All you that delight to spend some time,
With a hey down, down, a down, down,
A merry song for to sing,
Unto me draw neer, and you shall hear
How Little John went a beggìng.
As Robin Hood walked the forest along,5
And all his yeomandree,
Sayes Robin, "Some of you must a begging go,
And, Little John, it must be thee."
Sayes John, "If I must a begging go,
I will have a palmers weed,10
With a staff and a coat, and bags of all sort,
The better then I may speed.
"Come, give me now a bag for my bread,
And another for my cheese,
And one for a peny, whenas I get any,15
That nothing I may leese."
Now Little John he is a begging gone,
Seeking for some relief;
But of all the beggers he met on the way,
Little John he was the chief.20
But as he was walking himself alone,
Four beggers he chanced to spy,
Some deaf, and some blind, and some came behind;
Says John, "Here's brave company.
"Good-morrow," said John, "my brethren dear,25
Good fortune I had you to see;
Which way do you go? pray let me know,
For I want some company.
"O what is here to do?" then said Little John,
"Why ring all these bells?" said he;30
"What dog is a hanging? come, let us be ganging,
That we the truth may see."
"Here is no dog a hanging," then one of them said,
"Good fellow, we tell unto thee;
[But here is one dead that will give us cheese and bread,]35
[And it may be one single penny."]
"We have brethren in London," another he said,
"So have we in Coventry,
In Barwick and Dover, and all the world over,
But ne'er a crookt carril like thee.40