The Ballads and Songs of Yorkshire / Transcribed from Private Manuscripts, Rare Broadsides, and Scarce Publications; with Notes and a Glossary

ROBIN HOOD'S DEATH AND BURIAL.

Robin Hood having for a long period, maintained a sort of independent sovereignty, and set kings, judges, and magistrates at defiance, a proclamation was published offering a considerable reward for bringing him either dead or alive; which, however, appears to have been productive of no greater success than former attempts for that purpose.[40] At length, the infirmities of old age increasing, and desirous to be relieved, in a fit of sickness, by being bled, he applied for that purpose to the prioress of Kirklees nunnery, in the parish of Dewsbury, W. R. of Yorkshire.[41] From the Sloane MS. we learn "that being dystempered with could and age, he had great payne in his lymmes, his bloud being corrupted, therefore, to be eased of his payne by letting bloud, he repayred to the priores of Kyrkesly, which some say was his aunt, a woman very skylful in physique and surgery; who, perceyving him to be Robyn Hood, and waying howe fel an enimy he was to religious persons, toke revenge of him for her owne howse and all others by letting him bleed to death." This event happened in the 31st of Henry III. (1247), and, if the date assigned to his birth be correct, about the 87th year of his age. He was interred under some trees, at a short distance from the precinct of the nunnery, a stone being placed over his grave.[42]

The following inscription over his remains, preserved by Dr. Gale, dean of York, Thoresby says, was "scarce legible," and Dr. Whitaker seems to think spurious:—

Hear undernead dis laitl stean
laiz Robert earl of Huntingtun
near arcir ver az hie sa geud
an pipl kauld im Robin Heud
sick utlawz az hi an iz men
vil England nivr si agen.
Obiit 24 Kal. Dekembris 1247.[43]

A statue of this renowned free-booter, large as life, leaning on his unbent bow, with a quiver of arrows, and a sword by his side, formerly stood on one side the entrance into Kirklees Hall.

This ballad is preserved solely in the editions of "Robin Hood's Garland," printed at York, where it is made to conclude with some foolish lines, (adopted from the London copy of a ballad, called "Robin Hood and Valiant Knight,") in order to introduce the epitaph.

When Robin Hood and Little John,

Down a down, a down, a down,

Went o'er yon bank of broom,

Said Robin Hood to Little John,

"We have shot for many a pound:

Hey down, a down, a down.

"But I am not able to shoot one shot more,

My arrows will not flee;

But I have a cousin lives down below,

Please God, she will bleed me."

Now Robin is to fair Kirkley gone,

As fast as he can win;

But before he came there, as we do hear,

He was taken very ill.

And when that he came to fair Kirkley hall,

He knock'd all at the ring,

But none was so ready as his cousin herself

For to let bold Robin in.

"Will you please to sit down, cousin Robin," she said

"And drink some beer with me?"

"No, I will neither eat nor drink,

Till I am blooded by thee."

"Well, I have a room, cousin Robin," she said,

"Which you did never see,

And if you please to walk therein,

You blooded by me shall be."

She took him by the lily-white hand,

And led him to a private room,

And there she blooded bold Robin Hood,

Whilst one drop of blood would run.

She blooded him in the vein of the arm,

And lock'd him up in the room;

There did he bleed all the live-long day,

Untill the next day at noon.

He then bethought him of a casement door,

Thinking for to be gone,

He was so weak he could not leap,

Nor he could not get down.

He then bethought him of his bugle-horn,

Which hung low down to his knee,

He set his horn unto his mouth,

And blew out weak blasts three.

Then Little John, when hearing him,

As he sat under the tree,

"I fear my master is near dead,

He blows so wearily."

Then Little John to fair Kirkley is gone,

As fast as he can dree;

But when he came to Kirkley hall,

He broke locks two or three;

Untill he came bold Robin to,

Then he fell on his knee:

"A boon, a boon," cries Little John,

"Master, I beg of thee."

"What is that boon," quoth Robin Hood,

"Little John, thou begs of me?"

"It is to burn fair Kirkley hall,

And all their nunnery."

"Now nay, now nay," quoth Robin Hood,

"That boon I'll not grant thee;

I never hurt[44] woman in all my life,

Nor man in woman's company.

"I never hurt fair maid in all my time,

Nor at my end shall it be;

But give me my bent bow in my hand,

And a broad arrow I'll let flee;

And where this arrow is taken up,

There shall my grave digg'd be.

"Lay me a green sod under my head,

And another at my feet;

And lay my bent bow by my side,

Which was my music sweet;

And make my grave of gravel and green,

Which is most right and meet.

"Let me have length and breadth enough,

With a green sod under my head;

That they may say, when I am dead,

Here lies bold Robin Hood."

These words they readily promis'd him,

Which did bold Robin please:

And there they buried bold Robin Hood,

Near to the fair Kirkleys.

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