I V: Hani % -1 ) 3 * ;' * *b 0^ f % 5 / V 0- ^ V In this our spacious isle I think there is not one, But he ' of Robin Hood hath heard? and Little John ; And to the end of time the tales shall ne'er he done Of Scarlock, George a Green, and Much the miller's son, Of Tuck, the merry friar, which many a sermon made In praise of Robin Hood, his outlaws, and their trade. Drayton. ROBIN HOOD: COLLECTION OF ALL THE ANCIENT POEMS, SONGS, AND BALLADS, NOW EXTANT, RELATIVE TO THAT CELEBUATEII Cnglfel) ©utlato; TO WHICH ARE PREFIXED HISTORICAL ANECDOTES OF HIS LIFE. LONDON: PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN, PATERNOSTER-ROW ; AND T. BOYS, LUDGATE-HJLI* 1820. ? x <, ^ <, \V J.M'Crcery, Printer, Biack-IIorse-Court, London. TO HIS GRACE WALTER FRANCIS MONTAGU DOUGLAS SCOTT, Dufee of Buccleucl) anU ©ueensberrp, fyc. fyc. fyc. THIS LITTLE VOLUME IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED his grace's MOST OBLIGED, AND HUMBLE SERVANT, THE EDITOR. PREFACE. J. HE late eminent antiquary, Mr. Joseph Ritson, collected, with much labour and care, all the histo- rical and poetical remains he could discover relating to that celebrated character, Robin Hood, which he published in the year 1795, in two small 8vo. volumes. The present Publication is a reprint of that Work, which is now become exceedingly scarce and expen- sive. It being, however, the aim of the present Edi- tor to produce a book which could with propriety be put into the hands of young persons, he has retained only a portion of Mr. Ritson's notes. The rest have been omitted as either irrelevant or inadmissible in a work designed for this class of readers. The Editor conceives, and confidently anticipates, that this little volume will prove peculiarly acceptable at the present moment, in consequence of the hero, and his merry companions, having been recently pourtrayed in the most lively colours by the masterly hand of the author of Ivanhoe. March, 1820. MR. RITSON'S PREFACE. The singular circumstance, that the name of an outlawed individual of the twelfth or thirteenth century should continue traditionally popular, be chanted in ballads, and, as one may say, Familiar in our mouth as household words, at the end of the eighteenth, excited the editor's curiosity to retrieve all the historical or poetical remains concerning him that could be met with: an object which he has occasionally pursued for many years ; and of which pursuit he now pub- lishes the result. He cannot, indeed, pretend that his researches, extensive as they must appear, have been attended with all the success he could have wished ; but, at the same time, it ought to be acknowledged that many poetical pieces, of great antiquity and some merit, are deservedly rescued from oblivion. • The materials collected for " the life " of this celebrated character, which are either preserved x MR. RITSON'S PREFACE. at large, or carefully referred to, in the " notes and illustrations," are not, it must be confessed* in every instance, so important, so ancient, or, perhaps, so authentic, as the subject seems to de- mand ; although the compiler may be permitted to say, in humble second-hand imitation of the poet Martial : Some there are good, some middling, and some bad j But yet they were the best that could be had. Desirous to omit nothing that he could find upon the subject, he has everywhere faithfully vouched and exhibited his authorities, such as they are i it would, therefore, seem altogether uncandid or un- just to make him responsible for the want of au- thenticity of such of them as may appear liable to that imputation. CONTENTS. Pager The Life of Robin Hood iii Notes and Illustrations xv PART THE FIRST. I. A Lytell Geste of Robyn Hode 1 II. Robin Hood and the Potter 60 III. Robin Hood and the Beggar 71 IV. Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne 83 V. A true tale of Robin Hood 91 PART THE SECOND. I. Robin Hoods birth, breeding, fyc 107 II. Robin Hoods Progress to Nottingham .... 115 III. The Jolly Pinder of Wakefield, with Robin Hood, Scarlet, and John 117 IV. Robin Hood and the Bishop. 1 19 V. Robin Hood and the Butcher 122 VI. Robin Hood and the Tanner 127 VII. Robin Hood and the Tinker 132 VIII. Robin Hood and Allen a Dale 138 IX. Robin Hood, and the Shepherd 142 X. Robin Hood and the Curtail Fryer US xii CONTENTS. Page XL Robin Hood and the Stranger 152 XII. Robin Hood and Queen Katherine 163 XIII. Robin Hoods Chase 170 XIV. Robin Hoods Golden Prize 174 XV. Robin Hood rescuing Will Stutly 178 XVI. The noble Fisherman ; or, Robin Hoods pre- ferment 185 XVII. Xtobin Hoods Delight 187 XVIII. Robin Hood and the Beggar (2) 191 XIX. Little John and the four Beggars 195 XX. Robin Hood and the Ranger 198 XXL Robin Hood and Little John 202 XXII. Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford. ... 207 XXIII. Robin Hood rescuing the Widows three Sons 210 XXIV. Robin Hood and maid Marian 214 XXV. The King's disguise and friendship with Robin Hood 217 XXVI. Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow 223 XXVII. Robin Hood and the valiant Knight 228 XXVIIL Robin Hoods death and burial 231 Gjlossarv 234 %* The Vignette in the Title is designed from the ballad of Robin Hood and the Tanner. THE LIFE OF ROBIN HOOD. It will scarcely be expected that one should be able to offer an authentic narrative of the life and transactions of this extraordinary personage. The times in which he lived, the mode of life he adopted, and the silence or loss of contemporary writers, are circumstances sufficiently favorable, indeed, to romance, but altogether inimical to historical truth. The reader must, therefor, be contented with such a detail, however scanty or imperfect, as a zealous pursuit of the subject en- ables one to give ; and which, though it may fail to satisfy, may possibly serve to amuse. No assistance has been derived from the la- bours of his professed biographers (a) ; and even the industrious Sir John Hawkins, from whom the public might have expected ample gratifica- tion upon the subject, acknowleges that " the history of this popular hero is but little known, and all the scattered fragments concerning him, b hr THE LIFE OF could they be brought together, would fall far short of satisfying such an enquirer as none but real and authenticated facts will content. We must/' he says, " take his story as we find it*" He accordingly gives us nothing but two or three trite and trivial extracts, with which every one, at all curious about the subject, was as well ac- quainted as himself. It is not, at the same time, pretended, that the present attempt promises more than to bring together the scattered frag- ments to which the learned historian alludes. This, however, has been done, according to the best of the compilers information and abilities ; and the result is, with a due sense of the defici- ency of both, submitted to the readers candour. Robin Hood was born at Locksley, in the county of Nottingham, (A) in the reign of king- Henry the second, and about the year of Christ 1 ) 60 (B). His extraction was noble, and his true name Robert Fitzooth, which vulgar pronuncia- tion easyly corrupted into Robin Hood (C). He is frequently stiled, and commonly reputed to have been earl of Huntingdon ; a title to which, in the latter part of his life, at least, he actually appears to have had some sort of pretension (D). In his youth he is reported to have been of a wild and extravagant disposition ; insomuch that, his inheritance being consumed or forfeited by his excesses, and his person outlawed for debt, either from necessity or choice, he sought an asylum in the woods and forests, with which immense tracts, especially in the northern parts of the kingdom, were at that time covered (E). Of these he chiefly affected Barnsdaie, in Yorkshire, Sher- &OBIN HOOD. v wood, in Nottinghamshire, and, according to some, Plompton-paik, in Cumberland (F). Here he either found, or was afterward joined by, a number of persons in similar circumstances ; u Such as the fury of ungovern'd youth Thrust from the company of lawful meu ;" (*F) who- appear to have considered and obeyed him as their chief or leader, and of whom his prin- cipal favourites, or those in whose courage and fidelity he most confided, were Little John, (whose surname is said to have been Nailor), Wil- liam Scadlock (Scathelock or Scarlet), George a Green, pinder (or pound-keeper) of Wakefield, Much, a millers son, and a certain monk or irier named Tuck (G). He is likewise said to have been accompanyed in his retreat by a female, of whom he was enamoured, and whose real or adopted name was Marian (H). His company, in process of time, consisted of a hundred archers ; men, says Major, most skilful in battle, whom four times that number of the boldest fellows durst not attack (I). His manner of recruiting was somewhat singular; for, in the words of an old writer, " whersoever he hard of any that were of unusual strength and * hardi- nes/ he would desgyse himself, and, rather then fayle, go lyke a begger to become acquainted with them ; and, after he had tryed them with fyghting, never give them over tyl he had used means to drawe [them] to lyve after his fashion" (J): a practice of which numerous instances are recorded in the more common and popular songs, where, indeed, he seldom fails to receive a sound beating. In shooting with the long bow, which b3 Vi THE LIFE OF they chiefly practised, " they excelled all the men of the land ; though, as occation required, they had also other weapons" (K). In these forests, and with this company, he for many years reigned like an independant sove- reign ; at perpetual war, indeed, with the king of England, and all his subjects, with an excep- tion, however, of the poor and needy, and such as were " desolate and oppressed/' or stood in need of his protection. When molested, by a superior force, in one place, he retired to ano- ther, still defying the power of what was called law and government, and making his enemies pay dearly, as well for their open attacks, as for their clandestine treachery. It is not, at the same time, to be concluded that he must, in this op- position, have been guilty of manifest treason or rebellion ; as he most certainly can be justly charged with neither. An outlaw, in those times, being deprived of protection, owed no allegiance : * ( his hand ' was' against every man, and every mans hand against him." These forests, in short, were his territories ; those who accompanyed and adhered to him his subjects : The world was not his friend, nor the worlds law : and what better title king Richard could pretend to the territory and people of England than Robin Hood had to the dominion of Barnsdale or Sherwood is a question humbly submitted to the consideration of the political philosopher. The deer with which the royal forests then abounded (every Norman tyrant being, like Nim- rod, " a mighty hunter before the lord") would KOBIS HOOD.. *ti afford our hero and his companions an- ample supply of food throughout the year ; and of fuel, for dressing their venison, or for the other pur- poses of life, they could evidently be in no want. The rest of their necessaries would be easyly pro- cured, partly by taking what they had occasion for from the wealthy passenger, who traversed or approached their territories, and partly by com- merce with the neighbouring villages or great towns. It may be readyly imagined that such a life, during great part of the year at least, and while it continued free from the alarms or apprehen- sions to which our foresters, one would suppose, must have been too frequently subject, might be sufficiently pleasant and desirable, and even de- serve the compliment which is payed to it by Shakspeare, in his comedy of As you like it, (Act 1. scene 1.) where, on Olivers asking, " where will the old duke live ?" Charles answers, " They say he is already in the forest of Arden, and a many merry men with him; and there they live like the old Robin Hood of England ; . . . and fleet the time carelessly as they did in trie golden world." Their gallant chief, indeed, may be pre- sumed to have frequently exclaimed with the banished Valentine, in another play of the same author (Two Gentlemen of Verona J : — " How use doth breed a habit in a man ! This shadowy desert, 'unfrequented woods, I better brook than flourishing peopled towns : Here can I sit alone, unseen ot nny, And, to the nightingale's complaining notes.. Tune my distresses, and record my woes," b 3 viii THE LIFE OF He would, doubtless, too often find occasion to add : " What hallooing and what stir is this to-day ? These are my mates, that make their wills their law, Have some unhappy passenger in chace : They love me well ; yet I have much to do, To keep them from uncivil outrages." But, on the other hand, it will be at once diffi- cult and painful to conceive, When they did hear The rain and wind beat dark December, how, In that their pinching cave, they could discourse The freezing hours away ! Their mode of life, in short, and domestic ceco- nomy, of which no authentic particulars have been even traditionally preserved, are more easyly to be guessed at than described. They have, ne- vertheless, been elegantly sketched by the ani- mating pencil of. an excellent, though neglected poet. — (Drayton's Polyolbion, Song xxvi.) " The merry pranks he play'd, would ask an age to tell, And the adventures strange that Robin Hood befell, When Mansfield many a time for Robin hath been laid, How he hath cousen'd them, that him would have betray'd; How often he hath come to Nottingham disguis'd, And cunningly escaped, being set to be surpriz'd. In this our spacious isle, I think there is not one, But he hath heard some talk of him and little John ; And to the end of time, the tales shall ne'er be done, Of Scarlock, George a Green, and Much the miller's son, Of Tuck the merry friar, which many a sermon made In praise of Robin Hood, his out-laws, and their trade. An hundred valiant men had this brave Robin Hood, Stiil ready at his call, that bow-men were right good, ROBIN HOOD. is AH clad in Lincoln green, (L) with caps of red and blae, His fellow's winded horn not one of them but knew, When setting to their lips their little beugles shrill, The warbling ecchos wak'd from every dale and hill. Their bauldricks set with studs, athwart their shoulders cast, To which under their arms their sheafs were buckled fast, A short sword at their belt, a buckler scarce a span, Who struck below the knee, not counted then a man : All made of Spanish yew, their bows were wondrous strong : They not au arrow drew, but was a cloth-yard long. Of archery they had the very perfect craft, With broad-arrow, or but, or prick, or roving shaft, At marks full forty score, they us'd to prick, and rove, Yet higher than the breast, for compass never strove ; Yet at the farthest mark a foot could hardly win : At long-outs, short, and hoyles, each one could cleave the pin: Their arrows finely pair'd, for timber, and for feather, With birch and brazil piec'd to fly in any weather ; Aud shot they with the round, the square, or forked pile, The loose gave such a twang, as might be heard a mile. And of these archers brave, there was not any one, But he could kill a deer his swiftest speed upon, Which they did boil and roast, in many a mighty wood, Sharp hunger the fine sauce to their more kingly food. Then taking them to rest, his merry men and he Slept many a summer's night under the greenwood tree. From wealthy abbots chests, and churls abundant store, What oftentimes he took, he shar'd amongst the poor : No lordly bishop came in lusty Robin's way, To him before he went, but for his pass must pay : The widow in distress he graciously reliev'd, And remedied the wrongs of many a virgin griev'd : He from the husband's bed no married woman wan, But to his mistress dear, his loved Marian, Was ever constant known, which wheresoe'er she came, Was sovereign of the woods ; chief lady of the game : Her clothes tuck'd to the knee, and dainty braided hair, With bow and quiver arm'd, she wander* d here and there t Amongst the forests wild ; Diana never knew Such pleasures, nor such harts as Mariana slew." x THE LIFE OF That our hero and his companions, while they lived in the woods, had recourse to robbery for their better support is neither to be concealed nor to be denyed. Testimonies to this purpose, in- deed, would be equally endless and unnecessary. Fordun, in the fourteenth century, calls him, " ilk famosissimus siccarius," that most celebrated robber, and Major terms him and Little John, " famatissimi latrones" But it is to be remem- bered, according to the confession of the latter historian, that, in these exertions of power, he took away the goods of rich men only ; never killing any person, unless he was attacked or re- sisted : that he would not suffer a woman to be maltreated ; nor ever took any thing from the poor, but charitably fed them with the wealth he drew from the abbots. I disapprove, says he, of the rapine of the man ; but he was the most hu~ mane, and the prince of all robbers. In al- lusion, no doubt, to this irregular and predatory course of life, he has had the honour to be com- pared to the illustrious Wallace, the champion and deliverer of his country ; and that, it is not a little remarkable, in the latters own time (M). Our hero, indeed, seems to have held bishops, abbots, priests, and monks, in a word, all the clergy, regular or secular, in decided aversion. " These byshoppes and thyse archebyshoppes, Ye shall them bete and bynde," was an injunction carefully impressed upon his followers : and, in this part of his conduct, per- haps, the pride, avarice, uncharitableness, and hypocrisy of the clergy of that age, will afford ROBIN HOOD. xi him ample justification. The abbot of Saint Marys, in York (N), from some unknown cause, appears to have been distinguished by particular animosity ; and the sherif of Nottinghamshire, (O) who may have been too active and officious in his endeavours to apprehend him, was the un- remitted object of his vengeance. Notwithstanding, however, the aversion in which he appears to have held the clergy of every denomination, he was a man of exemplary piety, according to the notions of that age, and retained a domestic chaplain (frier Tuck no doubt) for the diurnal celebration of the divine mysteries. This we learn from an anecdote preserved by Fordun, as an instance of those actions which the histo- rian allows to deserve commendation. One day, as he heard mass, which he was most devoutly accustomed to do, (nor would he, in whatever ne- cessity, suffer the office to be interrupted,) he was espyed by a certain sherif and officers be- longing to the king, who had frequently before molested him, in that most secret recess of the wood where he was at mass. Some of his people, who perceived what was going forw r ard, advised him to fly with all speed, which, out of reverence to the sacrament, which he was then most de- voutly worshiping, he absolutely refused to do. But the rest of his men having fled for fear of death, Robin, confiding solely in him whom he reverently worshiped, with a very few, who by chance were present, set upon his enemies, whom he easyly vanquished ; and, being enriched with their spoils and ransom, he always held the mU nisters of the church and masses in greater venera- tion ever after, mindful of what is vulgarly said: xii THE LIFE OF Him god does surely hear Who oft to th' mass gives ear. They who deride the miracles of Moses or Ma- homet are at full liberty, no doubt, to reject those wrought in favour of Rubin Hood. But, as a certain admirable author expresses himself, " an honest man and of good judgment believeth still what is told him, and that which he finds writ- ten." Having, for a long series of years, maintained a sort of independant sovereignty, and set kings, judges, and magistrates at defiance, a proclama- tion was published, offering a considerable reward for bringing him in