was patch’d black, blew, and red ; He thought it no shame, all the day long, To wear the bags of bread. Then he put on the old man’s breeks, Was patch’d from ballup to side : By the truth of my body, bold Robin can say, This man lov’d little pride. Then he put on the old man’s hose, Were patch’d from knee to wrist : By the truth of my body, said bold Robin Hood, I’d laugh if I had any list. Then he put on the old man’s shoes, Were patch’d both beneath and aboon ; Then Robin Hood swore a solemn oath, It’s good habit that makes a man. {307} Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone, With a link a down and a down, And there he met with the proud sherìff, Was walking along the town. Oh ‘Christ you’ save, oh, sheriff, he said,[324] Oh ‘Christ you save and’ see ; And what will you give to a silly old man To-day will your hangman be ? Some suits, some suits, the sheriff he said, Some suits, I’ll give to thee ; Some suits, some suits, and pence thirteen, To-day’s a hangman’s fee. Then Robin he turns him round about, And jumps from stock to stone : By the truth of my body, the sheriff he said, That’s well jumpt, thou nimble old man. I was ne’er a hangman in all my life, Nor yet intends to trade ; But curst be he, said bold Robin, That first a hangman was made. I’ve a bag for meal, and a bag for malt, And a bag for barley and corn ; A bag for bread, and a bag for beef, And a bag for my little small horn. {308} I have a horn in my pockèt. I got it from Robin Hood, And still when I set it to my mouth, For ‘thee’[325] it blows little good. “Oh, wind thy horn, thou proud fellòw, Of thee I have no doubt ; I wish that thou give such a blast, Till both thy eyes fall out.” The first loud blast that he did blow, He blew both loud and shrill ; A hundred and fifty of Robin Hoods men Came riding over the hill. The next loud blast that he did give, He blew both loud and amain, And quickly sixty of Robin Hoods men, Came shining over the plain. Oh, who are ‘those,’ the sheriff he said, Come tripping over the lee ? They’re my attendants, brave Robin did say, They’ll pay a visit to thee. They took the gallows from the slack, They set it in the glen, They hang’d the proud sherìff on that, Releas’d their own three men. {309} [Illustration] XXIV. ROBIN HOOD AND MAID MARIAN.