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Legends & Sagas
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145A: Robin Hood and Queen Katherine
145A.1 NOW list you, lithe you, gentlemen,
A while for a litle space,
And I shall tell you how Queene Katterine
Gott Robin Hood his grace.
145A.2 Gold taken from the kings harbengers
Seldome times hath beene seene,
. . . .
. . . .
* * * * *
145A.3 . . . .
‘Queene Katherine, I say to thee;’
‘That’s a princly wager,’ quoth Queene Katherine,
‘Betweene your grace and me.
145A.4 ‘Where must I haue mine archers?’ says Queene Katherine;
‘You haue the flower of archery:’
‘Now take your choice, dame,’ he sayes,
‘Thorow out all England free.
145A.5 ‘Yea from North Wales to Westchester,
And also to Couentry;
And when you haue chosen the best you can,
The wager must goe with mee.’
145A.6 ‘If that prooue,’ says Queene Katherine,
‘Soone that wilbe tride and knowne;
Many a man counts of another mans pursse,
And after looseth his owne.’
145A.7 The queene is to her palace gone,
To her page thus shee can say:
Come hither to me, Dicke Patrinton,
Trusty and trew this day.
145A.8 Thou must bring me the names of my archers all,
All strangers must they bee,
Yea from North Wales to West Chester,
And alsoe to Couentrie.
145A.9 Commend me to Robin Hood, says Queene Katherine,
And alsoe to Litle John,
And specially to Will Scarlett,
Ffryar Tucke and Maid Marryan.
145A.10 Robin Hood we must call Loxly,
And Little John the Millers sonne;
Thus wee then must change their names,
They must be strangers euery one.
145A.11 Commend mee to Robin Hood, sayes Queene Katherine,
And marke, page, what I say;
In London they must be with me
[Vpon St Georges day.]
* * * * *
145A.12 . . . .
‘These words hath sent by me;
Att London you must be with her
Vpon St Georg[e]s day.
145A.13 ‘Vpon St Georg[e]s day att noone
Att London needs must you bee;
Shee wold not misse your companie
For all the gold in Cristinty.
145A.14 ‘Shee hath tane a shooting for your sake,
The greatest in Christentie,
And her part you must needs take
Against her prince, Henery.
145A.15 ‘Shee sends you heere her gay gold ring
A trew token for to bee;
And, as you are [a] banisht man,
Shee trusts to sett you free.’
145A.16 ‘And I loose that wager,’ says bold Robin Hoode,
‘I’le bring mony to pay for me;
And wether that I win or loose,
On my queenes part I will be.’
145A.17 In sommer time when leaues grow greene,
And flowers are fresh and gay,
Then Robin Hood he deckt his men
Eche one in braue array.
145A.18 He deckt his men in Lincolne greene,
Himselfe in scarlett red;
Fayre of theire brest then was it seene
When his siluer armes were spread.
145A.19 With hattis white and fethers blacke,
And bowes and arrowes keene,
And thus he ietted towards louly London,
To present Queene Katherine.
145A.20 But when they cam to louly London,
They kneeled vpon their knee;
Sayes, God you saue, Queene Katherine,
And all your dignitie!
* * * * *
145A.21 . . . . . . of my guard,’
Thus can King Henry say,
‘And those that wilbe of Queene Katerines side,
They are welcome to me this day.’
145A.22 ‘Then come hither to me, Sir Richard Lee,
Thou art a knight full good;
Well it is knowen from thy pedygree
Thou came from Gawiins blood.
145A.23 ‘Come hither, Bishopp of Hereford,’ quoth Queene Katherine-+--+-
A good preacher I watt was hee-+--+-
‘And stand thou heere vpon a odd side,
On my side for to bee.’
145A.24 ‘I like not that,’ sayes the bishopp then,
‘By faikine of my body,
For if I might haue my owne will,
On the kings I wold bee.’
145A.25 ‘What will thou be[t] against vs,’ says Loxly then,
‘And stake it on the ground?’
‘That will I doe, fine fellow,’ he says,
‘And it drawes to fiue hundreth pound.’
145A.26 ‘There is a bett,’ says Loxly then;
‘Wee’le stake it merrily;’
But Loxly knew full well in his mind
And whose that gold shold bee.
145A.27 Then the queenes archers they shot about
Till it was three and three;
Then the lady’s gaue a merry shout,
Sayes, Woodcocke, beware thine eye!
145A.28 ‘Well, gam and gam,’ then quoth our king,
‘The third three payes for all;’
Then Robine rounded with our queene,
Says, The kings part shall be small.
145A.29 Loxly puld forth a broad arrowe,
He shott it vnder hand,
. . s vnto .
. . .
* * * * *
145A.30 . . . .
