With a link a down, and a day,
And there he met a silly old woman
Was weeping on the way.
“What news ? what news ? thou silly old woman,
What news hast thou for me ?”
Said she, There’s three squires in Nottingham town,
To-day ‘are’ [322] condemned to die.
Oh, have they parishes burnt ? he said,
Or have they ministers slain ?
Or have they robbed any virgìn ?