'Some suits, some suits,' the sheriff he said, 'Some suits I'll give to thee;

Some suits, some suits, and pence thirteen,
To-day's a hangman's fee.'

Then Robin he turns him round about,
And jumps from stock to stone :

'By the truth of my body,' the sheriff he said, 'That's well jumpt, thou nimble old man.'

‘I was ne'er a hangman in all my life,
Nor yet intends to trade;

But curst be he,' said bold Robin,
'That first a hangman was made!

'I've a bag for meal, and a bag for malt,
And a bag for barley and corn;

A bag for bread, and a bag for beef,
And a bag for my little small horn.

'I have a horn in my pockèt,
I got it from Robin Hood,
And still when I set it to my mouth,
For thee it blows little good.'

'O, wind thy horn, thou proud fellow!
Of thee I have no doubt.

I wish that thou give such a blast,
Till both thy eyes fall out.'

The first loud blast that he did blow,
He blew both loud and shrill;

A hundred and fifty of Robin Hood's mcn
Came riding over the hill.

The next loud blast that he did give,
He blew both loud and amain,

And quickly sixty of Robin Hood's men
Came shining over the plain.

'O, who are these,' the sheriff he said,

'Come tripping over the lee?'

'They're my attendants,' brave Robin did say;
'They'll pay a visit to thee.'

They took the gallows from the slack,

They set it in the glen,

They hanged the proud sherìff on that,
Released their own three men.

ROBIN HOOD'S DEATH AND BURIAL.

[The close of this ballad singularly resembles a Romaic song on the death of a famous klepht, or brigand, in Fauriel's collection.]

When Robin Hood and Little John,
Down a down, a down, a down,

Went o'er yon bank of broom,

Said Robin Hood to Little John,

'We have shot for many a pound:
Hey down, a down, a down.

'But I am not able to shoot one shot more,
My arrows will not flee;

But I have a cousin lives down below,

Please God, she will bleed me.'

Now Robin is to fair Kirkley gone,

As fast as he can win;

But before he came there, as we do hear,

He was taken very ill.

And when that he came to fair Kirkley-hall,

He knock'd all at the ring,

But none was so ready as his cousin herself

For to let bold Robin in.

'Will you please to sit down, cousin Robin,' she said,
'And drink some beer with me?

'No, I will neither eat nor drink

Till I am blooded by thee.'

'Well, I have a room, cousin Robin,' she said, 'Which you did never see,

And if you please to walk therein,

You blooded by me shall be.'

She took him by the lily-white hand,
And led him to a private room,
And there she blooded bold Robin Hood,
Whilst one drop of blood would run.

She blooded him in the vein of the arm,
And locked him up in the room;
There did he bleed all the live-long day,
Until the next day at noon.

He then bethought him of a casement door,
Thinking for to be gone;

He was so weak he could not leap,
Nor he could not get down.

He then bethought him of his bugle-horn,
Which hung low down to his knee;

He set his horn unto his mouth,

And blew out weak blasts three.

Then Little John, when hearing him,

As he sat under the tree,

'I fear my master is near dead,

He blows so wearily.'

Then Little John to fair Kirkley is gone,
As fast as he can dri'e;

But when he came to Kirkley-hall,

He broke locks two or three:

Until he came bold Robin to,
Then he fell on his knee :

'A boon, a boon,' cries Little John,
'Master, I beg of thee.'

'What is that boon,' quoth Robin Hood, 'Little John, thou begs of me?' 'It is to burn fair Kirkley-hall,

And all their nunnery.'

'Now nay, now nay,' quoth Robin Hood, 'That boon I'll not grant thee;

I never hurt woman in all my life,
Nor man in woman's company.

'I never hurt fair maid in all my time,
Nor at my end shall it be ;

But give me my bent bow in my hand,
And a broad arrow I'll let flee;
And where this arrow is taken up,
There shall my grave digg'd be.

'Lay me a green sod under my head,
And another at my feet;

And lay my bent bow by my side,
Which was my music sweet;

And make my grave of gravel and green,
Which is most right and meet.

'Let me have length and breadth enough,
With a green sod under my head;
That they may say, when I am dead,
Here lies bold Robin Hood.'

These words they readily promis'd him, Which did bold Robin please;

And there they buried bold Robin Hood, Near to the fair Kirklèys.

DOMESTIC.

THE BAILIFF'S DAUGHTER OF ISLINGTON.

There was a youthe, and a well-beloved youthe,
And he was a squires son;

He loved the bayliffes daughter deare,
That lived in Islington.

Yet she was coye, and would not believe
That he did love her soe,

Noe nor at any time would she

Any countenance to him showe.

But when his friendes did understand
His fond and foolish minde,
They sent him up to faire London,
An apprentice for to binde.

And when he had been seven long yeares,
And never his love could see,-

'Many a teare have I shed for her sake,
When she little thought of mee.'

Then all the maids of Islington
Went forth to sport and playe,
All but the bayliffes daughter deare;
She secretly stole awaye.

She pulled off her gowne of greene,
And put on ragged attire,

And to faire London she would go
Her true love to enquire.

As as she went along the high road,
The weather being hot and drye,
She sat her downe upon a green bank,

And her true love came riding bye.