The Famous Battle between Robin Hood, and the
Curtal Fryer. To a new Northern Tune.
ROBIN HOOD.
THE
Curtal Fryer.
Little John.
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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 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 kild a Buck
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and Midas he kild a Doe,
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And little John kild a Hart of Greece,
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five hundred foot him fro.
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Gods blessing on thy heart said Robin Hood
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that shot such a shoot to me,
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I would ride my horse a 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 Fryer in fountains abby
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will beat both him and thee.
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That Curtal Fryer in Fountains abby
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well can a strong Bow draw,
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He will beat you and your yeomen,
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set them all on a row.
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Robin Hood took a solemn Oath,
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it was by Mary free,
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That he would neither eat nor drink
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till the Fryer he did see.
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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 made 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 Fryer
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walking by the water side.
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The Fryer had on 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 Fryer,
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or else thy lifes forlorn.
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The Fryer 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 stepd Robin Hood off the Fryers back,
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the Fryer said to him again,
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Carry me over this water thou fine fellow
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or it shall breed thy pain.
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Robin Hood took the Fryer 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 leapt the fryer off Robin Hoods back
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Robin Hood said to him again,
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Carry me over this water thou Curtal Fryer
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or it shall breed thy pain.
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The Fryer took Robin Hood ons 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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whether thou wilt sink or swim.
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Robin Hood swam to a bush of Broom,
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the Fryer 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 Fryer he let fly,
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The Curtle Fryer 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 all his arrows were gone,
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They took their Swords an Steel Bucklers,
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they fought with might and main.
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From ten oth clock that day
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till four ith afternoon,
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Then Robin Hood came to Knees
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of Fryer to beg a boon.
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A boon, a boon thou Curtal Fryer,
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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 Fryer,
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of thy blasts I have no doubt,
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I hope thoult 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 but 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 Fryer
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that come so hastily,
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These are mine, said Robin Hood,
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Fryer what is that to thee.
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A boon, a boon, said the Curtal 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 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 Fryer fist
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would make me glad and fain.
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The Fryer 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 Fryer 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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Fryer 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 Curtle 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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Fryer at my bidding be,
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Whose man art thou, said the Curtal 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 lye,
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If thou take not up thy Dogs soon
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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 main
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Soon half a score of the Fryers Dogs,
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lay dead upon the plain.
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Hold thy hand good fellow, said the Curtal 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 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 Sunday through the year,
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a Noble shall be thy fee.
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And every Holly-day 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 Frier 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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