A New Ballad of bold ROBIN HOOD: SHOWING His Birth, Breeding, Valour and Marriage, at Titbury Bull-running: Calculated for the Meridi●● of Scaffordshire, but may serve for Derbyshire or Kent.  
 depiction of Robin Hood with his longbow  

KInd Gentlemen will you be patiented a while.  
Ay, and then y●u shall hear anon,  
A very good Ballad of bold Robin Hood,  
and of his Man brave Little John.   

In Locksly Town in merry Nottinghamshire,  
in merry sweet Locksly Town;  
There bold Robin Hood he was born and was bred  
bold Robin of famous renown.   

The Father of Robin a Forester was,  
and he shot in a lusty long bow,  
Two North Country miles and an inch at a shot,  
as the Pinner of Wakefield does know.   

For he brought Adam Bell, and Clim of the Clugh,  
and William a Clowdel-le;  
To shoot with our Forester for forty mark,  
and the Forester beat them all three.   

His Mother was Niece to the Coventry Knight,  
which Warwickshire Men call Sir Guy;  
For he slew the blue bore that hangs up at the gate,  
or mine Host of the Bull tells a lie.   

Her Brother was Gamwel of great Gamwel-hall,  
and a noble Housekeeper was he,  
Ay, as ever broke bread in sweet Nottinghamshire,  
and a 'Squire of famous degree.   

The Mother of Robin said to her Husband,  
My Honey, my Love, and my Dear;  
Let Robin and I ride this morning to Gamwel,  
to taste of my Brother's good cheer.   

And he said, I grant thee thy boon, gentle Joan,  
take one of my Horses I pray:  
The Sun is a rising, and therefore make haste,  
for to morrow is Christmas-day.   

Then Robin Hood's Father's grey gelding was brought  
and saddled and bridled was he,  
God-wot, a blue Bonnet, his new suit of ,  
and a Cloak that did reach to his knee.   

She got on her Holiday kirtle and gown,  
they were of a light Lincoln green,  
The cloth was home spun, but for colour and make  
it might a beseemed our Queen.   

And then Robin got on his basket-hilt sword,  
and a dagger on his t'other side:  
And said, My dear Mother, let's haste to be gone,  
we have forty long miles to ride.   

When Robin had mounted his Gelding so grey,  
his Father without any trouble,  
Set her up behind him, and bade her not fear,  
for his gelding has oft carried double.   

And when she was settled, they road to their Neighbours▪  
and drank and shaken hands with them all:  
And then Robin galloped and never gave o'er  
till they lighted at Gamwel-hall.   

And now you may think the right worshipful Squire  
was joyful his Sister to see;  
For he kissed her and kissed her, and swore a great oath.  
thou art welcome, kind Sister, to me.   

To morrow when Mass had been said in the chapel  
six tables were covered in the hall;  
And in comes the 'Squire and makes a short speech,  
it was, Neighbours you're welcome all.   

But not a Man here shall taste my March-beer  
till a Christmas carol be sung;  
Then all clapped their hands, and they shouted and sung  
till the hall and the parlour did ring.   

Now mustards Braun, roast-beef and plumb-pies,  
were set upon every table:  
And noble George Gamwel said, Eat and be merry,  
and drink too as long as you're able.   

When dinner was ended his Chaplain said grace,  
and be merry, my friends said the 'Squire,  
It reins and it blows, but call for more ale,  
and lay some more wood on the fire.   

And now call ye Little John hither to me,  
for Little John is a fine Lad  
At gambols and juggling, and twenty such tricks,  
as shall make you both merry and glad.   

When Little John came to gambols they went,  
both Gentlemen, Yeomen and Clown;  
And what do you think? Why as true as I live,  
bold Robin Hood put them all down.   

And now you may think the right Worshipful ' Squire  
was joyful this sight for to see,  
For he said, Cousin Robin, thou'st go no more home,  
but tarry and dwell here with me.   

Thou shalt have my land when I die, and till than  
thou shalt be the staff of my Age.  
Then grant me my boon dear Uncle, said Robin,  
that little John may be my Page.   

And he said kind Cousin I grant thee thy boon,  
with all my heart so let it be,  
Then come hither, Little John, said Robin Hood,  
come hither, my Page, unto me.   

Go fetch me my Bow, my longest long Bow,  
and broad arrows one two or three;  
For when it is fair weather we'll into Sherw●od,  
some merry pastime to see.   

When Robin Hood came into merry Sherw●d,  
he wound his bugle so clear;  
And twice five and twenty good Yeomen and bold,  
before Robin Hood did appear.   

Where are your companions all? (said Rob. Hood)  
for still I want forty and three:  
Then said a bold Yeoman, To yonder they stand,  
all under a green wood tree.   

As that word was spoke Clorinda came by,  
the Queen of the Shepherds was she:  
And her gown was of Velvet as green as the grass  
and her buskin did reach to her knee.   