‘For once he vndidd mee;
If I thought it had beene bold Robin Hoode,
I wold not haue betted one peny.
145A.31 ‘Is this Robin Hood?’ says the bishopp againe;
‘Once I knew him to soone;
He made me say a masse against my will,
Att two a clocke in the afternoone.
145A.32 ‘He bound me fast vnto a tree,
Soe did he my merry men;
He borrowed ten pound against my will,
But he neuer paid me againe.’
145A.33 ‘What and if I did?’ says bold Robin Hood,
‘Of that masse I was full faine;
In recompence, befor king and queene
Take halfe of thy gold againe.’
145A.34 ‘I thanke thee for nothing,’ says the bishopp,
‘Thy large gift to well is knowne,
That will borrow a mans mony against his will,
And pay him againe with his owne.’
145A.35 ‘What if he did soe?’ says King Henery,
‘For that I loue him neuer the worsse;
Take vp thy gold againe, bold Robin Hood,
And put [it] in thy pursse.
145A.36 ‘If thou woldest leaue thy bold outlawes,
And come and dwell with me,
Then I wold say thou art welcome, bold Robin Hood,
The flower of archery.’
145A.37 ‘I will not leaue my bold outlawes
For all the gold in Christentie;
In merry Sherwood I’le take my end,
Vnder my trusty tree.
145A.38 ‘And gett your shooters, my leeig[e], where you will,
For in faith you shall haue none of me;
And when Queene Katherine puts up her f[inger]
Att her Graces commandement I’le bee.’
145B: Robin Hood and Queen Katherine
145B.1 GOLD tane from the kings harbengers,
Down a down a down
As seldome hath been seen,
Down a down a down
And carried by bold Robin Hood
For a present to the queen.
Down a down a down
145B.2 ‘If that I live a year to an end,’
Thus gan Queen Katherin say,
‘Bold Robin Hood, I will be thy friend,
And all thy yeomen gay.’
145B.3 The queen is to her chamber gone,
As fast as she can wen;
She cals unto her lovely page,
His name was Richard Patringten.
145B.4 ‘Come hither to mee, thou lovely page,
Come thou hither to mee;
For thou must post to Notingham,
As fast as thou canst dree.
145B.5 ‘And as thou goest to Notingham,
Search all those English wood;
Enquire of one good yeoman or another
That can tell thee of Robin Hood.’
145B.6 Sometimes he went, sometimes hee ran,
As fast as he could win;
And when hee came to Notingham,
There he took up his inne.
145B.7 And when he came to Notingham,
And had took up his inne,
He calls for a pottle of Renish wine,
And drank a health to his queen.
145B.8 There sat a yeoman by his side;
‘Tell mee, sweet page,’ said hee,
‘What is thy business or the cause,
So far in the North Country?’
145B.9 ‘This is my business and the cause,
Sir, I’le tell it you for good,
To inquire of one good yeoman or another
To tell mee of Robin Hood.’
145B.10 ‘I’le get my horse betime in the morn,
By it be break of day,
And I will shew thee bold Robin Hood,
And all his yeomen gay.’
145B.11 When that he came at Robin Hoods place,
Hee fell down on his knee:
‘Queen Katherine she doth greet you well,
She greets you well by mee.
145B.12 ‘She bids you post to fair London court,
Not fearing any thing;
For there shall be a little sport,
And she hath sent you her ring.’
145B.13 Robin took his mantle from his back-+--+-
It was of the Lincoln green-+--+-
And sent it by this lovely page,
For a present unto the queen.
145B.14 In summer time, when leaves grow green,
It is a seemly sight to see
How Robin Hood himself had drest,
And all his yeomandry.
145B.15 He cloathed his men in Lincoln green,
And himself in scarlet red,
Black hats, white feathers, all alike;
Now bold Robin Hood is rid.
145B.16 And when he came at Londons court,
Hee fell downe on his knee:
‘Thou art welcome, Locksly,’ said the queen,
‘And all thy good yeomendree.’
145B.17 The king is into Finsbury field,
Marching in battel ray,
And after follows bold Robin Hood,
And all his yeomen gay.
145B.18 ‘Come hither, Tepus,’ said the king,
‘Bow-bearer after mee,
Come measure mee out with this line
How long our mark shall be.’
145B.19 ‘What is the wager?’ said the queen,
‘That must I now know here:’
‘Three hundred tun of Renish wine,
Three hundred tun of beer.
145B.20 ‘Three hundred of the fattest harts
That run on Dallom lee;
That’s a princely wager,’ said the king,
‘That needs must I tell thee.’
145B.21 With that bespake one Clifton then,
Full quickly and full soon;
‘Measure no mark for us, most soveraign leige,
Wee’l shoot at sun and moon.’
