"What is the price of thy flesh?" said jolly Robin, "Come tell it soon unto me;

And the price of thy mare, be she never so dear,
For a butcher fain would I be."

"The price of my flesh," the butcher repli'd, "I soon will tell unto thee;

With my bonny mare, and they are not too dear, Four mark thou must give unto me."

"Four mark I will give thee," said jolly Robin,
"Four mark it shall be thy fee;

The money come count, and let me mount,
For a butcher I fain would be."

Now Robin he is to Notingham gone,
His butchers trade to begin;

With good intent to the sheriff he went,
And there he took up his inn.

When other butchers they opened their meat,

Bold Robin he then begun;

But how for to sell he knew not well,

For a butcher he was but

young.

When other butchers no meat could sell,

Robin got both gold and fee;

For he sold more meat for one peny
Than others could do for three.

But when he sold his meat so fast,
No butcher by him could thrive;
For he sold more meat for one peny
Than others could do for five.

Which made the butchers of Notingham
To study as they did stand,

Saying, "Surely he is some prodigal,
That hath sold his fathers land."

The butchers stepped to jolly Robin,

Acquainted with him for to be;

"Come, brother," one said, "we be all of one trade, Come, will you go dine with me?"

"Accurst of his heart," said jolly Robin,
"That a butcher doth deny;

I will go with you, my brethren true,
As fast as I can hie."

But when to the sheriffs house they came,
To dinner they hied apace,

And Robin Hood he the man must be
Before them all to say grace.

66

Pray God bless us all," said jolly Robin, "And our meat within this place;

A cup.

of sack so good will nourish our blood: And so I do end my grace."

"Come fill us more wine," said jolly Robin,
"Let us be merry while we do stay;
For wine and good cheer, be it never so dear,
I vow I the reckning will pay.'

"Come, 'brothers,' be merry," said jolly Robin, "Let us drink, nor yet give ore;

For the shot I will pay, ere I go my way,
If it costs me five pounds and more.'

"This is a mad blade," the butchers then said.
Saies the sheriff, "He is some prodigal,
That some land has sold for silver and gold,
And now he doth mean to spend all."

"Hast thou any horn beasts," the sheriff repli'd, "Good fellow, to sell unto me?"

"Yes, that I have, good master sheriff, I have hundreds two or three,

"And a hundred aker of good free land,
If you please it to see:

And Ile make you as good assurance of it,
As ever my father made me."

The sheriff he saddled his good palfrèy,
And, with three hundred pound in gold,
Away he went with bold Robin Hood,
His horned beasts to behold.

Away then the sheriff and Robin did ride,
To the forrest of merry Sherwood,

Then the sheriff did say, "God save us this day,
From a man they call Robin Hood!"

But when a little farther they came,
Bold Robin he chanced to spy
A hundred head of good red deer,

Come tripping the sheriff full nigh.

"How like you my horn'd beasts, good master sheriff? They be fat and fair for to see.'

"I tell thee, good fellow, I would I were gone,

For I like not thy company."

Then Robin set his horn to his mouth,

And blew but blasts three;

Then quickly anon there came Little John,

And all his company.

"What is your will, master?" then said Little John, "Good master, come tell unto me.

"I have brought hither the sheriff of Notingham This day to dine with thee."

"He is welcome to me," then said Little John,
“I hope he will honestly pay;

I know he has gold, if it be but well told,
Will serve us to drink a whole day."

Then Robin took his mantle from his back,
And laid it upon the ground;

And out of the sheriffs portmantle
He told three hundred pound.

Then Robin he brought him thorow the wood,
And set him on his dapple gray;

"O have me commended to your wife at home:"
So Robin went laughing away.

116

KING LEIR AND HIS THREE DAUGHTERS.

KING LEIR once ruled in this land
With princely power and peace;
And had all things with hearts content,
That might his joys increase.
Amongst those things that nature gave,
Three daughters fair had he,
So princely seeming beautiful,
As fairer could not be.

So on a time it pleas'd the king
A question thus to move,
Which of his daughters to his grace
Could shew the dearest love:
"For to my age you bring content,"
Quoth he, "then let me hear,
Which of you three in plighted troth
The kindest will appear."

To whom the eldest thus began ;
"Dear father, mind," quoth she,
"Before your face, to do you good,
My blood shall render'd be:
And for your sake my bleeding heart
Shall here be cut in twain,
Ere that I see your reverend age
The smallest grief sustain."

"And so will I," the second said;
"Dear father, for your sake,
The worst of all extremities
I'll gently undertake :

And serve your highness night and day

With diligence and love;

That sweet content and quietness

Discomforts may remove."

"In doing so, you glad my soul,"

The aged king reply'd;

"But what sayst thou, my youngest girl,

How is thy love ally'd?”`

'My love (quoth young Cordelia then)
Which to your grace I owe,
Shall be the duty of a child,

And that is all I'll show."

"And wilt thou show no more," quoth he, "Than doth thy duty bind?

I well perceive thy love is small,
When as no more I find.
Henceforth I banish thee my court,

Thou art no child of mine;
Nor any part of this my realm
By favour shall be thine.

"Thy elder sisters loves are more
Than well I can demand,

To whom I equally bestow
My kingdome and my land,
My pompal state and all my goods,
That lovingly I may

With those thy sisters be maintain'd
Until my dying day."

Thus flattering speeches won renown,
By these two sisters here;

The third had causeless banishment,
Yet was her love more dear:
For poor Cordelia patiently

Went wandring up and down,
Unhelp'd, unpity'd, gentle maid,
Through many an English town:

Untill at last in famous France
She gentler fortunes found;

Though poor and bare, yet she was deem'd
The fairest on the ground:

Where when the king her virtues heard, And this fair lady seen,

With full consent of all his court

He made his wife and queen.

Her father King Leir all this while
With his two daughters staid:
Forgetful of their promis'd loves,
Full soon the same decay'd;