A new Ballad of Robin Hood, William Scadlock, and Little John:
OR,
A Narrative of their Victory obtained against the Prince of Aragon and the two
Gyants: And how William Scadlock married the Princess.
To the Tune of, Robin Hood, or, Hey down, down a down.
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NOw Robin Hood, Will Scadlock, and little John,
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are walking over the plain,
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With a good fat buck which Wiliam Scadlock
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with his strong bow had stain.
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Jog on, jog on, crys Robin Hood,
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the day it runs full fast,
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For though my Nephew me a breakfast gave,
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I have not yet broke my fast.
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Then to yender lodge, let us take our way,
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I think it wondrous good,
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Where my Nephew by my bold Yeomen,
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shall be welcom'd unto the green wood.
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With that he took the bugle-horn,
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ful well he could it blow:
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Streight from the woods came marching down
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one hundred tall fellows and mo.
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Stand, stand to your arms, crys Will. Scadlock,
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lo the enemies are within ken:
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With that Robin Hood he laugh'd aloud,
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crys, They are my bold Yeomen.
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Who when they arriv'd, and Robin espy'd,
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cry'd. Master, What is your will:
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We thought you had in danger been,
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your horn did sound so shrill.
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Now nay, now nay, quoth Robin Hood,
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the danger is past and gone,
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I should have you to welcome my Nephew here,
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that hath paid me two for one.
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In feasting and sporting they passed the day,
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till Phoebus sunk into the deep;
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Then each one to his quarters hy'd,
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his guard there for to keep.
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Long had they not walked within the green wood,
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but Robin he was espyed,
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Of a beautiful Damsel all a lone,
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that on a black paifrey did ride.
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Her riding-suit was of sable hew black,
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cypress over her face,
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Through which her rose-like cheeks did blush
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all with a comely grace.
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Come tell me the cause thou pritty one,
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quoth Robin, and tell me aright,
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From whence thou comest, and whether thou goest,
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all in this mournful plight?
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From London I came, the Damsel reply'd,
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from London upon the Thames,
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Which circled is, O grief to tell,
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besieg'd with forraign arms:
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By the proud Prince of Aragon,
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who swears by his martial hand,
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To have the Princess to his Spouse,
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or else to waste this Land.
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Except that Champions can be found,
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that dare fight three to three,
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Against the Prince, and Gyants twain,
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most horid for to see:
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Whose grissly looks, and eyes like brands,
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strike terrour where they come,
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With serpents hissing on their helms,
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instead of feathered plume.
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The Princess shall be the Victor's prize,
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the King hath vow'd, and said,
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And he that shall the conquest win,
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shall have her to his Bride.
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Now we are four Damsels sent abroad,
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to the East, West, North, and South,
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To try whose fortune is so good,
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to find these Champions forth.
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But all in vain we have sought about,
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yet none so bold there are,
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That dare adventure life and blood,
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to free a Lady fair.
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When is the day? quoth Robin Hood,
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tell me this, and no more.
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On Midsummer next, the Damsel said,
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which is June the twenty four.
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With that the tears trickled down her cheeks,
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and silent was her tongue,
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With sighs and sobs she took her leave,
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away her palfrey sprung.
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This news struck Robin to the heart,
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he fell down on the grass,
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His action, and his troubled mind,
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shew'd he perplexed was.
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Where lies your grief? quoth Will scadlock,
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O Master tell to me,
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If the Damsel's eyes have peirc'd your heart,
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I'll fetch her back to thee.
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Now nay, now nay, quoth Robin Hood,
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she doth not cause my smart,
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But it is the poor distressed Princess,
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that wounds me to the heartr.
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I will go fight the Gyants all,
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to set the Lady free.
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The Devil take my soul, quoth little John,
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if I part with thy company.
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Must I stay behind? quoth Will. Scadlock,
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no, no, that must not be,
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I'll make the third man in the fight,
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so we shall be three to three.
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These words cheer'd Robin at the heart,
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joy shone within his face,
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Within his arms he hug'd them both,
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and kindly did imbrace.
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Quoth he, We'll put on mothly gray,
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with long staves in our hands,
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A scrip and bottle by our sides,
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as come from the holy Land:
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So may we pass along the high-way,
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none will ask from whence we came,
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But take us Pilgrims for to be,
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or else some holy-men.
