"Thou shalt be an archer as well as the best,
And range in the green-wood with us;
Where we'll not want gold nor silver, behold,
While bishops have aught in their purse.
"We live here like 'squires, or lords of renown,
Without e'er a foot of free land;
We feast on good cheer, with wine, ale, and beer,
And ev'ry thing at our command."
Then music and dancing did finish the day;
At length, when the sun waxed low,
Then all the whole train the grove did refrain,
And unto their caves did go.
And so ever after, as long as he liv'd,
Altho' he was proper and tall,
Yet, nevertheless, the truth to express,
Still Little John they do him call.
ROBIN HOOD AND THE STRANGER
Come listen awhile, you gentlemen all,
With a hey down, down, a down, down,
That are this bower within,
For a story of gallant bold Robin Hood,
I purpose now to begin.
"What time of day?" quoth Robin Hood then;
Quoth Little John, "Tis in the prime."
"Why then we will to the green-wood gang,
[Footnote: Gang is the Scotch word for go.]
For we have no vittles to dine."
As Robin Hood walkt the forest along,
It was in the mid of the day,
There he was met of a deft* young man,
As ever walkt on the way.
* [Footnote: Deft means neatly dressed, well looking.]
His doublet was of silk, he said,
His stockings like scarlet shone,
And as he walkt on along the way,
To Robin Hood then unknown.
A herd of deer was in the bend, All feeding before his face; "Now the best of you Ile have to my dinner, And that in a little space." *[Footnote: At the time the old ballads were first written down, spelling had not become settled. The contraction I'll was often spelled as it sounds.]
[Illustration: THE STRANGER OVERTHROWS ROBIN HOOD]