The priests did pray with a mournful chear, Sometimes their hands did wring ; Sometimes they wept, and cried aloud, Whilst Robin did merrily sing. { 252}
When they had been praying an hours space, The priests did still lament ; Then quoth bold Robin, Now let’s see What mony heaven hath us sent.
We will be sharers all alike Of [the] mony that we have ; And there is never a one of us That his fellow shall deceive.
The priests their hands in their pockets put, But mony would find none : We’l search ourselves, said Robin Hood, Each other, one by one.
Then Robin[312] took pains to search them both, And he found good store of gold, Five hundred peeces presently Upon the grass was told.
Here is a brave show, said Robin Hood, Such store of gold to see, And you shall each one have a part, Cause you prayed so heartily.
He gave them fifty pounds a-peece, And the rest for himself did keep : The priests [they] durst not speak one word, But they sighed wondrous deep.
[Illustration: ROBIN HOOD AND THE FRIARS.]
[Illustration: ROBIN HOOD AND THE FRIARS]
With that the priests rose up from their knees, Thinking to have parted so : Nay, nay, says Robin Hood, one thing more I have to say ere you go.
You shall be sworn, said bold Robin Hood, Upon this holy grass, That you will never tell lies again, Which way soever you pass.
The second oath that you here must take, That all the days of your lives, You shall never tempt maids to sin, Nor lie with other mens wives.
The last oath you shall take, it is this, Be charitable to the poor ; Say, you have met with a holy fryar, And I desire no more.
He set them on their horses again, And away then they did ride ; And he return’d to the merry green-wood, With great joy, mirth, and pride.
From an old black letter copy in the collection of Anthony a Wood. The full title is: “Robin Hood his rescuing Will Stutly from the sheriff and his men, who had taken him prisoner, and was going to hang him. To the tune of Robin Hood and Queen Katherine.”[313]
When Robin Hood in the green wood liv’d, _Derry, derry down_, Under the green wood tree, Tidings there came to him with speed, Tidings for certainty ; _Hey down, derry, derry down_ ; { 255}
That Will Stutly surprized was, And eke in prison lay ; Three varlets that the sheriff had hired, Did likely him betray :