BALLAD. (Come listen a while, 'twill do your…)

Come listen a while, 'twill do your heart good, While I sing of Clorinda and bold Robin Hood: The damsel as handsome as handsome can be, Who has many a pound, and plenty of geer, Than whose father no lord ever kept better cheer.

Who now goes to marry a mate of high blood, And all out of spight to this bold Robin Hood: Tadderer too, tadderer tee, tadderer, radderer, tandoree

This Robin, as shall be related anon, With brave William Scarlet, and bold Little John, All outlaws, as daring as daring can be, Makes this wide-skirted forest betimes in the morn Resound far and near with the bugle horn:

When straight out of fear all that live near the wood Run and lock up their daughters from bold Robin Hood. Tadderer too, &c.

How this Robin full fifty bold foresters slew, How the pindar of Wakefield made one of his crew, As desperate a crew as desperate can be, How the butcher he trick'd, bid the bold tinker stand, Made the bishop say mass, and fought Arther of Bland,

Are wrote and set down in true language and good, In the life and adventures of bold Robin Hood: Tadderer too, &c.

But the best joke of all is the comical tale, How he rescued the sweetheart of Allen a Dale, An action as daring as daring can be; It happened her parents would force her to church, With intention poor Allen to leave in the lurch,

When twenty stout fellows all firm men and good, Rush'd in, and were headed by bold Robin Hood. Tadderer too, &c

But to come to Clorinda, and finish my tale, The second edition of Allen a Dale, With us he'd fain play, but too cunning are we, Him, John, and his Scarlet we all laugh to scorn, His merry men all and his bugle horn:

Let him come then, he'll find us all stout men and good, Fit to drub all such outlaws as bold Robin Hood. Tadderer too, &c.