either dead or alive ; which, however, seems to have been productive of no greater success than former attempts for that pur- pose (P). At length, the infirmities of old age increasing upon him, and desirous to be relieved, in a fit of sickness, by being let blood, he applyed for that purpose to the prioress of Kirkleys-nun- nery in Yorkshire, his relation, (women, and par- ticularly religious women, being, in those times, somewhat better skilled in surgery than the sex is at present), by whom he was treacherously suffered to bleed to death. This event happened on the 18th of November, 1247, being the 31st year of king Henry III. and (if the date assigned to his birth be correct) about the 87th of his age. (Q) He was intered under some trees, at a short distance from the house ; a stone being placed over his grave, with an inscription to his me- mory (R). Such was the end of Robin Hood: a man who, in a barbarous age, and under a complicated ty- ranny, displayed a spirit of freedom and inde- ROBIN HOOD. xsii pendence, which has endeared him to the com- mon people, whose cause he maintained, (for all opposition to tyranny is the cause of the people,) and, in spite of the malicious endeavours of piti- ful monks, by whom history w r as consecrated to the crimes and follies of titled ruffians and sainted idiots, to suppress all record of his patriotic exer- tions and virtuous acts, will render his name im- mortal. u Dumjtiga montis aper,fluvios dum piscis amabit, Dumque thymo pascentur apes, dum rore cicada, Semper honos, nomenque timm, laudesque manebunt" With respect to his personal character : it is sufficiently evident that he was active, brave, pru- dent, patient ; possessed of uncommon bodyly strength, and considerable military skill ; just, generous, benevolent, faithful, and beloved or re- vered by his followers or adherents for his excel- lent and amiable qualities. Fordun, a priest, ex- tols his piety ; Major (as we have seen) pro- nounces him the most humane and the prince of all robbers ; and Camden, whose testimony is of some weight, calls him, " prcedonem mitissimum" the gentlest of thieves. As proofs of his universal and singular popularity: his story and exploits have been made the subject as well of various dra- matic exhibitions (S), as of innumerable poems, rimes, songs, and ballads (T) : he has given rise to divers proverbs (U) ; and to swear by him, or some of his companions, appears to have been a usual practice : he may be regarded as the patron of arctiery (Y) : and, though not actually canonized, (a situation to which the miracles wrought in his favour, as well in his lifetime as xiv THE LIFE OF ROBIN HOOD. after his death, and the supernatural powers he is, in some parts, supposed to have possessed (Z), give him an indisputable claim,) he obtained the principal distinction of sainthood, in having a festival allotted to him, and solemn games insti- tuted in honour of his memory, which were cele- brated till the latter end of the sixteenth century ; not by the populace only, but by kings or princes and grave magistrates ; and that as well in Scot- land as in England ; being considered, in the for- mer country, of the highest political importance, and essential to the civil and religious liberties of the people, the efforts of government to suppress them frequently producing tumult and insurrec- tion (AA) : his bow, and one of his arrows, his chair, his cap, and one of his slippers, were pre- served, with peculiar veneration, till within the present century (BB) ; and not only places which afforded him security or amusement, but even the well at which he quenched his thirst, still retain his name (CC) : a name which, in the middle of the present century, was conferred as an honor- able distinction upon the prime minister to the king of Madagascar (DD). After his death his company was dispersed (EE). History is silent in particulars : all that we can, therefor, learn is, that the honour of Little Johns death and burial is contended for by rival nations (FF) ; that his grave continued long " ce- lebrous for the yielding of excellent whetstones;" and that some of his descendants, of the name of Nailor, which he himself bore, and they from him, were in being so late as the last century (GG). NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS REFERED TO IN THE FOREGOING LIFE. (a) " Former biographers, fyc"] Such, that is, as have already appeared in print, since a sort of manuscript life in the Sloane library will appear to have been of some service. The first of these respectable personages is the author, or rather compiler, of " The noble birth and gallant at- chievements of that remarkable outlaw Robin Hood ; together with a true account, of the many merry extravagant exploits he played ; in twelve several stories : newly collected by an ingenious antiquary. London, printed by W. O." [Wil- liam Onley.] 4to. black letter, no date. These " several stories," in fact, are only so many of the songs in the common Garland transprosed ; and the i( ingenious antiquary," who strung them together, has known so little of his trade, that he sets out with informing us of his heros ba- nishment by king Henry the eighth. The above is supposed to be the " small merry book" called Robin Hood, mentioned in a list of " books, ballads, and histories, printed for and sold by William Thackeray at the Angel in Duck-lane", (about 1680.) preserved in one of the volumes of old ballads (part of Bagfords collection) in the British museum. Another piece of biography, from which much xvi NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. will not be expected, is, " The lives and heroick achievements of the renowned Robin Hood, and James Hind, two noted robbers and highwaymen. London, 1752." 8vo. This, however, is probably nothing more than an extract from Johnsons Lives of the highwaymen, in which, as a specimen of the authors historical authenticity, we have the life and actions of that noted robber, sir John Falstaff. The principal if not sole reason why our hero is never once mentioned by Matthew Paris, Bene- dictus abbas, or any other ancient English his- torian, was most probably his avowed enmity to churchmen ; and history, in former times, was written by none but monks. From the same motives that Josephus is pretended to have sup- pressed all mention of Jesus Christ, they were unwilling to praise the actions which they durst neither misrepresent nor deny. Fordun and Major, however, being foreigners, have not been deterred by this professional spirit from render- ing homage to his virtues. (A) " — was born at Locksley in the county of Nottingham."] " Robin Hood," says a MS. in the British Museum, (Bib. Sloan. 715.) written, as it seems, towards the end of the sixteenth century, " was borue at Lockesley in Yorkshyre, or after others in Nottinghamshire." The writer here la- bours under manifest ignorance and confusion, but the first row of the rubric will set him right : " In Locksly toum, in merry Nottinghamshire, In merry sweet Locksly town, There bold Robin Hood was born and was bred, Bold Robin of famous renown."* * See part II. ballad I. NOTES AND ILLUSTRATION'S. xvii Dr. Fuller {Wprthies of England, 1662, p. 320.) is doubtful as to the place of his nativity. Speaking of the " Memorable Persons" of Nottingham- shire, " Robert Hood," says he, " (if not by birth) by his chief abode this country-man." The name of such a town as Locksley, or Lox- ley (for so, we sometimes find it spelled), in the county of Nottingham or of York, does not, it must be confessed, occur either in sir Henry Spelmans Villare Anglicum, in Adams's Index vil- lains, in Whatleys Euglands gazetteer,* in Tho- rotons History of Nottinghamshire, or ia the No- mina villarum Eboracensium (York, 1768, Svo). The silence of these authorities is not, however, to be regarded as a conclusive proof that such a place never existed. The names of tow T ns and villages, of which no trace is now to be found but in ancient writings, would fill a volume. (B) — " in the reign of king Henry the second, and about the year of Christ 1 160.] " Robin Hood," according to the Sloane MS. " was borne . . . ia the dayes of Henry the 2nd, about the yeare 1160." This was the 6th year of that monarch ; at whose death [anno 11S9) he would, of course, be about 29 years of age. Those writers are therefor pretty correct who represent him splay- ing his pranks (Dr. Fullers phrase) in the reign of king Richard the first, and, according to the last named author, " about the year of our lord 1200." Thus Major (who is followed by Stowe, Annales 1592, p. 227.) H Circa hac tempora [sci. Ricardi /.] ut auguror, &e." A MS. note in the Museum * All three mention a Loxley in Warwickshire, and another in Staffordshire ( u near Needwood forest; the njanor and seat of the Kinardslevs"), g 2 xviii NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. (Bib. Har. 1233.) not, in Mr. Wanleys opinion, to be relied on, places him in the same period, t€ \ Temp. Rich. I." Nor is Fordun altogether out of his reckoning in bringing him down to the time of Henry III. as we shall hereafter see ; and with him agrees that " noble clerke maister Hector Boece," who in the nineteenth chapter of his " threttene buke," says, " About this tyme was that waithman Robert Hode with his fallow litil Johne, fyc." (History of Scotland, Edin. 1541. fo.) A modern writer, (History of Whitby, by Lionel Charlton, York, 1779, 4to.) though of no authority in this point, has done well enough to speak of him as living " in the days of abbot Richard and Peter his successor ;" that is, be- tween the years 1176 and 1211. The author of the two plays upon the story of our hero, of which a particular account will be hereafter given, makes him contemporary with king Richard, who, as well as his brother prince John, is introduced upon the scene ; which is confirmed by another play, quoted in note (D). Warner, also, in his Albions England, 1602. p. 132. refers his existence to " better daies, first Richards daies." This, to be sure, may not be such evidence as would be sufficient to decide the point in a court of justice; but neither judge nor counsel will dis- pute the authority of that oracle of the law sir Edward Coke, who pronounces that " This Ro- bert Hood lived in the reign of king R. I." (3 Institute, 197.) (C) " His extraction was noble, and his true name Robert Fitzooth".] In " an olde and auncient pamphlet/' which Grafton the chro- nicler had seen, it was written that " This man NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. xix discended of a noble parentage/' The Sloane MS. says " He was of ... . parentage;" and though the material word is illegible, the sense evidently requires noble. So, likewise, the Har- leian note : " It is said that he was of noble blood." Leland also has expressly termed him " nobilis" {Collectanea, I. 54.) The following account of his family will be found sufficiently particular. Ralph Fitzothes or Fitzooth, a Norman, who had come over to England with William Rufus, marryed Maud or Matilda, daughter of Gilbert de Gaunt earl of Kyme and Lindsey, by whom he had two sons : Philip, afterward earl of Kyme, that earldom being part of his mothers dowry, and William. Philip the elder, dyed without issue ; William was a ward to Robert de Vere earl of Oxford, in whose household he received his education, and who, by the kings express command, gave him in marriage to his own niece, the youngest of the three daughters of the celebrated lady Roisia de Vere, daughter of Aubrey de Vere, earl of Guisnes in Normandy, and lord high chamber- lain of England under Henry I. and of Adeliza, daughter to Richard de Clare, earl of Clarence and Hertford, by Payn de Beauchamp baron of Bedford her second husband. The offspring of this marriage was, our hero, Robert Fitzooth, commonly called Robin Hood. (See Stukeleys Palceographia Britannica, No. I. passim.) (D) " He is frequently stiled . . earl of Hunt- ingdon, a title to which, for the latter part of his life at least, he actually appears to have had some sort of pretension."] In Graftons " olde and auncient pamphlet," though the author had, as already noticed, said f ' this man discended of c 3 xx NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. a noble parentage," he adds, " or rather beyng of a base stocke and linage, was for his manhood and chivalry advaunced to the noble dignitie of an erle." In the MS. note {Bib. Har. 1233) is the follow- ing passage : " It is said that he was of noble blood no lesse then an earle." Warner, in his Albions England, already cited, calls him u a county." The titles of Mundys two plays are: " The downfall," and « The death of Robert earle of Huntington." He is likewise intro- duced in that character in the same authors Me tropolis coronata, hereafter cited. In his epitaph we shall find him expressly stiled " Robert earl OF HUNTINGTUN." In u A pleasant commodie called Look about you" printed in 1600, our hero is introduced, and performs a principal character. He is repre- sented as the young earl of Huntington, and in ward to prince Richard, though his brothe Henry, the young king, complains of his haying " had wrong about his wardship." He is de scribed as " A gallant youth, a proper gentleman f and is sometimes called " pretty earle," and " lit tie wag." "Fau. But welcome, welcome, and young Hunting Ton, Sweet Robyn Hude, honors best flowing bloome." "— — an honourable youth, Vertuous and modest, Huntingtons right heyre." And it is said that " His father Gilbert was the smoothst fac't lord " That ere bare armes in England or in Frounce." In one scene, " Enter Richard and Robert with coronets." NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. xxi * Rich. Richard the Piince of England, with his ward, The noble Robert Hood, earle Huntington, Present their service to your majestic" Dr. Percys objection, that the most ancient poems make no mention of this earldom, but only call him a yeoman, will be considered in another place. How he founded his pretensions to this title will be seen in his pedigree. Here it is. The Pedigree of Robin Hood, Earl of Huntingdon. Waltheof earl of = Judith countess Richard Fitzgilbert de=Roisia Clate eail of Brien Northumberland *nd Huntington. of Huntingdon, the conqueror's niece. Alice=Robert Fitzgilbert II. l 2 HI. Simon de S. = Maud =David I. king lis I. earl of Northampton »nd Hunting- don. . . . V. of Scots, earl of Hunting- don. TV. Henry earl of=Ada daughter Northumber- of William land andHun- earl of War- tingdon. reu. Simon S, lis IT. =Isabel dar. of earl of North- Robert Bossu \mptou and ear ^ °* Lei- Huntington. cester. / VI. Malcolm IV. king of Scots, earl of Northumberland and Huntingdon. VII. Gilbert de Gaunt=Roisia earl of Kyme and I Lyndsey came in I with the conquer- 1 or. Walter de Gaunt earl of Lind. sey. Gilbert de Gaunt=Avis dau. earl of Lincoln. and heir of William de Romara e. of Lincoln. William earl of Huntingdon. VIII. | Simon S. lis ITI. earl of Hun-= Alice heiress, dnedon and Northton, ob. s. p. 1184. IX. David earl of ' Carrick' and Hunting- don, son of Henry IV. (above) earl and of Ada. ob, 121Q. x. John sirnamed Scot his son, earl of Angus and Huntington, ob. s. p. 1237. Rait Fitzooth a = Maud Norman, lord of Kyme. I Philip Fitzooth, lord of Kyme, ob. s. p. William Fitzooth === a daughter of brought up by Ro- Payn Beau- bertearlof Oxford, chaup and I lady Roisia " de Vere. Robert Fitzooth, commonly called Robin Hood, pretended earl if Huntington, ob. 1274 [1247]."* * Stukeleys Palceographia Britannica, No. II. p. 115. NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. xxiii In an interleaved copy of Robin Hoods garland formerly belonging to Dr. Stukeley, and now in the possession of Francis Douce, esquire, opposite the 2nd page of the 1st song, is the following note in his own iiand. " Guy earl of Warwick. George Gamwell Joanna = of Gamwell Hall magna I y^ z Odotn esq. I Robin Fits Odoth Gamwell the kings forester in Yorkshire, mentioned in Camden. See my answer No. II. of lady Roisia, where is Robin Hoods True Pedigree" (E) " In his youth he is reported to have beett of a wild and extravagant disposition, fye"~\ Graftons pamphlet, after supposing him to have u advaunced to the noble dignitie of an erle," continued thus : " But afterwardes he so prodi- gally exceeded in charges and expences, that he fell into great debt, by reason whereof, so many actions and sutes were commenced against him whereunto he answered not, that by order of lawe he was outlawed."* Leland must undoubtedly have had good authority for calling him " nobilis ille exlex"\ Fordun supposes him in the number of those deprived of their estates by K. Hen. III. €C Hoc in tempore" says he, " de exheredatis sur- rexit fy caput erexit ille famosissimus siccarius Ro- bertas Hode <3f littill Johanne cum eorum com- plicibus" (p. 774.) The Sloane MS. says he was " so ryotous that he lost or sould his patrimony & for debt became an outlawe :" and the Harleian note mentions his " having wasted his estate in * Graftons chronicle, p. 85. t Collee. I. 54. xxiv NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. riotous courses." The former authority, however, gives a different, though, it may be, less credible, account of his being obliged to abscond. It is as follows : " One of his first exployts was the going abrode into a forrest & bearing with him a bowe of exceeding great strength he fell into company with certayne rangers or woodmen, who fell to quarrel with him, as making showe to use such a bowe as no man was able to shoote withall. Wherto Robin replyed that he had two better then that at Lockesley, only he bare that with him nowe as a byrding bowe. At length the ( contention' grewe so bote that there was a > wager layd about the kyllyng of a deere a greate distance of, for performance whereof Robin of- fered to lay his head to a certayne some of money, the advantage of which rash speach the others presently tooke. So the marke being found out, one of them, both to make his hart faynt and hand unsteady, as he was about to shoote urged him with the iosse of head if he myst the marke. Notwithstanding Robyn kyld the deare, and gave every man his money agayne, save to him which at the poynt of shooting so upbraided him with danger to loose his hed for that wager ; & he sayd they would drinke togeyther: whereupon the others stomached the matter and from quar- elling they grewe to fighting with him. But Robin, getting him somewhat of, with shooting dispatch them, and so fled away ; and then be- taking himselfe to lyve in the woods, #c."* That he lurked or infested the woods is agreed by all. " Circa hcec temporal says Major, " Ro- * See Robin Hoods progress to Nottingham, part II* ballad?. NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. *xv bertus Hudus Anglus <3f parvus Joannes, latrones famatissimi, in nemoribus latuerunt." Dr. Stukeley says that " Robin Hood took to this wild way of life, in imitation of his grand- father Geoffrey de Mandeville, who being a fa- vorer of Maud empress, K. Stephen took him prisoner at S. Albans, and made him give up the tower of London, Walden, Piessis, &e. upon which he lived on plunder." (MS. note in his copy of Robin Hoods garland.) (F) " Of these he chiefly affected Barnsdale, fyc."