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 call'd Little John.
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To the Tune of, Arthur a Bland.
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Licens'd and Enter'd 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 happen'd 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 call'd 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 quak'd at his name,
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For soon he wou'd make them to flie.
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How they came acquainted, I'll 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 chanc'd to espy:
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They happen'd to meet on a long narrow bridge,
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with a hey, etc.
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And neither of them wou'd give way;
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quoth bold Robin Hood, and sturdily stood,
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I'll 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 reply'd, I'll licker thy hide,
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If thou offer to touch the string.
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Quoth bold Robin Hood, Thou do'st 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 could'st strike me one blow.
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You talk like a Coward, the Stranger reply'd,
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with a hey, etc.
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Well arm'd 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 I'll 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 we'll 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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I'll 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 follow'd their blows,
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As if they'd 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 engag'd,
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And follow'd 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 tumbl'd 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 cry'd:
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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 I'll 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 blow'd 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 appear'd,
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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 what's 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 tumbl'd me in.
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He shall not go scot free, the others reply'd,
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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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There's 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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there's 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, ne'r fear;
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I'll teach 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 reply'd,
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with a hey, etc.
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I'll 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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Ne'r doubt me, for I'll play my part.
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His name shall be alter'd, 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 fetch'd 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 lov'd 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 maybe an ell in the waste;
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a pritty sweet Lad; much feasting they had:
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Bold Robin the Christ'ning grac'd,
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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 we'll transpose, so where-ever he goes,
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His name shall be call'd 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 o're,
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to feasting they went with true merriment,
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And tipl'd 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 cloath'd 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 curious 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 we'll not want gold, nor silver, behold,
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While Bishops have ought in their purse.
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We'll live here like Esquires or Lords of Renown,
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with a hey, etc.
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Without e're a foot of free land;
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we feast on good chear, with wine, ale and beer,
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And ev'rything 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 liv'd,
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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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LONDON:
Printed by and for W. Onley, and are to be sold by the
Booksellers of Pye-corner and London-bridge.
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