Her gate it was graceful her Body was strait,  
and her countenance free from pride:  
A bow in her hand, and quiver and arrows  
hung dangling by her sweet side.   

Her eyebrows were black, ay and so was her hair,  
and her skin was as smooth as glass,  
Her visage spoke wisdom and modesty too,  
sets with Robin Hood such a Lass.   

Said Robin Hood, Lady fair, whither away,  
oh whither, fair Lady, away?  
And she made him answer, to kill a fat Buck,  
for to morrow is Titbury day.   

Said Robin Hood, Lady fair, wander with me,  
a little to yonder green bower,  
There sit down to rest you, and you shall be sure  
of a brace or a lease in an hour   

And as we were going towards the green bower,  
two hundred good bucks we espied:  
She choose out the fattest that was in the herd,  
and she shot him through side and side.   

By the faith of my body, said bold Robin Hood,  
I never saw Woman like thee,  
And comest thou from East, ay or comest thou from West  
thou needst not beg venison of me.   

However along to my bower you shall go,  
and taste of a Forrester's meat;  
And when we came thither we found as good cheer,  
as any Man needs for to eat.   

For there was hot venison, and warden-pies cold,  
cream clouted with honey-combs plenty,  
And the Sarvitors they were beside Little John,  
good Yeomen at least four and twenty.   

Clorinda said, Tell me your name gentle Sir?  
and he said, 'Tis bold Robin Hood;  
'Squire G●mwel's mine Uncle, but all my delight  
is to dwell in the merry Sherwood:   

For 'tis a fine life, and 'tis void of all strife,  
So 'tis, Sir, Clorinda replied;  
But oh, said bold Robin, how sweet would it be,  
if Clorinda would be my Bride?   

She blushed at the motion, yet after a pause,  
said, Yes, Sir, and with all my heart,  
Then let us send for a Priest▪ said Robin Hood,  
and be merry before we do part.   

But she said, It may not be so gentle Sir,  
for I must be at Titbury feast:  
And if Robin Hood will go thither with me,  
I'll make him the most welcome Guest.   

Said Robin Hood, Reach me that Buck, Little John,  
for I'll go along with my Dear;  
bid my Yeomen kill six brace of bucks  
●●d meet me to morrow just here.   

Before we had ridden five Staffordshire miles,  
eight Yeomen that were too bold,  
Bid Robin Hood stand, and deliver his Buck,  
a truer Tale never was told.   

I will not faith, said, bold Robin; come John,  
stand to me and we'll beat 'em all;  
Then both drew their swords, and so cut 'em and slashed 'em  
that five of them did fall.   

The three that remained called to Robin for quarter,  
and pitiful John begged their lives;  
When John's boon was granted, he gave them good counsel,  
and so sent them home to their Wives   

This battle was fought near to Titbury Town,  
when the bag pipes bated the bull:  
I am King of the Fiddlers, and swore 'tis a truth,  
and I call him that doubts it a Gull.   

For I saw them fight, and fiddled the while,  
and Clorinda sung, hay derry down:  
The Bumpkins are beaten, put up thy sword Bob,  
and now let's dance into the Town.   

Before we came to it, we heard a strange shouting,  
and all that were in it looked madly,  
For some were a bull-back, some dancing a morris,  
and some singing Arthur a Bradly.   

And there we see Thomas our justice's Clerk,  
and Mary to whom he way kind:  
For Tom road before her, and called Mary Madam,  
and kissed her full sweetly behind.   

And so may your Worships, but we went to dinner,  
with Thomas, and Mary, and Nan;  
They all drank a health to Clorinda, and told her,  
bold Robin Hood was a fine Man.   

When dinner was ended, Sir Roger the Parson,  
of Dubbridge was sent for in haste:  
He brought his Mass-book, and he had them take hands,  
and he joined them in marriage full fast.   

And then as bold Robin Hood, and his sweet bride,  
went hand in hand to the green bower  
The birds sung with pleasure in merry Sherwood,  
and 'twas a most joyful hour.   

And when Robin came in the sight of the bower,  
Where are my Yeomen? said he.  
And Little John answered, Lo yonder they stand,  
all under the green wood tree.   

Then Garland the brought her by two and by two,  
and placed them at the bride's bed:  
The Music struck up and we all fell to dance,  
till the Bride and the Groom were a bed.   

And what they did there must be counsel to me,  
because they lay long the next day:  
And I had haste home but I got a good piece  
of the bridecake and so came a way.   

Now out alas, I had forgotten to tell ye,  
that married they were with a ring:  
And so will Nan Knight, or be buried a Maiden,  
and now let us pray for the King.   

That he may get Children and they may get more  
to govern and do us some good,  
And then I'll make Ballads in Rob. Hood's bower  
and sing 'em in merry Sherwood.    

London: Printed by and for W. O. and are to be sold by the Booksellers.