8 They hadna waukd in the bonnie greenwud Na no an hour but barely ane, Till up start fifteen o the bravest outlaws That ever bure either breath or bane.
9 An up bespake the foremost man, love, An O but he spake angrily: 'Either your life--or your lady fair, sir, This night shall wauk the wuds wi me.'
10 'My lady fair, O I like her weel, sir, An O my life, but it lies me near! But before I lose my lady fair, sir, I'll rather lose my life sae dear.'
11 Then up bespak the second man, love, An aye he spake mair angrily, Saying, 'Baith your life, and your lady fair, sir, This night shall wauk the wuds wi me.'
12 'My lady fair, O I like her weel, sir, An O my life, but it lies me near! But before I lose my lady fair, sir, I'll rather lose my life sae dear.
13 'But if ye'll be men to your manhood, As that I will be unto mine, I'll fight ye every ane man by man, Till the last drop's blude I hae be slain.
14 'O sit ye down, my dearest dearie, Sit down and hold my noble steed, And see that ye never change your cheer Until ye see my body bleed.'
15 He's feughten a' the fifteen outlaws, The fifteen outlaws every ane, He's left naething but the auldest man To go and carry the tidings hame.
16 An he has gane to his dearest dear, An he has kissed her, cheek and chin, Saying, 'Thou art mine ain, I have bought thee dear, An we will wauk the wuds our lane.'
Gutch's Robin Hood, II, 345, from a MS. of Mr. Payne Collier's, supposed to have been written about 1650.
1 As Robin Hood sat by a tree, He espied a prettie may, And when she chanced him to see, She turnd her head away.
2 'O feare me not, thou prettie mayde, And doe not flie from mee; I am the kindest man,' he said, 'That ever eye did see.'
3 Then to her he did doffe his cap, And to her lowted low; 'To meete with thee I hold it good hap, If thou wilt not say noe.'
4 Then he put his hand around her waste, Soe small, so tight, and trim, And after sought her lip to taste, And she to kissed him.
5 'Where dost thou dwell, my prettie maide? I prithee tell to me;' 'I am a tanner's daughter,' she said, 'John Hobbes of Barneslee.'
6 'And whither goest thou, pretty maide? Shall I be thy true love?' If thou art not afeard,' she said, 'My true love thou shalt prove.'