57. Towards his house in Nottingam Not one behind did stay. 58. But he cold neither soe fast goe, But Litle John, with an arrow broade, ROBIN HOOD'S DEATH AND BURIAL 1. When Robin Hood and Little John Down a down a down a down Went oer yon bank of broom Said Robin Hood bold to Little "We have shot for many a pound." 2. "But I am not able to shoot one shot more, My broad arrows will not flee; 3. Now Robin he is to fair Kirkly gone, As fast as he can win; But before he came there, as we do hear, He was taken very ill. 4. And when he came to fair Kirkly-hall, He knockd all at the ring, But none was so ready as his cousin herself For to let bold Robin in. 5. "Will you please to sit down, cousin Robin," she said, "And drink some beer with me?" "No, I will neither eat nor drink, Till I am blooded by thee." 6. "Well, I have a room, cousin Robin," she said, "Which you did never see, 7. She took him by the lily-white hand, And led him to a private room, And there she blooded bold Robin Hood, While one drop of blood would run down. 22. Then bespayke a squyar off Northombarlonde, Richard Wytharyngton was his nam: "It shall never be told in SotheYnglonde," he says, 30. Thorowe ryche male and myneyeple, many sterne the strocke done streght; Many a freyke10 that was fulle fre, "to Kyng Herry the Fourth for 31. At last the Duglas and the Persë met, sham. 32. lyk to captayns of myght and of swat, 12 with swordes that wear of fyn Thes worthe freckys for to fyght, Tylle the bloode owte off thear as ever dyd heal14 or ra[y]n. 33. "Yelde the, Persë," sayde the Doglas, "and i feth I shalle the brynge Wher thowe shalte have a yerls wagis of Jamy our Skottish kynge. 34. "Thou shalte have thy ransom fre, I hight 15 the hear this thinge; For the manfullyste man yet art thowe that ever I conqueryd in filde fighttynge." 35. "Nay," sayd the lord Persë, "I tolde it the beforne, to no man of a woman born." 36. With that ther cam an arrowe hastely, forthe off a myghttë wane; 16 Hit hathe strekene the yerle Duglas 37. Thorowe lyvar17 and longës bathe1 for my lyff-days ben gan." 38. The Persë leanyde on his brande, and sawe the Duglas de; He tooke the dede mane by the hande, and sayd, "Wo ys me for the! 39. "To have savyde thy lyffe, I wolde 48. This battell begane in Chyviat 43. A the tothar syde that a man myght se a large cloth-yard and mare: Towe bettar captayns wear nat in Cristiantë then that day slan wear ther. 44. An archar off Northomberlonde say slean was the lord Persë; He bar a bende bowe in his hand, was made off trusti tre. 45. An arow, that a cloth-yarde was lang, to the harde stele halyde he; A dynt that was both sad and soar 46. The dynt yt was both sad and sar, 47. Ther was never a freake wone foot wolde fle, but still in stours dyd stand, Heawyng on yche othar, whylle the 56. Ser Charls a Murrë in that place, myghte dre,9 with many a balfull brande. that never a foot wolde fle; Ser Hewe Maxwelle, a lorde he was, with the Doglas dyd he dey. a hesitated. hold out. |