صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

THE NOBLE FISHERMAN;

OR,

Robin Hood's Preferment.

In summer time, when leaves grow green,
When they do grow both green and long,
(Of a bold outlaw, called Robin Hood,-
It is of him I sing this song).

When the lily leaf, and the elephant,

Do bud and spring with a merry cheer,
This outlaw was weary of the wood-side,
And chasing of the fallow deer.

The fishermen brave, more money have
Then any merchants two or three,
Therefore I will to Scarborough go,
That I a fisherman brave may be.

This outlaw called his merry men all,
As they sat under the greenwood tree:

If any of you have gold to spend,

I pray you heartily spend it with me.

Now, quoth Robin Hood, I'll to Scarborough go, It seems to be a very fair day—

He took up his journ at a widow woman's house, Hard by, upon the water gray.

Who asked him, Where wert thou born?
Or tell to me, where dost thou fare?
I am a poor fisherman, said he then,
This day entrapped all in care.

What is thy name, then, fine fellow !
I pray thee heartily tell to me?
In mine own country, where I was born,
Men call me Simon over the lee.

Simon, Simon, said the goodwife,

I wish thou may'st well brook thy name;
The outlaw was 'ware of her courtesy,
And rejoiced he had got such a dame.

Simon, wilt thou be my man,

And good round wages I'll give thee?
I have a good ship of my own,
As any sails upon the sea.

Anchors and planks thou shalt want none,
Masts and ropes that are so long.—

And if that you thus furnish me,

Said Simon, nothing shall go wrong.

They plucked up anchor, and away did sail,
More of a day than two or three :
When others cast in their baited hooks,
The bare lines into the sea cast he.

It will be long, said the master then,
Ere this great lubber do thrive on the sea;

He shall have no share in our fish,

For in truth he is in no part worthy.

O woe is me, said Simon then,
This day that I ever came here!
I wish I were in Plumpton-park,
A chasing of the nimble deer.

* Alluding, probably, to St. Peter, the patron of fishermen.

For every clown laughs me to scorn,
And they by me set nought at all:
If I had them in Plumpton-park,

I would set as little by them all.

They plucked up anchor, and away did sail, More of a day than two or three;

But Simon spied a ship of war,

That sailed toward them most valorously.

O woe is me, said the master then,
This day, that ever I was born!
For all our fish that we have got,
Is every bit lost and forlorn,

For yon French robbers on the sea,
They will not spare of us one man;
But carry us to the coast of France,
And lay us in a prison strong.

But, Simon said, do not fear them,
Neither, master, take you care;

Give me a bent bow in my hand,

And never a Frenchman will I spare!

Hold thy peace, thou long lubber,

For thou art nought but brags and boast;

If I should cast you overboard,

There is but a simple lubber lost.

Simon grew angry at these words,
And so angry then was he;

Then he took his bent bow in his hand,
And in the ship hatch goeth he.

Master, tie me to the mast, he said,
That at iny mark I may stand fair;
And give me my bent bow in my hand,

And never a Frenchman will I spare!

He drew his arrow to the head,

And drew it with all might and main;
And straight in the twinkling of an eye,

To the Frenchman's heart the arrow's gone.

The Frenchman fell down on the hatch,
And under the hatches down below;
Another Frenchman that him espied,

The dead corpse into the sea did throw.

O master, loose me from the mast, he said,
And for them all take you no care;

And give me my bent bow in my hand,
And never a Frenchman will I spare!

Then straight they boarded the French ship,
They lying dead all in their sight;
They found within the ship of war,

Twelve thousand pounds of money bright.

The one half of the ship, said Simon, then,
I'll give to my dame and her children small;
The other half of the ship I'll give,

To you that are my fellows all.

But now bespake the master then,
For so, Simon, it shall not be,

For

you have won it with your own hands,

And the owner of it you shall be,

It shall be so, as I have said,

And with this gold, for the oppressed
An habitation will I build,

Where they shall live in peace and rest.

RITSON, & EVANS.

ROBIN HOOD'S CHASE.

COME, you gallants all! to you I do call,
That now are in this place;

For a song I will sing, of Henry our king,
How he did Robin Hood chase.

Queen Katherin * she a match did make,
As plainly doth appear,

For three hundred tun of good red wine,
And three hundred tun of beer.

But yet her archers she had to seek,

With their bows and arrows so good;
But her mind it was bent, with a good intent,
To send for bold Robin Hood.

But when bold Robin Hood he came there,
Queen Katherin she did say:

Thou art welcome, Locksley, said the queen,
And all thy yeomen gay.

For a match of shooting I have made,

:

And thou on my part must be :-
"If I miss the mark, be it light or dark,

Then hanged I will be."

* There was no queen consort named Katherine before Henry V,'s time: consequently, this is a mere fancy of the ballad-writer. Mr. Ritson conceives that it might have been adopted on account of Henry VIII. having three queens of that Name, which would therefore be familiar to the author.

« السابقةمتابعة »