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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.

But when the game came to be played,

Bold Robin he then drew nigh;

With his mantle of green, most brave to be seen, He let his arrows fly.

And when the game it ended was,

Bold Robin won it with a grace;
But after the king was angry with him,
And vowed he would him chase.

What though his pardon granted was,
While he with him did stay,

But yet the king was vexed with him,
When he was gone his way.

Soon after the king from the court did hye,
In a furious angry mood,

And often inquired both far and near,
After bold Robin Hood.

But when the king to Nottingham came,
Bold Robin was in the wood:

O come now, said he, and let me see,

Who will find me bold Robin Hood.

But when that bold Robin he did hear
The king had him in chase,

Then said little John, "Tis time to be gone,

And go to some other place.

And away they went from merry Sherwood,
And into Yorkshire he did hye;

And the king did follow, with a whoop and a hallo,
But could not come him nigh.

Yet jolly Robin he passed along,

And went straight to Newcastle town;

And there stayed he hours two or three,
And then to Barwick is gone.

When the king did see, how Robin did flee,
He was vexed wondrous sore;

With a hoop and a halloo, he vowed to follow,
And take him or never give o'er.

Come now let's away, then cries little John,
Let any man follow that dare;

To Carlisle we'll hye, with our company,
And so then to Lancaster.

From Lancaster then to Chester they went,
And so did King Henry;

But Robin went away, for he durst not stay,
For fear of some treachery.

Says Robin, Come let us for London go,
To see our noble Queen's face;

It may be she wants our company,
Which makes the king so us chase.

When Robin he came Queen Katherin before,
He fell low upon his knee :

If it please your grace, I am come to this place,
For to speak with King Henry.

Queen Katherin answered bold Robin Hood again,
The king is gone to merry Sherwood;
And when he went away, to me he did say,
He would go and see Robin Hood.

Then fare you well, my gracious queen :
For to Sherwood I will hye apace ;

For fain would I see, what he would with me,
If I could but meet with his grace.

But when King Henry he came home,
Full weary and vexed in mind,

And that he did hear, Robin had been there,
He blamed dame Fortune unkind.

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