57. Towards his house in Nottingam 58. But he cold neither soe fast goe, ROBIN HOOD'S DEATH AND 1. When Robin Hood and Little John 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, Hood, While one drop of blood would run down. 22. Then bespayke a squyar off Northom- 30. Thorowe ryche male and myneyeple,7 barlonde, Richard Wytharyngton was his nam: "It shall never be told in SotheYnglonde," he says, "to Kyng Herry the Fourth for sham. 23. "I wat youe byn great lordës twaw, I am a poor squyar of lande: I wylle never se my captayne fyght on a fylde, and stande my selffe and loocke on, But whylle I may my weppone welde, I wylle not [fayle] both hart and hande." 24. That day, that day, that dredfull day! the first fit1 here I fynde; And youe wyll here any mor a the hountyng a the Chyviat, yet ys ther mor behynde. many sterne the strocke done streght; Many a freyke1o that was fulle fre, ther undar foot dyd lyght. 31. At last the Duglas and the Persë met, lyk to captayns of myght and of 25. The Yngglyshe men hade ther bowys 34. "Thou shalte have thy ransom fre, yebent, ther hartes wer good yenoughe; The first off arros that the shote off, seven skore spear-men the sloughe.2 I hight 15 the hear this thinge; For the manfullyste man yet art 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 the sharpe arrowe ys gane, That never after in all his lyffe-days 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! |