"The princess shall be the victor's prize,
The king hath vow'd and said,
And he that shall the conquest win,
Shall have her to his bride.
"Now we are four damsels sent abroad,65
To the east, west, north, and south,
To try whose fortune is so good
To find these champions forth.
"But all in vain we have sought about,
For none so bold there are70
That dare adventure life and blood,
To free a lady fair."
"When is the day?" quoth Robin Hood,
"Tell me this and no more:"
"On Midsummer next," the dam'sel said,75
"Which is June the twenty-four."
With that the tears trickled down her cheeks,
And silent was her tongue:
With sighs and sobs she took her leave,
Away her palfrey sprung.80
The news struck Robin to the heart,
He fell down on the grass;
His actions and his troubled mind
Shew'd he perplexed was.
"Where lies your grief?" quoth Will Scadlòck,85
"O master, tell to me:
If the damsel's eyes have pierc'd your heart,
I'll fetch her back to thee."
"Now nay, now nay," quoth Robin Hood,
"She doth not cause my smart;90
But 'tis the poor distress'd princèss,
That wounds me to the heart.
"I'll go fight the giants all
To set the lady free:"
"The devil take my soul," quoth Little John,95
"If I part with thy company."
"Must I stay behind?" quoth Will Scadlòck,
"No, no, that must not be;
I'le make the third man in the fight,
So we shall be three to three."100