Opening the text

Robin Hood: A collection of all the ancient poems, songs, and ballads, now extant, relative to that celebrated English outlaw. To which are prefixed historical anecdotes of his life.

General

Robin Hood: A collection of all the ancient poems, songs, and ballads, now extant, relative to that celebrated English outlaw. To which are prefixed historical anecdotes of his life.

Ballads, English -- England -- Texts; Outlaws -- Poetry; Robin Hood (Legendary character) -- Poetry; Songs, English -- England -- Texts

But I am very glad, says Robin Hood,
   That I have met you here ;
 Come, before we end, you shall, my friend,
   Taste of our green-wood cheer. {317}

 The king he then did marvel much,
   And so did all his men ;
 They thought with fear, what kind of cheer,
   Robin would provide for them.

 Robin took the kings horse by the head,
   And led him to his tent :
 Thou wouldst not be so us’d, quoth he,
   But that my king thee sent.

 Nay, more than that, quoth Robin Hood,
   For good king Richards sake,
 If you had as much gold as ever I told,
   I would not one penny take.

 Then Robin set his horn to his mouth,
   And a loud blast he did blow,
 Till a hundred and ten of Robin Hoods men,
   Came marching all of a row.

 And when they came bold Robin before,
   Each man did bend his knee :
 O, thought the king, ’tis a gallant thing,
   And a seemly sight to see.

 Within himself the king did say,
   These men of Robin Hoods
 More humble be than mine to me ;
   So the court may learn of the woods. {318}

 So then they all to dinner went,
   Upon a carpet green ;
 Black, yellow, red, finely minglèd,
   Most curious to be seen.

 Venison and fowls were plenty there,
   With fish out of the river :
 King Richard swore, on sea or shore,
   He never was feasted better.

 Then Robin takes a cann of ale :
   “Come, let us now begin ;
 And every man shall have his cann :
   Here’s a health unto the king.”

 The king himself drank to the king,
   So round about it went ;
 Two barrels of ale, both stout and stale,
   To pledge that health was spent.

 And, after that, a bowl of wine
   In his hand took Robin Hood ;
 Until I die, I’ll drink wine, said he,
   While I live in the green wood.

 Bend all your bows, said Robin Hood,
   And with the grey-goose-wing,
 Such sport now show, as you would do
   In the presence of the king. {319}

 They shewed such brave archery,
   By cleaving sticks and wands,
 That the king did say, such men as they
   Live not in many lands.

 Well, Robin Hood, then says the king,
   If I could thy pardon get,
 To serve the king in every thing
   Would’st thou thy mind firm set ?

 Yes, ‘with all’ my heart, bold Robin said,
   So they flung off their hoods ;
 To serve the king in every thing,
   They swore they would spend their ‘bloods.’

 For a clergyman was first my bane,
   Which makes me hate them all,
 But if you will be so kind to me,
   Love them again I shall.

 The king no longer could forbear,
   For he was mov’d with ‘ruth.’
 . . . . . . . . . . .
   . . . . . . . . . . .

 “I am the king, ‘your’ sovereign king,
   That appears before you all.”
 When Robin saw that it was he,
   Strait then he down did fall. {320}

 Stand up again, then said the king,
   I’ll thee thy pardon give ;
 Stand up, my friend, who can contend,
   When I give leave to live ?

 So they are all gone to Nottingham,
   All shouting as they came :
 But when the people them did see,
   They thought the king was slain ;

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

General

Robin Hood: A collection of all the ancient poems, songs, and ballads, now extant, relative to that celebrated English outlaw. To which are prefixed historical anecdotes of his life.

Ballads, English -- England -- Texts; Outlaws -- Poetry; Robin Hood (Legendary character) -- Poetry; Songs, English -- England -- Texts

But I am very glad, says Robin Hood,
   That I have met you here ;
 Come, before we end, you shall, my friend,
   Taste of our green-wood cheer. {317}

 The king he then did marvel much,
   And so did all his men ;
 They thought with fear, what kind of cheer,
   Robin would provide for them.

 Robin took the kings horse by the head,
   And led him to his tent :
 Thou wouldst not be so us’d, quoth he,
   But that my king thee sent.

 Nay, more than that, quoth Robin Hood,
   For good king Richards sake,
 If you had as much gold as ever I told,
   I would not one penny take.

 Then Robin set his horn to his mouth,
   And a loud blast he did blow,
 Till a hundred and ten of Robin Hoods men,
   Came marching all of a row.

 And when they came bold Robin before,
   Each man did bend his knee :
 O, thought the king, ’tis a gallant thing,
   And a seemly sight to see.

 Within himself the king did say,
   These men of Robin Hoods
 More humble be than mine to me ;
   So the court may learn of the woods. {318}

 So then they all to dinner went,
   Upon a carpet green ;
 Black, yellow, red, finely minglèd,
   Most curious to be seen.

 Venison and fowls were plenty there,
   With fish out of the river :
 King Richard swore, on sea or shore,
   He never was feasted better.

 Then Robin takes a cann of ale :
   “Come, let us now begin ;
 And every man shall have his cann :
   Here’s a health unto the king.”

 The king himself drank to the king,
   So round about it went ;
 Two barrels of ale, both stout and stale,
   To pledge that health was spent.

 And, after that, a bowl of wine
   In his hand took Robin Hood ;
 Until I die, I’ll drink wine, said he,
   While I live in the green wood.

 Bend all your bows, said Robin Hood,
   And with the grey-goose-wing,
 Such sport now show, as you would do
   In the presence of the king. {319}

 They shewed such brave archery,
   By cleaving sticks and wands,
 That the king did say, such men as they
   Live not in many lands.

 Well, Robin Hood, then says the king,
   If I could thy pardon get,
 To serve the king in every thing
   Would’st thou thy mind firm set ?

 Yes, ‘with all’ my heart, bold Robin said,
   So they flung off their hoods ;
 To serve the king in every thing,
   They swore they would spend their ‘bloods.’

 For a clergyman was first my bane,
   Which makes me hate them all,
 But if you will be so kind to me,
   Love them again I shall.

 The king no longer could forbear,
   For he was mov’d with ‘ruth.’
 . . . . . . . . . . .
   . . . . . . . . . . .

 “I am the king, ‘your’ sovereign king,
   That appears before you all.”
 When Robin saw that it was he,
   Strait then he down did fall. {320}

 Stand up again, then said the king,
   I’ll thee thy pardon give ;
 Stand up, my friend, who can contend,
   When I give leave to live ?

 So they are all gone to Nottingham,
   All shouting as they came :
 But when the people them did see,
   They thought the king was slain ;

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Robin Hood: A collection of all the ancient poems, songs, and ballads, now extant, relative to that celebrated English outlaw. To which are prefixed historical anecdotes of his life.

Robin Hood: A collection of all the ancient poems, songs, and ballads, now extant, relative to that celebrated English outlaw. To which are prefixed historical anecdotes of his life.

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