University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
The English and Scottish Popular Ballads

Edited by Francis James Child.

expand sectionI. 
expand sectionII. 
expand sectionIII. 
expand sectionIV. 
collapse sectionV. 
expand section114. 
expand section115. 
expand section116. 
collapse section117. 
  
expand section118. 
expand section119. 
expand section120. 
expand section121. 
expand section122. 
expand section123. 
expand section124. 
expand section125. 
expand section126. 
expand section127. 
expand section128. 
expand section129. 
expand section130. 
expand section131. 
expand section132. 
expand section133. 
expand section134. 
expand section135. 
expand section136. 
expand section137. 
expand section138. 
expand section139. 
expand section140. 
expand section141. 
expand section142. 
expand section143. 
expand section144. 
expand section145. 
expand section146. 
expand section147. 
expand section148. 
expand section149. 
expand section150. 
expand section151. 
expand section152. 
expand section153. 
expand section154. 
expand section155. 
expand sectionVI. 
expand sectionVII. 
expand sectionVIII. 
expand sectionIX. 

Robin Hood

HENRY MARTYN—C

[_]

Motherwell's MS., p. 660; from the recitation of Alexander Macdonald, coal-heaver, Barkip, parish of Dalry, Ayr; a song of his mother's, a native of Ireland.

1

There were three brothers in bonnie Scotland,
In bonnie Scotland lived they,
And they cuist kevels themsells amang,
Wha sould gae rob upon the salt sea.

2

The lot it fell upon bold Robin Hood,
The youngest brither of the hale three:
‘O, I sall gae rob upon the salt sea,
And it's all to mauntain my two brothers and me.’

395

3

They hadna sailed a lang winter night,
A lang winter night scarselie,
Till they were aware of a tall, tall ship,
Coming sailin down under the lee.

4

‘O where are you bound for, my bonnie ship?’
Bold Robin Hood he did cry;
‘O I'm a bold merchantman, for London bound,
And I pray you, good sir, let us by.’

5

‘O no! O no!’ said bold Robin Hood,
‘O no such thing may be;
For I will gae in and plunder your ship,
And your fair bodies I'll drown in the sea.’

6

O he has gone in and plundered their ship,
And holes in her bottom bored three;
The water came in so thick and so fast
That down, down to the bottom gade she.

7

Bad news, bad news to old England is gone,
Bad news to our king, old Henrie,
That his merchant-goods were taken on board,
And thirty-five seamen drownd in the sea.