145B.22 ‘Ful fifteen score your mark shall be,
Ful fifteen score shall stand;’
‘I’le lay my bow,’ said Clifton then,
‘I’le cleave the willow wand.’
145B.23 With that the kings archers led about,
While it was three and none;
With that the ladies began to shout,
Madam, your game is gone!
145B.24 ‘A boon, a boon,’ Queen Katherine cries,
‘I crave on my bare knee;
Is there any knight of your privy counsel
Of Queen Katherines part will be?
145B.25 ‘Come hither to mee, Sir Richard Lee,
Thou art a knight full good;
For I do know by thy pedigree
Thou springst from Goweres blood.
145B.26 ‘Come hither to me, thou Bishop of Herefordshire’-+--+-
For a noble priest was he-+--+-
‘By my silver miter,’ said the bishop then,
‘I’le not bet one peny.
145B.27 ‘The king has archers of his own,
Full ready and full light,
And these be strangers every one,
No man knows what they height.’
145B.28 ‘What wilt thou bet,’ said Robin Hood,
‘Thou seest our game the worse?’
‘By my silver miter,’ said the bishop then,
‘All the mony within my purse.’
145B.29 ‘What is in thy purse?’ said Robin Hood,
‘Throw it down on the ground;’
‘Fifteen score nobles,’ said the bishop then,
‘It’s neer an hundred pound.’
145B.30 Robin Hood took his bagge from his side,
And threw it down on the green;
William Scadlocke went smiling away,
‘I know who this mony must win.’
145B.31 With that the queens archers led about,
While it was three and three;
With that the ladies gave a shout,
‘Woodcock, beware thyn ee!’
145B.32 ‘It is three and three, now,’ said the king,
‘The next three pays for all;’
Robin Hood went and whispered to the queen,
‘The kings part shall be but small.’
145B.33 Robin Hood he led about,
He shot it under hand,
And Clifton, with a bearing arrow,
He clave the willow wand.
145B.34 And little Midge, the Miller’s son,
Hee shot not much the worse;
He shot within a finger of the prick;
‘Now, bishop, beware thy purse!’
145B.35 ‘A boon, a boon,’ Queen Katherine cries,
‘I crave on my bare knee,-+--+-
That you will angry be with none
That is of my party.’
145B.36 ‘They shall have forty days to come,
And forty days to go,
And three times forty to sport and play;
Then welcome friend or fo.’
145B.37 ‘Then thou art welcome, Robin Hood,’ said the queen,
‘And so is Little John,
So is Midge, the Miller’s son;
Thrice welcome every one.’
145B.38 ‘Is this Robin Hood?’ the king now said;
‘For it was told to mee
That he was slain in the pallace-gate,
So far in the North Country.’
145B.39 ‘Is this Robin Hood,’ said the bishop then,
‘As I see well to be?
Had I knowne that had been that bold outlaw,
I would not have bet one peny.
145B.40 ‘Hee took me late one Saturday at night,
And bound mee fast to a tree,
And made mee sing a mass, God wot,
To him and his yeomendree.’
145B.41 ‘What and if I did?’ says Robin Hood,
‘Of that mass I was full fain;
For recompense to thee,’ he says,
‘Here’s half thy gold again.’
145B.42 ‘Now nay, now nay,’ saies Little John,
‘Master, that shall not be;
We must give gifts to the kings officers;
That gold will serve thee and mee.’
145C: Robin Hood and Queen Katherine
145C.1 STOUT Robin Hood, a most lusty out-law,
As ever yet lived in this land,
As ever yet lived in this land.
His equal I’m sure you never yet saw,
So valiant was he of his hand,
So valiant was he of his hand.
145C.2 No archers could ever compare with these three,
Although from us they are gone;
The like was never, nor never will be,
To Robin Hood, Scarlet and John.
145C.3 Many stout robberies by these men were done,
Within this our kingdom so wide;
Vpon the highway much treasure they have won,
No one that his purse ere deny’d.
145C.4 Great store of money they from the kings men
Couragiously did take away;
Vnto fair Queen Katherine they gave it again,
Who to them these words did say.
145C.5 If that I live but another fair year,
Kind Robin Hood, said the fair queen,
The love for this courtesie that I thee bear,
Assure thy self it shall be seen.
145C.6 Brave Robin Hood courteously thanked her Grace,
And so took leave of the queen;
He with his bold archers then hied him apace,
In summer time, to the woods green.
145C.7 ‘Now wend we together, my merry men all,
To the green wood to take up our stand:’
These archers were ready at Robin Hoods call,
With their bent bows all in their hand.
