Modern Translation

Modern Translation

Robin Hood

A slightly modernized translation of "The Death of Robin Hood"

Ezra McCormick

"The Death of Robin Hood"

ENG 419 SP18

April 17, 2018

English

Text

When Robin Hood and Little John
Down a down a down a down
Went over yon bank of broom,
Said Robin Hood bold to Little John,
"We have shot for many a pound.
Hey, etc.

"But I am not able to shoot one shot more,
My broad arrows will not fly;
But I have a cousin lives down below,
Please God, she will bleed me.

"I will never eat nor drink," Robin Hood said,
"Nor meat will do me any good,
Till I have been at merry Churchlees,
My veins for to let blood."

"That I read not," said Will Scarllett,
"Master, I advise thee,
Without half a hundred of your best bowmen
You take to go with yee.

"For there a good yeoman doth abide
Will be sure to quarrel with thee,
And if thou have need of us, master,
In faith we will not flee."

"And thou be feared, thou William Scarlett,
At home I read thee bee."
"And you be angry, my dear master,
You shall never hear more of me."

"For there shall no man with me go,
Nor man with me ride,
And Little John shall be my man,
And bear my bent-bow by my side."

"You must bear your bow, master, yourself,
And shoot for a penny with me."
"To that I do assent," Robin Hood said,
"And so, John, let it be."

They two bold children shot together,
All day their self in rank,
Until they came to black water,
And over it laid a plank.

Upon it there kneeled an old woman,
Was banning Robin Hood;
"Why dost thou bann Robin Hood?" said Robin,
"Knowst thou of him no good?"

"We women have no blessing
To give to Robin Hood;
Wee weep for his dear body,
That this day must be let blood."

"The dame prior is my aunts daughter,
And nie unto my kin;
I know she would do me no harm this day,
For all the world to win."

Forth then shot these children two,
And they did never lin,
Until they came to merry Churchlees,
To merry Churchlees with-in.

And when they came to merry Churchlees,
They knocked upon a pin;
Up then rose dame prioress,
And let good Robin in.

Then Robin gave to dame prioress
Twenty pound in gold,
And bad her spend while that would last,
And she should have more when shee wold.

And down then came dame prioress,
Down she came in that ilke,
With a pair of blood-irons in her hands,
Were wrapped all in silk.

"Sett a chaffing-dish to the fire," said dame prioress,
"And strip thou up thy sleeve."
I hold him but an unwise man
That will no warning leave.

She laid the blood-irons to Robin Hoods vein,
Alacke, the more pity!
And pierced the vein, and let out the blood,
That full red was to see.

And first it bled, the thick, thick blood,
And afterwards the thin,
And well then knew good Robin Hood,
Treason there was within.

He then bethought him of a casement there,
Thinking for to get down,
But was so weak he could not leap,
He could not get him 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 a tree:
"I fear my master is now near dead,
He blows so wearily."

Then Little John to fair Churchlees is gone,
As fast as he can be;
But when he came to Churchlees-hall,
He broke locks two or three.

"What cheer my master?" said Little John;
"In faith, John, little good.
My cousin and Red Roger,
Between them let my blood."

"I have upon a gown of green,
Is cut short by my knee,
And in my hand a bright brown brand
That will well bite for thee."

But before then of a shot-window
Good Robin Hood he could glide,
Red Roger, with a sharpened-sword,
Thrust him through the milk-white side.

But Robin was light and nimble of foot,
And thought to abate his pride,
For betwixt his head and his shoulders
He made a wound full wide.

Says, "Lie there, lie there, Red Roger,
The dogs they must thee eat;
For I may have my last rites," he said,
"For I may both go and speak."

"Now give me mood," Robin said to Little John,
"Give me mood with thy hand;
I trust to God in heaven so high
My confession will me bestand."

"Now give me leave, give me leave, master," he said,
"For Christ’s love give leave to me,
To set a fire within this hall,
And to burn up all Churchlee."

"That I read not," said Robin Hood then,
"Little John, for it may not be;
If I should do any widow hurt, at my latter end,
God," he said, "would blame me.

"I never hurt fair maid in all my time,
Nor at mine 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 digged 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 granted him,
Which did bold Robin please:
And there they buried bold Robin Hood,
Within the fair Churchlees.