Then he put on the old man's breeks,
Was patch'd from ballup to side;
"By the truth of my body," bold Robin can say,
"This man lov'd little pride."
Then he put on the old man's hose,
Were patch'd from knee to wrist;*
"By the truth of my body," said bold Robin Hood,
"I'd laugh if I had any list."
*[Footnote: The word wrist was formerly sometimes used for ankle.]
Then he put on the old man's shoes,
Were patch'd both beneath and aboon;
Then Robin swore a solemn oath,
"It's good habit that makes a man."
Now Robin is to Nottingham gone,
With a link, a down, and a down,
And there he met with the proud sheriff,
Was riding along the town.
[Illustration: ROBIN HOOD AND THE SHERIFF]
"Oh Christ you save, oh, sheriff," he said,
"Oh Christ you save and see;
And what will you give to a silly old man
To-day will your hangman be?"
"Some suits, some suits," the sheriff he said,
"Some suits I'll give to thee:
Some suits, some suits, and pence thirteen,
To-day's a hangman's fee."
Then Robin he turns him round about,
And jumps from stock to stone:
"By the truth of my body," the sheriff, he said,
"That's well jumpt, thou nimble old man."
"I was ne'er a hangman in all my life,
Nor yet intend to trade;
But curst be he," said bold Robin,
"That first a hangman made.
"I've a bag for meal, and a bag for malt,
And a bag for barley and corn;
A bag for bread, and a bag for beef,
And a bag for my little small horn.
"I have a horn in my pocket,
I got it from Robin Hood,
And still when I set it to my mouth,
For thee it blows little good."