With verdant sods most neatly put,
Sweet as the green-wood tree.
[74]. With a green sod under my head, Ritson.
ROBIN HOOD AND QUEEN KATHERINE.
Ritson's Robin Hood, ii. 87.
"From an old black-letter copy in a private collection, compared with another in that of Anthony à Wood. The full title is: 'Renowned Robin Hood; or, his famous archery truly related in the worthy exploits he acted before queen Katherine, he being an outlaw man; and how he obtained his own and his fellows pardon. To a new tune.'
"It is scarcely worth observing that there was no queen consort named Katherine before Henry the Fifth's time: but as Henry the Eighth had no less than three wives so called, the name would be sufficiently familiar to our ballad-maker." Ritson.
Gold tane from the kings harbengers,
Downe, a downe, a downe,
As seldome hath beene seene,
Downe, a downe, a downe,
And carried by bold Robin Hood
For a present to the queen,
Downe, a downe, a downe.
"If that I live a yeare to an end,"5
Thus can queene Katherine say,
"Bold Robin Hood, I will be thy friend,
And all thy yeomen gay."
The queene is to her chamber gone,
As fast as she can [win];10
She calls unto her lovely page,
His name was Richard Patrington.