The Famous Battle between Robin Hood, and the Curtal Friar.  
To a New Northern Tune.  

Robin Hood.  
The Curtal Friar.   

IN Summer time when leaves grow green  
and flowers are fresh and gay,  
Robin Hood and his merry men,  
were disposed to play:  
Then some would leap and some would Run,  
and some would use Artillery,  
Which of you can a good Bow draw,  
a good Archer to be?  
Which of you can kill a Buck?  
or who can kill a do?  
Or who can kill a Hart of Greece,  
five hundred foot him fro?  
Will Scadlock he killed a Buck,  
and Midge he killed a do;  
And little John killed a Hart of Greece,  
five hundred foot him fro:  
God's blessing on thy heart, said Robin Hood  
that shot such a shoot to me,  
I would ride my Horse an hundred miles,  
to find one could match thee.  
That caused Will Scadlock to laugh,  
he laughed full heartily,  
There lives a curtal Friar in Fountain-Abby  
will beat both him and thee.  
Robin Hood put on his Harness good,  
and on his head a Cap of Steel,  
Broad Sword and Buckler by his side,  
and they became him we'll.  
He took his Bow into his hand,  
it was of a trusty tree,  
With a Sheaf of Arrows at his Belt,  
to the Fountain's Dale went he.  
And coming unto Fountain's Dale,  
no farther would he ride.  
There was he beware of a Curtal Friar,  
walking by the water side.  
The Friar had a Harness good,  
and on his head a Cap of Steel,  
Broad Sword and Buckler by his side,  
and they became him we'll.  
Robin Hood lighted off his Horse,  
and tied him to a thorn,  
Carry me over the water thou Curtall Friar,  
or else thy life's forlorn.  
The Friar took Robin Hood on his back,  
deep water he did bestride,  
And spoke neither good word nor bad,  
till he came at the other side.  
Lightly stepped Rob. Hood off the Friar's back,  
the Friar said to him again,  
Carry me over the water thou fine fellow,  
or it shall breed thy pain.  
Robin Hood took the Friar on his back,  
deep water he did bestride,  
And speak neither good word nor bad,  
till he came at the other side.  
Lightly leapt the Friar off Robin Hoods back  
Robin Hood said to him again,  
Carry me over the water thou Curtall Friar,  
or it shall breed thy pain.  
The Friar took Robin Hood on's back again  
and stepped up to the knee,  
Till he came at the middle stream,  
neither good nor bad spoke he.  
And coming to the middle stream,  
there he threw Robin in,  
And choose thee, choose thee, fine fellow,  
with thou wilt sink or swim.   

The second part,  
to the same Tune.  
Robin Hood swum to a bush of Broom,  
the Friar to a wigger wand,  
Bold Robin Hood is gone to the shore,  
and took his Bow in hand.  
One of his best Arrows under his Belt,  
to the Friar he let fly,  
The Curtal Friar with his Steel Buckler,  
he put that Arrow by.  
Shoot on, shoot on, thou fine fellow,  
shoot as thou hast begun,  
If thou shoot here a Summer's day,  
thy mark I will not shun.  
Robin Hood shot so passing well,  
till his Arrows were all gone,  
They took their Swords and steel Bucklers,  
they fought with might and main,  
From ten o'th' Clock that day,  
till four i'th' Afternoon,  
Then Robin Hood came to his knees,  
of the Friar to beg a boon.  
A boon, a boon, thou Curtal Friar,  
I beg it on my knee,  
Give me leave to set my Horn to my mouth,  
and to blow blasts three.  
That will I do, said the Curtal Friar,  
of thy blasts I have no doubt,  
I hope thou'lt blow so passing well,  
till both thy eyes fall out.  
Robin Hood set his Horn to his mouth,  
he blew out blasts three,  
Half a hundred Yeomen with Bows bend,  
came ranging over the Lee.  
Whose men are these, said the Friar,  
that come so hastily?  
These men are mine, said Robin Hood,  
Friar, what is that to thee.  
A boon, a boon, said the Curtal Friar,  
the like I gave to thee,  
Give me leave to set my Fist to my mouth,  
and to whute whutes three.  
That will I do, said Robin Hood,  
or else I were to blame,  
Three whutes in a Friar's Fist,  
would make me glad and fain.  
The Friar he set his Fist to his mouth,  
and whuted whutes three,  
Half a hundred good bay Dogs,  
came running the Friar unto.  
Here is for every man a Dog,  
and I myself for thee.  
Nay by my faith quoth Robin Hood,  
Friar that may not be.  
Two Dogs at once to Robin Hood did go,  
the one behind the other before,  
Robin Hoods Mantle of Lincoln green,  
off from his back they tore.  
And whether his men shot East or West,  
or they shot North or South,  
The Cutrtles Dogs so taught they were,  
they caught the Arrows in their mouth.  
Take up thy Dogs, said little John,  
Friar at my bidding be,  
Whose man art thou, said the Curtal Friar,  
comes here to p●ate with me?  
I am little John, Robin Hoods man,  
Friar I will not lie,  
If thou take not up thy Dogs soon,  
i'll take up them and thee.  
Little John had a Bow in his hand,  
he shot with might and main,  
Soon half a score of the Friar's Dogs,  
lay dead upon the plain.  
Hold thy hand, hold thy hand, said the Curtal Friar,  
thy Master and I will agree,  
And we will have new orders taken,  
with all the haste that may be.  
If thou wilt forsake fair Fountain Dale,  
and Fountain-Abby free.  
Every Sundry through the year,  
a Noble shall be thy fee.  
And every Holiday through the year  
changed shall thy Garments be,  
If thou wilt go to fair Nottingham,  
and there remain with me.  
This Curtal Friar had kept Fountain Dale,  
seven long years and more,  
There was neither Knight, Lord nor Earl  
could make him yield before.    

Printed for W. Thackeray, J. Millet, and A. Milbourn.