No. 140: Robin Hood Rescuing Three Squires
[Stephen Knight titles this ballad Robin Hood Rescues Three Young Men (Robin Hood and Other Outlaw Tales, 1997), pointing out that it isn't always three squires who are rescued (see, for example, the Hicks North Carolina version where it's three sons).
There are several traditional US or Canadian versions and one print version (American Songster) of this ballad. See US & Canada Versions.]
CONTENTS:
1. Child's Narrative
2. Footnotes
3. Brief (Kittredge)
4. Child's Ballad Texts A-C (For text changes to make additional versions of B and C see End-Notes)
5. Appendix: Robin Hood and the Sheriff
6. End-Notes
7. Additions and Corrections
ATTACHED PAGES (see left hand column):
1. Recordings & Info: 140. Robin Hood Rescuing Three Squires
A. Roud No. 71: Robin Hood Rescuing Three Squires (54 listings)
2. Sheet Music: (Bronson's traditional music version)
3. English and Other Versions (Including Child versions A -C with additional notes)]
Child's Narrative: Robin Hood Rescuing Three Squires
A. Percy Manuscript, p. 5; Hales and Furnivall, I, 13; Jamieson's Popular Ballads, II, 49.
B. a. 'Robin Hood rescuing the Widow's Three Sons from the Sheriff, when going to be executed,' The English Archer, York, N. Nickson, n. d.
b. The English Archer, Paisley, John Neilson, 1786.
c. Adventures of ... Robin Hood, Falkirk, T. Johnston, 1808. All in the Bodleian Library, Douce, F.F. 71.
C. 'Robin Hood rescuing the Three Squires from Nottingham Gallows.'
a. Robin Hood's Garland, London, Printed by W. & C. Dicey, n.d.
b. R. H.'s Garland, London, L. How, in Peticoat Lane, n.d.
c. R. H.'s Garland, York, T. Wilson and R. Spence, n.d.
d. R. H.'s Garland, Preston, W. Sergent, n.d.
e. R. H.'s Garland, London, J. Marshall & Co., n.d.
f. R. H.'s Garland, Wolverhampton, J. Smart, n.d.
a-d, Douce, FF. 71, f, Douce, Add. 262, Bodleian Library. B is given by Ritson, Robin Hood, 1795, II, 151, "from the York edition of Robin Hood's garland;" C, the same, II, 216, from an Aldermary Churchyard garland, and by Evans, Old Ballads, 1777, 1784, I, 215.
B. Robin Hood, while on his way to Nottingham, meets an old woman who is weeping for three squires condemned to die that day, not for recognized crimes, but for killing the king's deer. These seem to be his own men: st. 6. Pursuing his way, he meets an old "palmer," really a beggar, who confirms the bad news. He changes clothes with the palmer (who at first thinks the proposal a mock), and at Nottingham comes upon the sheriff, and asks what he will give an old fellow to be his hangman. The sheriff offers suits and pence; Robin says, hangmen be cursed, he will never take to that business. He has a horn in his pocket which would blow the sheriff little good; the sheriff bids him blow his fill. The first blast brings a hundred and fifty of Robin's men; the second brings three score more. They free their own men and hang the sheriff.
In C the three squires are expressly said to be the woman's sons;[1] for the palmer we have a beggar; Robin asks it as a boon that he may be hangman, and will have nothing for his service but three blasts on his horn, 'that their souls to heaven may flee.' The horn brings a hundred and ten men, and the sheriff surrenders the three squires.
In the fragment A, Robin changes clothes with an old man, who appears by stanza 11 to be a beggar. His men are with him meanwhile, and he orders them to conceal themselves in a wood until they hear his horn. A blast brings three hundred of them; Robin casts off his beggar's gear and stands in his red velvet doublet;[2] his men bend their bows and beset the gallows. The sheriff throws up his hands and begs for terms; Robin demands the three squires. The sheriff objects, for they are the king's felons; Robin will have them, or the sheriff shall be the first man to flower the tree.
