On a Pitiful Cold Frosty Dark Winter's Night.

 

Chapter II.

Robin the Cobbler
hearkened to his friend's advice
made no more to do of the matter
but trussed up his tools to be gone
resolved to come to London
and there to work journey work
till such time his children were come to be men
and able to work for themselves

But as he passed along the country
which is called the Wilds of Kent
he lost his way in the woodlands

When night was almost come upon him
finding no path to guide him
he wandered up and down
till it was almost ten of the clock
on a pitiful cold frosty dark winter's night
but at the last he heard a cock crow
whereby he understood
there was some dwelling house near at hand
and so somewhat comforted 
to hear the crowing cock
he made approach the house
and knocked at the door

Came forth an old woman 
with a dish clout bound about her head
and a staff in her hand
and demanded of Robin
what he knocked for

O mother

quoth he

I am a poor distressed traveller
who has lost my way
and willing would I be 
to give sixpence for a bed this night
to lay my weary bones on

Marry

quoth she

all the beds I have 
are not worth sixpence
for I have no more
than what I lie on myself
but if thou will take pains
to do as I do
thou and I will lie together
for once where we will hug one another
as the Devil hugg'd the witch

Robin beheld 
and took notice 
of her body all over
she was long-nos'd
blear-eye'd
crooked-neck'd
wry-mouth'd
crummy-shouldered
beetle-brow'd
thin-belly'd
bow-legg'd
and 
splay-footed

He framed an excuse
saying

Good mother
I pray you consider
I am a batchleor
and never came in bed with any woman
since I was born of my mother

Wilt thou swear
what thou say is true?

I will

quoth Robin
whereupon he heard a hollow voice
as if it came out of the chimney top
crying three times

Robin the Cobbler is mine!
Robin the Cobbler is mine!
Robin the Cobbler is mine!

These words
when he heard
he thought some she-devil was come
to fetch him away alive
and presently he fell
into such a trembling condition
that his hands shook
his pulse beat
his heart panted
his head ached
his nose dropp'd
his belly rumbled
and a certain parcel of melting tears
dropp'd from the lower end of his breeches

And so fell down upon his knees
to the old woman
desired her let him have lodging
how she would or where she would

The old woman
took him in
and with a remnant of water
she had kept a long time in a chamberpot
she washed him from the crown of the head
to the soles of his feet
and made him as white as if he'd washed him
in puppy-dog water

So they went lovingly to bed together
what followed after
shall be related in the ensuing discourse