} " Along on the lift hond," says Leland, " a iii. miles of betwixt Milburne and Feribridge I saw the wooddi and famose forrest of Barnesdale, wher thay say that Robyn Hudde lyvid like an owtlaw." Itinerary, V. 101. " They haunted about Barnsdale forrest, Comp. ton [r. Plompton] parked and such other places." MS. Shane. " His principal residence," says Fuller, " was in Shirew oo d forrest in this county [Notts], though he had another haunt (he is no fox that hath but one hole) near the sea in the North-riding in Yorkshire, where Robin Hoods bay still retaineth his name : not that he was any pirat, but a land- thief, who retreated to those unsuspected parts for his security." Worthies of England, p. 320. In Thorotons Nottinghamshire, p. 505. is some account of the ancient and present state of Sher- wood forest; but one looks in vain, through that dry detail of land-owners, for any particulars re- ° Plompton park, upon the banks of the Penterill, in Cumberland, was formerly very large, and set apart by the kings of England for the keeping of deer. It was dis- afforested or disparked by Henry the 8th. xxvi NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. lating to our hero. " In anno domini 1194. king Richard the first, being a hunting in the forrest of Sherwood, did chase a hart out of the forrest of Sherwood into Barnesdale in Yorkshire, and because he could not there recover him, he made proclamation at Tickill in Yorkshire, and at divers other places there that no person should kill, hurt, or chase the said hart, but that he might safely retorne into forrest againe, which hart was afterwards called a hart-royall pro- claimed. (Manhoods Forest laws, 1598, p. 25. from " an auncient recorde" found by him in the tower of Nottingham castle.)* (*F) " Here he either found, #c"] After being outlawed, Grafton tells us, " for a lewde shift, as his last refuge, [he] gathered together a companye of roysters and cutters, and practised robberyes and spoyling of the kinges subjects, and occupied and frequented the forestes or wild countries." See also the following note. (G) " Little John, William Scadlock, George a Green, pinder of Wakefield, Much a millers son, and a certain monk or friar named Tuck."] Of these the preeminence is incontestably due to Little John, whose name is almost constantly coupled with that of his gallant leader, <( Robertus Hode fy littill Johanne," are mentioned together * Drayton, (Polyolbion, song 26.) introduces Sherwood in the character of a nymph, who, out of disdain at the preference shewn by the poet to a sister-forest, u All selfe-p raise set apart, determ neth to sing That lusty Robin Hood, who long time like a king Within her compass hVd, and when he list to range, For some rich booty set, or else his air to change, To Sherwood still retir'd, his only standing court." NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. xxvii by Ford u II, as early as 1341 ; and later instances of the connexion would be almost endless. After the words, " for debt became an outlaw," the Sloane MS. adds : " then joyninge to him many stout fellowes of lyke disposition, amongst whom one called Little John was principal or next to him, they haunted about Barnsdale forrest, §c! y See notes (FF) (GG). With respect to frier Tuck. " Thogh some say he was an other kynd of religious man, for that the order of freyrs was not yet sprung up," (MS. Sloan.) yet as the Dominican friers (or friers preachers) came into England in the year 1221, upward of 20 years before the death of Robin Hood, and several orders of these religious had flourished abroad for some time, there does not seem much weight in that objection : nor in fact, can one pay much regard to the term frier, as it seems to have been the common title given by the vulgar (more especially after the reformation) to all the regular clergy, of which the friers were at once the lowest and most numerous. If frier Tuck be the same person who, in one of the oldest songs, is called The curtal frier of Foun- tainsdale, he must necessaryly have been one of the monks of that abbey, which was of the Cis- tertian order. However this may be, frier Tuck is frequently noticed, by old writers, as one of the companions of Robin Hood, and as such was an essential character in the morris-danee, (see note (H). He is thus mentioned by Skelton, laureat, in his " goodly interlude" of Magni- ficence, written about the year 1500, and with an evident allusion to some game or practice now totally forgotten and inexplicable, d xxviii NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. u Another bade shave halfe my berde, And boyes to the pylery gan me plncke, And wolde have made me freer Tucke, To preche oute of the pylery hole." In the year 1417, a* Stow relates, " one by his counterfeite name, called frier Tucke, with manie other malefactors, committed many robberies in the counties of Surrey and Sussex, whereupon the king sent out his writs for their apprehension." (Annates, 1592.) George a Green is George o y the Green, meaning perhaps the town-green, in which the pound or pinfold stood of which he had the care. He has been particularly celebrated, and " as good as George a green" is still a common saying. Dray- ton, describing the progress of the river Calder, in the west-riding of Yorkshire, has the following lines : u It chanc'd she in her course on ' Kirkley' cast her eye, Where merry Robin Hood, that honest thief, doth lie ; Beholding fitly too before how Wakefield stood, She doth not only think of lusty Robin Hood, But of his merry man, the pinder of the town Of Wakefield, George a Green, whose fames so far are blown For their so valiant fight, that every freemans song Can tell you of the same, quoth she, be talk'd on long, For ye were merry lads, and those were merry days," Besides the companions of our hero enume- rated in the text, and whose names are most ce- lebrated and familiar, we find those of William of Goldsborough, (mentioned by Grafton,) Right- hitting Brand, (by Mundy,) and Gilbert with the white hand, who is thrice named in the Lyttell NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. xxix geste of Robyn Hode, and is likewise noticed by- bishop Gawin Douglas, in his Palice of Honour, printed at Edinburgh in 1579, but written before 1518: " Thair saw I Maitlaind upon auld Beird Gray, Robene Hude, and Gilbert with the quhite t hand,' How Hay of Nauchton slew, in Madin land."* As no mention is made of Adam Bell, Clim of the Clough and William of Cloudeslie, either in the ancient legend, or in more than one of the numerous songs of Robin Hood, nor does the name of the latter once occur in the old metrical history of those famous archers, reprinted in Percys Reliques, and among Pieces of ancient po- pular poetry, it is to be concluded that they flou- rished at different periods, or at least had no connection with each other. In a poem, how- ever, intitled " Adam Bell, Clim of the Clough, and young William of Cloudesley, the second part/' 1616. 4to. b. I. [Bib. Bod. Art. L. 71. being a more modern copy than that in Selden C. 39, which wants the title, but was probably printed with the first part, which it there accompanies, in 1605 ; differing considerably therefrom in se- veral places; and containing many additional verses;) are the following lines (not in the former eopy) : * Scottish poems, i. 122. The last verse is undoubtedly sense as it now stands ; but a collation of MSS. would probably authorise us to read : " Quhom Hay of Nauchton slew in Madin land," d 2 xxx NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. ° Now beare thy fathers heart, my boy, Said William of Cloudesley then, When i was young i car'd not for The brags of sturdiest men. The pinder of Wakefield, George a Green, I try'd a sommers day, Yet he nor i were victors made Nor victor'd went away. Old Robin Hood, nor Little John, Amongst their merry men all, Nor fryer Tuck, so stout and young, My courage could appall." Now, my sweet Nel, if you will make up the messe with a good heart for maide Marian, and doe well with Lluellen under the green-woode trees with as good a will as in the good townes, why plena es^ curia. Exeunt, Enter Mortimor, solus. Mortimor . . . .Maisters, have after gentle Robin Hood, You are not so well accompanied I hope, But if a potter come to plaie his part, Youle give him stripes or welcome good or worse. Exit, Enter Lluellen, Meredith, frier, Elinor, and their traine. They are all clad in greene, &c, sing, &c. Blyth and bonny, the song ended, Lluellen speaketh. Luellen, Why so, I see, my mates of olde, All were not lies that Bedlams [beldams] told ; Of Robin Hood and little John, Frier Tucke and maide Marian." e 2 xlii NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. Mortimer, as a potter, afterwards fights the frier with " flailes." 2. " The downfall of Robert earle of Hunting- ton, afterward called Robin Hood of merrie Sher- wodde : with his love to chaste Matilda, the lord Fitzwaters daughter, afterwardes his faire maide Marian. Acted by the right honourable, the earle of Notingham, lord high admirall of Eng- land, his servants, ^[ Imprinted at London, for William Leake, 1601." 4to. b. 1. 3. " The death of Robert, earle of Hunting- ton, otherwise called Robin Hood of merrie Sher- wodde : with the lamentable tragedie of chaste Matilda, his faire maid Marian, poysoned at Dunmowe, by king John. Acted, fyc. ^f Im- printed, fyc. [as above] 1601." 4to. b. 1. These two plays, usually called the first and second part of Robin Hood, were always, on the authority of Kirkman, falsely ascribed to Thomas Hey wood, till Mr. Malone fortunately retrieved the names of the true authors, Anthony Mundy and Henry Chettle. As they seem partly found- ed on traditions long since forgotten, and refer occasionally to documents not now to be found, at any rate, as they are much older than most of the common ballads upon the subject, and con- tain some curious and possibly authentic particu- lars not elsewhere to be met with, the reader will excuse the particularity of the account and length of the extracts here given. The first part, or downfall of Robert earle of Huntington, is supposed to be performed at the court and command of Henry the 8th ; the poet Skelton being the dramatist, and acting the part of chorus. The introductory scene commence* thus : NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. xliii " Enter sir John Eltam, and knocke at Skeltons doore. Sir John. Howe, maister Skelton ! what, at studie hard? opens the doore. Skelt. Welcome and wisht for, honest sir John Eltam,— Twill trouble you after your great affairs, (i. e. the surveying of certain maps which his majesty had employed him in ;) To take the paine that I intended to intreate you to, About rehearsall of your promis'd play. Elt. Nay, master Skelton ; for the king himselfe. As wee were parting, bid mee take great heede Wee faile not of our day : therefore I pray ' Sende for the rest, that now we may rehearse, Skel, O they are readie all, and drest to play. What part play you ? Elt. Why, I play little John, And came of purpose with this greene sute. Skel. Holla, my masters, little John is come. At every doore all the players runne out ; some crying where ? where ? others Welcome, sir John : among other the boyes and clowne. Skel. Faith, little Tracy, you are somewhat forward. What, our maid Marian leaping like a lad! If you remember, Robin is your love, Sir Thomas Mantle yonder, not sir John. Clow. But, master, sir John is my fellowe, for I am Much the millers sonne. Am I not ? Skel. I know yee are sir: — And, gentlemen, since you are thus prepar'd, Goe in, and bring your dumbe scene on the stage, And I, as prologue, purpose to expresse The ground whereon our historie is laied. Exeunt, manet Skelton. Trumpets sounds, [1] enter first king Richard with drum and auncient, giving Ely a purse and e3 xliv NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS, sceptre, his mother and brother John, Chester, Lester? Lacie, others at the kings appointment, doing re- verence. The king goes in : presently Ely ascends the chaire, Chester, John, and the queene part dis- pleasantly. [2] Enter Robert, eaiile of Hunt- ington, leading Marian; followcs him War man, and after Warman, the prior ; Warman ever flatter- ing and making curtsie, taking gifts of the prior be- hinde and his master before. Prince John enters, offereth to take Marian ; Queen Elinor enters, offer- ing to pull Robin from her ; but they infolde each other, and sit downe within the curteines. [3] Warman with the prior, sir Hugh Lacy, lord Sent he, and Sir Gilbert Broghton folde hands, and drawing the curteins, all (but the prior) enter, and are kindly received by Robin Hoode." During the exhibition of the second part of the dumbshew, Skelton instructs the audience as follows : u This youth that leads yon virgin by the hand Is our earle Robert, or your Robin Hoode, That in those daies, was earle of Huntington; The ill-fac't miser, brib'd in either hand, Is Warman, once the steward of his house, Who, Judas like, betraies his liherali lord, Into the hands of that relentlesse prior, Calde Gilbert Hoode, uncle to Huntington. Ttiose two that seeke to part these lovely friends, Are Elenor the queene, and John the prince, She loves earle Robert, he maide Marian, But vainely ; for their deare atfect is such, As only death can sunder their true loves. Long had they lov'd, and now it is agreed, This day ihey must be troth-plight, after wed: At HuntinjUons faire house a feste is helde, But envie turnes it to a house of tcares. For those false guestes, conspiring with the prior ; To whom eaile Robert grealiy is in debt, Meane at the banquet to betray the earle, NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. xU Uuto a heavie writ of outlawry : The manner and escape you all shall see. Looke to your entrance, get you in, sir John. My shift is long, for I play frier Tucke ; Wherein, if Skelton hath but any lucke, Heele thanke his hearers oft with many a ducke. For many talk of Robin Hood that never shot in hisbowe. But Skelton writes of Robia Hood what he doth truly knowe." After some Skeltonical rimes, and a scene be- twixt the prior, the sheriff and justice Warm an, concerning the outlawry, which appears to be proclaimed, and the taking of earl Huntington at dinner, " Enter Robin Hoode, little John follow- ing him ; Robin having his napkin on his shoulder, as if hee were sodainly raised from dinner." He is in a violent rage at being outlawed, and Little John endeavours to pacify him. Marian being distressed at his apparent disorder, he dissembles with her. After she is gone, John thus addresses him : u Now must your honour leave these mourning tunes, And thus by my areede you shall provide : Your plate and jewels ile straight packe up, And toward Notingham convey them hence. At Rowford, Sowtham, Wortley, Hothersfleld, Of all your cattell money shall be made, And I at Mansfield will attend your coming : Where weele determine which waie's best to take. Rob. Well, be it so, a god's name, let it be ; And if I can, Marian shall come with mee. John. Else care will kill her ; therefore if you please, At th' utmost corner of the garden wall, Soone in the evening waite for Marian, And as I goe ile tell her of the place. Your horses at the Bell shall readie bee, I meane Belsavage, whence, as citizens That * meane 5 to ride for pleasure some small way, You shall set foorth." xivi NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. The company now enters, and Robin charges them with the conspiracy, and rates their trea- cherous proceeding. Little John in attempting to remove the goods is set upon by Warman and the sherif; and during the fray "Enter prince John, Ely and the prior, and others. 39 Little John tells the prince, he but defends the box contain- ing his own gettings ; upon which his royal high- ness observes, u You do the fellow wrong ; his goods are his : You only must extend upon the earles. Prior. That was, my lord, but nowe is Robert Hood , A simple yeoman as his servants were." Ely gives the prior his commission, with direc- tions to make speed, lest "in his country-houses all his beards be solde;" and gives Warman a patent " for the high sheriffewick of Notting- ham." After this, "Enter Robin like a citizen ;" and then the queen and Marian disguised for each other. Robin takes Marian, and leaves the queen to prince John, who is so much enraged at the deception that he breaks the head of Elys messenger. Sir Hugh, brother to lord Lacy, and steward to Ely, who had been deeply concerned in Huntingtons ruin, is killed in a brawl, by prince John, whom Ely orders to be arrested ; but the prince, producing letters from the king, revoking Elys appointment, " lifts up his drawne sworde" and " Exit, cum Lester and Lacy/' in triumph. Then, " Enter Robin Hoode, Matilda, at one door, little John, and Much the millers sonn§ at another doore." After mutual congratulations, Robin asks if it be « possible that Warmans spite Should stretch so farre, that he doth hunt the lives Of bourne Scarlet, and his brother Scathlock. NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. xlvii Much. O, I, sir. Warnian came but yesterday to take charge of the jaile at Notingham, and this daie, he saies, he will hang the two outlawes. . . . Rob, Now, by my honours hope, . . . He is too blame : say, John, where must they die ? John. Yonder's their mothers house, and here the tree, Whereon, poore men, they must forgoe their lives : And yonder comes a lazy lozell frier, That is appointed for their confessor, Who, when we Drought your monie to their mothers, Was wishing her to patience for their death.'* Here " Enter frier Tucke;" some conversation passes, and the frier skeltonizes ; after which he departs, saying, let us goe our way, Unto this hanging businesse ; would for mee Some rescue or repreeve might set them free. Rob. Heardst thou not, little John, the friers speach ? John. He seemes like a good fellow, my good lord. Rob. He's a good fellowe, John, upon my word. Lend me thy home, and get thee in to Much, And when I blowe this home, come both and helpe mee. John. Take heed, my lord : the villane Warman knows And ten to one, he hath a writ against you. [y° u > Rob. Fear not: below the bridge a poor blind man doth With him I will change my habit, and disguise, [dwell, Only be readie when I call for yee, For I will save their lives, if it may bee. . . Enter Warman, Scarlet and Scaihlocke bound, frier Tuck as their confessor, officers with halberts. War. Master frier, be briefe, delay no time. Scarlet and Scathlock, never hope for life ; Here is the place of execution, And you must answer lawe for what is done, Scar. Well, if there be no remedie, we jnust: Though it ill seemeth, Warman, thou shouldst bee, So bloodie to pursue our lives thus cruellie. Scat . Our mother sav'd thee from the gallows, Warman, His father did preferre thee to thy lord : One mother had wee both, and both our fathers xlviii NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. To thee and to thy father were kind friends. . . . War. Ye were first outlaws, then ye prooved theeves . . Both of your fathers were good honest men ; Your mother lives their widowe in good fame : But you are scapethrifts, unthrifts, villanes, knaves, And as ye liv'd by shifts, shall die with shame.'