THE NOBLE FISHERMAN; OR, Robin Hood's Preferment. In summer time, when leaves grow green, When the lily leaf, and the elephant, Do bud and spring with a merry cheer, The fishermen brave, more money have This outlaw called his merry men all, 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? What is thy name, then, fine fellow ! Simon, Simon, said the goodwife, I wish thou may'st well brook thy name; Simon, wilt thou be my man, And good round wages I'll give thee? Anchors and planks thou shalt want none, And if that you thus furnish me, Said Simon, nothing shall go wrong. They plucked up anchor, and away did sail, It will be long, said the master then, He shall have no share in our fish, For in truth he is in no part worthy. O woe is me, said Simon then, * Alluding, probably, to St. Peter, the patron of fishermen. For every clown laughs me to scorn, 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, For yon French robbers on the sea, But, Simon said, do not fear them, 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, Then he took his bent bow in his hand, Master, tie me to the mast, he said, And never a Frenchman will I spare! He drew his arrow to the head, And drew it with all might and main; To the Frenchman's heart the arrow's gone. The Frenchman fell down on the hatch, The dead corpse into the sea did throw. O master, loose me from the mast, he said, And give me my bent bow in my hand, Then straight they boarded the French ship, Twelve thousand pounds of money bright. The one half of the ship, said Simon, then, To you that are my fellows all. But now bespake the master then, 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 Where they shall live in peace and rest. RITSON, & EVANS. ROBIN HOOD'S CHASE. COME, you gallants all! to you I do call, For a song I will sing, of Henry our king, Queen Katherin * she a match did make, For three hundred tun of good red wine, But yet her archers she had to seek, With their bows and arrows so good; But when bold Robin Hood he came there, Thou art welcome, Locksley, said the queen, For a match of shooting I have made, : And thou on my part must be :- 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. |