Robin Hood and the Beggar Knight by Ken Theriot Lyrics
Lythe and listen, gentlemen
That be of freeborn blood
And I shall tell a merry tale
Of our good Robin Hood;
He guards the weak and weary
From the evils of the strong
And doles out justice high and low
And rights each wicked wrong
Deep in Sherwood Forest green
Bold Robin built a hall
That he might feast and he might sing
With his good yeomen all
And never did the king
Dine half as well, nor any lord
For all the forest bounty
Found its way to Robin’s board
[Chorus]
Sing hey! For the hind and the hound and the hare
Sing high! For the summer and spring;
Sing ho! For the life of the merry greenwood
Where Robin Hood is king!
One day upon the forest path
A beggar knight was spied;
All dreary was his countenance
And little was his pride
His hood was worn and weathered
And his mantle old and thin
And Robin hailed him gently
And addressed him with a grin
“Welcome be you, gentle knight
To Sherwood Forest fair!
Robin Hood shall be your host
With plenty and to spare
By your looks, it has been long
Since you had meat and wine;
Come hither to my hall and I
Shall show you how we dine!”
When they had finished eating
Robin said, “It seems no right
For yeomen to pay provender
For any goodly knight.”
“Alas, for shame,” the knight replied
“I have no golden store;
I have within my coffers
But ten shillings and no more.”
“If that be true,” said Robin Hood
“No penny shall I touch
And if you have a need for more
I’ll lend you twice as much.”
The knight took down his coffers
And he laid them on the ground
And Robin counted out
Ten silver shillings, half a pound
[Chorus]
Sing hey! For the hind and the hound and the hare
Sing high! For the summer and spring;
Sing ho! For the life of the merry greenwood
Where Robin Hood is king!
“How comes it then,” said Robin Hood
“That poverty is thine?
For though your hood is tattered
I can see it once was fine.”
“My son was held to ransom,”
Said the knight, and gave a sigh
“My wealth is in my land, and
I have little coin put by
The abbot of Saint Mary’s church
Agreed to lend the gold
But then demanded payment
Ere my harvest could be sold!
My goods and gear are not enough
To pay the full demand;
Tomorrow I must pay
Four hundred pounds, or lose my land.”
Robin said, “Fear not, my friend,”
And sent for his own store;
The chest was brought, and such a sum
Few men have seen before!
He counted out four hundred pounds
And gave it to the knight
“Pay off your debt and save your land
And put all things to right.”
[Chorus]
Sing hey! For the hind and the hound and the hare
Sing high! For the summer and spring;
Sing ho! For the life of the merry greenwood
Where Robin Hood is king!
The abbot of Saint Mary’s church
Was riding through the wood
And who should he encounter
But the outlaw Robin Hood!
As with the knight, the abbot
Was invited to a feast
And at its end, bold Robin asked
For payment from the priest
“I cannot pay,” the abbot slyly said
“You must agree
“What little money I may have
Is spent in charity
I swear it by Our Lady
I have no great store of gold;
My coffers hold but twenty marks
To feed the poor and cold.”
“If that be true,” said Robin Hood
“No penny shall I touch
And if you have a need for more
I’ll lend you twice as much.”
The abbot hugged his coffers
But the outlaw broke them wide
And Robin found within
Eight hundred pounds and more beside
[Chorus]
Sing hey! For the hind and the hound and the hare
Sing high! For the summer and spring;
Sing ho! For the life of the merry greenwood
Where Robin Hood is king!
On a day, the knight
No longer beggar, came to call
He rode a splendid palfrey
To the gates of Robin’s hall;
“Good Robin,” said the knight
“You are a gentleman well met
And I have here four hundred pounds
To pay my rightful debt.”
“Your riches you may keep,”
Unto the knight said Robin Hood
“Use it with my gramercy
To do your people good
Our Lady has repaid your debt
And twice as much again
For she believes, as I do
In the worth of honest men!”
[Chorus]
Sing hey! For the hind and the hound and the hare
Sing high! For the summer and spring;
Sing ho! For the life of the merry greenwood
Where Robin Hood is king!
