What wilt thou give me, said Robin Hood,
In ready gold or fee,
To help thee to thy true love again,
And deliver her unto thee?

I have no money, then quoth the young man,
No ready gold or fee,
But I will swear upon a book,
Thy true servant for to be.

How many miles is it to thy true love?
Come, tell me without any guile.
By the faith of my body, then said the young man,
It is but five little mile.

Then Robin he hasted over the plain,
And he did neither stint nor lin,[131]
Until he came unto the church,
Where Allen should have kept his wedding!

What dost thou here, the Bishop then said,
I prithee tell unto me?
I am a bold harper, quoth Robin Hood,
And the best in the north country.

O welcome, O welcome, the bishop then said,
That music best pleaseth me;
You shall have no music, quoth Robin Hood,
Till the bride and bridegroom I see.

With that came in a wealthy knight,
Who was both grave and old;
And after him a finikin lass,
That did shine like glittering gold.

This is not a fit match, quoth bold Robin Hood,
That you do seem to make here;
For since we are come into the church,
The bride shall choose her own dear.

Then Robin Hood put his horn to his mouth,
And blew blasts two or three;
Then four and twenty bowmen bold
Came leaping over the lea.

And when they came into the churchyard,
Marching all on a row,
The first man was Allen-a-Dale,
To give bold Robin his bow.

This is thy true love, Robin he said,
Young Allen, as I have heard say,
And thou shalt be married at this same time,
Before we depart away.

That shalt not be, the bishop he said,
For thy word shall not stand;
They shall be three times asked in the church,
As the law is of our land.

[Illustration: THE MARRIAGE OF ALLEN A DALE.]

Robin Hood pull'd off the bishop's coat,
And put it upon Little John;
By the faith of my body, then Robin he said,
This cloth doth make thee a man.

When Little John went to the quire,
The people began to laugh:
He ask'd them seven times in the church,
Lest three times should not be enough.

Who gives this maid? said Little John;
Quoth Robin, that do I;
And he that takes her from Allen-a-Dale,
F