Then sair, O sair, his mind misgave, “Put on, put on, my wighty men, Sae fast as ye can drie! For he that's hindmost o' the thrang Sall ne'er get good o' me." Then some they rade, and some they ran, But ere the foremost could win up, And after the Gordon he is gane, Sae fast as he might drie; And soon i' the Gordon's foul heart's blude He's wroken his dear ladye. Unknown ROBIN HOOD AND ALLEN-A-DALE COME listen to me, you gallants so free, As Robin Hood in the forest stood, There was he aware of a brave young man, As fine as fine might be. The youngster was clad in scarlet red, In scarlet fine and gay; And he did frisk it over the plain, And chanted a roundelay. As Robin Hood next morning stood Amongst the leaves so gay, There did he espy the same young man The scarlet he wore the day before It was clean cast away; And at every step he fetched a sigh, "Alas! and well-a-day!" Then stepped forth brave Little John, And Midge, the miller's son; Which made the young man bend his bow When as he see them come. "Stand off! stand off!" the young man said, "What is your will with me?" "You must come before our master straight, Under yon greenwood tree." And when he came bold Robin before, "I have no money," the young man said, And that I have kept these seven long years, "Yesterday I should have married a maid, But she was from me ta'en, And chosen to be an old knight's delight, "What is thy name?" then said Robin Hood, "Come tell me, without any fail." "By the faith of my body," then said the young man, "My name it is Allen-a-Dale." "What wilt thou give me," said Robin Hood, "In ready gold or fee, To help thee to thy true-love again, And deliver her unto thee?" "I have no money," then quoth the young man, "No ready gold nor fee, But I will swear upon a book Thy true servant for to be." "How many miles is it to thy true-love? Come tell me without guile." "By the faith of my body," then said the young man, "It is but five little mile." Then Robin he hasted over the plain; He did neither stint nor lin, Until he came unto the church Where Allen should keep his weddin'. "What dost thou here?" the bishop then said; "I prithee now tell unto me." "I am a bold harper," quoth Robin Hood, "And the best in the north country." "Oh welcome, oh welcome," the bishop he said; "That music best pleaseth me." "You shall have no music," quoth Robin Hood, "Till the bride and the bridegroom I see." With that came in a wealthy knight, Which was both grave and old; And after him a finikin lass, Did shine like glistering gold. "This is no fit match," quoth Robin Hood, For since we are come into the church, Then Robin Hood put his horn to his mouth, When four-and-twenty yeomen bold Came leaping over the lea. And when they came into the church-yard, Marching all in a row, The first man was Allen-a-Dale, To give bold Robin his bow. "This is thy true love," Robin he said. "Young Allen, as I hear say: And you shall be married at this same time, "That shall not be," the bishop he cried, They shall be three times asked in the church, Robin Hood pulled off the bishop's coat, "By the faith of my body," then Robin said, When Little John went into the quire, He asked them seven times into church, "Who gives me this maid?" then said Little John, Quoth Robin Hood, "That do I; And he that takes her from Allen-a-Dale, And then having ended this merry wedding, And so they returned to the merry greenwood, CHEVY-CHASE GOD prosper long our noble king, Our lives and safeties all; A woful hunting once there did In Chevy-Chase befall. Unknown To drive the deer with hound and horn The child may rue that is unborn The stout Earl of Northumberland The chiefest harts in Chevy-Chase These tidings to Earl Douglas came, Who sent Earl Percy present word With fifteen hundred bowmen bold, To aim their shafts aright. The gallant greyhounds swiftly ran And long before high noon they had Then, having dined, the drovers went To rouse the deer again. The bowmen mustered on the hills, Well able to endure; And all their rear, with special care, That day was guarded sure. |