'Robin Hood and the Beggar,' No 133. from stanza 16, is another version of this ballad. Robin changes clothes with a beggar, after a hard fight in which he has had the worse, goes to Nottingham, and hears that three brothers are condemned to die. He hies to the sheriff to plead for them; a gentleman at the door tells him they must be hanged for deer-stealing clearly proved. At the gallows Robin blows his horn; a hundred archers present themselves, and ask his will. He commands them to shoot east and west and spare no man. The sheriff and his men, all that are not laid low, fly, and the three brothers, who have already shown their quality, are added to Robin's company.
A Scottish version of B, derived from the English, is given in an appendix. It occurs in Kinloch Manuscripts, V, 288, and may be as old as the York garland used by Ritson, or older.
Ritson was informed by his friend Edward Williams, the Welsh bard, that C and its tune were well known in South Wales by the name of Marchog Glas, or Green Knight. As to the tune, says Dr. Rimbault, it is not to be found in the collections of Welsh airs, nor was his friend John Parry, then representing the Welsh bards, able to give any account of it. Nothing further is said by Rimbault, either way, of the ballad.
B 6, in which Robin reminds the old woman that she had once given him to sup and dine, implicitly as a reason for his exerting himself in behalf of the three squires (who, according to the title of the ballad, but not the text, are her three sons), looks like a reminiscence of st. 9 of R. H. and the Bishop, No 143, where an old woman shows her gratitude to Robin Hood for having given her shoes and hose, and may not originally have belonged here.[3]
B 1, A 91,2, 113,4, B 25, 281,2 are almost repetitions of Robin Hood and the Curtal Friar, A 1, A 43,4, 123,4, B 26, 281,2. [4]
The rescue in the ballad is introduced into Anthony Munday's play of The Downfall of Robert Earl of Huntington, Act II, Scene 2. Scarlet and Scathlock, sons of Widow Scarlet, are to be hanged. Friar Tuck attends them as confessor. Robin Hood, disguised as an old man, pretends that they have killed his son, and asks the sheriff that they may be delivered to him for revenge. The sheriff allows them to be unbound. Robin, for a feigned reason, blows his horn; Little John and Much come in and begin a fight; Friar Tuck, pretending to help the sheriff, knocks down his men; the sheriff and his men run away. (Dodsley's Old Plays, ed. Hazlitt, VIII, 134-41.)
Ritson, Robin Hood, 1832, II, 155, suggests that the circumstance of Robin's changing clothes with the palmer may possibly be taken from "the noble history of Ponthus of Galyce," printed by Wynkyn de Worde, 1511, and cites this passage, which resembles the narrative in B 8, 10, 11: "And as he [Ponthus] rode, he met with a poore palmer, beggynge his brede, the whiche had his gowne all to-clouted and an olde pylled hatte: so he alyght, and sayd to the palmer, frende, we shall make a chaunge of all our garmentes, for ye shall have my gowne and I shall have yours and your hatte. A, syr, sayd the palmer, ye bourde you with me. In good fayth, sayd Ponthus, I do not; so he dyspoyled hym and cladde hym with all his rayment, and he put vpon hym the poore mannes gowne, his gyrdell, his hosyn, his shone, his hatte and his bourden."
This noble history is taken from one in French which is merely the romance of Horn turned into prose, and it is also possible that the passage in the English ballad may be derived from some version of Hind Horn: see No 17.
Wallace changes clothes with a beggar in 'Gude Wallace,' No 157, F, G, where there is a general likeness to this ballad of Robin Hood. It may be noted that Wulric the Heron, one of the comrades of Hereward, rescues four brothers who were about to be hanged, killing some of their common enemies: Michel, Chroniques Anglo-Normandes, II, 51.
B is translated by Anastasius Grün, p. 135, Doenniges, p. 135, Knortz L. u. R. Altenglands, No 19; combined with C, by Talvj, Charakteristik, p. 489.
Footnotes:
1. A verse in the passage from Drayton's Polyolbion, Song xxvi, cited by Ritson, I, viii of Robin Hood, 1795, may refer to this version of the ballad: "The widow in distress he graciously relievd."
