11 ‘If I . . . . . . . As I haue beene but one day, I shold haue purcchased three of the best churches That stands by any highway.’ B #a.# Wood, 401, leaf 33 b. #b.# Garland of 1663, No 16. #c.# Garland of 1670, No 15. #d.# Pepys, II, 119, No 105. 1 All you that delight to spend some time With a hey down down a down down A merry song for to sing, Vnto me draw neer, and you shall hear How Little John went a begging. 2 As Robin Hood walked the forrest along, And all his yeomandree, Sayes Robin, Some of you must a begging go, And, Little John, it must be thee. 3 Sayes John, If I must a begging go, I will have a palmers weed, With a staff and a coat, and bags of all sort, The better then I shall speed. 4 Come, give me now a bag for my bread, And another for my cheese, And one for a peny, when as I get any, That nothing I may leese. 5 Now Little John he is a begging gone, Seeking for some relief; But of all the beggers he met on the way, Little John he was the chief. 6 But as he was walking himself alone, Four beggers he chanced to spy, Some deaf, and some blind, and some came behind; Says John, Here’s brave company! 7 ‘Good-morrow,’ said John, ‘my brethren dear, Good fortune I had you to see; Which way do you go? pray let me know, For I want some company. 8 ‘O what is here to do?’ then said Little John, ‘Why rings all these bells?’ said he; ‘What dog is a hanging? come, let us be ganging, That we the truth may see.’ 9 ‘Here is no dog a hanging,’ then one of them said, ‘Good fellow, we tell unto thee; But here is one dead wil give us cheese and bred, And it may be one single peny.’ 10 ‘We have brethren in London,’ another he said, ‘So have we in Coventry, In Barwick and Dover, and all the world over, But nere a crookt carril like thee. 11 ‘Therefore stand thee back, thou crooked carel, And take that knock on the crown;’ ‘Nay,’ said Little John, ‘I’le not yet be gone, For a bout will I have with you round. 12 ‘Now have at you all,’ then said Little John, ‘If you be so full of your blows; Fight on, all four, and nere give ore, Whether you be friends or foes.’ 13 John nipped the dumb, and made him to rore, And the blind that could not see, And he that a cripple had been seven years, He made him run faster then he. 14 And flinging them all against the wall, With many a sturdie bang, It made John sing, to hear the gold ring, Which against the walls cryed twang. 15 Then he got out of the beggers cloak Three hundred pound in gold; ‘Good fortune had I,’ then said Little John, ‘Such a good sight to behold.’