ROBIN HOOD AND THE CURTALL FRYER.
Ritson's Robin Hood, ii. 61.
"From an old black-letter copy in the collection of Anthony à Wood: corrected by a much earlier one in the Pepysian library, printed by H. Gosson, about the year 1610; compared with a later one in the same collection. The full title is: The famous battell betweene Robin Hood and the Curtall Fryer. To a new Northern tune."
In summer time, when leaves grow green,
And flowers are fresh and gay,
Robin Hood and his merry men
Were disposed to play.
Then some would leape, and some would runne,5
And some would use artillery;
"Which of you can a good bow draw,
A good archer for to be?
"Which of you can kill a bucke,
Or who can kill a doe?10
Or who can kill a hart of greece
Five hundreth foot him fro?"
Will Scadlocke he kild a bucke,
And Midge he kild a doe,
And Little John kild a hart of greece,15
Five hundreth foot him fro.
"Gods blessing on thy heart," said Robin Hood,
"That hath such a shot for me;
I would ride my horse a hundred miles,
To find one could match thee."20
This caused Will Scadlocke to laugh,
He laught full heartily:
"There lives a curtall fryer in Fountaines Abbey
Will beate both him and thee.