2. In st. 2 Robin is in his proper Lincoln green. He wears scarlet red again in No. 141, st. 6 and in No 145, st. 18, his men being in green.
3. Fricke has observed this, pp 59, 69, and at p. 58 the resemblance to Wallace.
4. Fricke has observed this, pp 59, 69, and at p. 58 the resemblance to Wallace.
Brief Description by George Lyman Kittredge
'Robin Hood and the Beggar,' I (No, 133), from stanza lti, is another version of this ballad. There are passages in A and B which are almost repetitions of 'Robin Hood and the Curtal Friar' (No, 123). The rescue in the ballad is introduced into Anthony Munday's play of The Downfall of Robert, Earl of Huntington' (act ii, scene 2). For the disguise, cf. 'Hind Horn' (No, 17).
Child's Ballad Texts
'Robin Hood Rescuing Three Squires'- Version A; Child 140
Percy Manuscript, p. 5; Hales and Furnivall, I, 13; Jamieson's Popular Ballads, II, 49.
* * * *
1. . . . . . . . .
In faith thou shal[t] haue mine,
And twenty pound in thy purse,
To spend att ale and wine.'
2 'Though your clothes are of light Lincolne green,
And mine gray russett and torne,
Yet it doth not you beseeme
To doe an old man scorne.'
3 'I scorne thee not, old man,' says Robin,
'By the faith of my body;
Doe of thy clothes, thou shalt haue mine,
For it may noe better bee.'
4 But Robin did on this old mans hose,
The were torne in the wrist;
'When I looke on my leggs,' said Robin,
'Then for to laugh I list.'
5 But Robin did on the old mans shooes,
And the were cliitt full cleane;
'Now, by my faith,' sayes Litle Iohn,
'These are good for thornes keene.'
6 But Robin did on the old mans cloake,
And it was torne in the necke;
'Now, by my faith,' said William Scarlett,
'Heere shold be set a specke.'
7 But Robin did on this old mans hood,
Itt gogled on his crowne;
'When I come into Nottingham,' said Robin,
'My hood it will lighyly downe.
8 'But yonder is an outwood,' said Robin,
'An outwood all and a shade,
And thither I reede you, my merrymen all,
The ready way to take.
9 'And when you heare my litle horne blow,
Come raking all on a rowte
. . . .
. . . .
* * * * *
10 But Robin he lope, and Robin he threw,
He lope over stocke and stone;
But those that saw Robin Hood run
Said he was a liuer old man.
11 [Then Robin set his] horne to his mowth,
A loud blast cold h[e] blow;
Ffull three hundred bold yeomen
Came rakinge all on a row.
12 But Robin cast downe his baggs of bread,
Soe did he his staffe with a face,
And in a doublet of red veluett
This yeoman stood in his place.
13 'But bend your bowes, and stroke your strings,
Set the gallow-tree aboute,
And Christs cursse on his heart,' said Robin,
'That spares the sheriffe and the sergiant!'
14 When the sheriffe see gentle Robin wold shoote,
He held vp both his hands;
Sayes, Aske, good Robin, and thou shalt haue,
Whether it be house or land.
15 'I will neither haue house nor land,' said Robin,
'Nor gold, nor none of thy fee,
But I will haue those three squires
To the greene forest with me.
16 'Now marry, Gods forbott,' said the sheriffe,
'That euer that shold bee;
For why, they be the kings felons,
They are all condemned to dye.'
17 'But grant me my askinge,' said Robin,
'Or by the faith of my body
Thou shalt be the first man
Shall flower this gallow-tree.'
18 'But I wi[ll haue t]hose three squires,
. . .
----------
'Robin Hood rescuing the Widow's Three Sons from the Sheriff, when going to be executed,' Version B a.; Child 140- Robin Hood Rescuing Three Squires
a. The English Archer, Robin Hood's Garland, York, N. Nickson, n.d., p. 65.
b. The English Archer, etc., Paisley, John Neilson, 1786.
c. Adventures of Robin Hood, Falkirk, T. Johnston, 1808.
