And Guy was quick and nimble withal, And hit him o'er the left side. "Ah, dear Lady!" said Robin Hood, I think it was never man's destiny Robin thought on our Lady dear, And soon leapt up again; 160 And thus he came with an awkward stroke; 165 Good Sir Guy he has slain. He took Sir Guy's head by the hair, "Thou hast been traitor all thy life, Which thing must have an end." Robin pulled forth an Irish knife, 170 Says, "Lie there, lie there, good Sir Guy, 175 And with me be not wroth; If thou have had the worse strokes at my hand, Thou shalt have the better cloth." Robin did [off] his gown of green, [On] Sir Guy he did it throw; And he put on that capul hide That clad him top to toe. 180 "Thy bow, thy arrows, and little horn, With me now I'll bear; Robin set Guy's horn to his mouth; "Hearken! hearken!" said the sheriff, "For yonder I hear Sir Guy's horn blow, It blows so well in tide, For yonder comes that wighty yeoman, " "Come hither, thou good Sir Guy! "But now I have slain the master," he said, Let me go strike the knave; This is all the reward I ask, Nor no other will. I have." "Thou art a a madman," said the sheriff; "Thou shouldest have had a knight's fee. 200 205 Seeing thy asking been so bad, But Little John heard his master speak, Well he knew that was his steven; "Now shall I be loosed," quoth Little John, "With Christ's might in heaven.” 21C But Robin he hied him towards Little John; 215 Fast after him did drive. "Stand aback! stand aback!" said Robin; It was never the use in our country 220 But Robin pulled forth an Irish knife, 225 But John took Guy's bow in his hand, His arrows were rawstye by the root; The sheriff saw Little John draw a bow 230 Towards his house in Nottingham He fled full fast away, And so did all his company, away so fast run, But Little John with an arrow broad Percy Fol. MS. (modernized). 235 KINMONT WILLIE O HAVE ye na heard o' the fause Sakelde? How they ha'e ta'en bauld Kinmont Willie, Had Willie had but twenty men, But twenty men as stout as he, Fause Sakelde had never the Kinmont ta'en, score in his companie. Wi' eight They band his legs beneath the steed; They led him through the Liddel-rack, 5 10 15 "My hands are tied, but my tongue is free, And whae will dare this deed avow? Or answer by the Border law? Or answer to the bauld Buccleuch?" "Now haud thy tongue, thou rank reiver ! There's never a Scot shall set thee free: Before ye cross my castle yate, I trow ye shall take farewell o' me." "Fear na ye that, my lord," quo' Willie: "By the faith o' my body, Lord Scroope," he said, "I never yet lodged in a hostelrie, But I paid my lawing before I gaed." Now word is gane to the bauld keeper, In Branksome Ha', where that he lay, That Lord Scroope has ta'en the Kinmont Willie, Between the hours of night and day. He has ta'en the table wi' his hand, He gar'd the red wine spring on hie; 'Now Christ's curse on my head," he said, “But avenged of Lord Scroope I'll be! “O is my basnet a widow's curch?uhan Or my lance a wand of the willow-tree? Or my arm a lady's lily hand, That an English lord should lightly me! |