The Famous Battel between Robin Hood, and the Curtal Fryar.
To a New Northern Tune.
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IN Summer time when leaves grow green
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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 leap and some would Run,
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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 to be?
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Which of you can kill a Buck?
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or who can kill a Doe?
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Or who can kill a Hart of Greece,
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five hundred foot him fro?
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Will Scadlock he kill'd a Buck,
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and Midge he kill'd a Doe;
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And little John kill'd a Hart of Greece;
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five hundred foot him fro:
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Gods blessing on they heart, said Robin Hood
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that shot such a shoot to me,
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I would ride my Horse an hundred miles,
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to find one could match thee.
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That caused Will Scadlock to laugh,
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he laught full heartily.
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There lives a curtal Fryar in Fountain-Abby
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will beat both him and thee.
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Robin Hood put on his Harness good,
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and on his head a Cap of Steel,
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Broad Sword and Buckler by his side,
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and they became him weel.
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He took his Bow into his hand,
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it was of a trusty tree,
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With a Sheaf of Arrows at his Belt,
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to the Fountains Dale went he.
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And coming unto Fountains Dale,
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no farther would he ride.
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There was he ware of a Curtal Fryar,
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walking by the water side.
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The Fryar had a Harness good,
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and on his head a Cap of Steel,
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Broad Sword and Buckler by his side,
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and they became him weel.
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Robin Hood lighted off his Horse,
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and tyed him to a thorn,
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Carry me over the water thou Curtal Fryar,
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or else thy life's forlorn.
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The Fryar took Robin Hood on his back,
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deep water he did bestride,
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And spake neither good word nor bad,
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till he came at the other side.
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Lightly stept Rob. Hood off the Fryars back,
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the Fryar said to him again,
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Carry me over the water thou fine fellow,
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or it shall breed thy pain.
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Robin Hood took the Fryar on his back,
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deep water he did bestride,
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And speak neither good word nor bad,
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till he came to the other side.
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Lightly leapt the Fryar off Robin Hoods back
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Robin Hood said to him again,
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Carry me over the water thou Curtal Fryar,
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or it shall breed thy pain.
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The Fryar took Robin Hood on's back again
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and stept up to the knee,
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Till he came at the middle stream,
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neither good nor bad spake he.
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And coming to the middle stream,
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there he threw Robin in,
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And chuse thee, chuse thee, fine fellow,
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with thou wilt sink or swim.
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The second part, to the same Tune.
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Robin Hood swam to a bush of Broom,
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the Fryar to a wigger wand,
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Bold Robin Hood is gone to the shore,
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and took his Bow in hand.
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One of his best Arrows under his Belt,
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to the Fryar he let flye,
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The Curtal Fryar with his Steel Buckler,
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he put that Arrow by.
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Shoot on, shoot on, thou fine fellow,
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shoot as thou hast begun,
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If thou shoot here a Summers day,
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thy mark I will not shun.
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Robin Hood shot so passing well,
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till his Arrows were all gone,
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They took their Swords and steel Bucklers,
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they fought with might and main,
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From ten o'th Clock that day,
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till four i'th Afternoon,
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Then Robin Hood came to his knees,
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of the Fryar to beg a boon.
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A boon, a boon, thou Curtal Fryar,
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I beg it on my knee,
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Give me leave to set my Horn to my mouth,
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and to blow blasts three.
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That will I do, said the Curtal Fryar,
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of thy blasts I have no doubt,
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I hope thou'lt blow so passing well,
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till both thy eyes fall out.
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Robin Hood set his Horn to his mouth,
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he blew out blasts three,
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Half a hundred Yeomen with Bows bent,
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came ranging over the Lee.
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Whose men are these, said the Fryar,
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that come so hastily?
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These men are mine, said Robin Hood,
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Fryar, what is that to thee.
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A boon, a boon, said the Curtal Fryar,
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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 whute whutes three.
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That will I do, said Robin Hood,
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or else I were to blame,
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Three whutes in a Fryars Fist,
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would make me glad and fain.
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The Fryar he set his Fist to his mouth,
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and whuted whutes three,
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Half a hundred good bay Dogs,
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came running the Fryar unto.
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Here is for every man a Dog,
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and I my self for thee.
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Nay by my faith, quoth Robin Hood,
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Fryar that may not be.
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Two Dogs at once to Robin Hood did go,
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the one behind the other before,
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Robin Hoods Mantle of Lincoln green,
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off from his back 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 Cutrtles Dogs so taught they were,
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they caught the Arrows in their mouth.
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Take up thy Dogs, said little John,
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Fryar at my bidding be,
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Whose man art thou, said the Curtal Fryar,
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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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Fryar I will not lye,
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If thou take not up thy Dogs soon,
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i'le 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 main,
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Soon half a score of the Fryars Dogs,
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lay dead upon the plain.
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Hold thy hand, hold thy hand, said the Curtal Fryar,
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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 that may be.
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If thou wilt forsake fair Fountain Dale,
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and Fountain-Abby free,
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Every Sundy through the year,
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a Noble shall be thy fee.
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And every Holiday through the year
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changed shall thy Garments be,
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If thou wilt go to fair Nottingham,
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and there remain with me.
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This Curtal Fryar had kept Fountain Dale,
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seven long years and more,
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There was neither Knight, Lord, nor Earl,
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could make him yield before.
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