Then Robin Hood put his horn to his mouth,
And blew blasts two or three;
When four and twenty bowmen bold
Came leaping over the lee.80
And when they came into the church-yard,
Marching all on a row,
The first man was Allin a Dale,
To give bold Robin his bow.
"This is thy true love," Robin he said,85
"Young Allin, as I hear say;
And you shall be married at this same time,
Before we depart away."
"That shall not be," the bishop he said,
"For thy word shall not stand;90
They shall be three times askt in the church,
As the law is of our land."
Robin Hood pull'd off the bishops coat,
And put it upon Little John;
"By the faith of my body," then Robin said,95
This cloth does make thee a man."
"When Little John went into the quire,
The people began to laugh;
He askt them seven times in the church,
Lest three times should not be enough.100
"Who gives me this maid?" said Little John;
Quoth Robin Hood, "That do I,
And he that takes her from Allin a Dale,
Full dearly he shall her buy."
And thus having ende of this merry wedding,105
The bride lookt like a queen;
And so they return'd to the merry green-wood,
Amongst the leaves so green.
[22]. Nicke.