The famous Battell betweene Robin Hood and the
Curtall Fryer. To a new Notherne tune.
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I N Summer time when leaves grow [greene],
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and flowers are fresh and gay,
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Robin Hood and his merry men
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were disposed to play.
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Then some would leape, and some would runne,
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and some would use artillery,
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Which of you can a good bow draw,
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a good archer for to be.
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Which of you can kill a Bucke,
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or who can kill a Doe,
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O[r] who can kill a Hart of greece,
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five hundreth foot him fro.
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Will Scadlocke he kild a Bucke,
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and Midge he kild a Doe,
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And little John kild a Hart of greece,
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five hundreth foot him fro?
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Gods blessing on thy heart said, Robin Hood ,
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that hath such a shot for me,
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I would ride my horse a hundreth miles,
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to find one could match thee.
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That caus'd Will Scadlocke to laugh,
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he laught full heartily,
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There lives a curtall Fryer in Fountaines Abby,
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will beate both him and thee.
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That curtall Fryer in Fountaines Abbey,
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well can a strong bow draw,
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He will beat you and all your Yeomen,
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set them all a on a row.
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Robin Hood he tooke a solemne oath,
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it was by Mary free,
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That he would neither eate nor drinke,
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till the Fryer he did see.
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Robin Hood put on his harnesse good,
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on his head a cap of steele,
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Broad sword and buckler by his side,
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and they became him weele.
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He tooke his bow into his hand,
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it was made of a trusty tree,
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With sheafe of arrowes at his belt,
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to the Fountaine dale went he.
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And comming into Fountaine dale,
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no farther he would ride,
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There was he aware of the curtale Fryer,
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walking by the water side.
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The Fryer had on harnesse good,
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on his head a cap of steele,
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Broadsword and buckler by his side,
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and they became him weele.
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Robin Hood lighted off his horse,
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and tide him to a thorne,
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Carry me over this water, thou curtall Frier,
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or else thy life's forlorne.
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The Fryer tooke Robin Hood on his backe,
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deepe water he did bestride,
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And spake neither good word nor bad,
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till he came at th'other side.
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Lightly leapt Robin Hood off the Fryers backe,
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the Fryer said to him againe,
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Carry me over this water fine fellow,
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or it shall breed thy paine.
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Robin Hood tooke the Fryer on his backe,
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deepe water he did bestride,
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And spake neither good nor bad,
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till he came at th'other side.
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Lightly leapt the Fryer off Robin Hoods backe,
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Robin Hood said to him againe,
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Carry me over this water thou curtall Fryer,
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or it shall breede thy paine.
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The Fryer tooke Robin ons backe againe,
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and stept i[n] to the knee,
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Till he came at the middle streame,
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neither good nor bad spake he.
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The second part, to the same tune.
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A Nd comming to the middle streame,
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there he threw Robin in,
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And chuse thee, chuse thee fine fellow,
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whether thou wilt sincke or swim.
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Robin Hood swam to a bush of broome,
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the Fryer to a wigger wand,
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Bold Robin Hood is gone to shore,
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and tooke his bow in his hand.
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One of his best arrowes under his belt,
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to the Fryer he let fly,
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The curtall Fryer with his steele buckler,
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he put that arrow by.
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Soot on, shoot on, thou fine fellow,
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shoot on as thou hast begun,
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If thou shoot here a Summers day,
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thy marke I will not shun.
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Robin Hood shot passing well,
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till his arrowes all were gane,
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They tooke their swords and steele bucklers,
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they fought with might and maine,
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From ten of clocke of that day,
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till foure of th'afternoone.
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Then Robin Hood came to his knees,
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of the Fryer to beg a boone.
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A boone, a boone, thou curtall Fryer,
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I beg it on my knee,
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Give me leave to set my horne to my mouth,
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but to blow blasts three.
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That will I doe, said the curtall F[r]yer,
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of thy blasts I have no doubt,
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I hope thoule blow so passing well,
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till both thy eyes fall out.
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Robin Hood set his horne t[o] his mouth,
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he blew but blasts three,
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Halfe a hundreth Yeomen with bowes bent,
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came l[ur]king over the lee.
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Whose men are these said the Fryer,
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that comes so hastily,
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These men are mine, said Robin Hood,
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Fryer, what is that to thee?
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A boone, a boone, said the curtall Fryer,
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the like I gave to thee,
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Give me leave to set my fist to my mouth,
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and to whuto whues three.
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That will I doe, said Robin Hood ,
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or else I were to blame.
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Three whues in a Fryers fist,
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would make me glad and faine.
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The Fryer set his fist to his mouth,
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and whuted whues three,
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Halfe a hundreth of good band dogs
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came running the Fryer unto.
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Heres for every man of thine a dog,
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and I my selfe for thee,
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Nay by my faith, said Robin Hood ,
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Fryer, that may not be.
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Two dogs at once to Robin Hood did goe,
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the one behind, the other before,
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Robin Hoods mantle of Lincolne greene,
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off from his backe they tore.
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And whether his men shot east or west,
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or they shot north or south,
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The curtall dogs so taught they were,
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they kept the arrowes in their mouth.
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Take up thy dogs, said little John,
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Fryer, at my bidding be,
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Whose man art thou, said the curtall Fryer,
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comes here to prate with me?
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I am little John, Robin Hoods man,
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Fryer I will not lie,
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If thou take not up thy dogs soone,
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Ile take up them and thee.
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Little John had a bow in his hand,
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he shot with might and maine,
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Soone halfe a score of the Fryers dogs,
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lay dead upon the plaine.
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Hold thy hand good fellow, said the curtall Fryer,
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thy Master and I will agree,
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And we will have new orders taken,
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with all the hast may be.
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If thou wilt forsake faire Fountaines dale,
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and Fountaines Abbey free,
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Every Sunday thorowout the yeere,
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a Nottle shall be thy fee,
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And every holiday through the yeere,
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changed shall thy garment be,
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If thou wilt goe to faire Notingham,
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and there remaine with me.
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This curtall Frier had kept Fountaines dale,
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seven long yeeres, and more:
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There was neither Knight, Lord nor Earle,
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could make him yeeld before.
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FINIS.
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