‘O master, loose me from the mast, And for them all take you no care; And give me my bent bow in my hand, And never a Frenchman will I spare!’ XXV Then straight they did board the Frenchman’s ship, They lying all dead in their sight; They found within the ship of warre Twelve thousand pound of money bright. XXVI ‘One halfe of the ship,’ said Simon then, ‘I’le give to my dame and children small; The other halfe of the ship I’le bestow On you that are my fellowes all.’ XXVII But now bespake the master then, ‘For so, Simon, it shall not be; For you have won her with your own hand, And the owner of it you shall bee.’-- XXVIII ‘It shall be so, as you have said; And, with this gold, for the opprest An habitation I will build, Where they shall live in peace and rest.’ FOOTNOTES: [1017] elephant = a weed of the scabious order. [1018] brook = enjoy, or earn the name of Simon, as a fisherman. [1019] forlorne = lost. _125. The Death of Robin Hood_ I When Robin Hood and Little John _Down a-down, a-down, a-down_ Went o’er yon bank of broom, Said Robin Hood bold to Little John, ‘We have shot for many a pound _Hey, down a-down, a-down!_ II ‘But I am not able to shoot one shot more, My broad arrows will not flee; But I have a cousin lives down below, Please God, she will bleed me. III ‘I will never eat nor drink,’ he said, ‘Nor meat will do me good, Till I have been to merry Kirkleys My veins for to let blood. IV ‘The dame prior is my aunt’s daughter, And nigh unto my kin; I know she wo’ld me no harm this day, For all the world to win.’ V ‘That I rede[1020] not,’ said Little John, ‘Master, by th’assent of me, Without half a hundred of your best bowmen You take to go with yee.’-- VI ‘An thou be afear’d, thou Little John, At home I rede thee be.’-- ‘An you be wroth, my deare mastèr You shall never hear more of me.’ VII Now Robin is gone to merry Kirkleys And knockèd upon the pin: Up then rose Dame Priorèss And let good Robin in. VIII Then Robin gave to Dame Priorèss Twenty pound in gold, And bade her spend while that did last, She sho’ld have more when she wo’ld. IX ‘Will you please to sit down, cousin Robin, And drink some beer with me?’-- ‘No, I will neither eat nor drink Till I am blooded by thee.’ X Down then came Dame Priorèss Down she came in that ilk[1021], With a pair of blood-irons in her hands, Were wrappèd all in silk. XI ‘Set a chafing-dish to the fire,’ she said, ‘And strip thou up thy sleeve.’ --I hold him but an unwise man That will no warning ’leeve[1022]! XII