Or, a merry progress between Robin Hood and King Henry. Shewing how Robin Hood led the king his chase from London to London; and when he had taken his leave of the queen, he returned to merry Sherwood. To the tune of Robin Hood and the Beggar.

From an old black-letter copy in the collection of Anthony & Wood, compared with the Roxburgh copy.

XXIV.

ROBIN HOOD'S CHASE.

COME, you gallants all, to you I do call,
With hey down, down, an a down,

That now are in this place;

For a song I will sing of Henry the king,

How he did Robin Hood chase.

Queen Katherine she a match did make,
As plainly doth appear,

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

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 he came there,
Queen Katherine 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, Robin, must be.
"If I miss the mark, be it light or dark,
Then hanged I will be."

But when the game came to be play'd,

Bold Robin 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 vow'd he would him chace.

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

Yet after the king was vex'd at him,
When he was gone his way.

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

And did often enquire both far and near
After bold Robin Hood.

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

O, come now, said he, and let me see
Who can 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.

Then away they went from merry Sherwood,

And into Yorkshire 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,

He went to Newcastle town;

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

When the king did see how Robin did flee,

He was vexed wondrous sore;

With a whoop and a hallo he vow'd him 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 hie, with our company,

And so then to Lancestèr.

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, 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 queene Katherine 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 Katherine answered bold Robin again,
The king is gone to merry Sherwood:
When he went away, to me he did say,
He would go seek 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."

When as 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.

You're welcome home, queen Katherine cryed,
Henry, my soveraign liege;

Bold Robin Hood, that archer good,
Your person hath been to seek.

VOL. II.

FF

But when king Henry did hear,

That Robin had been him to seeke,

This answer he gave, He's a cunning knave,
For I have sought him this whole three week.

A boon! a boon! queen Katherine cry'd,
I beg it here of your grace,

To pardon his life, and seek no more strife:

And so endeth Robin Hood's chase.

London:

Printed for F. Coles, J. Vere, J. Wright, and J. Clarke.