1 There are twelve months in all the year,
As I hear many men say,
But the merriest month in all the year
Is the merry month of May.
2 Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone,
With a link a down and a day,
And there he met a silly old woman,
Was weeping on the way.
3 'What news? what news, thou silly old woman?
What news hast thou for me?'
Said she, There's three squires in Nottingham town
To-day is condemned to die.
4 'O have they parishes burnt?' he said,
'Or have they ministers slain?
Or have they robbed any virgin,
Or with other men's wives have lain?'
5 'They have no parishes burnt, good sir,
Nor yet have ministwrs slain,
Nor have they robbed any virgin,
Nor with other men's wives have lain.'
6 'O what have they done?' said bold Robin Hood,
'I pray thee tell to me:'
'It's for slaying of the king's fallow deer,
Bearing their long bows with thee.'
7 'Dost thou not mind, old woman,' he said,
'Since thou made me sup and dine?
By the truth of my body,' quoth bold Robin Hood,
'You could not tell it in better time.'
8 Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone,
With a link a down and a day,
And there he met a silly old palmer,
Was walking along the highway.
9 'What news? what news, thou silly old man?
What news, I do thee pray?'
Said he, Three squires in Nottingham town
Are condemnd to die this day.
10 'Come change thy apparel with me, old man,
Come change thy apparel for mine;
Here is forty shillings in good silver,
Go drink it in beer or wine.'
11 'O thine apparel is good,' he said,
'And mine is ragged and torn;
Whereever you go, wherever you ride,
Laugh neer an old man to scorn.'
12 'Come change thy apparel with me, old churl,
Come change thy apparel with mine;
Here are twenty pieces of good broad gold,
Go feast thy brethren with wine.'
13 Then he put on the old man's hat,
It stood full high on the crown:
'The first bold bargain that I come at,
It shall make thee come down.'
14 Then he put on the old man's cloak,
Was patchd black, blew, and red;
He thought no shame all the day long
To wear the bags of bread.
15 Then he put on the old man's breeks,
Was patchd from ballup to side;
'By the truth of my body,' bold Robin can say,
'This man lovd little pride.'
16 Then he put on the old man's hose,
Were patchd from knee to wrist;
'By the truth of my body,' said bold Robin Hood,
'I'd laugh if I had any list.'
17 Then he put on the old man's shoes,
Were patchd both beneath and aboon;
Then Robin Hood swore a solemn oath,
It's good habit that makes a man.
18 Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone,
With a link a down and a down,
And there he met with the proud sheriff,
Was walking along the town.
19 'O save, O save, O sheriff,' he said,
'O save, and you may see!
And what will you give to a silly old man
To-day will your hangman be?'
20 'Some suits, some suits,' the sheriff he said,
'Some suits I'll give to thee;
Some suits, some suits, and pence thirteen
To-day's a hangman's fee.'
21 Then Robin he turns him round about,
And jumps from stock to stone;
'By the truth of my body,' the sheriff he said,
'That's well jumpt, thou nimble old man.'
22 'I was neer a hangman in all my life,
Nor yet intends to trade;
But curst be he,' said bold Robin,
'That first a hangman was made.
23 'I've a bag for meal, and a bag for malt,
And a bag for barley and corn;
A bag for bread, and a bag for beef,
And a bag for my little small horn.
24 'I have a horn in my pocket,
I got it from Robin Hood,
And still when I set it to my mouth,
For thee it blows little good.'
25 O wind thy horn, thou proud fellow,
Of thee I have no doubt;
I wish that thou give such a blast
Till both thy eyes fall out.'
26 The first loud blast that he did blow,
He blew both loud and shrill;
A hundred and fifty of Robin Hood's men
Came riding over the hill.
27 The next loud blast that he did give,
He blew both loud and amain,
And quickly sixty of Robin Hood's men
Came shining over the plain.