145C.8 ‘Come, merrily let us now valiantly go
With speed unto the green wood,
And there let us kill a stout buck or a do,
For our master, Robin Hood.’
145C.9 At London must now be a game of shooting,
Where archers should try their best skill;
It was so commanded by their gracious king;
The queen then thought to have her will.
145C.10 Her little foot-page she sent with all speed,
To find out stout Robin Hood,
Who in the North bravely did live, as we read,
With his bow-men in the green wood.
145C.11 When as this young page unto the North came,
He staid under a hill at his inn;
Within the fair town of sweet Nottingham,
He there to enquire did begin.
145C.12 The page then having enquired aright
The way unto Robin Hoods place,
As soon as the page had obtained of him sight,
He told him strange news from her Grace.
145C.13 ‘Her Majestie praies you to haste to the court,’
And therewithall shewd him her ring;
We must not delay his swift haste to this sport,
Which then was proclaimd by the king.
145C.14 Then Robin Hood hies him with all speed he may,
With his fair men attired in green,
And towards fair London he then takes his way;
His safety lay all on the queen.
145C.15 Now Robin Hood welcome was then to the court,
Queen Katharine so did allow;
Now listen, my friends, and my song shal report
How the queen performed her vow.
145C.16 The king then went marching in state with his peers
To Finsbury field most gay,
Where Robin Hood follows him, void of all fears,
With his lusty brave shooters that day.
145C.17 The king did command that the way should be
Straight mete with a line that was good;
The answer was made to him presently,
By lusty bold Robin Hood.
145C.18 ‘Let there be no mark measured,’ then said he soon;
‘I,’ so said Scarlet and John,
‘For we will shoot to the sun or the moon;
We scorn to be outreacht with none.’
145C.19 ‘What shall the wager be?’ then said the queen,
‘Pray tell me before you begin:’
‘Three hundred tuns of good wine shall be seen,
And as much of strong bear for to win.
145C.20 ‘Three hundred of lusty fat bucks, sweet, beside,
Shall now be our royal lay:’
Quoth Robin Hood, What ere does betide,
I’le bear this brave purchase away.
145C.21 ‘Full fifteenscore,’ saith the king, ’it shall be;’
Then straight did the bow-men begin,
And Robin Hoods side gave them leave certainly
A while some credit to win.
145C.22 The royal queen Katharine aloud cried she,
Is here no lord, nor yet knight,
That will take my part in this bold enmity?
Sir Robert Lee, pray do me right.
145C.23 Then to the bold Bishop of Herefordshire
Most mildly spoke our good queen;
But he straight refused to lay any more,
Such ods on their parties were seen.
145C.24 ‘What wilt thou bet, seeing our game is the worse?’
Unto him then said Robin Hood:
‘Why then,’ quoth the bishop, a+ell that’s in my purse;’
Quoth Scarlet, That bargain is good.
145C.25 ‘A hundred good pounds there is in the same,’
The bishop unto him did say;
Then said Robin Hood, Now here’s for the game,
And to bear this your money away.
145C.26 Then did the kings archer his arrows command
Most bravely and with great might,
But brave jolly Robin shot under his hand,
And then did hit the mark right.
145C.27 And Clifton he then, with his arrow so good,
The willow-wood cleaved in two;
The Miller’s young son came not short, by the rood,
His skill he most bravely did show.
145C.28 Thus Robin Hood and his crew won the rich prize,
From all archers that there could be;
Then loudly unto the king Queen Katherine cries,
Forgive all my company!
145C.29 The king then did say, that for forty daies,
Free leave then to come or go,
For any man there, though he got the praise,
‘Be he friend,’ quoth he, ’or be he foe.’
145C.30 Then quoth the queen, Welcome thou art, Robin Hood,
And welcome, brave bow-men all three;
Then straight quoth the king, I did hear, by the rood,
That slain he was in the countrey.
145C.31 ‘Is this Robin Hood?’ the bishop did say,
‘Is this Robin Hood certainly?
He made me to say him mass last Saturday,
To him and his bold yeomendry.’
145C.32 ‘Well,’ quoth Robin Hood, ’in requital thereof,
Half thy gold I give unto thee;’
‘Nay, nay,’ then said Little John in a scoff,
‘’Twill serue us ith’ North Countrey.’
145C.33 Then Robin Hood pardon had straight of the king,
And so had they every one;
The fame of these days most loudly does ring,
Of Robin Hood, Scarlet and John.
145C.34 Great honours to Robin Hood after were done,
As stories for certain do say;
The king made him Earl of fair Huntington,
Whose fame will never decay.
145C.35 Thus have you heard the fame of these men,
Good archers they were every one;
We never shal see the like shooters again
As Robin Hood, Scarlet and John.
Next: 146. Robin Hood's Chase