Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, "ROBIN HOOD AND THE THREE WIDOW'S SONS [OR,THE THREE SQUIRES]", by ANONYMOUS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

"ROBIN HOOD AND THE THREE WIDOW'S SONS [OR,THE THREE SQUIRES]", by                    
First Line: There are twelve months in all the year
Last Line: And they freed their own bold men
Variant Title(s): Robin Hood Ballads;robin Hood Rescuing The Widow's Three Sons
Subject(s): Robin Hood


There are twelve months in all the year,
As I hear many men say.
But the merriest month in all the year
Is the merry month of May.
Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone,
With a link-a-down and a-day,
And there he met a silly old woman,
Was weeping on the way.
"What news? What news, thou silly old woman?
What news, I do thee pray?'
Said she: "Three squires in Nottingham town
Are condemned to die this day.'
"O, have they parishes burned?' he said,
"Or have they ministers slain?
Or have they robbed any virgin,
Or other men's wives have ta'en?'
"They have no parishes burned, good sir,
Nor yet have ministers slain,
Nor have they robbed any virgin,
Nor other men's wives have ta'en.'
"O what have they done?' said bold Robin Hood,
"I pray thee tell to me.'
"It's for slaying of King's fallow deer,
Bearing their bows with thee.'
"Dost thou not mind, old woman,' he said,
"How thou madest me sup and dine?
By the truth of my body,' quoth bold Robin Hood,
"You'd not tell this in better time!'
Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone,
With a link-a-down and a-day,
And there he met with a silly ofd palmer,
Was walking along the highway.
"What news? What news, thou silly old man?
What news, I do thee pray?'
Said he: "Three squires in Nottingham Town
Are condemned to die this day.'
"Come, change thy apparel with me, old man,
Come, change thy apparel for mine!
Here is forty shillings in good silver,
Go, dirnk it in beer or wine.'
"O, thine apparel is good,' he said,
"And mine is ragged and torn;
Wherever you go, wherever you ride,
Ne'er laugh an old man to scorn.'
"Come, change thy apparel with me, old churl.
Come, change thy apparel with mine!
Here are twenty pieces of good broad gold,
Go, feast thy brethren with wine.'
Then he put on the old man's hat,
It stood full high on the crown:
"The first bold bargain that I come at,
It shall make thee come down.'
Then he put on the old man's cloak,
Was patched black, blue and red;
He thought it no shame all the day long
To wear the bags of bread.
Then he put on the old man's breeks,
Were patched from side to side.
"By the truth of my body,' bold Robin 'gan say,
"This man loved little pride.'
Then he put on the old man's hose,
Was patched from knee to wrist.
"By the truth of my body,' said bold Robin Hood,
"I'd laugh if I had any list.'
Then he put on the old man's shoes,
Were patched both beneath and aboon.
Then Robin Hood swore a solemn oath:
"It's good habit that makes a man.'
Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone,
With a link-a-down and a-down,
And there he met with the proud sheriff,
Was walking along the town.
"O save, O save, O sheriff,' he said,
"O save, and you may see!
And what will you give to a silly old man
Will today your hangman be?'
"Some suits, some suits,' the sheriff he said,
"Some suits I'll give to thee;
Some suits, some suits, and pence thirteen
Today is 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 jumped, thou nimble old man!'
"I was ne'er a hangman in all my life,
Nor yet intend to trade;
But curst be he,' said bold Robin,
"That was first a hangman 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 horn.
"I have a horn in my pocket,
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 so loud a blast
Till both thy eyes fell out.'
The first loud blast that Robin did blow,
He blew both loud and shrill;
A hundred and fifty of Robin Hood's men
Came running over the hill.
The next loud blast that he did give,
He blew both loud and amain,
And a hundred more of Robin Hood's men
Came running over the plain.
"O, who are yon,' the sheriff he said,
"Come tripping over the lea?'
"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 down in the glen,
They hanged the proud sheriff on that,
And they freed their own bold men.






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