28 'O who are yon,' the sheriff he said,
'Come tripping over the lee?'
'The're my attendants,' brave Robin did say,
'They'll pay a visit to thee.'
29 They took the gallows from the slack,
They set it in the glen,
They hangd the proud sheriff on that,
Releasd their own three men.
--------
'Robin Hood rescuing the Three Squires from Nottingham Gallows'- Version C a.; Child 140 Robin Hood Rescuing Three Squires; Robin Hood's Garlanda. London, printed by W. & C. Dicey, in St. Mary Aldermary Church Yard, Bow Lane, Cheapside, and sold at the Warehouse at Northampton, n. d. : p. 74, No 24.
a. Robin Hood's Garland, London, Printed by W. & C. Dicey, n. d.
b. London, printed by L. How, in Peticoat Lane, n. d.: p. 23.
c. York, T. Wilson and R. Spence, n. d.: p. 27.
d. Preston, W. Sergent, n. d.: p. 62.
e. London, printed and sold by J. Marshall & Co., Aldermary Church Yard, Bow Lane, n. d.: No 24.
f. Wolverhampton, printed and sold by J. Smart, n. d.
1 Bold Robin Hood ranging the forest all round,
The forest all round ranged he;
O there did he meet with a gay lady,
She came weeping along the highway.
2 'Why weep you, why weep you?' bold Robin he said,
'What, weep you for gold or fee?
Or do you weep for your maidenhead,
That is taken from your body?'
3 'I weep not for gold,' the lady replyed,
'Neither do I weep for fee;
Nor do I weep for my maidenhead,
That is taken from my body.'
4 'What weep you for then?' said jolly Robin,
'I prithee come tell unto me;'
'Oh! I do weep for my three sons,
For they are all condemned to die.'
5 'What church have they robbed?' said jolly Robin,
'Or parish-priest have they slain?
What maids have they forced against their will?
Or with other men's wives have lain?'
6 'No church have they robbd,' this lady replied,
'Nor parish-priest have they slain;
No maids have they forc'd against their will,
Nor with other men's wives have lain.'
7 'What have they done then?' said jolly Robin,
'Come tell me most speedily:'
'Oh! it is for killing the king's fallow deer,
And they are all condemned to die.'
8 'Get you home, get you home,' said jolly Robin,
'Get you home most speedily,
And I will unto fair Nottingham go,
For the sake of the squires all three.'
9 Then bold Robin Hood for Nottingham goes,
For Nottingham town goes he,
O there did he meet with a poor beggar-man,
He came creeping along the highway.
10 'What news, what news, thou old beggar-man?
What news, come tell unto me:'
'O there is weeping and wailing in fair Nottingham,
For the death of the squires all three.'
11 This beggar-man had a coat on his back,
'Twas neither green, yellow, nor red;
Bold Robin Hood thought 'twas no disgrace
To be in a beggar-man's stead.
12 'Come, pull off thy coat, you old beggar-man,
And you shall put on mine;
And forty good shillings I'll give thee to boot,
Besides brandy, good beer, ale and wine.'
13 Bold Robin Hood then unto Nottingham came,
Unto Nottingham town came he;
O there did he meet with great master sheriff,
And likewise the squires all three.
14 'One boon, one boon,' says jolly Robin,
'One boon I beg on my knee;
That, as for the deaths of these three squires,
Their hangman I may be.'
15 'Soon granted, soon granted,' says great master sheriff,
'Soon granted unto thee;
And you shall have all their gay cloathing,
Aye, and all their white money.'
16 'O I will have none of their gay cloathing,
Nor none of their white money,
But I'll have three blasts on my bugle-horn,
That their souls to heaven may flee.'
17 Then Robin Hood mounted the gallows so high,
Where he blew loud and shrill,
Till an hundred and ten of Robin Hood's men
They came marching all down the green hill.
18 'Whose men are they all these?' says great master sheriff,
'Whose men are they? tell unto me:'
'O they are mine, but none of thine,
And they're come for the squires all three.'
