Robin Hood, Will Scarlet, and Little
John: Or, a Narrative of the Victory obtaind against
the Prince of Arragon and the two Giants; and how
Will Scarlet Married the Princess.
Tune of, Robin Hood.
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NOW Robin hood Will Scarlet and Little John
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are walking over the plain,
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With a good fat Buck which Will Scarlet,
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with his strong bow had slain.
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Jog on, jog on, cries Robin hood,
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the day it runs full fast.
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For though my Nephew me a break fast gave,
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I have not broke my fast.
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Then to yonder lodge, let us take our way,
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I think it wonderous good
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Where my nephew by my bold Yeomen,
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shall be welcome unto the green wood,
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With that he took the bugle horn,
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full well he could it blow:
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straight from the woods came ma[r]ching down
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one hundred tal fellow and more.
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stand, stand to your Arms cries will Scarlet,
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lo, the enemies are within ken[t]
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With that Robin hood he laughd aloud,
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cries, they are my bold yeomen,
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Who when they arrivd, and Robin espyd,
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cryd 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 would 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 hyd,
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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 espyd,
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O a beautiful damsel all alone,
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that on a black palfry did ride,
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Her riding suit was of sable hew black;
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cyprus over her Face,
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Through which her ros like cheeks did blush,
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all with a comely grace.
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Come tell me the cause thou pretty one:
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quoth Robin tell me right
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From whence thou comest, and whither thou goest,
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all in this mournful pligh[t]?
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From London I came, the damsel replyd,
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from London upon the Thames,
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Which circled is, O Grief to tell,
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besiegd with foreign arms:
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By the proude prince of Arragon,
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who swears by his Martial band,
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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 Champion can be found,
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that dare fight three to three;
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Against the prince and gainst twain,
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most horrid for to see;
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Whose grisly looks and eyes like brands,
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strike terror where they come,
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With serpents hissing on their helms,
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instead of featherd plume.
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The Princess shall be the Victors prize,
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the King hath vowd 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 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 palfry 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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shewd 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 Damsels eyes has piercd your heart,
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ill 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 heart.
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I will go and fight the giants 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 Scarlet
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no, no, that must not be,
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Ill make the third man in the fight,
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so we shall be three to three.
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These words cheerd Robin to the heart
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joy shon within his face.
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Within his arms he hugd them both,
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and kindly did embrace:
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Quoth he well put on motley grey,
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with long staves in our hands,
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A sc[r]ip and bottle by our sides,
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as come from the holy lands:
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So may we pass along the highway,
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none will a[s]k from whence we came,
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But take us Pilgrims 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 spe[e]d,
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Yet for all hast eer they arrivd,
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the princess forth was ledr
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To be deliverd, to the prince.
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who in the list did stand
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Prepard to fight or else receive.
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his Lady by the hand
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With that he walkt about the lift,
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with Giants 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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Th[i]s is the four and twentieth day,
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the day prefixt upno,
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Bring forth my bride, or London burns,
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I swear by Acaron.
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Then cries the King and Queen likewise.
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both weeping as they speak,
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Lo, we have brought our Daughter dear.
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whom we are forcd to forsake,
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With that stept out bold Robin Hood,
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cries, 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 tyrants mow,
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The Prince he then began to storm,
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cries, Fool fanitick, baboon,
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How dares you stop my valours prize
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ill kil the 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? so heres my gage,
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and thus I thee defie
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Here are two little David 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 shield;
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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 armr in pieces soon were hewd,
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blood sprang from every vain:
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The prince reacht Robin a blow,
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he struct with might and main,
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Which forcd him to reel about the field,
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as though he had been slain.
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God amercy quoth Robin for that blow,
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the quarrel shall soon be tryed.
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This stroke shall shew a full divorce,
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betwixt thee and thy bride,
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So from his shoulders he cut his head,
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which on the ground did fall,
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And grumble sore at Robin hood,
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to be so dealt withal.
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The giants then began to rage,
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to see their Prince lie dead;
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Thoust be the next quoth Little John;
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except thou wilt guard thy head:
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With that his faulchion he whirid about,
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it was both keen and sharp,
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He cloves the grant to the belt,
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and cut in twain his heart.
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Will Scadlock well had played his part,
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the giant he brought to his knee,
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Quoth will the Devi[l] cannot break his fast,
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unless he have you all three;
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So with his faulchion he run him through,
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a deep and gashly woud,
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who damnd and foamd, curst & blasphemd,
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and then fell to the ground,
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Now all the Lists with shoots were filld,
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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 fallen in a swoond,
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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 Garland.
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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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Who valour spake 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 thou hath shown,
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Your pardon I do freely grant,
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and welcome every one.
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The princess I promised the Victors prize,
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she cannot have you all three,
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She shall chuse quoth Robin, faith Little John
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then Little share falls to me.
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Then did tte Princess view all three.
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with a comly lovely grace,
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Who took will Scarlet by the hand,
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said Hear 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 lovd wonderous well,
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But he is gone, or rather dead,
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his name is young Gamwell,
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Then did will Scadlock fall on his knee:
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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 lovd so dear.
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But Lord, What imbracing and kissing was there
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when all thes friends Were met;
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Theyre gone to the Wedding, and so to bedding,
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and so I bid you good night,
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