* To them enters Ralph, the sherifs man, to ac- quaint him that the carnifex, or executor of the law, had fallen off his " curtail" and was xt crip- plefied" and rendered incapable of performing his office ; so that the sherif was to become his deputy. The sherif insists that Ralph shall serve the turn, which he refuses. In the midst of the altercation, " Enter Robin Hood, like an old man" who tells the sherif that the two outlaws had murdered his young son, and undone himself; so that for revenge sake he desires they may be delivered to him. They denying the charge, " Robin whispers with them/' and with the sherifs leave, and his mans help, unbinds them : then, sounds his horn ; and " Enter little John, Much . . . Fight ; the frier, making as if he helpt the sheriffe, knockes down his men, crying, Keepe the kings peace. Sheriffe [perceiving that it is " the outlawed earle of Huntington"] runnes away, and his men! 9 (See the ballad of " Robin Hood rescuing the widows sons," part II. num. xxiii.) u Fri. Farewell, earle Robert, as I am a true frier, I had rather be thy clarke, then serve the prior. Rob. A jolly fellowe! Scarlet, knowest thou him ? Scar. He is of Yorke, and of Saint Maries cloister ; There where y«ur greedie uncle is lord prior. . . . Rob. Here is no biding, masters ; get yee in. . . . John, on a sodaine thus I am resolved, To keepe in Sherewoode tille the kings returne, And being outlawed, lead an outlawes life. . . . John. I like your honours purpose exceeding well. NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. xlix Rolt. Nay, no more honour, I pray thee, little John ; Henceforth 1 will be called Robin Hoode, Matilda shall be my maid Marian.'' Then follows a scene betwixt old Fitzwater and prince John, in the course of which the prince, as a reason to induce Fitzwater to recall his daughter Matilda, tells him that she is living in an adulterous state, for that " — Huntington is excommunicate, And till his debts be paid, by Romes decree, It is agreed, absolv'd he cannot be ; And that can never be. — So never wise, fyc." Fitzwater, on this, flies into a passion, and ac- cuses the prince of being already marryed to " earle Chepstowes daughter." They " fight ; John falles" Then enter the queen, <3fc. and John sentences Fitzwater to banishment : after which, " Enter Scathlocke and Scarlet, winding their homes, at severall doores. To them enter Robin Hoode, Matilda, all in greene, . . . Much, little John ; all the men with bowes and arrowes. Some cordial expressions pass between Robin and Matilda. He commands all the yeomen to be cheerful ; and orders little John to read the articles. " Joh, First, no man must presume to call our master, By name of earle, lorde, baron, knight, or squire : But simply by the name of Robin Hoode. — That faire Matilda henceforth change her name, * And' by maid Marians name, be only cald. Thirdly, no yeoman following Robin Hoode In Sherewood, shall use widowe, wife, or maid ; But by true labour, lustfuli thoughts expell. Fourthly, no passenger with whom ye meete, Shall yee let passe till nee with Robin feaste : Except a poast, a carrier, or suche folke, As use with foode to serve the market townes. Fifthly, yon never shall the poore man wrong. Nor spare a priest, a usurer, or a clarke. 1 NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. Lastly, you shall defend with all your power Maids, widowes, orphants, and distressed men. AIL All these we voWe to keepe, as we are men. Rob. Then wend ye to the greenewood merrily, And let the light roes bootlesse from yee runne, Marian and I, as soveraigns of your toyles, Will wait, within our bower, your bent bowes spoiles. Exeunt winding their homes" In the next scene, we find frier Tucke feign- edly entering into a conspiracy with the prior and sir Doncaster, to serve an execution on Robin, in disguise. Jinny, the widow Scarlets daughter, coming in, on her way to Sherwood, is per- suaded by the frier to accompany him, " dis- guised in habit like a pedlers mort." Fitzwater enters like an old man :— sees Robin sleeping on a green bank, Marian strewing flowers on him ; pretends to be blind and hungry, and is regaled by them. In answer to a question why the fair Matilda (Fitzwaters daughter) had changed her name, Robin tells him it is " Because she lives a spotlesse maiden life : And shall, till Robins outlawe life have ende. That he may lawfully take her to wife ; Which, if king Richard come, will not be long." " Enter frier Tucke and Jinny like pedlers singing," and afterward " Sir Doncaster and others weaponed." — The frier discovers the plot, and a fray ensues. The scene then changes to the court, where the prior is informed of six of his barns being destroyed by fire, and of the dif- ferent execrations of all ranks upon him, as the undoer of " the good lord Robert, earle of Hunt- ington ;" that the convent of St. Marys had elected " Olde father Jerome" prior in his place ; and lastly a herald brings his sentence of banish- ment, which is confirmed by the entrance of the NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. ti prior. Lester brings an account of the imprison - ment of his gallant sovereign, king Richard, by the duke of Austria, and requires his ransom to be sent. He then introduces a description of his matchless valour in the holy land. John not only refuses the ransom money, but usurps the stile of king : upon which Lester grows furious, and rates the whole company. The following is part of the dialogue : " Joh. (to Lester) Darest thou attempt thus proudly in [our sight? Lest. What is't a subject dares, that I dare not ? Sals. Dare subjects dare, their soveraigne being by ? Lest . O god, that my true soveraigne were ny ! Qu. Lester, he is. Lest. Madam, by god, you ly. Chest. Unmanner'd man. Lest. A plague of reverence !" After this, and more on the same subject, the scene returns to the forest ; where Ely, being taken by Much, 6< like a countryman with a basket," is examined and detected by Robin, who promises him proteciion and service. On their departure : " Joh. Skelton, a worde or two beside the play. Fri. Now, sir John Eltam, what ist you would say. John. Methinks I see no jeasts of Robin Hode, No merry morices of frier Tuck, No pleasant shippings up and downe the wodde, No hunting songs, no coursing of the bucke : Pray god this play of ours may have good lucke, And the king's majestie mislike it not! Fri. And if he doe, what can we doe to that? I promis'd him a play of Robin Hoode, His honorable life, in merry Sherewod ; His majestie iumselfe survaid the plot, And bad me boldly write it, it was good. For merry jeasts, they have bene showne before ; f !ii NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. As how the frier fell into the well, For love of Jinny, that f aire bonny bell : How Greeneleafe roVd the shrieve of Notingham, And other mirthful matter, full of game ." The second part, or death of Robert earle of Huntington, is a pursuit of the same story. The scene, so far as our hero is concerned, lyes in Sherwood. The next quotation may be of service to Dr # Percy, who has been pleased to question our heros nobility, because " the most ancient poems make no mention of this earldom" and the old legend expressly asserts him " to have been a yeoman" It is very true ; and we shall here not only find his title established, but also discover the secret of his not being usually distinguished or designed by it. Enter Roben Hoode> King. How now, earle Robert ! Fri. A forfet, a forfet, my liege lord, My masters lawes are on record, The court-roll here your grace may see. King. I pray thee, frier, read them mee. Fri. One shall suffice, and this is hee. No man that commeth in this wod, To feast or dwell with Robin Hood, Shall call him earle, lord, knight, or squire, He no such titles doth desire, But Robin Hood, plain Robin Hoode, That honest yeoman, stout and good, On paine of forfetting a marke, That must be paid to mee his clarke. My liege, my liege, this lawe you broke, Almost in the last word you spoke ; That crime may not acquitted bee, Till frier Tuck receive his fee." Now, the reason that " the most ancient poems make no mention of this earldom/' and the old NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. liii legend expressly asserts him " to have been a yeoman," appears, plainly enough, to be, that as, pursuant to his own injunction, he was never called, either by his followers, or in the vicinity, by any other name than Robin Hood, so parti- cularly the minstrels, who were always, no doubt, welcome to Sherwood, and liberally entertained by him and his yeomanry, would take special care never to offend against the above law : which puts an end to the dispute. £. E. D. Our hero is, at length, poisoned by a drink which Doncaster and the prior, his uncle, had prepared for him to give to the king. His de- parting scene, and last dying speech are beauti- ful and pathetic. H Rob. Inough, inough, Fitzwater, take your child. My dying frost, which no sunnes heat can thawe, Closes the powers of all ray outward parts ; My freezing blood runnes back unto my heart, Where it assists death, which it would resist : Only my love a little hinders death, For he beholds her eyes, and cannot smite. Mat. O let mee looke for ever in thy eyes, And lay my warrae breath to thy bloodlesse lips If my sight can restraine deaths tyrannies, Or keep lives breath within thy bosome lockt. ,) He desires to be buryed " At Wakefield, underneath the abbey-wall ;° directs the manner of his funeral \ and bids his yeomen, " For holy dirges, sing < him* wodmens songs." The king, upon the earls death, expresses his , sorrow for the tragical event ; ratifies the will ; repeats the directions for the funeral ; and says, f 2 Uv NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. u Fall to your wod-songs, therefore, yeomen bold, And deck his herse with flowers, that lov'd you deere." The whale concludes with the following solemne dirge : a Weepe, weepe, ye wod-men waile, Your hands with sorrow wring ; Your master Robin Hood lies deade, Therefore sigh as you sing. Here lies his primer, and his beades, His bent bowe, and his arrowes keene, His good sworde and his holy crosse : Now cast on flowers fresh and greene. And, as they fall, shed teares and say, Well a, well a day, well a, well a day ! Thus cast yee flowers and sing, And on to Wakefield take your way." 4. " Robin Hood's penn'orths, by Wm. Haugh- ton." 5. " Metropolis coronata, the triumphs of an- cient drapery : or, rich cloathing of England, in a second yeeres performance. In honour of the advancement of sir John Jolles, knight, to the high office of lord maior of London, and taking his oath for the same authoritie, on Monday, be- ing the 30. day of October, 1615. Performed in heartie affection to him, and at the bountifull charges of his worthy brethren the truly honour- able society of drapers, the first that received such dignitie, in this citie. Devised and written by A. M. [Anthony Mundy] citizen and draper of London/' 1615. 4to. This is one of the pageants formerly usual on Lord-mayors-day, and of which several are ex- tant, written as well by our author Mundy, as by Middleton, Dekker, Hey wood, and other hackney dramatists of that period. They were thought of such consequence that the city had for some time. NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. Iv (though probably not till after the restoration) a professed laureat for their composition ; an office which expired with Elkanah Settle in 1723-4. They consisted chiefly of machinery, allegorical or historical personages, songs and speeches. 6. " Robin Hood and his pastoral May games." 1624. 7. " Robin Hood and his crew of soldiers." 8. " The sad shepherd, or a tale of Robin Hood." 9. " Robin Hood and his crew of souldiers, a comedy acted at Nottingham on the day of his saCRed majesties corronation, Vivat rex. The actors names : Robin Hood, commander; Little John, William Scadlocke, souldiers ; messenger from the sheriffe. London, printed for James Davis, 1661." 4to. This is an interlude, of a few pages and no merit; alluding to the late rebellion, and the subject of the day. The outlaws, convinced by the reasoning of the sherifs messenger, become loyal subjects. 10. " Robin Hood. An opera, as it is per- formed at Lee's and Harpers great theatrical booth in Bartholomew-fair." 1730. Svo. 11. « Robin Hood." 1751. Svo. This was a ballad-farce, acted at Drury-lane theatre. 12. se Robin Hood ; or, Sherwood forest : a comic opera. As M performed at the theatre- royal in Covent-garden. By Leonard Mac Nal- ly, esq." 1784. Svo. This otherwise insignificant performance was embellished with some fine music by Mr. Shield. The melody of one song, beginning f 3 Ivi NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS* " I've travers'd Judah's barren sands," is singularly beautiful. It has been since re- duced to, and is still frequently acted as, an after- piece. (T) — " innumerable poems, rimes, songs and ballads."] The original and most ancient pieces of this nature have ail perished in the lapse of time, during a period of between five and six hundred years continuance ; and all we now know of them is, that such things once existed. In the Vision of Pierce Plotvtnan, an allegorical poem, thought to have been composed soon after the year 1360, and generally ascribed to Robert Langeland, the author introduces an ignorant, idle, and drunken secular priest, the representa- tive, no doubt, of the parochial clergy of that age, in the character of Sloth, who makes the follow- ing confession : " I cannot parfitli mi paternoster, as the priest it singeth, But I can ryms of Roben Hode, and « Randolf erl of Chester, But of our lorde or our lady I lerne nothyng at all." Fordun, the Scotish historian, who wrote about 1340, speaking of Robin Hood and Little John, and their accomplices, says, " of whom the foolish vulgar in comedies and tragedies make lewd en- tertainment, and are delighted to hear the jesters and minstrels sing them above all other ballads :" and Mair (or Major), whose history was pub- lished by himself in 1521, observes that " The exploits of this Robert are celebrated in songs throughout all Britain/' So, likewise, Hector Bois (or Boethius), who wrote about the same period, having mentioned, " that waithman Ro- b e rt Hode with his fallow litil Johne," adds, " of NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. lvii quhom ar mony fabillis and mery sportis soung amang the vulgar pepyll." Whatever may have been the nature of the compositions alluded to by the above writers, several of the pieces printed in the present collection are unquestionably of great antiquity; not less, that is, than between three and four hundred years old. The Lytell geste, which is first inserted, is probably the oldest thing upon the subject we now possess ; but a le- gend, apparently of the same species, was once extant, of, perhaps, a still earlyer date, of which it is some little satisfaction to be able to give even the following fragment, from a single leaf, for- tunately preserved in one of the volumes of old printed ballads in the British museum, in a hand- writing as old as Henry the 6ths time. It ex- hibits the characters of our hero and his fidus Achates in the noblest point of view. " He sayd Robyn Hod .... yne the preson, And owght off hit was gon. The porter rose a-non certeyn, As sone as he hard Johan call ; Lytyll Johan was redy with a sword, And bare hym throw to the wall. Now will I be jayler, sayd lytyll Johan, And toke the keys in hond ; He toke the way to Robyn Hod, And sone he hyme unbond. He gaffe hym a good swerd in his hond, His hed ther-with for to kepe : And ther as the wallis wer lowest, Anon down ther they lepe. To Robyn sayd : I have done the a god tome for an ■ Quit me when thow may ; Iviii NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. I have done the a gode tome, sayd lytyll [JohanJ Forsothe as I the saye ; I have broughte the under the gren wod . . . Farewell & have gode daye. Nay, be my trouthe, sayd Robyn, So schall it never bee ; I make the master, sayd Robyn, Off all my men & me. Nay, be my trowthe, said lytyll Johan, So schall it never bee." (U) — " has given rise to divers proverbs :"] Proverbs, in all countries, are, generally speaking, of very great antiquity ; and therefore it will not be contended that those concerning our hero are the oldest we have. It is highly probable, how- ever, that they originated in or near his own time, and of course have existed for upwards of 500 years, which is no modern date. They are here arranged, not, perhaps, according to their exact chronological order, but by the age of the autho- rities they are taken from. 1. Good even, good Robin Hood. The allusion is to civility extorted by fear. It is preserved by Skelton, in that most biting sa- tire against cardinal Wolsey, Why come ye not to court? (Works, 1736, p. 147.) 2. Many men talk of Robin Hood that never shot in his bow. " That is, many discourse (or prate rather) of matters wherein they have no skill or experience." Ray gives it thus : " Many talk of Robin Hood, that never shot in his bow, And many talk of little John that never did him know.'' 3. To overshoot Robin Hood. " And lastly and chiefly, they cry out with open mouth as if they had overshot Robin Hood, NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. iix that Plato banished them [i. e. poets] out of his commonwealth/' Sir P. Sidneys Defence ofpoesie. 4. Tales of Robin Hood are good [enough] for fools. This proverb is inserted in Camdens Remains, printed originally in 1605; but the word in brack- ets is supplyed from Ray. 5. To sell Robin Hoods pennyworths. " It is spoken of things sold under half their value; or if you will, half sold half given' 9 6. Come, turn about, Robin Hood. Implying that to challenge or defy our hero must have been the ne plus ultra of courage. It occurs in Wit and drollery, 1661. 7. As crook? d as Robin Hoods bow. That is, we are to conceive, when bent by himself. — " I came once myselfe," seys bishop La- timer, (in his sixth sermon before king Edward VI.) " to a place, riding on a journey homeward from London, and I sent word over night into the town that I would preach there in the morning, because it was a holy day, and methought it was an holidayes worke ; the churche stode in my way; and I toke my horsse and mycompanye and went thither; I thought I should have found a great companye in the churche, and when I came there the churche dore was faste locked. I tarried there half an houre and more, and at last the keye was founde ; and one of the parishe commes to me, and sayes, Syr, thys ys a busye day with us, we cannot heare you; it is Robyn Hoodes daye. The parishe are gone abroad to gather for Robyn Hoode, I pray you let them not. I was fayne there to geve place to Robyn Hoode. I thought my rochet should have been regarded, thoughe I lx NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. were not; but it woulde not serve, it was fayne to give place to Robyn Hoodes men. " It is no laughying matter, my friendes, it is a wepynge matter, a heavy matter, under the pre- tence for gatherynge for Robyn Hoode, a tray- toure and a thefe, to put out a preacher, to have his office lesse estemed, to prefer Robyn Hod be- fore the myny strati on of gods word ; and all thys hath come of unpreachynge prelates. Thys realme hath been il provided, for that it hath had suche corrupte judgementes in it, to prefer Robyn Hode to goddes wokde. Yf the bysshoppes had bene preachers, there sholde never have been any such thynge, &c." (Y) — " maybe called the patron of archery."] The bow and arrow makers, in particular, have always held his memory in the utmost reverence. Thus, in the old ballad of Londons ordinary : " The hosiers will dine at the Leg, The drapers at the sign of the Brush, The fletchers to Robin Hood will go, And the spendthrift to Beggars-bush. The picture of our hero is yet a common sign in the country, and, before hanging-signs were abolished in London, must have been still more so in the city; there being at present no less than a dozen alleys, courts, lanes, &c. to which he or it has given a name. The Robin-Hood- so- ciety, a club or assembly for public debate, or school for oratory, is well known. It was held at a public house, which had once born the sign, and still retained the name of this great man, in Butcher-row, near Temple-bar. It is very usual, in the north of England, for a publican, whose name fortunately happens to be John Little, to have the sign of Robin Hood and NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. lxi his constant attendant, with this quibbling sub- scription : You gentlemen, and yeomen good, Come in and drink with Robin Hood ; If Robin Hood be not at home, Come in and drink with Little John** An honest countryman, admiring the conceit, adopted the lines, with a slight, but, as he thought, necessary alteration, viz. If Robin Hood be not at home, Come in and drink with — Simon Webster* Drayton, describing the various ensigns or de- vices of the English counties, at the battle of Agin- court, gives to " Old Nottingham, an archer clad in green, Under a tree with his drawn bow that stood, Which in a chequer'd flag far off was seen ; It was the picture of old Robin