ROBIN HOOD AND QUEEN KATHERINE

 1
 Gold was taken from the king's messangers,
 Down a down a down
 As seldom has been seen,
 Down a down a down
 And carried by bold Robin Hood
 As a present for the queen.
 Down a down a down.

 2
 "If that I live a year to its end."
 Thus Queen Katherine began to say,
 "Bold Robin Hood, I will be your friend,
 And all your yeomen gay."

 3
 The queen has gone to her chamber,
 As fast as she can go;
 She called to her lovely page,
 His name was Richard Patringten.

 4
 "Come here to me, you lovely page,
 Come you here to me;
 For you must go to Nottingham, 
 As fast as you can run.

 5
 "And as you go to Nottingham,
 Search all the English wood; 
 Inquire of one good yeoman or another
 That can tell you of Robin Hood." 

 6
 Sometimes he walked, sometimes he ran,
 As fast as he could go;
 And when he came to Nottingham,
 There he took up his lodgings.

 7
 And when he came to Nottingham,
 And had took up his lodgings,
 He called for a pot of Renish wine,
 And drank a health to his queen.

 8
 There sat a yeoman by his side;
 "Tell me, sweet page," he said,
 "What is your business or your cause,
 That you're so far in the North Country?"

 9
 "This is my business and the cause,
 Sir, I'll tell it to you for sure,
 To inquire of one good yeoman or another
 To tell me of Robin Hood."

 10
 "I'll get my horse sometime in the morning,
 Be it be break of day,
 And I will show you bold Robin Hood,
 And all his yeomen gay."

 11
 When he came to Robin Hood's place,
 He fell down on his knee;
 "Queen Katherine does greet you well,
 She greets you well by me.

 12
 "She bids you come to fair London court,
 Not fearing anything;
 For there shall be a little sport, -
 And she has sent you her ring."

 13
 Robin took his mantle from his back -
 It was colored Lincoln green - 
 And sent it by this lovely page 
 As a present for the queen.

 14
 In summer time, when leaves grow green,
 It was a seemly sight to see
 How Robin Hood himself had dressed,
 And all his yeomandry.

 15
 He cloathed his men in Lincoln green,
 And himself in scarlet red,
 Black hats, white feathers, all alike;
 Now bold Robin Hood is riding,

 16
 And when he came to London's court,
 He fell down on his knee:
 "You are welcome, Locksly," said the queen,
 "And all your good yeomendry."

 17
 The king has gone to Finsbury field,
 Marching in battle array,
 And after him followed bold Robin Hood,
 And all his yeomen gay.

 18
 "Come here, Tepus," said the king,
 "Bow-bearer after me,
 Come measure me out with this line
 To see how long our mark shall be."

 19
 "What is the wager?", said the queen,
 "That must I now know here."
 "Three hundred tuns of Renish wine,
 Three hundred tuns of beer.

 20
 "Three hundred of the fattest deer
 That run on Dallom's ground;
 That's a princely wager," said the king,
 "I needn't have to tell you."

 21
 With that then spoke one named Clifton,
 Full quickly and full soon;
 "Measure no mark for us, most sovereign leige,
 We'll shoot at the sun and moon."

 22
 "Full fifteen score your marks shall be,
 Full fifteen score shall stand."
 "I'll lay my bow," said Clifton then,
 "I'll cleave the willow wand."

 23
 With that the king's archers played,
 Until the score was three and none;
 With that the ladies began to shout,
 "Madam, your game is gone!"

 24
 "A request, a request," Queen Katherine cried,
 "I ask, bending on my bare knee;
 Is there any knight of your privy counsel
 Who will join Queen Katherine's party?

 25
 "Come here to me, Sir Richard Lee,
 You are a knight full good;
 For I do know by your pedigree
 That you descend from Sir Gawain's blood.

 26
 "Come here to me, Bishop of Hereford" -
 For a noble priest was he-
 "By my silver miter," said the bishop then,
 "I'll bet not one penny.

 27
 "The king has archers of his own,
 Full ready and full light,
 And your's are strangers every one,
 No man knows how they shoot."

 28
 "What will you bet," said Robin Hood,
 "That you see our game is the worst?"
 "By my silver miter," said the bishop then,
 "All the mony within my purse."

 29
 "What is in your purse?" said Robin Hood,
 "Throw it down on the ground."
 "Fifteen scores of nobles," said the bishop then,
 "It's nearly a hundred pounds."

 30
 Robin Hood took his bag from his side,
 And threw it down on the green;
 William Scarlett went away smiling,
 "I know who will win this money."

 31
 With that the queen's archers played,
 Until the score was three and three ;
 With that the ladies gave a shout,
 "Woodcock, beware your eye!"

 32
 "It is three and three, now," said the king,
 "The next three pays for all."
 Robin Hood went and whispered to the queen,
 "The kings score shall be but small."

 33
 Robin Hood he played,
 He shot his bow underhand,
 And Clifton, with a bearing arrow,
 cleaved the willow wand.

 34
 And little Much, the Miller's son,
 He shot not much worse;
 He shot within a finger of the bull's eye;
 "Now, bishop, beware your purse!"

 35
 "A request, a request," Queen Katherine cries,
 "I ask, bent on my bare knee,-
 That you will not be angry with
 Any in my party."

 36
 "They shall have forty days to come,
 And forty days to go,
 And three times forty day to sport and play;
 Then welcome friend or foe."

 37
 "Then you are welcome, Robin Hood," said the queen,
 "And so is Little John,
 So is Much, the Miller's son;
 Three time welcome, every one."

 38
 "Is this Robin Hood?" the king now said;
 "For it was told to me
 That he was slain at the palace gate,
 So far in the North Country."

 39
 "Is this Robin Hood," said the bishop then,
 "As I see hime well to be?
 Had I known that this man had been that bold outlaw,
 I would not have bet one penny.

 40
 "He overtook me late one Saturday at night,
 And bound me to a tree.
 And made me sing a mass, God knows,
 To him and his yeomendry."

 41
 "What and if I did?" says Robin Hood,
 "Of that mass I was full proud;
 For recompense to you," he says,
 "Here's half your gold again."

 42
 "Not now, not now," said Little John,
 "Master, that shall not be;
 We must give gifts to the king's officers;
 That gold will serve you and me."