The English and Scottish Popular Ballads/Part 5/Chapter 144

they will talk of bold Robin Hood, And some of barons bold, But I'll tell you how he servd the Bishop of Hereford, When he robbed him of his gold. As it befel in merry Barnsdale, And under the green-wood tree, The Bishop of Hereford was to come by, With all his company. 'Come, kill a venson,' said bold Robin Hood, 'Come, kill me a good fat deer; The Bishop of Hereford is to dine with me to-day, And he shall pay well for his cheer. 'We'll kill a fat venson,' said bold Robin Hood, 'And dress it by the highway-side; And we will watch the Bishop narrowly, Lest some other way he should ride.' Robin Hood dressd himself in shepherd's attire, With six of his men also; And, when the Bishop of Hereford came by, They about the fire did go. 'O what is the matter?' then said the Bishop, 'Or for whom do you make this a-do? Or why do you kill the king's venson, When your company is so few?' 'We are shepherds,' said bold Robin Hood, 'And we keep sheep all the year, And we are disposed to be merry this day, And to kill of the king's fat deer.' 'You are brave fellows!' said the Bishop, 'And the king of your doings shall know; Therefore make haste and come along with me, For before the king you shall go.' 'O pardon, O pardon,' said bold Robin Hood, 'O pardon, I thee pray! For it becomes not your lordship's coat To take so many lives away.' 'No pardon, no pardon,' says the Bishop, 'No pardon I thee owe; Therefore make haste, and come along with me, For before the king you shall go.' Then Robin set his back against a tree, And his foot against a thorn, And from underneath his shepherd's coat He pulld out a bugle-horn. He put the little end to his mouth, And a loud blast did he blow, Till threescore and ten of bold Robin's men Came running all on a row; All making obeysance to bold Robin Hood; 'Twas a comely sight for to see: 'What is the matter, master,' said Little John, 'That you blow so hastily?' 'O here is the Bishop of Hereford, And no pardon we shall have:' 'Cut off his head, master,' said Little John, 'And throw him into his grave.' 'O pardon, O pardon,' said the Bishop, 'O pardon, I thee pray! For if I had known it had been you, I'd have gone some other way.' 'No pardon, no pardon,' said Robin Hood, 'No pardon I thee owe; Therefore make haste and come along with me, For to merry Barnsdale you shall go.' Then Robin he took the Bishop by the hand, And led him to merry Barnsdale; He made him to stay and sup with him that night, And to drink wine, beer, and ale. 'Call in the reckoning,' said the Bishop, 'For methinks it grows wondrous high:' 'Lend me your purse, Bishop,' said Little John, 'And I'll tell you bye and bye.' Then Little John took the bishop's cloak, And spread it upon the ground, And out of the bishop's portmantua He told three hundred pound. 'Here's money enough, master,' said Little John, 'And a comely sight 'tis to see; It makes me in charity with the Bishop, Tho he heartily loveth not me.' Robin Hood took the Bishop by the hand, And he caused the music to play, And he made the Bishop to dance in his boots, And glad he could so get away.

talk of lords, and some talk of lairds, And some talk of barrons bold, But I'll tell you a story of bold Robin Hood, How he robbed the Bishop of his gold. 'Cause kill us a venison,' sayes Robin Hood, 'And we'll dress it by the high-way side, And we will watch narrowly for the Bishop, Lest some other way he do ride.' 'Now who is this,' sayes the Bishop, 'That makes so boldly here To kill the king's poor small venison, And so few of his company here?' 'We are shepherds,' says Robin Hood, 'And do keep sheep all the year; And we thought it fit to be merry on a day, And kill one of the king's fallow deer.' 'Thou art a bold fellow,' the Bishop replyes, 'And your boldness you do show; Make hast, make hast, and go along with me, For the king of your doings shall know.' He leand his back unto a brae, His foot against a thorn, And out from beneath his long shepherds coat He pulled a blowing-horn. He put his horn in to his mouth, And a snell blast he did blow, Till four and twenty of bold Robins men Came riding up all in a row. 'Come, give us a reckoning,' says the Bishop, 'For I think you drink wondrous large:' 'Come, give me your purse,' said bold Robin Hood, 'And I will pay all your charge.' He pulled off his long shepherds coat, And he spread it on the ground, And out of the Bishops long trunk-hose, He pulled a hundred pound. 'O master,' quoth Little John, 'It's a very bony sight for to see; It makes me to favour the Bishop, Tho in heart he loves not me.' 'Come, sing us a mass,' sayes bold Robin Hood, 'Come, sing us a mass all anon; Come, sing us a mass,' sayes bold Robin Hood, 'Take a kick in the a--se, and be gone.'