Digital Tradition Mirror

Robin Hood's Death

(This score available as ABC, SongWright, PostScript, PNG, or PMW, or a MIDI file)
Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

2
Robin Hood's Death (2)

In Locksely town, in Nottingham shire,
In merry sweet Locksely town,
There bold Robin was born and bred,
Bold Robin of famous renown.

The father of Robin a forester was;
He drew a lusty strong bow.
His mother was niece to the Coventry knight,
Who slew the blue boar as men know.

Now Robin Hood and Little John
Went o'er yon field of broom.
Said Robin Hood to Little John, "
We've shot for many a pound.

"But I cannot shoot one shot more;
My arrows will not flee.
But I have a cousin lives down below;
Please God, she will bleed me."

So Robin Hood is to Kirkly-hall gone,
And knocked upon the pin,
And none was so willing as the prioress herself
To rise and bid him come in.

"Come in, come in, bold Robin Hood,
And have some ale with me."
"I cannot eat and I cannot drink
Till I am blooded by thee."

She blooded him in a vein of the arm
And locked him up in a room,
And there he's bled the live-long day
Until the next at noon.

And first he's bled the good thick blood,
And then he's bled the thin.
At last poor Robin he knew for sure
That treason was there within.

And thinking then of his bugle horn
That hung down by his knee
And placing it up against his lips,
He blows sweet blast three.

Now you know Little John was standing close by,
Out standing there under a tree --
"My master sounds to be so near death,
He blows so wear-i-ly."

So Little John is to Kirkly-hall gone
As fast as he could ride,
And there he's broke locks one, two, three,
And there he's gone inside.

"A boon, a boon," cried Little John.
"Master, a boon grant me,
Just to burn all of fair Kirkly-hall
And all their nunnery!"

"Nay, no, nay," quoth Robin Hood.
"No, that never can be.
I never hurt a woman, not in all my life,
Nor at my end shall it be.

"But place my longbow in my hands,
And a broad arrow from it free,
And wherever it comes down to the ground,
There shall my grave digg'd be.

"And place my sword beneath my hands
And my arrows beneath my feet;
Place my longbow in my arms,
For it was my music sweet.

"And give me life and breath enough
As ever when I stood,
That men shall know as they pass by,
There lies bold Robin Hood."

In Locksely town, in Nottingham shire,
In merry sweet Locksely town,
There bold Robin was born and bred,
Bold Robin of famous renown.

Child #120
As recorded by Dan and Roxanne Keding on "From Far
and Near"; based on the version sung by Art Thieme.

RW
                                                 apr96

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!