Hood." (Z) — " the supernatural powers he is, in some parts, supposed to have possessed/"] " In the parish of Halifax is an immense stone or rock, supposed to be a druidical monument, there called Robin Hood's penny -st one, which he is said to have used to pitch with at a mark for his amusement, There is likewise another of these stones, of seve- ral tons weight, which the country people will tell you he threw off an adjoining hill with a spade as he was digging. Every thing of the marvellous kind being here attributed to Robin Hood, as it * In Arnolds Essex harmony, (ii. 98.) he gives the in- scription, as a catch for three voices, of his own compo- sition, thus : " My beer is stout, my ale i3 good, Pray stay and drink with Robin Hood ; If Robin Hood abroad is gone, Pray stay and drink with little John." brii NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. is in Cornwall to K. Arthur." (Watson's History of Halifax, p. 27.) At Bitchover, six miles south of Bakewell, and four from Haddon, in Derbyshire, among several singular groupes of rocks, are some stones called Robin Hoods stride, being two of the highest and most remarkable. The people say Robin Hood lived here. (AA) — " having a festival allotted to him, and solemn games instituted in honour of his memory, &c/ f ] These games, which were of great anti- quity, and different kinds, appear to have been solemnized on the first and succeeding days of May ; and to owe their original establishment to the cultivation and improvement of the manly ex- ercise of archery, which was not, in former times, practised merely for the sake of amusement. " I find," says Stow, "that in the moneth of May, the citizens of London, of all estates, lightlie in every parish, or sometimes two or three parishes joyning together, had their severall mayinges, and did fetch in May-poles, with divers warlike shewes. with good archers, morr ice-dancers, and other de- vices for pastime all the day long: and towards the evening they had stage -playes and bonefires in the streetes These greate Mayinges and Maygames, made by the governors and mas- ters of this citie, with the triumphant setting up of the greate shafte, (a principal Maypole in Cornhill, before the parish church of S. Andrew, therefore called Undershafte) by meane of an in- surrection of youthes against alianes on Mayday, 1517, the ninth of Henry the eight, have not beene so freely used as afore." (Survay of London, 1598, p. 72. J The disuse of these ancient pastimes, and the NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. lxiii consequent " neglect of archerie," are thus pathe- tically lamented by Richard Niccolls, in his Lon- dons artillery, 1616: " How is it that our London hath laid downe This worthy practise, which was once the crowne Of all her pastime, when her Robin Hood Had wont each yeare, when May did clad the wood, With lustie greene, to lead his yong men out, Whose brave demeanour, oft when they did shoot, Invited royall princes from their courts, Into the wilde woods to behold their sports ! Who thought it then a manly sight and trim, c To see a youth of cleane compacted lim, g . Who, with a comely grace, in his left hand *§ I Holding his bow, did take his stedfast stand, g ^ Setting his left leg somewhat foorth before, %$*> His arrow with his right hand nocking sure, '% '% Not stooping, nor yet standing straight upright, » 2 Then, with his left hand little 'bov€ his sight, <$ Stretching his arm out, with an easie strength, To draw an arrow of a yard in length." The lines " Invited royall princes from their courts Into the wild woods to behold their sports," may be reasonably supposed to allude to Henry VIII. who appears to have been particularly at- tached, as well to the exercise of archery, as to the observance of May. Some short time after his coronation, says Hall, he " came to Westminster, with the quene, and all their traine : and on a tyme being there, his grace, therles of Essex, Wil- shirs, and other noble menne, to the numbre of twelve, came sodainly in a mornyng into the quenes chambre, all appareled in short cotes of Kentish Kendal, with nodes on their heddes, and hosen of the same, every one of them his bowe and arrowes, and a sworde and a bucklar, like % Ixiv NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. outlawes, or 'Robyn* Hodes men; whereof the quene, the ladies, and al other there, were abashed, aswell for the straunge sight, as also for their so- dain commyng : and after certayn daunces and pastime made thei departed." (Hen. VIII. fo. 6, b.j The same author gives the following curious account of " A maiynge" in the 7th year of this monarch (1516) : " The kyng & the quene, ac- companied with many lordes and ladies, roade to the high grounde on Shoters hil to take the open ayre, and as they passed by the way they espied a company of tall yomen, clothed all in grene, with grene whodes & bowes & arrowes, to the number of ii. C. Then one of them whiche called hymselfe Robyn Hood, came to the kyng, desyring hym to se his men shote, & the kyng was content. Then he whisteled, & all the ii. C. archers shot & losed at once ; & then he whisteled again, and they likewyse shot agayne ; their arrowes whisteled by craft of the head, so that the noyes was straunge and great, and muche pleased the kyng, the quene, and all the company. All these archers were of the kynges garde, and had thus appareled them- selves to make solace to the kynge. Then Robyn Hood desyred the kyng and quene to come into the grene wood, and to se how the outlawes lyve. The kyng demaunded of the quene and her ladyes, if they durst adventure to go into the wood with so many outlawes. Then the quene said, if it pleased hym, she was content. Then the homes blewe tyll they came to the wood under Shoters- hill, and there was an arber made of bowes, with a hal, and a great chamber, and an inner cham- ber, very well made and covered with floures and swete herbes, whiche the kyng muche praised. Then sayd Robyn Hood, Sir, outlawes brekefastes NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. lxv is venyson, and therefore you must be content with such fare as we use. Then the kyng and quene sate doune, and were served with venyson and vyne by Robyn Hood and his men, to their great contentacion. Then the kyng departed and his company, and Robyn Hood and his men them conduicted; and as they were returnyng, there met with them two ladyes in a ryche chariot drawen with v. horses, and every horse had his name on his head, and on every horse sat a lady with her name written .... and in the chayre sate the lady May, accompanied with lady Flora, richely appareled ; and they saluted the kynge with diverse goodly songs, and so brought hym to Grenewyche. At this maiyng was a greate num- ber of people to beholde, to their great solace and confort." (fo.lvi, b.) That this sort of May-games was not peculiar to London, appears from a passage in Richard Robinsons " Third assertion Englishe historicall, frendly in favour and furtherance of English archery :" " And, heare because of archery I do by penne explane The use, the proffet, and the praise, to England by the same, Myselfe remembreth of a childe in contreye native mine, (1553) A May game was of Robyn Hood, and of his traine that time, (7. E. 6.) To traine up young men, stripplings and, eche other younger childe, In shooting, yearely this with solempne feast was by the guylde Or brotherhood of townsmen done, with sport, with joy, and love, To proffet which in present tyme, and afterward did prove," g3 Ixvi NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. The games of Robin Hood seem to have been occasionally of a dramatic cast. Sir John Paston, in the time of K. Edward IV. complaining of the ingratitude of his servants, mentions one who had promised never to desert him, " and ther uppon," says he, " I have kepyd hym thys iii yer to pleye seynt Jorge, and Robyn Hod and the shryf °ff Nottingham, and now when I wolde have good horse he is goon into Bernysdale, and I with - owt a keeper." In some old accounts of the church-wardens of Saint Helens, at Abingdon, Berks, for the year 1556, there is an entry For setting up Robins Hoodes bower ; I suppose, says Warton, for a parish interlude. (See History of English poetry, ii. 175.) In some places these games were nothing more than a morris-dance, in which Robin Hood, Little John, Maid Marian, and frier Tuck were the principal personages; the others being a clown or fool, the hobby-horse, (which appears, for some reason or other, to have been frequently forgot,) the taborer, and the dancers, who were more or less numerous. Thus Warner : " At Paske began our morrise, and ere penticost our May> Tho Robert Hood, litell John, frier Tucke, and Marten deaftly ptey, And lerd and ladie gang till kirke with Jads and lassies gay." In an old circular wood cut, preserved on the title of a penny-history, (Adam Bell, &c.) printed at Newcastle in 1772, is the apparent representa- tion of a morris-dance, consisting of the following personages: 1. A bishop. 2. Robin Hood. 3. The potter (or beggar). 4. Little John. 5. Frier Tuck 6. Maid Marian. Figures 2 and 4 are NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. lxvii distinguished by their bows, and different size. The frier holds out a cross; and Marian has flowing hair, and wears a sort of coronet. But the execution of the whole is too rude to merit a copy. In Scotland, " The game of Robin Hood was celebrated in the month of May. The populace assembled previous to the celebration of this fes- tival, and chose some respectable member of the corporation to officiate in the character of Robin Hood, and another in that of Little John his squire. Upon the day appointed, which was a Sun- day or holyday, the people assembled in military array, and went to some adjoining field, where, either as actors or spectators, the whole inhabi- tants of the respective towns were convened. In this field they probably amused themselves with a representation of Robin Hood's predatory ex- ploits, or of his encounters with the officers of justice [rather, perhaps, in feats of archery or military exercises]. " As numerous meetings for disorderly mirth are apt to engender tumult, when the minds of the people came to be agitated with religious con- troversy, it was found necessary to repress the game of Robin Hood by public statute. The populace were by no means willing to relinquish their favourite amusement. Year after year the magistrates of Edinburgh were obliged to exert their authority in repressing this game ; often in- effectually. In the year 1561, the mob were so enraged at being disappointed in making a Robin Hood, that they rose in mutiny, seized on the city-gates, committed robberies upon strangers ; and one of the ringleaders being condemned by g3 lxviii NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. the magistrates to be hanged, the mob forced open the jail, set at liberty the criminal and all the prisoners, and broke in pieces the gibbet erected at the cross for executing the malefactor. They next assaulted the magistrates, who were sitting in the council-chamber, and who fled to the tolbooth for shelter, where the mob attacked them, battering the doors, and pouring stones thro' the windows. Application was made to the deacons of the corporation to appease the tumult. Remaining, however, unconcerned spectators, they made this answer : " They will be magis- trates alone ; let them rule the people alone." The magistrates were kept in confinement till they made proclamation be published, offering indemnity to the rioters upon laying down their arms. Still, however, so late as the year 1592, we find the general assembly complaining of the profanation of the sabbath, by making of Robin Hood's plays' 9 ( Arnots History of Edinburgh, p. 77.) (BB) — " His bow, and one of bis arrows, his chair, his cap, and one of his slippers were pre- served till within the present century/'] (i We omitted/' says Ray, " the sight of Fountain's abbey, where Robin Hood's bow is kept/' (Iti- neraries, 1760, p. 161.) " Having pleased ourselves with the antiquities of ' Notingham/ we took horse and went to visit the well and ancient chair of Robin Hood, which is not far from hence, within the forest of Sher- wood. Being placed in the chair, we had a cap, which they say was his, very formally put upon our heads, and having performed the usual cere- monies befitting so great a solemnity, we receiv'd the freedom of the chair, and were incorporated NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. Ixix into the society of that renowned brotherhood." (Bromes Travels over England, &c. 1700, p. 85.) M On one side of this forest [sci. of Sherwood] towards Nottingham/' says the author of " The travels of Tom Thumb over England and Wales/' (*. e. Robert Dodsley,) " I was shewn a chair, a bow, and arrow, ail said to have been his [Ro- bin Hoods] property." (p. 82.) " I was pleased with a slipper, belonging to the famous Robin Hood, shewn me, fifty years ago, at St. Anns ivell, near Nottingham, a place upon the borders of Sherwood forest, to which he resorted." {Journey from "Birmingham to London, by IV. Button. Bir. 1785. p. 1747) (CC) — " not only places which afforded him security or amusement, but ever, the well at which he quenched his thirst, still retain his name."] Robin- Hoods-bay is both a bay and a village, on the coast of Yorkshire, between Whitby and Scarborough. It is mentioned by Leland as " a fischer tounlet of 20. bootes caullid Robyn Huddes bay, a dok or bosom of a mile yn length." {Itinerary, i. 53.) " When his robberies," says master Charlton, " became so numerous, and the outcries against him so loud, as almost to alarm the whole nation, parties of soldiers were sent down from London to apprehend him : and then it was, that fearing for his safety, he found it necessary to desert his usual haunts, and, re- treating northward, to cross the moors that sur- rounded Whitby, [one side whereof happens, a little unfortunately, to lye open to the sea,] where, gaining the sea-coast, he always had in readiness near at hand some small fishing vessels, to which he could have refuge, if he found himself pur- sued \ for, in these, putting off to sea, he looked lxx NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. upon himself as quite secure, and held the whole power of the English nation at defiance. The chief place of his resort at these times, where his boats were generally laid up, was about six miles from Whitby, to which he communicated his name, and which is still called Robin Hoods bay. There he frequently went a fishing in the summer season, even when no enemy appeared to annoy him, and not far from that place he had butts or marks set up, where he used to exercise his men in shooting with the long bow." Near Gloucester is " a famous hill," called " Robin Hoods hill ;" concerning which there is a very foolish modern song. Another hill of the same name exists in the neighbourhood of Castle- ton, Derbyshire. " Over a spring call'd Robin Hoods well, (3 or 4 miles [on] this side [i. e. north] of Don- caster, and but a quarter of a mile only from 2 towns cali'd Skelbrough and Bourwallis) is a very handsome stone arch, erected by the lord Carlisle, where passengers from the coach frequently drink of the fair water, and give their charity to two people who attend there." (Gents History of York. York, 1730, p. 234.) Though there is no attendance at present, nor is the water altogether so fair as it might and should be, the case was otherwise in the days of honest Barnaby. " Veni Doncastir, fyc. Nescit situs artem modi, Ptiteum Roberti Hoodi, Veni, Sf liquente vena Vinci o catino catena, Tollens sitim y parcum odi, Solvens obolum custodi. " Thence to Doncaster, &c. NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. Ixxi Thirst knows neither mean nor measure, Robin Hood's well was my tresaure ; In a common dish enchained, I my furious thirst restrained : And because I drank the deeper, I paid two farthings to the keeper." He mentions it again : " Nunc longinquos locos odi, Vale fons Roberti Hoodi. " Now I hate all foreign places Robin Hoods well, and his chaces." A different well, sacred either to Robin Hood, or to St. Ann, has been already mentioned. (DD) — " conferred as an honorable distinction upon the prime minister to the king of Mada- gascar "] The natives of this iland, who have dealings with our people, pride themselves, it seems, in English names,, which are bestowed upon them at the discretion or caprice of the sailors : and thus a venerable minister of state, who should have been called sir Robert Walpole or cardinal Fleury, acquired the name of Robin Hood. (EE) "After his death his company was dis- persed."] They, and their successors, disciples or followers, are supposed to have been afterward distinguished, from the name of their gallant leader, by the title of Roberdsmen. Lord Coke, who is somewhat singular in accusing him of living "by robbery, burning of houses, felony, waste and spoil, and principally by and with vagabonds, idle wanderers, night-walkers, and draw -latches," says that " albeit he lived in York- shire, yet men of his quality took their deno- mination of him, and were called Roberdsmen throughout all England. Against these men," continues he, " was the statute of Winchester Ixxii NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. made in 13 E. 1. [c. 14.] for preventing of rob- bery, murders, burning of houses, &c. Also the statute of 5 E. 3. [c. 14.] which 'recites* the statute of Winchester, and that there had been divers manslaughters, felonies, and robberies done in times past, by people that be called Roberds- men, wasters and draw-latches ; and remedy [is] provided by that act for the arresting of them. At the parliament holden 50 E. 3," he adds, " it was petitioned to the king that ribauds and sturdy beggars might be banished out of every town. The answer of the king in parliament was, touch- ing ribauds : The statute of Winchester and the, declaration of the same with other statutes of Ro- berdsmen, and for such as make themselves gentle- men; and men of armes, and archers, if they cannot so prove theirselves, let them be driven to their occupation or service, or to the place from whence they came." He likewise notices the statute of 7 It. 2 [c. 5.] by which it is provided " that the statutes of roberdsmen and draw-latches, be firmly holden and kept :" (3 Inst. 197.) (FF) — " the honour of little Johns death and burial is contended for by rival nations."] I. By England. At the village of Hathersage, about 6 miles from Castleton, in Derbyshire, is Little Johns grave. A few years ago some curious per- son caused it to be opened, when there were found several bones of an uncommon size, which he preserved ; but, meeting afterward with many unlucky accidents, he carefully replaced them ; partly at the intercession of the sexton, who had taken them up for him, and who had in like manner been visited with misfortunes : upon re- storing the bones ail these troubles ceased. Such is the tradition at Castleton. E. Hargrove, in his NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. lxxiii w Anecdotes of archery," York, 1792, asserts, that "the grave is distinguished by a large stone placed at the head, and another at the feet; on each of which are yet some remains of the letters I. L." (p. 26) IL By Scotland. « In Murray land" according to that most veracious historian, maister Hector Boece, " is the kirke of Pette, quhare the banis of lytill Johne remanis in gret admiratioun of pepiil. He hes bene fourtene fat of hycht with square membris effering thairto. Vi. zeris," continues he, " afore the cumying of this werk to lycht we saw his hanche-bane, als mekill as the haill bane of ane man : for we schot our arme in the mouth thairof. Be quhilk appe- ris how Strang and square pepiil grew in our re- gioun afore thay were effeminat with lust and in- temperance of mouth." III. By