Robin Hood and Little John;
BEING
An Account of their first Meeting, their fierce Encounter and
Conquest. To which is added, Their friendly Agreement, and how he
came to be calld Little John.
To the Tune of, Arthur a Bland.
Licensd and Enterd according to Order.
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WHen Robin Hood was about twenty years old,
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with a hey down, down and a down,
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He happend to meet Little John,
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a jolly brisk Blade, right fit for the trade,
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For he was a lusty young Man.
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Though he was calld Little, his limbs they were large,
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with a hey, etc.
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And his stature was seven foot high;
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where-ever he came, they quakd at his name,
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For soon he woud make them to flie.
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How they came acquainted, Ill tell you in brief,
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with a hey, etc.
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If you will but listen a while;
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for this very jest, amongst all the rest,
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I think it may cause you to smile:
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Bold Robin Hood said to his jolly Bowmen,
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with a hey, etc.
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Pray tarry you here in this grove,
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and see that you all, observe well my call,
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While thorough the forrest I rove.
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We have had no sport for these fourteen long days,
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with a hey, etc.
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Therefore now abroad will I go;
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now should I be beat, and cannot retreat,
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My horn I will presently blow.
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Then did he shake hands with his merry Men all,
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with a hey, etc.
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And bid them at present good-by;
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then as near a brook his journey he took,
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A Stranger he chancd to espy:
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They happend to meet on a long narrow bridge,
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with a hey, etc.
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And neither of them woud give way;
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quoth bold Robin Hood, and sturdily stood,
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Ill show you right Nottingham play;
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With that from his quiver an arrow he drew,
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with a hey, etc.
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A broad arrow with a goose-wing:
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the Stranger replyd, Ill licker thy hide,
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If thou offer to touch the string.
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Quoth bold Robin Hood, Thou dost prate like an Ass,
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with a hey, etc.
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For were I to bend but my bow,
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I could send a dart quite through thy proud heart,
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Before thou couldst strike me one blow.
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You talk like a Coward, the Stranger replyd,
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with a hey, etc.
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Well armd with a long bow you stand,
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to shoot at my breast, while I, I protest,
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Have naught but a staff in my hand.
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The name of a Coward, quoth Robin, I scorn,
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with a hey, etc.
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Wherefore my long bow Ill lay by,
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and now for thy sake a staff I will take,
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The truth of thy Manhood to try.
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Then Robin Hood stept to a thicket of trees,
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with a hey, etc.
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And chose him a staff of ground oak;
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now this being done, away he did run
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To the Stranger, and merrily spoke:
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Lo, see my staff, it is lusty and tough,
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with a hey, etc.
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Now here on the bridge we will play;
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whoever falls in, the other shall win
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The battle, and so well away.
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With all my whole heart to thy humour I yield,
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with a hey, etc.
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I scorn in the least to give out:
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this said, they fell to t without more dispute,
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And their staffs they did flourish about.
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And first Robin he gave the Stranger a bang,
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with a hey, etc.
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So hard that it made his bones ring:
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the Stranger he said, This must be repaid;
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Ill give you as good as you bring:
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So long as I am able to handle my staff,
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with a hey, etc.
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To die in your debt, Friend, I scorn:
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then to it both goes, and followd their blows,
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As if theyd been thrashing of corn.
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The Stranger gave Robin a crack on the crown,
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with a hey, etc.
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Which caused the blood to appear;
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then Robin enrag[]d, more fiercely engagd,
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And followd his blows more severe;
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So thick and so fast he did lay it on him,
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with a hey, etc.
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With passionate fury and eyre,
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at every stroke he made him to smoke,
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As if he had been all on a fire.
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O then into a fury the Stranger he grew,
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with a hey, etc.
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And gave him a damnable look,
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and with it a blow, that laid him full low,
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And tumbld him into the brook.
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I prithee, good Fellow, O where art thou now?
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with a hey, etc.
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The Stranger in laugher he cryd:
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quoth bold Robin Hood, Good faith in the flood,
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And floting along with the tide.
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I needs must acknowledge thou art a brave Soul
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with a hey, etc.
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With thee Ill no longer contend;
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for needs must I say, thou hast got the day,
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Our battle shall be at an end.
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Then, then to the bank he did presently wade,
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with a hey, etc.
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And pull[]d himself out by a thorn;
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which done, at the last, he blowd a loud blast
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Straitways on his fine bugle-horn:
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The eccho of which through the vallies did flie,
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with a hey, etc.
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At which his stout Bowmen appeard,
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all cloathed in green, most gay to be seen,
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So up to their Master they steer'd:
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O whats the matter? quoth William Stuteley;
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with a hey, etc.
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Good Master, you are wet to the shin?
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No matter, quoth he, the Lad which you see,
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In fighting he tumbld me in.
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He shall not go scot free, the others replyd,
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with a hey, etc.
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So straight they were seising him there,
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to duck him likewise; but Robin Hood cries,
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He is a stout Fellow, forbear.
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Theres no one shall wrong thee, Friend, be not afraid,
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with a hey, etc.
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These Bowmen upon me do wait;
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theres threescore and nine; if thou wilt be mine,
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Thou shalt have my livery strait,
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And other accoutrements fit for my Train:
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with a hey, etc.
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Speak up, jolly Blade, ner fear,
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Ill reach thee also the use of the bow,
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To shoot at the fat fallow-deer.
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O here is my hand, the Stranger replyd,
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with a hey, etc.
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Ill serve you with all my whole heart;
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my name is John Little, a Man of good mettle,
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Ner doubt me, for Ill play my part.
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His name shall be alterd, quoth William Stuteley,
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with a hey, etc.
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And I will his Godfather be;
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prepare then a feast, and none of the least,
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For we will be merry, quoth he.
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They presently fetchd in a brace of fat does,
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with a hey, etc.
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With humming strong liquor likewise;
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they lovd what was good: so in the green wood
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This pritty sweet Babe they baptize.
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He was, I must tell you, but seven foot high,
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with a hey, etc.
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And may be an ell in the waste;
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a pritty sweet Lad; much feasting they had:
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Bold Robin the Christning gracd,
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With all his Bowmen, which stood in a ring;
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with a hey, etc.
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And were of the Nottingham Breed;
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brave Stuteley comes then, with seven Yeomen,
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And did in this manner proceed:
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This Infant was called John Little, quoth he,
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with a hey, etc.
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Which name shall be changed anon,
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the words well transpose, so where-ever he goes,
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His name shall be calld Little John.
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They all with a shout made the elements ring,
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with a hey, etc.
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So soon as this Office was ore,
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to feasting they went with true merriment,
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And tipld strong liquor gallore.
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Then Robin he took the pritty sweet Babe,
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with a hey, etc.
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And cloathd him from top to the toe,
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in garments of green, most gay to be seen,
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And gave him a curtous long bow.
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Thou shalt be an Archer as well as the best,
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with a hey, etc.
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And range in the green wood with us,
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where well not want gold, nor silver, behold,
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While Bishops have ought in their purse.
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Well live here like Esquires or Lords of Renown,
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with a hey, etc.
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Without ere a foot of free land;
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we feast on good chear, with wine, ale and beer,
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And evry thing at our command.
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Then musick and dancing did finish the day,
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with a hey, etc.
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At length when the sun waxed low,
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then all the whole Train the grove did refrain,
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And unto their caves they did go.
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And so ever after, as long as he livd,
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with a hey down, down and a down,
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Although he was proper and tall,
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yet nevertheless, the truth to express,
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Still Little John they did him call.
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