"I weep not for gold," the lady reply'd,
"Neither do I weep for fee;10
Nor do I weep for my maidenhead,
That is taken from my body."
"What weep you for then?" said jolly Robìn,
"I prithee come tell unto me;"
"Oh! I do weep for my three sons,15
For they are all condemned to die."
"What church have they robbed?" said jolly Robìn,
"Or parish-priest have they slain?
What maids have they forced against their will?
Or with other mens wives have lain?"20
"No church have they robbed," this lady reply'd,
"Nor parish-priest have they slain;
No maids have they forced against their will,
Nor with other mens wives have lain."
"What have they done then?" said jolly Robìn,25
"Come tell me most speedily:"
"Oh! it is for killing the kings fallow deer,
[That] they are all condemned to die."
"Get you home, get you home," said jolly Robìn,
"Get you home most speedily,30
And I will unto fair Nottingham go,
For the sake of the squires all three."
Then bold Robin Hood for Nottingham goes,
For Nottingham town goes he,
O there did he meet with a poor beggar-man,35
He came creeping along the highway.
"What news, what news, thou old beggar-man?
What news, come tell unto me:"
"O there's weeping and wailing in Nottingham,
For the death of the squires all three."40
This beggar-man had a coat on his back,
'Twas neither green, yellow, nor red;
Bold Robin Hood thought 'twas no disgrace
To be in the beggar-mans stead.
"Come, pull off thy coat, thou old beggar-man,45
And thou shalt put on mine;
And forty good shillings I'll give thee to boot,
Besides brandy, good beer, ale and wine."