Page:Life and death of Robin Hood.pdf/16

 Some of the out-laws fled away
 * unto the Scottish king;

For they suppos’d if he was ta’en,
 * or to the king did yield.

By the commons all the rest of’s train,
 * full quickly would be quell’d.

Of more than full an hundred men,
 * but forty tarried still.

Who were resolved to stick to him
 * let fortune work her will;

If none had fled, all for his sake
 * had got their pardon free;

The king to favour meant to take
 * his merry men and he.

But ere the pardon to him came,
 * this famous archer died;

His death and manner of the same,
 * I'll presently describe,

For being vex’d to think upon
 * his followers revolt,

In melancholy passion
 * he did recount his fault.

Perfidious traitors, said he then
 * In all your dangers past,

Have I you guarded as my men,
 * to leave me thus at last!