Ballads of Robin Hood and other Outlaws Part 23

By the gullet of the hood John pulled the monke down; John was nothing of him agast, He let him fall on his crown.

50.

Little John was sore aggrieved, And drew out his sword on high; This monke saw he should be dead, Loud mercy can he cry.

51.

'He was my master,' said Little John, 'That thou hast brought in bale; Shall thou never come at our king, For to tell him tale.'

52.

John smote off the monkes head, No longer would he dwell; So did Much the little page, For fear lest he would tell.

53.

There they buried them both, In neither moss nor ling, And Little John and Much in fere Bare the letters to our king.

54.

He kneeled down upon his knee: 'G.o.d you save, my liege lord, Jesus you save and see!

55.

'G.o.d you save, my liege king!'

To speak John was full bold; He gave him the letters in his hand, The king did it unfold.

56.

The king read the letters anon, And said, 'So mote I the, There was never yeoman in merry England I longed so sore to see.

57.

'Where is the monk that these should have brought?'

Our king can say: 'By my troth,' said Little John, 'He died after the way.'

58.

The king gave Much and Little John Twenty pound in certain, And made them yeomen of the crown, And bade them go again.

59.

He gave John the seal in hand, The sheriff for to bear, To bring Robin him to, And no man do him dere.

60.

John took his leave at our king, The sooth as I you say; The next way to Nottingham To take, he yede the way.

61.

When John came to Nottingham The gates were sparred each one; John called up the porter, He answered soon anon.

62.

'What is the cause,' said Little John, 'Thou sparres the gates so fast?'

'Because of Robin Hood,' said the porter, 'In deep prison is cast.

63.

'John and Much and Will Scathlock, For sooth as I you say, They slew our men upon our walles, And sauten us every day.'

64.

Little John spyrred after the sheriff, And soon he him found; He opened the kinges privy seal And gave him in his hond.

65.

When the sheriff saw the kinges seal, He did off his hood anon; 'Where is the monk that bare the letters?'

He said to Little John.

66.

'He is so fain of him,' said Little John, 'For sooth as I you say, He has made him abbot of Westminster, A lord of that abbay.'

67.

The sheriff made John good cheer, And gave him wine of the best; At night they went to their bed, And every man to his rest.

68.

When the sheriff was on sleep, Drunken of wine and ale, Little John and Much for sooth Took the way unto the jail.

69.

Little John called up the jailor; And bade him rise anon; He said Robin Hood had broken prison, And out of it was gone.

70.

The porter rose anon certain, As soon as he heard John call; Little John was ready with a sword, And bare him to the wall.

71.

'Now will I be porter,' said Little John, 'And take the keys in hond'; He took the way to Robin Hood, And soon he him unbound.

72.

He gave him a good sword in his hand, His head therewith for to keep, And thereas the wall was lowest Anon down can they leap.

73.

By that the c.o.c.k began to crow, The day began to spring; The sheriff found the jailor dead, The comyn bell made he ring.

74.

He made a cry throughout all the town, Whether he be yeoman or knave, That could bring him Robin Hood, His warison he should have.

75.

'For I dare never,' said the sheriff, 'Come before our king; For if I do, I wot certain For sooth he will me hing.'

76.

The sheriff made to seek Nottingham, Both by street and sty, And Robin was in merry Sherwood, As light as leaf on lynd.

77.

Then bespake good Little John, To Robin Hood can he say, 'I have done thee a good turn for an evil; Quite thee when thou may.

78.

'I have done thee a good turn,' said Little John, 'For sooth as I you say; I have brought thee under green wood lyne; Farewell, and have good day.'

79.

'Nay, by my troth,' said Robin Hood, 'So shall it never be: I make thee master,' said Robin Hood, 'Of all my men and me.'

80.

'Nay, by my troth,' said Little John, 'So shall it never be; But let me be a fellow,' said Little John, 'No nother keep I be.'