Immortal, and we mortal.

How few Junes

Will heat our pulses quicker! How few frosts
Will chill the hearts that beat for Robin Hood!
Marian. And yet I think these oaks at dawn and

even,

Or in the balmy breathings of the night,
Will whisper evermore of Robin Hood.
We leave but happy memories to the forest.
We dealt in the wild justice of the woods.

All those poor serfs whom we have served will bless us,

All those pale mouths which we have fed will praise

All widows we have holpen pray for us,

Our Lady's blessed shrines throughout the land
Be all the richer for us. You, good friar,
You Much, you Scarlet, you dear Little John,
Your names will cling like ivy to the wood.
And here perhaps a hundred years away
Some hunter in day-dreams or half asleep
Will hear our arrows whizzing overhead,
And catch the winding of a phantom horn.

Robin. And surely these old oaks will murmur thee

Marian along with Robin. I am most happy -
Art thou not mine? - and happy that our King
Is here again, never I trust to roam

So far again, but dwell among his own.
Strike up a stave, my masters, all is well.

Song while they dance a Country Dance.

Now the king is home again, and nevermore to roam

again,

Now the king is home again, the king will have his

own again,

Home again, home again, and each will have his own again,

All the birds in merry Sherwood sing and sing him home again.

HOW ROBIN HOOD RESCUED THE
WIDOW'S THREE SONS

ROBIN HOOD and his followers were bandits and outlaws, but the people loved them because they defied the hateful forest laws and made light of the sheriff. The king's officers were responsible for the maintenance of order, but in these lawless times they often used their power for their own advantage, imposing heavy fines and penalties on the poor and extorting bribes from the rich. The following is one of the oldest and rudest of the many Robin Hood ballads.

There are twelve months in all the year,

As I hear many say,

But the merriest month in all the year

Is the merry month of May.

Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone,

With a link a down and a day,

And there he met a silly old woman,

Was weeping on the way.

"What news? what news, thou silly old woman?

What news hast thou for me?"

Said she, "There's my three sons in Nottingham town To-day condemned to die."

"O, have they parishes burnt?" he said,

"Or have they ministers slain?

Or have they robbed any virgin?

Or other men's wives have ta'en?"

"They have no parishes burnt, good sir, Nor yet have ministers slain,

Nor have they robbed any virgin,

Nor other men's wives have ta'en."

“O, what have they done?" said Robin Hood, "I pray thee tell to me."

"It's for slaying of the king's fallow-deer, Bearing their long bows with thee."

"Dost thou not mind, old woman," he said, "How thou madest me sup and dine?

By the truth of my body," quoth bold Robin Hood, "You could not tell it in better time."

Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone,
With a link a down and a day,

And there he met with a silly 1 old palmer,
Was walking along the highway.

"What news? what news, thou silly old man?
What news, I do thee pray?"

Said he, "Three squires in Nottingham town
Are condemned to die this day."

"Come change thy apparel with me, old man,
Come change thy apparel for mine;
Here is forty shillings in good silver,

Go drink it in beer or wine."

1 simple.

"O, thine apparel is good," he said,
"And mine is ragged and torn;
Wherever you go, wherever you ride,
Laugh ne'er an old man to scorn."

"Come change thy apparel with me, old churl,
Come change thy apparel for mine;
Here are twenty pieces of good broad gold,
Go feast thy brethren with wine."

Then he put on the old man's hat,
It stood full high on the crown:
"The first bold bargain that I come at,
It shall make thee come down."

Then he put on the old man's cloak,
Was patched black, blue, and red;
He thought it no shame all the day long,
To wear the bags of bread.

Then he put on the old man's breeks,1

Was patched from leg to side:

"By the truth of my body," bold Robin can say, "This man loved little pride."

Then he put on the old man's hose,

Were patched from knee to wrist: 2

"By the truth of my body," said bold Robin Hood, "I'd laugh if I had any list."3

Then he put on the old man's shoes,

Were patched both beneath and aboon;

1 breeches.

2 instep.

8 inclination.

Then Robin Hood swore a solemn oath,

66

'It's good habit that makes a man."

Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone,
With a link a down and a down,
And there he met with the proud sheriff,
Was walking along the town.

"O Christ you save, O sheriff!" he said;
"O Christ you save and see;1

And what will you give to a silly old man
To-day will your hangman be?"

"Some suits, some suits," the sheriff he said, "Some suits I'll give to thee;

Some suits, some suits, and pence thirteen,
To-day's a hangman's fee."

Then Robin he turns him round about,
And jumps from stock to stone:

"By the truth of my body," the sheriff he said, "That's well jumpt, thou nimble old man."

"I was ne'er a hangman in all my life,

Nor yet intends to trade;

But curst be he," said bold Robin,

"That first a hangman was made!

"I've a bag for meal, and a bag for malt, And a bag for barley and corn;

A bag for bread, and a bag for beef,

And a bag for my little small horn.

1 keep.