Part 7 (1/2)
+-- Here beginneth a little geste of Robin Hood and his meiny: and of the proud Sheriff of Nottingham.+
=FIRST PRINTED _ROBIN HOOD_ BALLAD.=
=Printed by W. de Worde, about 1510.=
Lithe and listen, Gentlemen That be of free-born blood!
I shall you tell of a good yeoman: His name was ROBIN HOOD.
ROBIN was a proud outlaw, Whiles he walked on ground, So courteous an outlaw as he was one, Was never none yfound.
ROBIN stood in Bernysdale, And leaned him to a tree; And by him stood Little JOHN, A good yeoman was he: And also did good SCATHELOCK, And MUCH the miller's son, There was no inch of his body But it was worth a groom.
Then bespake him Little JOHN, All unto ROBIN HOOD, ”Master, if ye would dine betime, It would do you much good!”
Then bespake good ROBIN, ”To dine I have no l.u.s.t, Till I have some bold Baron, Or some unketh guest, That may pay for the best, Or some Knight or some Squire That dwelleth here by West.”
A good manner then had ROBIN, In land where that he were, Every day or he would dine, Three _Ma.s.ses_ would he hear.
The one in the wors.h.i.+p of the Father The other of the Holy Ghost, The third was of our dear Lady That he loved, aldermost.
ROBIN loved our dear Lady; For doubt of deadly sin, Would he never do company harm That any woman was in.
”Master!” then said Little JOHN, ”And we our board shall spread, Tell us, Whither we shall gone, And what life we shall lead?
Where we shall take? Where we shall leave?
Where we shall abide behind?
Where shall we rob? where shall we 'reave?
Where we shall beat and bind?”
”Thereof no force!” said ROBIN, ”We shall do well enough!
But look, ye do no husband harm, That tilleth with his plough!
No more ye shall no good yeoman That walketh by green-wood shaw!
Ne no Knight, ne no Squire That would be a good fellaw!
These Bishops and these Archbishops, Ye shall them beat and bind!
The High Sheriff of NOTTINGHAM, Him hold ye in your mind!”
”This word shall be held,” saith Little JOHN, ”And this lesson shall we lere!
It is far day, G.o.d send us a guest, That we were at our dinner!”
”Take thy good bow in thy hand,” said ROBIN, ”Let MUCH wend with thee!
And so shall WILLIAM SCATHELOCK!
And no man abide with me.
And walk up to the Sayles, And so to Watling street, And wait after some unketh guest, Upchance, ye may them meet: Be he Earl or any Baron, Abbot or any Knight, Bring him to lodge to me!
His dinner shall be dight!”
They went unto the Sayles, These yeomen all three; They looked East, they looked West, They might no man see.
But as they looked in Bernysdale, By a derne street, Then came there a Knight riding: Full soon they 'gan him meet.
All dreary then was his semblante, And little was his pride, His one foot in the stirrup stood, That other waved beside.
His hood hanged in his eyen two, He rode in simple array; A sorrier man than he was one, Rode never in summer's day.
Little JOHN was full curteys, And set him on his knee, ”Welcome be ye, gentle Knight!
Welcome are ye to me!
Welcome be thou to green wood, Hende Knight and free!
My master hath abiden you fasting, Sir! all these hours three!”
”Who is your master?” said the Knight.
JOHN said, ”ROBIN HOOD!”
”He is a good yeoman,” said the Knight; ”Of him I have heard much good!
I grant,” he said, ”with you to wend, My brethren all in-fere: My purpose was to have dined to-day At Blyth or Doncaster.”
Forth then went that gentle Knight, With a careful cheer; The tears out of his eyen ran, And fell down by his leer.
They brought him unto the lodge door: When ROBIN 'gan him see, Full courteously did off his hood, And set him on his knee.
”Welcome, Sir Knight!” then said ROBIN, ”Welcome thou art to me; I have abide you fasting, Sir, All these hours three!”
Then answered the gentle Knight With words fair and free, ”G.o.d thee save, good ROBIN!
And all thy fair meiny!”
They washed together, and wiped both; And set till their dinner: Bread and wine they had enough, And nombles of the deer; Swans and pheasants they had full good, And fowls of the river.