19 'O take them, O take them,' says great master sheriff,
'O take them along with thee;
For there's never a man in all Nottingham
Can do the like of thee.'
End-Notes
A. 13. 20l.
52. Only one of the i's is dotted in cliit: Furnivall; clutt was no doubt intended.
63. said wm.
92. half a page wanting.
10 follows 12.
113. 300d.
153, 181. 3.
172. or be me.
181. half a page wanting.
B. a. 33. Knews.
41, 61, 111, 191,2, 251, 281. Oh.
82. and a down a.
121. chur.
151. Teen.
162. Where.
174. Itts.
244. For me.
281. are you.
b. Robin Hood rescu'd the Widow's three Sons from the Sheriff when going to be hanged.
c. How Robin Hood rescued, etc., ... to be hanged.
b, c. 21. Hood wanting.
22. a down down.
23. met with.
24. along the highway.
32. to me.
34. To-day are.
52. Nor have they.
63. 'T is for.
73. quoth wanting.
81. Robin he is.
82. a down down and a day.
83. old wanting.
91. silly palmer.
102. with for for.
103. of for in.
104. beer and good wine.
121. churl.
143. not for no.
144. the poor bags.
151. Then.
152. Were for Was.
153. did say.
162, 72. Were wanting.
172. both wanting.
174. 'Tis.
181. Robin is unto.
182. a down down and a day.
184. the highway.
192. you may you [may you?].
194. That to-day.
204. day is.
212. stone to stone.
221. never: in wanting.
232. And wanting.
241. a small horn now in.
242. it, wanting.
244. For thee.
254. fly out.
263. An: Robin's men.
273. Robin's men.
281. are you.
282. Comes.
283. bold Robin.
294. And released.
b. 183. with wanting.
202. unto thee.
203. pence fourteen.
c. 62. unto me.
72. mad'st.
151. poor for old.
201. suits and pence fourteen.
202,3. wanting.
211. turnd.
212. jumpd.
222. the trade.
243. I put.
253. gave.
292. let for set
C. a. The Garland is not earlier, and probably not much later, than 1753, "The Arguments ... in the ... affair of Eliz. Canning ... robbed ... in Jany, 1753," occurring in advertisements printed therewith.
161. ofther.
b. 54. have they.
64. have they.
114. in the.
124. beside.
163. buglee.
172. blew both.
183. are all.
194. That can.
c. 11. ranged.
31. this lady.
44. all wanting.
54. have they.
63. they have.
64. have they.
73. it's all.
74. they 're.
83. will then to.
91. bold wanting: to for for.
112. It was.
112. or red.
113. it was.
114. in the.
121. thou old.
123. give you.
131. then to.
133. And there.
134. Aye and.
142. upon my.
143. the three.
151. great wanting.
152. Soon grant it I will unto thee.
154. Aye wanting.
161. I'll.
163. of my.
172. blew both.
173. They wanting.
183. are all.
194. That can.
d. 13. he did.
32. I wanting.
62. No.
72. Come tell unto me speedily.
83. will for.
103. there's: fair wanting.
114. in the.
121. thou old.
122. thou shalt.
151. great wanting.
171. When.
173. Hood's wanting.
174. They wanting: all wanting.
181. all wanting: great wanting.
184. And are.
193. in fair.
e. 54. have they.
64. have they.
103. there's: fair wanting.
114. in the.
121. thou old.
122. thou shalt.
143. death.
151. great wanting.
171. When.
174. They wanting: all wanting.
181. are they: great wanting.
182. come tell.
184. And are.
193. in fair.
f. 54. have they.
64. have they.
74. they 're.
103. there's: fair wanting.
114. in the.
121. thou old.
122. thou shalt.
143. death.
151. great wanting.
171. When.
174. They wanting: all wanting.
181. are they: great wanting.
182. come tell.
184. And are come.
193. in fair.
Appendix
'Robin Hood and the Sheriff'
Kinloch Manuscripts, V, 288, in Kinloch's handwriting.
