18 When dinner was ended, his chaplain said grace, And, ‘Be merry, my friends,’ said the squire; ‘It rains, and it blows, but call for more ale, And lay some more wood on the fire. 19 ‘And now call ye Little John hither to me, For Little John is a fine lad At gambols and juggling, and twenty such tricks As shall make you merry and glad.’ 20 When Little John came, to gambols they went, Both gentleman, yeoman and clown; And what do you think? Why, as true as I live, Bold Robin Hood put them all down. 21 And now you may think the right worshipful squire Was joyful this sight for to see; For he said, Cousin Robin, thou’st go no more home, But tarry and dwell here with me. 22 Thou shalt have my land when I dye, and till then Thou shalt be the staff of my age; ‘Then grant me my boon, dear uncle,’ said Robin, ‘That Little John may be my page.’ 23 And he said, Kind cousin, I grant thee thy boon; With all my heart, so let it be; ‘Then come hither, Little John,’ said Robin Hood, ‘Come hither, my page, unto me. 24 ‘Go fetch me my bow, my longest long bow, And broad arrows, one, two, or three; For when it is fair weather we’ll into Sherwood, Some merry pastime to see.’ 25 When Robin Hood came into merry Sherwood, He winded his bugle so clear, And twice five and twenty good yeomen and bold Before Robin Hood did appear. 26 ‘Where are your companions all?’ said Robin Hood, ‘For still I want forty and three;’ Then said a bold yeoman, Lo, yonder they stand, All under a green-wood tree. 27 As that word was spoke, Clorinda came by; The queen of the shepherds was she; And her gown was of velvet as green as the grass, And her buskin did reach to her knee. 28 Her gait it was graceful, her body was straight, And her countenance free from pride; A bow in her hand, and quiver and arrows Hung dangling by her sweet side. 29 Her eye-brows were black, ay, and so was her hair, And her skin was as smooth as glass; Her visage spoke wisdom, and modesty too; Sets with Robin Hood such a lass! 30 Said Robin Hood, Lady fair, whither away? O whither, fair lady, away? And she made him answer, To kill a fat buck; For to-morrow is Titbury day. 31 Said Robin Hood, Lady fair, wander with me A little to yonder green bower; There sit down to rest you, and you shall be sure Of a brace or a lease in an hour. 32 And as we were going towards the green bower, Two hundred good bucks we espy’d; She chose out the fattest that was in the herd, And she shot him through side and side. 33 ‘By the faith of my body,’ said bold Robin Hood, ‘I never saw woman like thee; And comst thou from east, ay, or comst thou from west, Thou needst not beg venison of me.