22 Yea, there were harts and there were hynds, And many a goodly ffawne; ‘Now praised be God,’ says bold Robin, ‘All these they be my owne. 23 ‘These are my horned beasts,’ says Robin, ‘M_aster_ Sherriffe, w_hi_ch must make the stake;’ ‘But euer alacke, now,’ said the sheriffe, ‘_Tha_t tydings comes to late!’ 24 Robin sett a shrill horne to his mouth, And a loud blast he did blow, And then halfe a hundred bold archers Came rakeing on a row. 25 But when the came befor bold Robin, Even there the stood all bare: ‘You are welcome, m_aster_, from Nottingham: How haue you sold your ware?’ * * * * * 26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . It proues bold Robin Hood. 27 ‘Yea, he hath robbed me of all my gold And siluer _tha_t euer I had; But that I had a verry good wife at home, I shold haue lost my head. 28 ‘But I had a verry good wife at home, W_h_ich made him gentle cheere, And therfor, for my wifes sake, I shold haue better favor heere. 29 ‘But such favor as he shewed me I might haue of the devills dam, That will rob a man of all he hath, And send him naked home.’ 30 ‘That is very well done,’ then says his wiffe, ‘Itt is well done, I say; You might haue tarryed att Nottingham, Soe fayre as I did you pray.’ 31 ‘I haue learned wisdome,’ sayes the sherriffe, ‘And, wife, I haue learned of thee; But if Robin walke easte, or he walke west, He shall neuer be sought for me.’ B #a.# Wood, 401, leaf 19 b. #b.# Garland of 1663, No 6. #c.# Garland of 1670, No 5. #d.# Pepys, II, 102, No 89. 1 Come, all you brave gallants, and listen a while, With hey down, down, an a down That are in the bowers within; For of Robin Hood, that archer good, A song I intend for to sing. 2 Upon a time it chancëd so Bold Robin in forrest did spy A jolly butcher, with a bonny fine mare, With his flesh to the market did hye. 3 ‘Good morrow, good fellow,’ said jolly Robin, ‘What food hast? tell unto me; And thy trade to me tell, and where thou dost dwell, For I like well thy company.’ 4 The butcher he answered jolly Robin: No matter where I dwell; For a butcher I am, and to Notingham I am going, my flesh to sell. 5 ‘What is [the] price of thy flesh?’ said jolly Robin, ‘Come, tell it soon unto me; And the price of thy mare, be she never so dear, For a butcher fain would I be.’ 6 ‘The price of my flesh,’ the butcher repli’d, ‘I soon will tell unto thee; With my bonny mare, and they are not dear, Four mark thou must give unto me.’ 7 ‘Four mark I will give thee,’ saith jolly Robin, ‘Four mark it shall be thy fee; Thy mony come count, and let me mount, For a butcher I fain would be.’