Bold Robin Hood and the Three Squires

Bold Robin Hood marched along the highway,
Along the highway marched he,
Until he met with a lady fair
A-weeping along the highway,

"O do you mourn for gold," he says,
"Or do you mourn for fee,
Or do you mourn for any high knight
That deserted your company?"

"No, I don't mourn for gold," she said,
"Nor I don't mourn for fee,
Nor I don't mourn for any high knight
That deserted my company.

"But I do mourn for my three sons
Today they're condemned to die;
In Nottingham town so fast they lie bound,
In Nottingham prison they lie."

"O have they sat any temple on fire
Or any high knight have they slain
Or have they enticed fair maidens to sin
Or with married men's wives have they lain?"

"No, they've not sat any temple on fire
Nor any high knight have they slain
Nor they've not enticed fair maidens to sin
Nor with married men's wives they've not lain."

"But they have killed the King's fallow deer.
Today they're condemned to die.
In Nottingham town so fast they lie bound,
In Nottingham prison they lie."

"Go home, go home," said bold Robin Hood.
"And weep no more to-day
And I will stand hangman this livelong day
To hang the Squires all three."

Then Robin Hood called on his merry men
By one, by two and by three.
"When you hear three blasts on my bugle horn
You must hasten most speedily."

Bold Robin Hood marched along the highway.
Along the highway marched he,
Until be met with an old beggarman
A-begging along the highway.

"Good morning, good morning, my old beggarman,
What news do you bring to me?"
"There is weeping and wailing in all Nottingham
For the loss of the Squires all three.' '

"Come change your clothing," said bold Robin Hood,
"Come change your clothing for mine.
Here's fifty bright guineas I'II give in exchange.
'Twill buy you cake and wine."

Robin Hood put on the beggarman's clothes.
They were made of hemp and tow.
"They will cause me to scrub," said bold Robin Hood,
"But further to-day I must go."

Bold Robin Hood marched along the highway,
Along the highway marched he,
Until he met with the Master High Sheriff,
And with him the Squires three.

"Good morning, good morning, my old beggarman,
What can I do for thee?"
"I want to stand hangman this livelong day
To hang the Squires three."

"Yes you can have all of their gay clothing,
And all of their bright money
And you may stand hangman this livelong day,
To hang the Squires three."

"I don't want none of their gay clothing,
Nor none of their bright money;
But I want three blasts on my bugle horn
That their souls in Heaven might be."

Bold Robin Hood marched to the gallus so high,
To the gallus so high marched he,
And by his side was the Master High Sheriff
And with him the Squires three.

He put the bugle unto his mouth,
He blew it loud and shrill.
A hundred and ten of bold Robin Hood's men
Come trippeling over the hill.

"Whose men, whose men?" cried the High Sheriff,
"Whose men?,I pray, tell me."
"They are mine and not thine." Said bold Robin Hood
"Come to borrow three squires of thee."

"O take them, O take them," then cried the High Sheriff;
"O take them, O take them," cried he.
"But there's not another beggar in all Nottingham
Could borrow three more from me."

Note: One of the few Robin Hood ballads collected during this
past century. RG
Child #140
RG