Robin Hood and the Peddlar

It's of a pedlar, a pedlar bold A pedlar bold there chanced to be He took his pack all on his back And merrily trudged over the lea By chance he met with two troublesome men, Two troublesome men there chanced to be And one of them was bold Robin Hood The other one was little John so free O pedlar, pedlar what is in thy pack Come speedily and tell to me I've several suits of the gay green cloth And silken bowstrings two or three If you have several suits of the gay green cloth And silken bowstrings two or three Then by me body says little John One half of your packet shall belong to me O no, o no cries the pedlar bold O no, o no that ne'er could be There is never a man in all Nottingham Can take one half of my pack from me The pedlar he's pulled off his pack, Put it a little below his knee Saying if you do move me one perch from this My pack and all it shall go with thee. Then little John he's drawn his sword The pedlar by his pack did stand They fought until they both did sweat Till he cries pedlar pray hold thy hand And Robin Hood who'd been standing by Well he did laugh most heartily I could find a man of much smaller scale That could thrash the pedlar and also thee Go try you, master, says little John And go you try right speedily For by me body, says little John I know this night you will know me Then Robin Hood he's drawn his sword The pedlar by his pack did stand They fought until the blood in streams did flow Till he cries pedlar pray hold thy hand O pedlar, pedlar what is thy name Come speedily and tell to me Well now my name I could never tell, Till both your names you have told me The one of us is bold Robin Hood The other one's little John so free Then, said the pedlar, it lays to my good will Whether my name I choose to tell thee. I'm Gamble Gold of the gay green woods Travelled far beyond the sea For killing a man in my father's land Far from the country I was forced to flee If you are Gamble Gold of the gay green woods Travelled far beyond the sea You are my mother's own sister's son What nearer cousins could we be They sheathed their swords with friendly words So merrily they did agree They went to an alehouse and there they dined And cracked bottles right merrily