Ireland. " There standeth," as Stanihurst relates, " in Ostman- towne-greene an hiilocke, named little John his shot. The occasion," he says, " proceeded of this. " In the yeere one thousand one hundred foure score and nine, there ranged three robbers and outlaws in England, among which Robert Hood and little John weere cheefeteins, of all theeves doubtlesse the most courteous. Robert Hood being betrayed at a nunrie in Scotland called Bricklies, the remnant of the crue was scattered, and everie man forced to shift for himselfe. Whereupon little John was faine to flee the realme by sailing into Ireland, where he sojornied for a few daies at Dublin. The citizens being doone to understand the wandering outcast to be an excellent archer, requested him hartilie to trie how far he could shoot at randon ; who yeelding to their behest, stood on the bridge of Dublin, Uxiv NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. and shot to that mole bill, leaving behind him a monument, rather by his posteritie to be woon- dered, than possiblie by anie man living to be counterscored. But as the repaire of so notori- ous a champion to anie countrie would soone be published, so his abode could not be long con- cealed : and therefore to eschew the danger of [the] lawes, he fled into Scotland, where he died at a tovvne or village called Moravie." Thus Stanihurst, who is quoted by Dr. Hanmer in his Chronicle of Ireland, p. 179 ; but Mr. Walker, after observing that " poor Little John's great practical skill in archery could not save him from an ignominious fate," says, " it appeared, from some records in the Southwell family, that he was publicly executed for robbery on Arbor-hill, Dublin." (GG) — " some of his descendants, of the name of JSailor, <3fc."] See the preface to the History of George a Green. As surnames were by no means in general use at the close of the twelfth century, Little John may have obtained that of bailor from his original profession. (" Ye boasted worthies of the knuckle, To Maggs and to the Nailor truckle.") But however this, or the fact itself may be, a bow, said to have belonged to Little John, with thi name of Nay lor upon it, is now, as the editor i informed, in the possession of a gentleman in the west riding of Yorkshire. The quotation about whetstones is from the Sloan MS. Those, indeed, who recollect the equivocal meaning of the word may think that this production has not been altogether confined to the grave of Little John. ROBIN HOOD. PART I. A LYTELL GESTE OF ROBYN HODE. This ancient legend is printed from the copy of an edition, in 4to. and black letter, by Wynken de Worde, preserved in the public library at Cambridge ; compared with, and, in some places, corrected by, another impression (apparently from the former), likewise in 4to. and black letter, by William Cop- land ; a copy of which is among the late Mr. Garrick's old plays, now in the British Museum, The full title of the first edition is as follows : u Here beginneth a mery geste of Robyn Hode and his meyne, and of the proude sheryfe of Notyng- ham ; " and the printer's colophon runs thus : " Explycit. Kynge Edwarde and Robyn hode Sf Lytell Johan Enprented at London in Flete Slrete at the sygne ofthesone By Wynken de Worde* To Copland's edition is added <; a new playe for to be played in Maye games very plesaunte and full of pastyme ; " which will be found at large at the end of the vo~ lume. LlTHE and lysten, gentylmen, That be of irebore blode : I shall you tell of a good yeman, His name was Robyn Hode. 8 A LYTELL GESTE Robyn was a proude outlawe, Whyles he walked on grounde, So curteyse an outlawe as he was on« Was never none y founde. Robyn stode in Bernysdale, And lened hym to a tree, And by hym stode Lytell Johan, A good yeman was he ; And also dyde good Scathelock, And Much the millers sone ; There was no ynche of his body, But it was worthe a grome. Then be spake him Lytell Johan All unto Robyn Hode, Mayster, yf ye wolde dyne betyme, It wolde do you modi good. Then bespake good Robyn, To dyne I have no lust, Tyll I have some bold baron, Or some unketh gest, That may paye for the best ; Or some knyght or some squyere That dwelleth here by west. A good maner than had Robyn, In londe where that he were, Every daye or he woulde dyne Three messes wolde he here : The one in the worshyp of the fader, The other of the holy goost, The thyrde was of our dere lady, That he loved of all other most*. OF ROBYN HODE, Robyn loved our dere lady, For doute of dedely synne ; Woide he never do company harms That ony woman was ynne. Mayster, than sayd Lyteli Johan, And we our borde shall sprede, Tell us whether we shall gone, And what lyfe we shall lede ; Where we shall take, where we shall leva, Where we shall abide behynde, Where we shall robbe, where we shall reve, Where we shall bete and bynde. Ther of no fors, sayd Robyn, We shall do well ynough ; But loke ye do no housbonde harm That tylleth with his plough ; No more ye shall no good yeman, That waiketh by grene wode shawe, Ne no knyght ne no squyer, That wolde be a good felawe. These byshoppes, and thyse archebyshoppes, Ye shall them bete and bynde ; The hye sheryfe of Notynghame, Hym holde in your mynde. This worde shall be holde, sayd Lyteli Johan, And this lesson shall we lere ; It is ferre dayes, god sende us a gest, That we were at our dynere. Take thy good bowe in thy hande, said Robyn, Let Moche wende with the, And so shall Wyllyam Scathelocke, And no man abyde with me. B % A LYTELL GESTE And walke up to the Sayles, And so to Watlynge strete, And wayte after some unketh gest, Up chaunee ye mowe them mete. Be he erle or ony baron, Abbot or ony knyght, Brynge him to lodge to me, Hys dyner shall be dyght. They wente nnto the Sayles, These yemen all thre, They loked est, they loked west, They myght no man see. But as they loked in Barnysdale, By a derne strete, Then came there a knyght rydynge, Full sone they gan hym mete. All dreri then was his semblaunte, And lytell was hys pryde, Hys one fote in the sterope stode, That other waved besyde. His hode hangynge over hys eyen two, He rode in symple aray ; A soryer man than he was one Rode never in somers dav. Lytell Johan was curteyse, And set hym on his kne: Welcome be ye, gentyll knyght, Welcome are you to me, Welcome be thou to grene wood, Hende knyght and fie ; My mayster hath a byden you fastynge, Syr, all these oures thre. OF ROBYN HODE. Who is your mayster ? said the knyghto Johan sayde, Robyn Hode. He is a good yeman, sayd the knyght, Of hym I have herde moch good. I graunte, he sayd, with you to wende, My brethren all in fere ; My purpose was to have deyned to day At Blythe or Dankastere. Forthe than went this gentyll knyght, With a carefull chere, The teres out of his eyen ran, And fell downe by his lere. They brought hym unto the lodge dore, When Robyn gan hym se, Full curteysly dyde of his hode, And set hym on his kne. Welcome, syr knyght, then said Robyn, Welcome thou arte to me, I haue abyde you fastynge, syr, All these houres thre. 5 Then answered the gentyll knyght, With wordes fayre and fre, God the save, good Robyn, And all thy fayre meyne. 1 They washed togyder and wyped bothe, And set tyll theyr dynere ; Brede and wyne they had ynough, And nombles of the dere : Swannes and fesauntes they had full good, And foules of the revere ; There fayled never so lytell a byrde, That ever was bred on brere. B 3 A LYTELL GESTE Do gladly, syr knyght, said Robyn. Gramercy, syr, sayd he, Suche a dyner had I not Of all these w ekes thre : If I come agayne, Robyn, Here by this countr£, As good a dyner I shall the make, As thou hast made to me. Gramercy," knyght, sayd Robyn, My dyner whan 1 have, I was never so gredy, by dere worthy god, My dyner for to crave. But pay or ye wende, sayd Robyn, Me thynketh it is good ryght ; It was never the maner, by dere worthy god, A yeman to pay for a knyght. I have nought in my cofers, sayd the knyght, That I may profer for shame. Lytell Johan, go loke, said Robyn, Ne let not for no blame. Tell me trouth, sayd Robyn, So god have parte of the. I have no more but ten shillings, said the knyght, So god have parte of me. Yf thou have no more, sayd Robyn, I wyll not one peny ; And yf thou have nede of ony more, More shall I len the. Go now forth, Lytell Johan, The trouthe tell thou me, Yf there be no more but ten shillings^ Not one peny that I see. OF ROBYN HODE. Lytell Johan spred downe his mantell Full fayre upon the grounde, And there he founde in the knyghtes cofer But even halfe a pounde. Lytyll Johan let it lye full styll, And went to his mayster full lowe. What tydynge Johan ? sayd Robyn. " Syr, the knyght is trewe ioough*" Fyll of the best wyne, sayd Robyn, The knyght shall begynne : Moch wonder thynketh me Thy clothynge is so thinue. Tell me one worde, sayd Robyn, And counsel! shall it be : I trowe thou were made a knyght of forse, Or elles of yemanry ; Or elles thou hast ben a sorry housband, And ieved in stroke and stryfe ; An okerer, or elles a lechoure, sayd Robyn, With wronge hast thou lede thy lyfe. I am none of them, sayd the knyght, By god that made me ; An hondreth wynter here before, Myne aunsetters knyghtes have be. But ofte it hath befal, Robyn. A man hath be dysgrate ; But god that syteth in heven above May amend his state. Within two or thre yere, Robyn, he sayd, My ueyghbores well it ' kende/ Fonre hondreth pounde of good money Full wel thau myght I spende. A LYTELL GESTE Now have I no good, sayd the knyght, But my chyldren and my wyfe ; God hath shapen such an ende, Tyll god ' may amende my lyfe.' In what maner, sayd Robyn, Hast thou lore thy ryehes ? For my grete foly, he sayd, And for my kindenesse. I had a sone, for soth, Robyn, That sholde have ben my eyre, When he was twenty wynter olde, In felde wolde juste full feyre: He slewe a knyght of Lancastshyre, And a squyre bolde ; For to save hym in his ryght My goodes beth sette and solde ; My londes beth set to wedde, Robyn, Untyll a certayne daye, To a ryche abbot here besyde, Of Saynt Mary abbay. What is the somme? sayd Robyn, Trouthe than tell thou me. Syr, he sayd, foure hondred pounde, The abbot tolde it to me. Now, and thou lese thy londe, sayd Robyn, What shall fall of the? Hastely I wyll me buske, sayd the knyght, Over the salte see, And se where Cryst was quycke and deecj, On the mounte of Caluare. Fare well, frende, and have good daye, It may noo better be OF ROBYN HODE. Teeres fell out of his eyen two, He wolde haue gone his waye — Farewell, frendes, and have good day, I ne have more to pay. Where be thy frendes ? sayd Robyn. " Syr, never one wyll me know ; Whyle I was ryche inow at home Grete bost then wolde they blowe, And now they renne awaye fro me, As bestes on a rowe ; They take no more heed of me Then they me never sawe." For ruthe then wepte Lytell Joban, Scathelocke and Much * in fere.* Fyll of the best wyne, sayd Robyn, For here is a symple chere. Hast thou ony frendes, sayd Robyn, Thy borowes that wyll be ? I have none, then sayd the knyght, But god that dyed on a tree. Do waye thy japes, sayd Robyn, Therof wyll 1 right none ; Wenest thou I wyll have god to borowe? Peter, Poule or Johan ? Nay, by hym that me made, And shope both sonne and mone, Fynde a better borowe, sayd Robyn, Or mony getest thou none, I have none other, sayd the knyght, The sothe for to say, But yf it be our dere lady, She fayled me never or this day. to A LYTELL GESTE * By dere worthy god, sayd Robyn, To seche all Englond thorowe, Yet founde I uever to my pay, A moch better borowe. Come now forthe, Lytell Johan, And goo to my tresoure, And brynge me rbure hondred pounde. And loke that it weil tolde be. Forthe then wente Lytell Johan, And Scathelocke went before, He tolde out foure hondred pounde, By eyghtene score. Is this well tolde ? sayd lytell Much, Johan sayd, What greveth the i It is almes to helpe a gentyll knyght That is fall in poverty. Mayster, than sayd Lytell Johan, His clothynge is full thynne, Ye must gyve the knyght a lyveray, To < lappe' his body ther in. for ye have scarlet and grene, mayster, And many a ryche aray, There is no marchaunt in mery Englonde So ryche I dare well saye. Take hym thre yerdes of every coloure, And loke that well mete it be. Lytell Johan toke none other mesure But his bo we tre, And of every handfull that he met He lept ouer fotes thre. What devilkyns draper, sayd litell Much, Thy nkyst thou to be? OF ROBYN HODE. 11 ? Scathelocke stoode full styll and lough, And sayd, By god allmygut, Johau may gyve hym the better mesure, By god, it cost him but lyght. Mayster, sayd Lytell Johan, All unto Robyn Hode, Ye must gyve that knight au hors, To lede home al this good, | Take hym a gray courser, sayd Robyn, And a sadell newe ; He is our ladyes messengere, God lene that he be true. i And a good palfraye, sayd lytell Moch, To mayntayne hym in his ryght. And a payre of botes, sayd Scathelocke, For he is a gentyli knyght. What shall thou gyve him, Ly tel Johan ? sayd Robyn. Syr, a payre of gylte spores clene, To pray for all this company : God brynge hym out of tene ! Whan shall my daye be, sayd the knyght, Syr, and your wyll be ? This daye twelve moneth, sayd Robyn, Under this grene wode tre. It were grete shame, sayd Robyn, A knyght alone to ryde, Without squyer, yeman, or page, To walke by hys syde. I shall the lene Lytyll Johan my man, For he shall be thy knave ; In a yemans steed he may the stonde, Yf thou grete nede have. 12 A LYTELL GESTE THE SECONDE FYTTE. Nowe is the knyght went on this way, This game he thought full good, When he loked on Bernysdale, He blyssed Robyn Hode ; And whan he thought on Bernysdale, On ScatheJock, Much, and Johan, He blyssed them for the best company That ever he in come. Then spake that gentyll knyght, To Lytel Johan gan he saye, To morrowe I must to Yorke toune, To Saynt Mary abbay ; And to the abbot of that place Foure hondred pounde I must pay : And but I be there upon this nyght My londe is lest for ay. The abbot sayd to his covent, There he stode on grounde, This day twelfe moneth came there a knyght And borowed foure hondred pounde. [He borowed foure hondred pounde,] Upon all his londe fre, But he come this ylke day Dysherytye shall he be. It is full erely, sayd the pryoure, The day is not yet ferre gone, I had lever to pay an hondred pounde, And lay it downe a none. OF ROBYN HODE. 13 The knyght is ferre be yonde the see, In Englonde is his ryght, And suffreth honger and colde And many a sory nyght : It were grete pyte, sayd the pryoure, So to have his londe, And ye be so lyght of your conseyence Ye do to him moch wronge. Thou arte euer in my berde, sayd the abbot, By god and saynt Rycharde. "With that cam in a fat heded monke P The heygh selerer ; He is dede or hanged, sayd the monke, By god that bought me dere, And we shall have to spende in this place Foure hondred pounde by yere. The abbot and the hy selerer, Sterte forthe full bolde, The high justyce of Englonde The abbot there dyde holde. The hye justyce and many mo Had take into their honde Holy all the knyghtes det, To put that knyght to wronge. They d erne d the knyght wonder sore, The abbot and hys meyne : " But he come this ylke day Dysheryte shall he be." He wyll not come yet, sayd the justyce, I dare well under take. But in sorowe tyme for them all The knyght came to the gate. c 14 A LYTELL GESTE Than be spake that gentyll knyght Untyll hys ineyne, Now put on your symple wedes That ye brought fro the see. [They put on their symple wedes,] And came to the gates anone, The porter was redy hymselfe, And welcomed them everychone. Welcome, syr knyght, sayd the porter, My lorde to mete is he, And so is many a gentyll man, For the love of the. The porter swore a full grete othe, By god that made me, Here be the best coresed hors That ever yet sawe I me. Lede them into the stable, he sayd, That eased myght they be. They shall not come therin, sayd the knyght, By god that dyed on a tre. Lordes were to mete isette In that abbotes hall, The knyght went forth and kneled downe And salved them grete and small. Do gladly, syr abbot, sayd the knyght, I am come to holde my day. The fyrst word the abbot spake, Hast thou brought my pay ? Not one peny, sayd the knyght, By god that maked me. Thou art a shrewed dettour, sayd the abbot ; Syr justyce, drynke to me. OF ROBYN HODE. 1$ What doost thou here, sayd the abbot, But thou haddest brought thy pay? For god, than sayd the knyght, To pray of a lenger daye. Thy daye is broke, sayd thejustyce, Londe getest thou none. li Now, good syr justyce, be my frende, And fende me of my fone. ,, I am holde with the abbot, sayd the justyce, Bothe with cloth and fee. u Now, good syr sheryf, be my frende." Nay for god, sayd he. 46 Now, good syr abbot, be my frende, For thy curteyse, And holde my londes in thy honde Tyll I have made the gree ; And I wyll be thy true servaunte, And trewely serve the, Tyl ye have foure hondred pounde Of money good and free." * The abbot sware a full grete othe, By god that dyed on a tree, Get the londe where thou may, For thou getest none of me. By dere worthy god, then sayd the knyght, That all this worlde wrought, But I have my londe agayne Full dere it shall be bought ; God that was of a mayden borne Lene us well to spede, For it is good to assay a frende Or that a man have nede. c % 16 A LYTELL GESTE The abbot lothely on hym gan loke And vylaynesly hym gan 4 call/ Out, he sayd, thou false knyght, Spede the out of my hall. Thou lyest, then sayd the gentyll knyght, Abbot in thy hal ; False knyght was I never, By god that made us all. Up then stode that gentyll knyght, To the abbot sayd he, To suffre a knyght to knele so longe, Thou canst no curteysye; In joustes and in tournement Full ferre than have I be, And put myselfe as ferre in prees As ony that ever I se. What wyll ye gyve more ? sayd the justyce, And the knyght shall make a releyse ; And elies dare I safly swere Ye holde never your londe in pees. An hondred pounde, sayd the abbot. The justyce said, Gyve him two. Nay, be god, sayd the knyght, Yet gete ye it not soo : Though ye wolde gyve a thousande more, Yet were * ye' never the nere ; Shall there never be myn eyre, Abbot, justyce, ne frere. He sterte him to a borde anone, Tyll a table rounde, And there he shoke out of a bagge Even foure hondred pounde. OF ROBYN HODE. 17 Have here thy golde, syr abbot, sayd the knyght, Which that thou lentest me ; Haddest thou ben curteys at my comynge, Rewarde sholdest thou have be. The abbot sat sty 11, and ete no more, For all his ryall chere, He caste his hede on his sholder, And fast began to stare. Take me my golde agayne, sayd the abbot, Syr justyce, that I toke the. Not a peny, sayd the justyce, By god that dyed on a tre. u Syr abbot, and ye men of lawe, Now have I holde my daye, Now shall I have my londe agayne, For ought that you can saye." The knyght stert out of the dore, Awaye was all his care, And on he put his good clothynge, The other he lefte there. He wente hym forthe full mery syngynge, As men have tolde iu tale, His lady met hym at the gate, At home in Uterysdale. Welcome, my lorde, sayd his lady ; Syr, lost is all your good ? • Be mery, dame, sayd the knyght, And praye for Robyn Hode, That ever his soule be in blysse, He holpe me out of my tenej Ne had not be his kyndenesse, Beggers had we ben. € 3 18 A LYTELL GESTE The abbot and I acordyd ben, He is served of his pay, The good yeman lent it me, As I came by the way. This knyght than dwelled fayre at home, The soth for to say, Tyll he had got foure hondreth pounde, All redy for too paye, He purveyed hym an hondred bowes, The strenges [were] welle dyght, An hondred shefe of arowes good, The hedes burnyshed full bryght, And every arowe an elle longe, With pecocke well y dyght, Inoeked all with whyte sylver, It was a semly syght. He purveyed hym an hondreth men, Well harneysed in that stede, And hymselfe in that same sete, And clothed in whyte and rede. He bare a launsgay in his honde, And a man ledde his male, And reden with a lyght songe, Unto Bernysdale. As