That be of freeborn blood
And I shall tell a merry tale
Of our good Robin Hood;
He guards the weak and weary
From the evils of the strong
And doles out justice high and low
And rights each wicked wrong
Deep in Sherwood Forest green
Bold Robin built a hall
That he might feast and he might sing
With his good yeomen all
And never did the king
Dine half as well, nor any lord
For all the forest bounty
Found its way to Robin’s board
[Chorus]
Sing hey! For the hind and the hound and the hare
Sing high! For the summer and spring;
Sing ho! For the life of the merry greenwood
Where Robin Hood is king!
One day upon the forest path
A beggar knight was spied;
All dreary was his countenance
And little was his pride
His hood was worn and weathered
And his mantle old and thin
And Robin hailed him gently
And addressed him with a grin
“Welcome be you, gentle knight
To Sherwood Forest fair!
Robin Hood shall be your host
With plenty and to spare
By your looks, it has been long
Since you had meat and wine;
Come hither to my hall and I
Shall show you how we dine!”
When they had finished eating
Robin said, “It seems no right
For yeomen to pay provender
For any goodly knight.”
“Alas, for shame,” the knight replied
“I have no golden store;
I have within my coffers
But ten shillings and no more.”
“If that be true,” said Robin Hood
“No penny shall I touch
And if you have a need for more
I’ll lend you twice as much.”
The knight took down his coffers
And he laid them on the ground
And Robin counted out
Ten silver shillings, half a pound
[Chorus]
Sing hey! For the hind and the hound and the hare
Sing high! For the summer and spring;
Sing ho! For the life of the merry greenwood
Where Robin Hood is king!
“How comes it then,” said Robin Hood
“That poverty is thine?
For though your hood is tattered
I can see it once was fine.”
“My son was held to ransom,”
Said the knight, and gave a sigh
“My wealth is in my land, and
I have little coin put by
The abbot of Saint Mary’s church
Agreed to lend the gold
But then demanded payment
Ere my harvest could be sold!
My goods and gear are not enough
To pay the full demand;
Tomorrow I must pay
Four hundred pounds, or lose my land.”
Robin said, “Fear not, my friend,”
And sent for his own store;
The chest was brought, and such a sum
Few men have seen before!
He counted out four hundred pounds
And gave it to the knight
“Pay off your debt and save your land
And put all things to right.”
[Chorus]
Sing hey! For the hind and the hound and the hare
Sing high! For the summer and spring;
Sing ho! For the life of the merry greenwood
Where Robin Hood is king!
The abbot of Saint Mary’s church
Was riding through the wood
And who should he encounter
But the outlaw Robin Hood!
As with the knight, the abbot
Was invited to a feast
And at its end, bold Robin asked
For payment from the priest
“I cannot pay,” the abbot slyly said
“You must agree
“What little money I may have
Is spent in charity
I swear it by Our Lady
I have no great store of gold;
My coffers hold but twenty marks
To feed the poor and cold.”
“If that be true,” said Robin Hood
“No penny shall I touch
And if you have a need for more
I’ll lend you twice as much.”
The abbot hugged his coffers
But the outlaw broke them wide
And Robin found within
Eight hundred pounds and more beside
[Chorus]
Sing hey! For the hind and the hound and the hare
Sing high! For the summer and spring;
Sing ho! For the life of the merry greenwood
Where Robin Hood is king!
On a day, the knight
No longer beggar, came to call
He rode a splendid palfrey
To the gates of Robin’s hall;
“Good Robin,” said the knight
“You are a gentleman well met
And I have here four hundred pounds
To pay my rightful debt.”
“Your riches you may keep,”
Unto the knight said Robin Hood
“Use it with my gramercy
To do your people good
Our Lady has repaid your debt
And twice as much again
For she believes, as I do
In the worth of honest men!”
[Chorus]
Sing hey! For the hind and the hound and the hare
Sing high! For the summer and spring;
Sing ho! For the life of the merry greenwood
Where Robin Hood is king!