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gentlemen, or yeomen bould, Or whatsoever you are, To have a stately story tould, Attention now prepare. It is a tale of Robin Hood, Which I to you will tell, Which being rightly understood, I know will please you well. This Robbin, so much talked on, Was once a man of fame, Instiled Earle of Huntington, Lord Robert Hood by name. In courtship and magnificence, His carriage won him prayse, And greater favor with his prince Than any in his dayes. In bounteous liberality He too much did excell, And loved men of quality More than exceeding well. His great revennues all he sould For wine and costly cheere; He kept three hundred bowmen bold, He shooting loved so deare. No archer living in his time With him might well compare; He practisd all his youthfull prime That exercise most rare. At last, by his profuse expence, He had consumd his wealth, And being outlawed by his prince, In woods he livd by stealth. The abbot of Saint Maries rich, To whom he mony ought, His hatred to this earle was such That he his downefall wrought. So being outlawed, as 'tis told, He with a crew went forth Of lusty cutters, stout and bold, And robbed in the North. Among the rest, one Little John, A yeoman bold and free, Who could, if it stood him upon, With ease encounter three. One hundred men in all he got, With whom, the story sayes, Three hundred common men durst not Hold combate any wayes. They Yorkshire woods frequented much, And Lancashire also, Wherein their practises were such That they wrought mickle woe. None rich durst travell to and fro, Though nere so strongly armd, But by these theeves, so strong in show, They still were robd and harmd. His chiefest spight to the clergie was, That lived in monstrous pride; No one of them he would let passe Along the high-way side, But first they must to dinner goe, And afterwards to shrift: Full many a one he served so, Thus while he livd by theft. monkes nor fryers he would let goe, Without paying their fees: If they thought much to be usd so, Their stones he made them leese. For such as they the country filld With bastards in those dayes; Which to prevent, these sparkes did geld All that came by their wayes. But Robbin Hood so gentle was, And bore so brave a minde, If any in distresse did passe, To them he was so kinde That he would give and lend to them, To helpe them at their neede: This made all poore men pray for him, And wish he well might speede. The widdow and the fatherlesse He would send meanes unto, And those whom famine did oppresse Found him a friendly foe. Nor would he doe a woman wrong, But see her safe conveid; He would protect with power strong All those who crav'd his ayde. The abbot of Saint Maries then, Who him undid before, Was riding with two hundred men, And gold and silver store. But Robbin Hood upon him set With his couragious sparkes, And all the coyne perforce did get, Which was twelve thousand markes. He bound the abbot to a tree, And would not let him passe Before that to his men and he His lordship had sayd masse. Which being done, upon his horse He set him fast astride, And with his face towards his ar-- He forced him to ride. His men were faine to be his guide, For he rode backward home; The abbot, being thus villifide, Did sorely chafe and fume. Thus Robbin Hood did vindicate His former wrongs receivd; For 'twas this covetous prelate That him of land bereavd. The abbot he rode to the king With all the haste he could, And to his Grace he every thing Exactly did unfold. And sayd if that no course were tane, By force or stratagem, To take this rebell and his traine, No man should passe for them. The king protested by and by Unto the abbot then That Robbin Hood with speed should dye, With all his merry men. But ere the king did any send, He did another feate, Which did his Grace much more offend; The fact indeed was great. in a short time after that, The kings receivers went Towards London with the coyne they got, For 's highnesse northerne rent. Bold Robbin Hood and Little John, With the rest of their traine, Not dreading law, set them upon, And did their gold obtaine. The king much moved at the same, And the abbots talke also, In this his anger did proclaime, And sent word to and fro, That whosoere, alive or dead, Could bring him Robbin Hood, Should have one thousand markes, well payd In gold and silver good. This promise of the king did make Full many yeomen bold Attempt stout Robbin Hood to take, With all the force they could. But still when any came to him, Within the gay greene wood, He entertainement gave to them, With venison fat and good.