he went at a brydge ther was a wrastelyng, f^nd there taryed was he, And there was all the best yemen, Of all the west countree. A full fayre game there was upset, A whyte bull up ipyght; A grete courser with sadle and brydil, With golde burneyshed full bryght 5 OF ROBYN HODE. 13 A payre of gloves, a rede golde rynge, A pype of wyne, in good fay: What man bereth him best I wys, The pryce shall bere away. There was a yeman in that place, And best worthy was he, And for he was ferre and frend bestad, Islayne he sholde have be. The knyght had reuth of this yeman, In place where that he stode, He said that yoman sholde have no harme, For love of Robyn Hode. The knyght presed into the place, An hondred folowed hym ' fre,' With bowes bent, and arowes sharpe, For to shende that company. They sholdred all, and made hym rome, To wete what he wolde say, He toke the yeman by the honde, And gave hym all the playe ; He gave hym fyve marke for his wyne, There it laye on the molde, And bad it sholde be sette a broche, Drynke who so wolde. Thus longe taryed this gentyll knyght, Tyll that playe was done, So longe abode Robyn fastynge, Thre houres after the none. 20 A LYTELL GESTE THE THYRDE FYTTE, Lyth and lysten, gentyll men, All that now be here, Of Lytell Johan, that was the knyghtes man, Good myrthe ye shall here; It was upon a mery day, i That yonge men wolde go shete, Lytell Johan fet his bowe anone, And sayd he wolde them mete. Thre tymes Lytell Johan shot about, And alway cleft the wande, The proude sheryf of Notyngham By the markes gan stande. The sheryf swore a full grete othe, By hym that dyed on a tree, This man is the best archere That yet sawe I me. Say me now, wyght yonge man, What is now thy name ? In what countre were thou born, And where is thy wonnynge wan? u In Holdernesse I was bore, I wys all of my dame, Men call me Reynolde Grenelefe, When I am at hame. ,, " Say me, Reynaud Grenelefe, Wolte thou dwell with me? And every yere I wyll the gyve Twenty marke to thy fee." OFROBYN HODE. £1 I have a mayster, sayd Lytell Johan, A curteys knyght is he, May ye gete leve of hym 3 The better may it bee. The sheryfe gate Lytell Johan Twelve monethes of the knyght, Therfore he gave him ryght anone A good hors and a wyght. Now is Lytel Johan the sheryffes man He gyve us well to spede, But alway thought Lytell Johan To quyte hym well his mede. Now so god me helpe, sayd Lytel Johan, And be my trewe lewte, I shall be the worste servaunte to hym That ever yet had he. It befell upon a Wednesday, The sheryfe on hontynge was gone, And Lytel Johan lay in his bed, And was foryete at home. Therfore he was fastynge Tyl it was past the none. Good syr stuard, I pray the, Geve me to dyne, sayd Lytel Johan, It is to long for Grenelefe, Fastynge so long to be ; Therfore I pray the, stuarde, My dyner gyve thou me. Shalt thou never ete ne drynke, sayd the stuarde, Tyll my lord be come to towne, I make myn avowe to god, sayd Lytell Johan, I had lever to cracke thy crowne. %l A LYTELL GESTE The butler was fill uncurteys, There he stode on flore, He sterte to the buttery, And shet fast the dore. Lytell Johan gave the buteler such a rap R His backe yede nygh on two, Tho he lyved an hundreth wynter, The wors he sholde go. He sporned the dore with his fote, It went up wel and fyne, And there he made a large lyveray Both of ale and wyne. Syth ye wyl not dyne, sayd Lytel Johan, I shall gyve you to drynke, And though ye lyve an hondred wynter, On Lytell Johan ye shall thynk. Lytell Johan ete, and Lytell [Johan] dronke, The whyle that he wolde. The sheryfe had in his kechyn a coke, A stoute man and a bolde. I make myn avowe to god, sayd the coke, Thou arte a shrewde hynde, In an housholde to dwel, For to ask thus to dyne. And there he lent Lytel Johan Good strokes thre. I make myn avowe, sayd Lytell Johan, These strokes lyketh well me. Thou arte a bold e man and an hardy, And so thynketh me ; And or I passe fro this place, Asayed better shalt thou be. OF ROBYN HODE. 13 Lytell Johan drewe a good swerde, The coke toke another in honde ; They thought nothynge for to fie, But styfly for to stonde. There they fought sore togyder, Two myle way and more, Myght neyther other harme done* The xnountenaunce of an houre. I make myn avowe to god, sayd Lytell Johan, And be my trewe lewte, Thou art one of the best swerdemen, That ever yet sawe I me. Coowdest thou shote as well in a bowe, To grene wood thou sholdest with me, And two tymes in the yere thy clothynge Ichauuged sholde be ; And every yere of Robyn Hode Twenty marke to thy fee. Put up thy swerde, sayd the coke, And felowes wyll we be. Then he fette to Lytell Johan The numbles of a doo, Good brede and full good wyne, They ete and dranke therto. And whan they had dronken well, Ther trouthes togyder they plyght, That they wolde be with Robyn That ylke same day at nyght. They dyde them to the tresure hous, As fast as they myght gone, The lockes that were of good stele They brake them everychone ; £4 A LYTELL GESTE They toke away the sylver vessell, And all that they myght get, Peces, masars, and spones, Wolde they non forgete ; Also they toke the good pence, Thre hondred pounde and three ; And dyde them strayt to Robyn Hode, Under the grene wode tre. " God the save, my dere mayst^r, And Cryst the save and se." And than sayd Robyn to Lytell Johan, Welcome myght thou be : And also be that fayre yeman Thou bryngest there with the. What tydynges fro Notyngham ? Lytell johan tell thou me. " Well the greteth the proude sheryfe, And sende the here by me His coke and his sylver vessell, And thre hondred pounde and thre." I make myn avow to god, sayd Robyn, And to the trenytd, It was never by his good wyll, This good is come to me. Lytell Johan hym there bethought, On a shrewed wyle, Fy ve myle in the forest he ran, Hym happed at his wyll ; Than he met the proud sheryf, Huntynge with hounde and home, Lytell Johan coud his curteysye, And kneled hym beforne : OF ROBYN HODE. " God the save, my dear mayster, And Cryst the save and see." Raynolde Grenelefe, sayd the sheryfe, Where hast thou nowe be? " I have be in this forest, A fay re syght can I se, It was one of the fay rest syghtes That ever yet sawe I me ; Yonder I se a ryght fayre hart, His coloure is of grene, Seven score of dere upon an herd© Be with hym all bedene ; His tynde are so sharp, mayster, Of sexty and well mo, That I durst not shote for drede Lest they wolde me sloo." I make myn avowe to god, sayd the sheryf, That syght wolde I fayne se. u Buske you thyderwarde, my dere mayster Anone and wende with me." The sheryfe rode, and Lytell Johan Of fote he was full smarte, And whan they came afore Robyn : " Lo, here is the mayster harte ! " Sty 11 stode the proude sheryf, A sory man was he : " Wo worthe the, kaynolde Grenelefe Thou hast now betrayed me." I make myn avowe to god, sayd Lytell Johan, Mayster, ye be to blame, I was mysserved of my dynere, When I was with you at name. D K A LYTELL GESTE Soone he was to super sette, And served with sylver whyte ; And whan the sheryf se his vessel!, For sorowe he myght not ete. Make good chere, sayd Robyn Hode, Sheryfe, for charyt£, And for the love of Lytell Johan, Thy lyfe is graunted to the. When they had supped well, The day was all agone, Robyn commaunded Lytell Johan To drawe of his hosen and his shone, His kyrtell and his cote a pye, That was furred well fyne, And take him a grene manteil, To lappe his body therin. Robyn commaunded his wyght yong men, Under the grene wood tre, They shall lay in that same sorte ; That the sheryf myght them se. All nyght laye that proud sheryf, In his breche and in his sherte, No wonder it was in grene wode, Tho his sydes do smerte. Make glad chere, sayd Robyn Hode, Sheryfe, for charyt£, For this is our order I wys, Under the grene wood tre. This is harder order, sayd the sheryfe, Than ony anker or frere ; For al the golde in mery Englonde I wolde not longe dwell here. OF ROBYN HODE. 27 All these twelve monethes, sayd Robyn, Thou shalte dwell with me ; I shall the teche, proud sheryfe, An outlawe for to be. Or I here another nyght lye, sayd the sheryfe, Robyn, now I praye the, Smyte of my hede rather to morne, And I forgyve it the. Lete me go, then sayd the sheryf, For saynt Charyte, And I wyil be thy best frende That ever yet had the. Thou shalte swere me an othe, sayd Robyn, On my bryght bronde, Thou shalt never awayte me scathe, By water ne by londe 5 And if thou fynde ony of my men, By nyght or by day, Upon thyne othe thou shalt swere, To helpe them that thou may. Now have the sheryf iswore his othe, And home he began to gone, He was as full of grene wode As ever was hepe of stone. THE FOURTH FYTTE. The sheryf dwelled in Notynghame, He was fayne that he was gone, And Robyn and his mery men Went to wode anone. D % 28 A LYTELL GESTE Go we to dyner, sayd Lytell Johan* Robyn Hode sayd, Nay; For I drede our lady be wroth with me, For she sent me not my pay. Have no dout, mayster, sayd Lytell Johan, Yet is not the sonne at rest, For I dare saye, and sanfly swere, The knyght is trewe and trust. Take thy bowe in thy hande, sayd Robyn, Let Moch wende with the, And so shall Wyllyam Scathelock, And no man abyde with me, And walke up into the Sayles, And to Watlynge strete, And wayte after ' some ' unketh gest, Up chaunce ye may them mete. Whether he be messengere, Or a man that myrthes can, Or yf he be a pore man, Of my good he shall have some. Forth then stert Lytel Johan, Half in tray and tene, And gyrde hym with a full good swerde, Under a mantel of grene. They went up to the Sayles, These yemen all thre ; They loked est, they loked west, They myght no man se. But as < they ' loked in Bernysdale, By the hye waye, Than were they ware of two blacke monkes, Eche on a good palferay. OF ROBYN HODE. 29 Then bespake Lytell Johan, To Much he gan say, I dare lay my lyfe to wedde, That these monkes have brought our pay* Make glad chere, sayd Lytell Johan, And frese our bowes of ewe, And loke your hertes be seker and sad, Your strynges trusty and trewe. The monke hath fifty two men, And seven somers full stronge, There rydeth no byshop in this londe, So ryally, I understond. Brethern, sayd Lytell Johan, Here are no more but we thre ; But we brynge them to dyner, Our mayster dare we not se. Bende your bowes, sayd Lytell Johan, Make all yon prese to stonde, The formost monke, his lyfe and his deth Is closed in my honde. Abyde, chorle monke, sayd Lytell Johan, No ferther that thou gone ; Yf thou doost, by dere worthy god, Thy deth is in my honde. And evyll thryfte on thy hede, said Lytell Johan, Ryght under thy hattes bonde, For thou hast made our mayster wroth, He is fastynge so longe. Who is your mayster ? sayd the monke. Lytell Johan sayd, Robyn Hode. He is a stronge thefe, sayd the monke, Of hym herd I never good. » 3 30 A LYTELL GESTE Thou lyest, than sayd Lytell Johan, And that shall rewe the ; He is a yeman of the forest, To dyne he hath bode the. Much was redy with a bolte, Redly and a none, He sent the monke to fore the brest, To the grounde that he can gone. Of fifty two wyght yonge men, There abode not one, Saf a lytell page, and a grome To lede the somers with Johan. They brought the monke to the lodge dore, Whether he were loth or lefe, For to speke with Robyn Hode, Maugre in theyr tethe. Robyn dyde adown his bode, The monke whan that he se ; The monke was not so eurteyse, His hode then let he be. He is a chorle, mayster, by dere worthy god, Than said Lytell Johan. Thereof no force, sayd Robyn, For curteysy can he none. How many men, sayd Robyn, Had this monke, Johan ? 11 Fifty and two whan that we met, But many of them be gone." Let blowe a home, sayd Robin, That felaushyp may us knowe ; Seven score of wyght yemen, Came pryckynge on a rowe, OF ROBYN HODE. 31 And everych of them a good mantell, Of scarlet and of raye, All they came to good Robyn, To wyte what he wolde say. They made the monke to washe and wype, And syt at his denere, Robyn Hode and Lytel Johan They served * him' bo the in fere. Do gladly, monke, sayd Robyn, Gramercy, syr, said he. " Where is your abbay, when ye are at home, And who is your avowe ?" Saynt Mary abbay, sayd the monke, Though I be symple here. In what offyce ? sayd Robyn. u Syr, the hye selerer." Ye be the more welcome, sayd Robyn, So ever mote I the. Fyll of the best wyne, sayd Robyn, This monke shall drynke to me. But I have grete mervayle, sayd Robyn, Of all this longe day, I drede our lady be wroth with me, She sent me not my pay. Have no doute, mayster, said Lytell Johan, Ye have no need I saye, This monke it hath brought, I dare well swere, For he is of her abbay. And she was a borowe, sayd Robyn, Betwene a knyght and me, Of a lytell money that I hym lentj Under the grene wode tree ; 52 A LYTELL GESTE And yf thou hast that sylver ibroughte, I praye the let me se, And I shall helpe the eft sones, Yf thou have nede of me. The monke swore a full grete othe, With a sory ehere, Of the borowehode thou spekest to me # Herde I never ere. I make myn avowe to god, sayd Robyn, Monke, thou arte to blame, For god is holde a ryghtwys man, And so is his dame. Thou toldest with thyn owne tonge, Thou may not say nay, How thou arte her servaunt, And servest her every day. And thou art made her messengere, My money for to pay, Therfore I cun the more thanke, Thou arte come at thy day. What is in your cofers ? sayd Robyn, Trewe than tell thou me. Syr, he sayd, twenty marke, Ai so mote I the. Yf there be no more, sayd Robyn, I wyllnot one peny; Yf thou hast myster of ony more, Syr, more I shall lende to the ; And yf I fynde more, sayd Robyn, I wys thou shalte it forgone ; For of thy spendynge sylver, monk, Therof wyll I ryght none. 0F ROBYN HODE. 33 Go nowe forthe, Lytell Johan, And the trouth tell thou me ; If there be no more but twenty niarke, No peny that I se. Lytell Johan spred his mantell downe^ As he had done before, And he tolde out of the monkes male, Eyght hundreth pounde and more, Lytell Johan let it lye full styll, And went to his mayster in hast ; Syr, he sayd, the monke is trewe ynowe, Our lady hath doubled your cost. I make myn avowe to god, sayd Robyn, Monke, what tolde I the ? Our lady is the trewest woman, That ever yet founde I me. By dere worthy god, sayd Robyn, To seche all Englond thorowe, Yet founde I never to my pay A moche better borowe. Fyll of ye best wvne, do hym drynke, sayd Robyn, And grete well thy lady hende, And yf she have nede of Robyn Hode, A frende she shall hym fynde ; And yf she nedeth ony more sylver, Come thou agayne to me, And by this token she hath me sent, She shall have such thre. The monke was going to London ward, There to hold grete mote, The knyght that rode so hye on hors, To brynge him under fote. 34 A LYTELL GEvSTE Whether be ye away ? sayd Robyn. " Syr, to maners in this londe, Too reken with our reves, That have done moch wronge." li Come now forth, Lytell Johan, And hark en to my tale, A better yeman I knowe none, To seke a monkes male." How moch is in yonder other i cofer?' sayd Robyn, The soth must we see. By our lady, than sayd the monke, That were no curteysye, To bydde a man to dyner, And syth hym bete and bynde. It is our olde maner, sayd Robyn, To leve but lytell behynde. The monke toke the hors with spore, No lenger wolde he abyde. Aske to drynke, than sayd Robyn, Or that ye forther ryde. Nay, for god, than sayd the monke, Me reweth I cam so nere, For better chepe I myght have dyned, In Blythe or in Dankestere. Grete well your abbot, sayd Robyn, And your pryour, I you pray, And byd hym send me such a monke, To dyner every day. I Now lete we that monke be styil, And speke we of that knyght, Yet he came to holde his day, Whyle that it was lyght. OF ROBYN HODE. 35 He dyde hym streyt to Bernysdale, Under the grene wpde tre, And he found e there Robyn Hode, And all his mery meyne. The knyght lyght downe of his good palfray, Robyn whan he gan see, So curteysly he dyde adoune his hode, And set hym on his knee. " God the save, good Robyn Hode, And al this company." u Welcome be thou, gentyll knyght, And ryght welcome to me." Than bespake hym Robyn Hode, To that knyght so fre, What nede dryveth the to grene wode? I pray the, syr knyght, tell me. And welcome be thou, gentyl knyght, Why hast thou be so lbnge ? " For the abbot and the bye justyce Wolde have had my londe." Hast thou thy lond agayne? said Robyn, Treuth than tell thou me. Ye, for god, sayd the knyght, And that thanke I god and the. But take not a grefe, I have be so longe ; I came by a wrastelynge, And there I dyd holpe a pore yeman, With wronge was put behynde. Nay, for god, sayd Robyn, Syr knyght, that thanke I the ; What man that helpeth a good yeman, His frende than wyll I be. $6 A LYTELL GESTE Have here foure hondred pounde, than sayd the knyght, The whiche ye lent to me ; And here is also twenty marke For your curteysy. Nay, for god, than sayd Robyn, Thou broke it well for ay, For our lady, by her selerer, Hath sent to me my pay ; And yf I toke it twyse, A shame it were to me: But trewely, gentyll knyght, Weleom arte thou to me. Whan Robyn had tolde his tale, He leugh and had good chere. By my trouthe, then sayd the knyght, Your money is redy here. Broke it well, sayd Robyn, Thou gentyll knyght so fre ; And weleome be thou, gentyll knyght, Under my trystell tre. But what shall these bowers do? sayd Robyn, And these arowes ifedered fre? By god, than sayd the knyght, A pore present to the. u Come now forth, Lytell Johan, And go to my treasure^ And brynge me there foure hondred pounde, The monke over tolde it me. Have here foure hondred pounde, Thou gentyll knyght and trewe, And bye hors and harnes good, And gylte thy spores ail newe : OF ROBYN HODE. 37 And yf thou fayle ony spendynge, Com to Robyn Hode, And by my trouth thou shalt none fayle The whyles I have any good. And broke well thy four hundred pound, Whiche I lent to the, And make thy selfe no more so bare, By the counsel! of me. Thus than holpe hym good Robyn, The knyght all of his care. God, that sytteth in heven hye, Graunte us well to fare. THE FYFTH FYTTE. Now hath the knyght his leve itake, And wente hym on his way ; Robyn Hode and his mery men Dwelled sty 11 full many a day. Lyth and lysten, gentil men, And herken what I shall say, How the proud sheryfe of Notyngham Dyde crye a full fayre play : That all the best archers of the north; Sholde come upon a day, And they that shoteth ' alder' best The game shall bere away. " He that shoteth < alder' best Furthest fayre and lowe, At a pa\re of fynly buttes, Under the grene wode shawe* E 38 A LYTELL GESTE A ryght good arowe he shall have, The shaft of sylver why te, The heade and the feders of ryche rede golde, In Englond is none tyke." This then herde good Robyn, Under his trystell tre : 11 Make you redy, ye wyght yonge men, That shotynge wyll I se. Buske you, my mery yonge men. Ye shall go with me ; And I wyll wete the shryves fayth, Trewe and yf he be." When they had theyr bowes ibent, Theyr takles fedred fre, Seven score of wyght yonge men Stode by Robyus kne. i Whan they cam to Notyngham, The buttes were fayre and longe, Many was the bolde archere That shoted with bowes stronge. " Tliere shall but syx shote with me, The other sbal kepe my hede, And stande with good bowe* bent That I be not desceyved." The fourth outlawe his bowe gan bende, And that was Robyn Hode, And that behelde the proude sheryfe, All by the but he stode. Thryes Robyn shot about, And alway he slit the wand, And so dyde good Gylbeite, With the whyte haiide. OF ROBYN HODE. 59 Lytell Johau and good Scatheloke Were archers good and fre ; Lytell Much and good Reynolde, The worste wolde they not be. Whan they had shot aboute, These archours fayre and good, Evermore was the best, Forsoth, Robyn Hode. I Hym was delyvered the goode arow, For best worthy was he ; He toke the yeft so curteysly, To grene wode wolde he, They cryed out on Robyn Hode, And great homes gan they blowe, Wo worth the, treason ! sayd Robyn, Full evyl thou art to knowe. And wo be thou, thou proud sheryf, Thus gladdynge thy gest, Other wyse thou behote me In yonder wylde forest ; But had I the in grene wode. Under my trystell tre, Thou sholdest leve me a better wedde Than thy trewe lewte. 