A Collection of Ballads Part 34

The portere rose anon sertan, As sone as he herd John calle; Litul Johne was redy with a swerd, And bare hym to the walle.

"Now will I be porter," seid Litul Johne, "And take the keyes in honde;"

He toke the way to Robyn Hode, And sone he hym vnbonde.

He gaf hym a G.o.de swerd in his hond, His hed with for to kepe, And ther as the walle was lowyst Anon down can thei lepe.

Be that the c.o.k began to crow, The day began to sprynge, The scheref fond the jaylier ded, The comyn belle made he rynge.

He made a crye thoroowt al the tow[n], Whedur he be zoman or knave, That cowthe brynge hyrn Robyn Hode, His warisone he shuld haue.

"For I dar neuer," said the scheref, "c.u.m before oure kynge, For if I do, I wot serten, For sothe he wil me henge."

The scheref made to seke Notyngham, Bothe be strete and stye, And Robyn was in mery Scherwode As lizt as lef on lynde.

Then bespake G.o.de Litulle Johne, To Robyn Hode can he say, "I haue done the a G.o.de turne for an euylle, Quyte me whan thou may.

"I haue done the a G.o.de turne," said Litulle Johne, "For sothe as I you saie; I haue brouzt the vnder grene wode lyne; Fare wel, and haue G.o.de day."

"Nay, be my trouthe," seid Robyn Hode, "So shalle hit neuer be; I make the maister," seid Robyn Hode, "Off alle my men and me."

"Nay, be my trouthe," seid Litulle Johne, "So shall hit neuer be, But lat me be a felow," seid Litulle Johne, "Non odur kepe I'll be."

Thus Johne gate Robyn Hode out of prisone, Sertan withoutyn layne; When his men saw hym hol and sounde, For sothe they were ful fayne.

They filled in wyne, and made him glad, Vnder the levys smale, And zete pastes of venysone, That G.o.de was with ale.

Than worde came to oure kynge, How Robyn Hode was gone, And how the scheref of Notyngham Durst neuer loke hyme vpone.

Then bespake oure c.u.mly kynge, In an angur hye, "Litulle Johne hase begyled the schereff, In faith so hase he me.

"Litulle Johne has begyled vs bothe, And that fulle wel I se, Or ellis the schereff of Notyngham Hye hongut shuld he be.

"I made hem zemen of the crowne, And gaf hem fee with my hond, I gaf hem grithe," seid oure kyng, "Thorowout alle mery Inglond.

"I gaf hem grithe," then seide oure kyng, "I say, so mot I the, For sothe soche a zeman as he is on In alle Ingland ar not thre.

"He is trew to his maister," seide oure kynge, "I say, be swete seynt Johne; He louys bettur Robyn Hode, Then he dose vs ychone.

"Robyne Hode is euer bond to him, Bothe in strete and stalle; Speke no more of this matter," seid oure kynge, "But John has begyled vs alle."

Thus endys the talkyng of the munke And Robyne Hode i-wysse; G.o.d, that is euer a crowned kyng, Bryng vs alle to his blisse.

Ballad: Robin Hood And The Potter

In schomer, when the leves spryng, The bloschems on every bowe, So merey doyt the berdys syng Yn wodys merey now.

Herkens, G.o.d yemen, Comley, corteysse, and G.o.d, On of the best that yever bar bou, Hes name was Roben Hode.

Roben Hood was the yemans name, That was boyt corteys and fre; For the loffe of owr ladey, All wemen werschep he.

Bot as the G.o.d yemen stod on a day, Among hes mery maney, He was war of a prowd potter, Cam dryfyng owyr the ley.

"Yonder comet a prod potter," seyde Roben, "That long hayt hantyd this wey; He was never so corteys a man On peney of pawage to pay."

"Y met hem bot at Wentbreg," seyde Lytyll John, "And therfor yeffell mot he the, Seche thre strokes he me gafe, Yet they cleffe by my seydys.

"Y ley forty s.h.i.+llings," seyde Lytyll John, "To pay het thes same day, Ther ys nat a man arnong hus all A wed schall make hem ley."

"Her ys forty s.h.i.+llings," seyde Roben, "Mor, and thow dar say, That y schall make that prowde potter, A wed to me schall he ley."

Ther thes money they leyde, They toke bot a yeman to kepe; Roben befor the potter he breyde, And bad hem stond stell.

Handys apon hes horse he leyde, And bad the potter stonde foll stell; The potter schorteley to hem seyde, "Felow, what ys they well?"

"All thes thre yer, and mor, potter," he seyde, "Thow hast hantyd thes wey, Yet wer tow never so cortys a man One peney of pauage to pay."

"What ys they name," seyde the potter, "For pauage thow ask of me?"

"Roben Hod ys mey name, A wed schall thow leffe me."

"Well well y non leffe," seyde the potter, "Nor pavag well y non pay; Away they honde fro mey horse, Y well the tene eyls, be me fay."

The potter to hes cart he went, He was not to seke; A G.o.d to-hande staffe therowt he hent, Befor Roben he lepe.

Roben howt with a swerd bent, A bokeler en hes honde [therto]; The potter to Roben he went, And seyde, "Felow, let mey horse go."

Togeder then went thes two yemen, Het was a G.o.d seyt to se; Therof low Robyn hes men, Ther they stod onder a tre.

Leytell John to hes felowhes seyde, "Yend potter welle steffeley stonde:"

The potter, with an acward stroke, Smot the bokeler owt of hes honde;

And ar Roben meyt get hem agen Hes bokeler at hes fette, The potter yn the neke hem toke, To the gronde sone he yede.

That saw Roben hes men, As they stode ender a bow; "Let us helpe owr master," seyed Lytell John, "Yonder potter els well hem sclo."

Thes yemen went with a breyde, To ther master they cam.

Leytell John to hes master seyde, "He haet the wager won?

"Schall y haff yowr forty s.h.i.+llings," seyde Lytel John, "Or ye, master, schall haffe myne?"

"Yeff they wer a hundred," seyde Roben, "Y feythe, they ben all theyne."

"Het ys fol leytell cortesey," seyde the potter, "As y haffe harde weyse men saye, Yeff a por yeman com drywyng ower the wey, To let hem of hes gorney."

"Be mey trowet, thow seys soyt," seyde Roben, "Thow seys G.o.d yemenrey; And thow dreyffe forthe yevery day, Thow schalt never be let for me.

"Y well prey the, G.o.d potter, A felischepe well thow haffe?