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Now they are on their journey gone,
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as fast as they may speed,
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Yet for all hast, e're they arriv'd,
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the Princess forth was led,
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To be delivered to the Prince,
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who in the List do stand,
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Prepar'd to fight, or else receive
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his Lady by the hand.
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With that he walks about the Lists,
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with Gyants by his side,
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Bring forth, quoth he, your Champions,
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or bring me forth my Bride:
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This is the four and twenty day,
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the day prefixt upon,
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Bring forth my Bride, London burns,
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I swear by Acaron.
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Then crys the King and Queen likewise,
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both weeping as they speake,
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Lo we have brought our Daughter dear,
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whom we are forc'd to forsake.
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With that stept out bold Robin Hood,
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crys, My Leige it must not be so;
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Such beauty as the fair Princess,
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is not for a Tyrant's mow.
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The Prince he then began to storm,
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crys, Fool, fanatick, baboon,
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How dares thou stop my valour's prize?
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I'll kill thee with a frown.
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Thou Tyrant, Turk, thou Infidel,
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thus Robin began to reply,
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Thy frowns I scorn, lo here's my gage,
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and thus I thee defie:
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And for those two Goliahs there,
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that stand on either side,
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Here are two little Davids by,
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that soon can tame their pride.
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Then did the King for armour send,
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for lances, swords, and shields;
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And thus all three in armour bright,
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came marching to the field.
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The trumpets began to sound a charge,
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each singled out his man,
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Their arms in peices soon where hew'd,
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blood sprung from every vain;
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The Prince he reacht Robin a blow,
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he struck with might and main,
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Which forc'd him fell about the field,
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as though he had been slain.
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God-a-mercy, quoth Robin, for that blow,
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the quarrel shall soon be try'd
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This stroke shall show a full divorce,
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betwixt thee and thy Bride.
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So from his shoulder hes cut his head,
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which on the ground did fall,
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And grumbled sore at Robin Hood,
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to be so dealt withal.
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The Gyants then began to rage,
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to see their Prince lye dead;
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Thou's be the next, quoth little John,
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except thou well guard thy head:
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With that his faulcion he wherl'd about,
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it was both keen and sharp,
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He clove the Gyant to the belt,
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and cut in twain his heart.
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Will. Scadlock well had play'd his part,
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the Gyant he brought to his knee,
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Quoth he, The Devil cannot break his fast,
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unless he have you all three:
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So with his faulcion he run him through,
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a deep and gashly wound,
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Who ramb'd and foam'd, curst & blasphem'd,
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and then fell to the ground.
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Now all the Lists with sheets were fill'd,
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the skies they did resound,
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Which brought the Princess to herself,
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who was fal'n in a swound.
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The King, and Queen, and Princess fair,
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came walking to the place,
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And gave the champions many thanks,
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and did them further grace.
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Tell me, quoth the King, whence you are,
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that thus disguised came,
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Whose valour speaks, that noble blood,
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doth run through every vain?
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A boon, a boon, quoth Robin Hood,
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on my knees I beg and crave.
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By my crown, quoth the King, I grant,
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ask what, and thou shalt have.
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Then pardon I beg for my merry men,
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which are within the green wood,
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For little John, and Will. Scadlock,
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and for me bold Robin Hood.
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Art thou Robin Hood then? quoth the King,
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for the valour you have shown,
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Your pardons I do freely grant,
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and welcome every one.
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The Princess I promised the Victor's prize,
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she cannot have you all three:
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She shall chuse, quoth Robin; saith little John,
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Then little share falls to me.
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Then did the Princess view all three,
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with a comely lovely grace,
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Who took Will Scadlock by the hand,
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quoth, Here I make my choice.
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With that a noble Lord stept forth,
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of Maxfield Earl was he,
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Who lookt Will Scadlock in the face,
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then wept most bitterly:
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Quoth he, I had a son like thee,
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whom I lov'd wondrous well,
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But he his gone, or rather dead,
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his name is young Gamwell.
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Then did Will Scadlock fall on his knees,
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cries, Father, father here,
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Here kneels your son, your young Gamwell,
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you said you lov'd so dear.
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But Lord what imbracing, and kissing was there,
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when all these friends where met,
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They are gone to the wedding and so the bedding,
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and so I bid you good-night.
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FINIS
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