English and Scottish Ballads Volume V Part 52

In summer time, when leaves grow green, When they doe grow both green and long,-- Of a bold outlaw, call'd Robin Hood, It is of him I do sing this song,--

When the lilly leafe, and the eglantine,[L5] 5 Doth bud and spring with a merry cheere, This outlaw was weary of the wood-side, And chasing of the fallow-deere.

"The fisher-men brave more mony have Than any merchants two or three; 10 Therefore I will to Scarborough go, That I a fisherman brave may be."

This outlaw called his merry men all, As they sate under the green-wood tree: "If any of you have gold to spend, 15 I pray you heartily spend it with me."

"Now," quoth Robin Hood, "Ile to Scarborough go, It seems to be a very faire day;"

He tooke up his inne at a widdow-womans house, Hard by upon the water gray: 20

Who asked of him, "Where wert thou borne?

Or tell to me where dost thou fare?"

"I am a poor fisherman," said he then, "This day intrapped all in care."

"What is thy name, thou fine fellow, 25 I pray thee heartily tell it to mee?"

"In my own country, where I was borne, Men call me Simon over the Lee."

"Simon, Simon," said the good wife, "I wish thou mayest well brook thy name;" 30 The out-law was ware of her courtesie, And rejoyced he had got such a dame.

"Simon, wilt thou be my man?

And good round wages Ile give thee; I have as good a s.h.i.+p of my own 35 As any sails upon the sea.

"Anchors and planks thou shalt not want, Masts and ropes that are so long:"

"And if you thus do furnish me,"

Said Simon, "nothing shall goe wrong." 40

They pluckt up anchor, and away did sayle, More of a day then two or three; When others cast in their baited hooks, The bare lines into the sea cast he.

"It will be long," said the master then, 45 "Ere this great lubber do thrive on the sea; I'le a.s.sure you he shall have no part of our fish, For in truth he is no part worthy."

"O woe is me!" said Simon then, "This day that ever I came here! 50 I wish I were in Plompton parke, In chasing of the fallow deere.

"For every clowne laughs me to scorne, And they by me set nought at all; If I had them in Plompton park, 55 I would set as little by them all."

They pluckt up anchor, and away did sayle, More of a day then two or three: But Simon espyed a s.h.i.+p of warre, That sayled towards them most valorously. 60

"O woe is me!" said the master then, "This day that ever I was borne!

For all our fish we have got to-day Is every bit lost and forlorne.

"For your French robbers on the sea, 65 They will not spare of us one man, But carry us to the coast of France, And ligge us in the prison strong."

But Simon said, "Doe not feare them, Neither, master, take you no care; 70 Give me my bent bow in my hand, And never a Frenchman will I spare."

"Hold thy peace, thou long lubber, For thou art nought but brags and boast; If I should cast thee over-board, 75 There's but a simple lubber lost."

Simon grew angry at these words, And so angry then was he, That he took his bent bow in his hand, And in the s.h.i.+p-hatch goe doth he. 80

"Master, tye me to the mast," saith he, "That at my mark I may stand fair, And give me my bent bow in my hand, And never a Frenchman will I spare."

He drew his arrow to the very head, 85 And drewe it with all his might and maine, And straightway, in the twinkling of an eye, Doth the Frenchmans heart the arrow gain.

The Frenchman fell down on the s.h.i.+p hatch, And under the hatches there below; 90 Another Frenchman, that him espy'd, The dead corpse into the sea doth throw.

"O master, loose me from the mast," he said, "And for them all take you no care; For give me my bent bow in my hand, 95 And never a Frenchman will I spare."

Then streight [they] boarded the French s.h.i.+p, They lyeing all dead in their sight; They found within that s.h.i.+p of warre Twelve thousand pound of mony bright. 100

"The one halfe of the s.h.i.+p," said Simon then, "I'le give to my dame and children small; The other halfe of the s.h.i.+p I'le bestow On you that are my fellowes all."

But now bespake the master then, 105 "For so, Simon, it shall not be, For you have won it with your own hand, And the owner of it you shall bee."

"It shall be so, as I have said; And, with this gold, for the opprest 110 An habitation I will build, Where they shall live in peace and rest."

5, elephant.

ROBIN HOOD AND THE TANNERS DAUGHTER.

Gutch's _Robin Hood_, ii. 345.

Communicated to Gutch by Mr. Payne Collier, and derived by him, with _Robin Hood and the Peddlers_, from a volume of MS. ballads, collected, as Mr. C. conjectures, about the date of the Protectorate.

The story is only one of the varieties of the _Douglas Tragedy_. See vol. ii. p. 114.

As Robin Hood sat by a tree, He espied a prettie may, And when she chanced him to see, She turnd her head away.

"O feare me not, thou prettie mayde, 5 And doe not flie from mee, I am the kindest man," he said, "That ever eye did see."

Then to her he did doffe his cap, And to her lowted low, 10 "To meete with thee I hold it good hap, If thou wilt not say noe."

Then he put his hand around her waste, Soe small, so tight, and trim, And after sought her lip to taste, 15 And she to[o] kissed him.

"Where dost thou dwell, my prettie maide, I prithee tell to mee?"

"I am a tanners daughter," she said, "John Hobbes of Barneslee." 20

"And whither goest thou, pretty maide?

Shall I be thy true love?"

"If thou art not afeard," she said, "My true love thou shalt prove."

"What should I feare?" then he replied; 25 "I am thy true love now;"

"I have two brethren, and their pride Would scorn such one as thou."

"That will we try," quoth Robin Hood, "I was not made their scorne; 30 Ile shed my blood to doe the[e] good, As sure as they were borne."

"My brothers are proude and fierce and strong;"

"I am," said he, "the same, And if they offer thee to wrong, 35 Theyle finde Ile play their game.