1 Robin Hood's to Nottinghame gane,
Wi a linkie down and a day,
And there he met wi an auld woman,
Coming weeping alang the highway.
2 'Weep ye for any of my gold, auld woman?
Or weep ye for my fee?
Or weep ye for any warld's gear
This day I can grant to thee?'
3 'I weep not for your gold, kind sir,
I weep not for your fee;
But I weep for my three braw sons,
This day condemned to die.'
4 'O have they parishes burned?' he said,
'Or have they ministers slain?
Or have they forced maidens against their will?
Or wi other men's wives hae they lain?'
5 'They have not parishes burned, kind sir,
They have not ministers slain;
They neer forced a maid against her will,
Nor wi no man's wife hae they lain.'
6 'O what hae they done then?' quo Robin Hood,
'I pray thee tell unto me:'
'O they killed the king's fallow deer,
And this day are condemned to die.'
7 'O have you mind, old mother,' he said,
'Since you made my merry men to dine?
And for to repay it back unto thee
Is come in a very good time.'
8 Sae Robin Hood 's to Nottinghame gane,
With a linkie down and a day,
And there he met an old beggar man,
Coming creeping along the high way.
9 'What news, what news, old father?' he said,
'What news hast thou for me?'
'There's three merry men,' quo the poor auld man,
'This day condemned to die.'
10 'Will you change your apparel wi me, old father?
Will you change your apparel for mine?
And twenty broad shillings I'll gie ye to the boot,
To drink gude beer or wine.'
11 'Thine is of the scarlet
And mine is baith ragged and torn;
Sae never let a young supple youth
Laugh a gude auld man to scorn.'
12 'Change your apparel wi me, old churl,
And quickly change it for mine,
And thirty broad shillings I'll gie to the boot,
To drink gude beer or wine.'
13 When Robin put on the auld man's hat,
It was weary high in the crown;
'By the hand of my body,' quo Robin Hood,
'I am lang whan I loot down.'
14 Whan Robin put on the auld man's cloak,
There was mony a pock therein;
A pock for meal, and a pock for maut,
And a pock for groats and corn,
And a little wee pockie that hung by his side
That he put in his bugle-horn.
15 Sae Robin Hood 's [to] Nottinghame gane,
Wi a linkie down and a day,
And there he met wi the high sheriff,
Coming riding alang the high way.
16 'O save you, O save you, high sheriff,' he said,
'And weel saved mote you be!
And what will you gie to the silly auld man
Your hangman for to be?'
17 'Thirteen pence,' the sheriff replied,
'That is the hangman's fee,
But an the claiths of the three young men
This day condemned to die.'
18 'I never hanged a man in a' my life,
And intend not to begin;
But ever I hang a man in my life,
High sheriff, thou 's be the ane.
19 'But I have a horn in my pocket,
I gat it frae Robin Hood,
And gif I tak out my little horn,
For thee it will no blaw gude.'
20 'Blaw, blaw, bauld beggar,' he said,
'Blaw, and fear nae doubt;
I wish you may gie sic a blast
Till your eyne loup out.'
21 Then Robin he gave a skip,
And he skipped frae a stick till a stane;
'By the hand of my body,' quo the high sheriff,
'You are a supple auld man.'
22 Then Robin set his horn to his mouth,
And he blew baith loud and shrill,
Till sixty- four of bold Robin's men
Cam marching down the green hill.
23 'What men are these,' quo the high sheriff,
'That comes sae merrily?'
'They are my men,' quo Robin Hood,
'And they'll pay a visit to thee.'
24 They tack the gallows out of the glen,
And they set it in a slap;
They hanged the sheriff upon it,
And his best men at his back.
25 They took the gallows out o the slap,
And they set [it] back in the glen,
And they hanged the sheriff upon it,
Let the three young men gae hame.
Additions and Corrections
To be Corrected in the Print.
179 b, 52. Read clutt for cliitt.
183 a, notes, A 52. Add: clutt was no doubt intended.
Trivial Corrections of Spelling.
183 a, A 52. Read cliitt.