Bold Robin Hood

by Anonymous

For other versions of this work, see Robin Hood Rescuing Three Squires.

❋ Bold Robin Hood. ❋

BOLD Robin Hood ranged the forest all round
 The forest all round ranged he,
And there he did meet with a gay lady,
 Come weeping along the highway.

Oh why do you weep, my gay lady,
 Do you weep for gold or fee?
Oh why do you weep for any thing else,
 That was taken from any body?

I do not weep for gold she said,
 Nor do I weep for any fee,
Nor do I weep for any thing else,
 That was stolen from any body.

Then why do you weep, said Jolly Robin,
 I pray come tell unto me,
Why I do weep for my three sons,
 For they're all condemned to die.

What church have they robbed said Jolly Robin,
 Or what parish priest have they slain.
What maid have they forced against her own will
 Or with other men's wives have they lain

No church have they robbed, the lady replied
 Nor no parish priest have they slain,
No maid have they forced against her own will,
 Or with other men's wives have they lain.

Then what have they done said Jolly Robin
 I pray come tell unto me,
They have killed 16 of the kings fallow deer,
 And they're all condemned to die.

O go your ways said Jolly Robin,
 Go your ways home said he,
And I will go to fair Nottingham town,
 For the sake of the squires all three.

Then Robin Hood went to fair Nottingham
 To fair Nottingham went he,
And there did he meet with an old begger man,
 Come weeping all on tbe highway.

What news, what news my old begger man
 What news hast thou brought unto me
There's weeping and wailing in fair Nottingham
 For the sake of the squires all three.

The old beggar man had a coat on his back
 That was patched both yellow and red.
And Robin Hood thought it would be no disgrace
 To dress in the beggar man's dress.

Robin Hood went to fair Nottingham,
 To fair Nottingham town went he,
And there he did meet with the master sheriffs
 Likewise the squires all three.

One boon, one boon says Jolly Robin,
 One boon I beg on my knee,
That is for the three squires sake,
 There hangman I might be.

Soon granted, soon granted says the master sheriff,
 Soon granted unto thee,
And you shall have their gay clothing,
 And all their white money.

I'll have none of their gay clothing,
 Nor none of their white money,
But I'd have three blasts of my bugle horn
 As their souls into heaven may flee.

Then Robin Hood mounted the gallows so high
He  blew both loud and shrill,
Ten hundred and ten of bold Robin Hoods men,
 Came tripping all down the green hill.

Whose men are all these said the master sheriff,
 I pray thee come tell unto me,
Why they are all mine, and none of them thine.
 For they are come for the squires all three.

Go take them, go take them says the master sheriff,
 Go take them along with thee,
There's never a man in fair Nottingham
 Shall borrow three more of me.

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Printed by J. Catnach, 2, Monmouth-Court
7 Dials.
Battledores, Pruners, &c., Sold very Cheap.