Robin Hood dressed himself in shepherd's attire, And, when the bishop of Hereford came by, 'O what is the matter?' then said the bishop, 'Or for whom do you make this ado? Or why do you kill the king's ven'son, When your company is so few?' 'We are shepherds,' said bold Robin Hood, 'You are brave fellows,' said the bishop, 'And the king your doings shall know : Therefore make haste and come along with me, For before the king you shall go.' ‘O pardon, O pardon,' said bold Robin Hood, 'O pardon, I thee pray! For it becomes not your lordship's coat To take so many lives away. 'No pardon, no pardon,' said the bishop, 'No pardon I thee owe; Therefore make haste and come along with me, For before the king you shall go.' Then Robin set his back against a tree, And from underneath his shepherd's coat He put the little end to his mouth, And a loud blast did he blow, Till three score and ten of bold Robin's men All making obeisance to bold Robin Hood, 'T was a comely sight for to see. 'What is the matter, master?' said Little John, 'That ye blow so hastily?' "O here is the bishop of Hereford, And no pardon we shall have.' 'Cut off his head, master,' said Little John, 'And throw him into his grave.' 'O pardon, O pardon,' said the bishop, 'O pardon, I thee pray! For if I had known it had been you, I'd have gone some other way.' 'No pardon, no pardon,' said bold Robin Hood, 'No pardon I thee owe; Therefore make haste and come along with me, Then Robin he took the bishop by the hand, He made him to stay and sup with him that night, 'Call in a reckoning,' said the bishop, 'For methinks it grows wondrous high.' 'Lend me your purse, master,' said Little John, 'And I'll tell you bye and bye.' Then Little John took the bishop's cloak, And spread it upon the ground, And out of the bishop's portmantua He told three hundred pound. 'Here's money enough, master,' said Little John, 'And a comely sight 't is to see; It makes me in charity with the bishop, Robin Hood took the bishop by the hand, And he made the bishop to dance in his boots, Old Ballad CXLIII SIR JOHN SUCKLING'S CAMPAIGN IR John got him an ambling nag, SIR To Scotland for to ride-a, With a hundred horse more, all his own he swore, To guard him on every side-a. No errant knight ever went to fight With half so gay a bravado; Had you seen but his look, you'd have sworn on a book He'd have conquered a whole armado. The ladies ran all to the windows to see 'Sir John, why will you go fight-a?' But he like a cruel knight spurr'd on, His heart did not relent-a; For, till he came there, he show'd no fear; The king (Heaven bless him !) had singular hopes Of him and all his troop-a; The Borderers they, as they met him on the way, For joy did holloa and whoop-a. None liked him so well as his own colonel, But when there were shows of gunning and blows, For when the Scots' army came within sight, He ran to his tent; they ask'd what he meant ; The colonel sent for him back again, But Sir John did swear, he came not there To cure his fear he was sent to the rear, But now there is peace, he 's return'd to increase His money which lately he spent-a; But his lost honour must still lie in the dust; At Berwick away it went-a. Old Ballad CXLIV THE NUN'S LAMENT FOR PHILIP SPARROW HEN I remember'd again W How my Philip was slain, I wept and I wailed, The tears down hailed; But nothing it avail'd To call Philip again Whom Gib our cat hath slain. Heu, heu, me, That I am woe for thee! Levavi oculos meos in montis; This sorrow that I make For Philip Sparrow's sake! It had a velvet cap, And sometimes white bread crumbs ; And many times and oft Within my breast soft It would lie and rest. Sometimes he would gasp When he saw a wasp; A fly or a gnat, He would fly at that; And prettily he would pant When he saw an ant; |