1 Full many a bowe there was bent, And arowes let they glyde, Many a kyrtell there was rent, And hurt many a syde. i The outlawes shot was so stronge, That no man myght them dryve, And the proud sheryfes men They tied away full blyve. £ 2 40 A LYTELL GESTE Robyn sawe the bushement to broke, In grene wode he wolde have be, Many an arowe there was shot Amonge that company. Lytell Johan was hurte full sore, With an arowe in his kne, That he myght neyther go nor ryde ; It was fill! grete pyte. Mayster, then sayd Lytell Johan, If ever thou lovest me, And for that ylke lordes love, That dyed upon a tie, And for the medes of my servyce, That I have served the, Lete never the proude sheryf Aly ve now fynde me ; But take out thy browne swerde, And smyte ail of my hede, And gyve me woundes dede and wyde, No iyfe on me be lefte. I wolde not that, sayd Robyn, Johan, that thou were slawe, For all the golde in mery Englond, Though it lay now on a rawe, God forbede, sayd lytell Much, That dyed on a tie, That thou sholdest, Lytell Johan, Parte our company. Up he toke him on his backe, And bare hym well a myle, Many a tyme he layd hym downe> And shot another whyle. OF ROBYN HODE. 41 Then was there a fayre castell, A lytell within the wode, Double dyched it was about, And walled, by the rode ; And there dwelled that gentyll knyght, Syr Rychard at the Lee, That Robyn had lent his good, Under the grene wode tree. In he toke good Robyn, And all his company : " Welcome be thou, Robyn Hode, Welcome arte thou [to] me ; And moche [I] thanke the of thy comfort, And of thy curteysye, And of thy grete ky ndenesse, Under the grene wode tre ; I love no man in all this worlde So mocli as I do the ; For all the proud sheiyf of Notyngham, Ryght here shalt thou be. Shyt the gates, and drawe the bridge, And let no man com in ; And arme you well and make you redy, And to the walle ye wynne. For one thyng, Robyn, I the behote, I swere by saynt Quyntyn, These twelve dayes thou wonest with me, To suppe, ete, and dyne. Bordes were layed, and clothes spied, Reddely and anone ; Robyn Hode and his mery men To mete gan they gone. £ 3 42 A LYTELL GESTE THE SYXTE FYTTE. Lythe and lysten, gentylmen And herken unto your songe, How the proude sheryfe of Notyngham, And men of armes stronge. Full faste came to the hye sheryfe, The countre up to rout, And they beset the knyghts castell, The walles all about. The proude sheryf loude gan crye, And sayd, Thou traytour knyght, Thou kepeste here the kynges enemye, Agayne the lawes and ryght. u Syr, I wyll avowe that I have done, The dedes that here be dyght, Upon all the londes that I have, As I am a trewe knyght. Wende forthe, syrs, on your waye, And doth no more to me, Tyll ye wytte our kynges wyll What he woll say to the." The sheref thus had his answere, With out ony leasvnge, Forthe he yode to London toune, All for to tel our kynge. There he tolde him of that knyght, And eke of Robyn Hode, And also of the bolde archeres, That noble were and good. OF ROBYN HODE. 43 " He wolde avowe that he had done, To mayntayne the outlawes stronge, He wolde be lorde, and set you at nought, In all the north lOnde." I woll be at Notyngham, sayd the kynge, Within this fourtynyght, And take I wyll Robyn Hode, And so I wyll that knyght. Go home, thou proud sheryf, And do as I bydde the. And ordayne good archeres inowe, Of all the wyde countree. The sheryf had his leve itake, And went hym on his way ; And Robyn Hode to grene wode, Upon a certayn day : And Lytell Johan was hole of the arowe, That shote was in his kne, And dyde hym strayte to Robyn Hode, Under the grene wode tie. Robyn Hode walked in the foreste, Under the leves grene, The proud sheryfe of Notyngham Therfore he had grete tene. The sheryf there fayled of Robyn Hode, He myght not have his pray, Then he awayted that ^entyll knyght, Bothe by nyght and by daye. Ever he awayted that gentyll knyght, Syr Rychard at the Lee 3 As he went on haukynge by the ryver syde, And let his haukes flee, 44 A LYTELL GESTE Toke he there this gentyll knyght, With men of armes stronge, And lad hym home to Notyngham warde, Ibonde both fote and honde. The sheryf swore a full grete othe, By hym that dyed on a tre, He had lever than an hondrede pounde, That Robyn Hode had he ! Then the lady, the knyghtes wyfe, A fayre lady and fre, She set her on a gode palfray, To grene wode anon rode she. When she came to the forest, Under the green wode tre, Founde she there Robyn Hode, And all his fayre meyne. a God the save, good Robyn Hode, And all thy company ; For our dere ladyes love, A bone graunte thou me. Let thou never my wedded lorde Shamefully slayne to be ; He is fast ibounde to Notyngham warde, For the love of the." Anone then sayd good Robyn, To that lady fre, What man hath your lorde itake ? The proud shirife, than sayd she. [The proude sheryfe hath hym itake] Forsoth as I the say ; He is not yet thre myles, Passed on * his' waye. OF ROBYN HODE. 45 Up theu sterte good Robyn, As a man that had be wode : u Buske you, my mery younge men, For hym that dyed on a rode j And he that this sorowe forsaketh, By hym that dyed on a tre, And by him that al thinges maketh, No lenger shall dwell with me." Sone there were good bowes ibent, Mo than seven score, Hedge ne dyche spared they none, That was them before. I make myn avowe to god, sayd Robyn, The knyght wold I fayn se, And yf I may hym take, Iqnyt then shall he bee. And whan they came to Notyngham, They walked in the strete, And with the proud sheryf, I wys, Sone gan they mete. Abyde, thou proud sheryf, he sayd, Abyde and speak with me, Of some tydynges of our kynge, I wolde fayne here of the. This seven yere, by dere worthy god, Ne yede I so fast on fote, I make myn avowe to god, thou proud sheryfe, c IV is not for thy good. Robyn bent a good bowe, An arrowe he drewe at his wyll, He hyt so the proud sheryf, Upon the gcounde he lay full styll ; 46 A LYTELL GESTE ^And or he myght up aryse, \ On his fete to stonde, ^He smote of the sheryves hede, "With his bryght bronde. i a Lye ihon there, thou proud sheryf, Evyll mote thou thryve ; J There myght no man to the trust, The whyles thou were alyve/* His men drewe out theyr bryght swerdes, That were so sharp and kene, And layde on the sheryves men, And dryved them downe by dene. Robyn stert to that knyght, And cut a two his bonde, And toke him in his hand a bo we, And bade hym by hym stonde, " Leve thy hors the behynde, And lerne for to renne ; Thou shalt with me to grene wode, Through myre, mosse and fenne, Thou shalt with me to grene wode, Without ony leasynge, Tyll that I have gete us grace, Of Edwarde our comly kynge. THE SEVENTH FYTTE. The kynge came to Notynghame, With knyghtes in grete araye, For to take that gentyll knyght, And Robyn Hode, yf he may. OF ROBYN HODE. 4? He asked men of that countre, After Robyn Hode, And after that gentyll knyght, That was so bolde and stout. Whan they had tolde hym the case, Our kynge understonde ther tale, And seased in his honde The knyghtes londes all. All the pass of Lancashyre, He went both ferre, and nere, Tyll he came to Plomton parke, He faylyd many of his dere. . There our kynge was wont to se Herdes many one, He coud unneth fynde one dere, That bare ony good home. The kynge was wonder wroth with all, And swore by the trynyt£, u I wolde I had Robyn Hode, With eyen I myght hym se ; And he that wolde smyte of the knyghtes hede, And brynge it to me, He shall have the knyghtes londes, Syr Rycharde at the Le ; I gyve it hym with my charter, And sele it with my honde, To have and holde for ever more, In all mery Englonde." Than bespake a fayre olde knyght, That was treue in his fay, A, my lege lorde the kynge, One worde 1 shall you say * 4B A LYTELL GESTE There is no man in this countre May have the knyghtes londes, Whyle Robyn Hode may ryde or gone, And bere a bowe in his hondes ; That he ne shall lese his hede, That is the best ball in his hode : Give it no man, my lorde the kynge, That ye wyil any good. Half a yere dwelled our comly kynge, In Notyngham, and well more, Coude he not here of Robyn Hode, In what countre that he were ; But alway went good Robyn By halke and eke by hyll, And alway slewe the kynges dere, And welt them at his wyll. Than bespake a proud fostere, That stode by our kynges kne, If ye wyll se good Robyn, Ye must do after me ; Take fyve of the best knyghtes That be in your lede, And walke downe by * yon* abbay, And gete you monkes wede. And I wyll be your ledes man, And lede you the way, And or ye come to Notyngham, Myn hede then dare 1 lay, That ye shall mete with good Robyn, On lyve yf that he be, {Or ye come to Notyngham, With eyen ye shall hym se. OF ROBYN HODE. 49 Full hastly our kynge was dyght, So were his knyghtes fyve, Everych of them in monkes wede, And hasted them thyder blyth* Our kynge was grete above his cole, A brode hat on his crowne, Ryght as he were abbot lyke, They rode up in to the towne. Styf botes our kynge had on, Forsoth as I you say, He rode syngynge to grene wode, The covent was clothed in graye, His male hors, and his grete somers, Folowed our kynge be hynde, Tyll they came to grene wode, A myle under the lynde, There they met with good Robyn, Stondynge on the waye, And so dyde many a bolde archere, For soth as I you say. Robyn toke the kynges hors, Hastely in that stede, And sayd, Sir abbot, by your leve, A whyle ye must abyde -, We be yemen of this foreste, Under the grene wode tre, | We lyve by our kynges dere, Other shyft have not we ; And ye have chyrches and rentes both ? And gold full grete plenty ; Gyve us some of your spendynge, For saynt Chary te. bi) A LYTELL GESTE Tlien bespake our cumly kynge, A none than sayd he, I brought no more to grene wode, But forty pounde with me ; I have layne at Notyngham, This fourtynyght with our kynge, And spent I have full moche good, On many a grete lordynge ; And I have but forty pounde. No more than have I me, But yf I had an hondred pounde, I would geve it to the. Robyn toke the forty pounde, And departed it in two partye, Halfendell he gave his mery men, And bad them mery to be. Full curteysly Robin gan say, Syr, have this for your spendyng, We shall mete a nother day. Gramercy, than sayd our kynge ; But well the greteth Edwarde our kynge, And sent to the his seale, And byddeth the com to Notyngham, Both to mete and mele. He toke out the brode tarpe, And sone he lete hym se ; Robyn coud his courteysy, And set hym on his kne : " I love no man in all the worlde So well as I do my kynge, Welcome is my lordes seale ; And, monke, for thy tydynge, OF ROBYN HODE. £j Syr abbot, for thy tydynges, To day thou shalt dyne with m« j For the love of my kynge Under my trystell tre." Forth he lad our comly kynge, Full fayre by the honde, Many a dere there was slayne, And full fast dyghtande. Robyn toke a full grete home, And loude he gan blowe, Seven score of wyght yonge men> Came redy on a rowe, All they kneeled on theyr kne, Full fayre before Robyn. The kynge sayd hymselfe untyll, And swore by saynt Austyn, Here is a wonder semely syght, Me thynketh, by goddes pyne ; His men are more at his byddynge, Then my men be at myn. Full hastly was theyr dyner idyght, And therto gan they gone, They served our kynge with al theyr myght, Both Robyn and Lytell Johan. Anone before our kynge was set The fatte venyson, The good whyte brede, the good red wyne, And therto the fyne ale browne. Make good chere, sayd Robyn, Abbot, for chary te : And for this ylke tydynge, Blyssed mote thou be. F 2 52 A LYTELL GESTE Now shalt thou se what lyfe we lede, Or thou hens wende, Than thou may enfournie our kynge, Whan ye togyder lende. Up they sterte all in hast, Theyr bowes were smartly bent, Our kynge was never so sore agast, He wende to have be shente. Two yerdes there were up set, There to gan they gange ; By fifty pase, our kynge sayd, The merkes were to longe, On every syde a rose garlonde, They shot under the lyne. Who so fayleth of the rose garlonde, sayd Robyn ? His takyll he shall tyne, And yelde it to his mayster, Be it never so fyne, For no man wyll I spare, So drynke I ale or wyne. And here a buffet on his hede, I wys ryght all bare. And all that fell in Robyns lote, He smote them wonder sare. Twyse Robyn shot aboute, And ever he cleved the wande, And so dyde good Gylberte, With the whyte hand ; Lytell Johan and good Scathelocke, For nothyng wolde they spare, When they fayled of the garlonde, Robyn smote them full sare : OF ROBYN HODE. >> At the last shot that Robyn shot, For all hys frendes fare, Yet he fayled of the garlonde, Thre fyngers and mare. Then bespake good Gylberte, And thus he gan say, Mayster, he sayd, your takyll is lost, Stand forth and take your pay. If it be so, sayd Robyn, That may no better be; Syr abbot, I delyver the myn arowe, I pray the, syr, serve thou me. It falleth not for myn order, sayd our kynge, Robyn, by thy leve, For to smyte no good yeman, For doute I sholde hym greve. Smyie on boldely, sayd Robyn, I give the large leve. Anone our kynge, with that worde, He folde up his sieve. And sych a buffet he gave Robyn, To grounde he yede full nere. I make myn avowe to god, sayd Robyn, Thou arte a stalworthe frere ; There is pith in thyn arme, sayd Robyn, I trowe thou canst well shote. fr Thus our kynge and Robyn Hode Togeder than they met. Robyn behelde our comly kynge Wystly in the face, So dyde syr Richarde at the Le, And kneeled downe in that place; f 3 51 A LYTELL GESTE And so clyde all the wylde outlawes, Whan they se them knele. " My lorde the kynge of Englonde, Now I knowe you well." Mercy, then Robyn sayd to our kynge, Under your trystyll tre, Of thy goodnesse and thy grace For my men and me ! Yes, for god, sayd Robyn, And also god me save; I aske mercy, my lorde the kynge, And for my men I crave. Yes, for god, than sayd our kynge Thy peticion I graunt the, With that thou leve the grene wode, And all thy company ; And come home, syr, to my courte, And there dwell with me. I make myn avowe to god, sayd Robyn, And ryght so shall it be ; I wyll come to your courte, Your servyse for to se, And brynge with me of my men Seven score and thre. But me lyke well your servyse, ft come agayne full soone, And shote at the donne dere, As I am wonte to done. OF ROBYN HODE. k$ THE EIGHTH FYTTE. Haste tbou ony grene cloth ? sayd our kyuge, That thou wylte sell nowe to me. Ye, for god, sayd Robyn, Thyrty yerdes and thre. Robyn, sayd our kynge, Now pray I the, To sell me some of that cloth, To me and meyne. Yes, for god, then sayd Robyn, Or elles I were a fole ; A nother day ye wyll me clothe, I trowe, ayenst the Yole. The kynge kest of his cote then, A grene garment he dyde on, And every knyght had so, I wys, They clothed them full soone. Whan they were clothed in Lyncolne grene, They kest away theyr graye. Now we shall to Notyngham, All thus our kynge gan say. Theyr bowes bente and forth they weut, Shotynge all in fere, Towarde the towne of Notyngham, Outlawes as they were. Our kynge and Robyn rode togyder, For soth as I you say, And they shote plucke buffet, As they went by the way; .i6 A LYTELL GESTE And many a buffet our kjnge wan, Of Robyn Hode that day ; And nothynge spared good Robyn Our kynge in his pay. So god me helpe, sayd our kynge, Thy game is nought to lere, I sholde not get a shote of the, Though I shote all this yere. All the people of Notyngham They stode and behelde, They savve nothynge but mantels of grene, That covered all the felde ; Than every man to other gan say, I drede our kynge be slone ; Come Robyn Hode to the towne, I wys, On lyve he leveth not one. Full hastly they began to fle, Both yemen and knaves, And olde wyves that myght evyll goo, They hypped on theyr staves, The kynge loughe full fast, And commanded theym agayne ; When they se our comly kynge/ I wys they were full fayne. They ete and dranke, and made them glad, And sange with notes hye, Than bespake our comly kynge To syr Rycharde at the Lee : He gave hym there his londe agayne, A good man he bad hym be. Robyn thanked our comly kynge, And set hym on his kne. OF ROBYN HODE. 57 Had Robyn dwelled in the kynges couite, But twelve monethes and thre, That he had spent an hondred pounde, And all his niennes se. In every place where Robyn came, Ever more he layde downe, Both for knyghtes and for squyres, To gete hym grete renowne, By than the yere was all agone, He had no man but twayne Lytell Johan and good Scathelocke, Wyth hym all for to gone, Robyn sawe yonge men shote, Full fayre upon a day, Alas ! than sayd good Robyn, My welthe is went away. Sometyme I was an archere good, A styffe and eke a stronge, I was commytted the best archere, That was in mery Englonde. Alas ! then sayd good Robyn, Alas and well a woo! Yf I dwele lenger with the kynge, Sorowe wyll me sloo. Forth than went Robyn Hode, Tyll he came to our kynge : " My lorde the kynge of Englonde, Graunte me myn askynge> I made a chapell in Bernysdale, That semely is to se, It is of Mary Magdalene, And thereto wolde I be ; 53 A LYTELL GESTE I myght never in this seven nyght, No tyme to slepe ne wynke, Nother all these seven dayes, Nother ete ne drynke. Me longeth sore to Bernysdale, I may not be therfro, Barefote and wolwarde I have hyght Thyder for to go." Yf it be so, than sayd our kynge, It may no better be ; Seven nyght I gyve the leve, No lengre, to dwell fro me. Gramercy, lorde, then sayd Robyn, And set hym on his kne ; He toke his leve full courteysly, To grene wode then went he. Whan he came to grene wode, In a mery mornynge, There he herde the notes small, Of byrdes mery syngynge. It is ferre gone, sayd Robyn, That I was last here, Me lyste a lytell for to shote, At the donne dere. Robyn slewe a full grete harte, His home than gan he blow, That all the outlawes of that forest, That home coud they knowe, And gadred them togyder, In a lytell throwe, Seven score of wight yonge men, Came redy on a rowe ; OF ROBYN HODE. 59 And fayre dyde of theyr nodes, And set them on theyr kne : Welcome, they sayd, our mayster, Under this grene wode tre. Robyn dwelled in grene wode, Twenty yere and two, For all drede of Edwarde our kynge, Agayne wolde he not goo. Yet he was begyled, I wys, Through a wycked woman, The pryoresse of Kyrkesly, That nye was of his kynne, For the love of a knyght, Syr Roger of Donkester, That was her own special), Full evyll mote they * fare,' They toke togyder theyr counsell Robyn Hode for to sle, And how they myght best do that dede, His banis for to be. Than bespake good Robyn, In place where as he stode, To morrow I muste to Kyrkesley, Craftely to be leten Mode. JSyr Roger of Donkestere, By the pryoresse he lay, And there they betrayed good Robyn Hode, Through theyr false playe. Cryst have mercy on his soule, That dyed on the rode ! For he was a good out lawe And dyde pore men moch god. €0 ROBYN HODE II. ROBYN HODE [AND THE POTTER]. This curious, and hitherto unpublished, and even unheard ef old piece is given from a manuscript, among- bishop Mores collections, in the public library of the university of Cambridge (Ec. 4. 35). The writing, which is evidently that of a vulgar and illiterate person, appears to be of the age of Henry the seventh, that is about the year 1500 ; but the composition (which he has irremediably corrupted) is probably of an early er period, and much older, no doubt, than " The play of Robyn Hode," which seems allusive to the same story. At the end of the original is " Expleycyt Robyn Hode" In sehomer, when the leves spryng, The blosehems on every bo we, So merey doyt the berdys syng, Yn wodys merey now. Herkens, god yemen, Comley, cortessy, and god, On of the best that yever bar bou, Hes name was Roben Hode. Roben Hode was the yemans name, That was boyt corteys and fre ; | For the^loffe of owr ladey, All wemen werschep I he/ [AND THE POTTER]. $1 Hot as the god yeinan stod on a day, Among lies mery maney, He was war of a prowd potter, Cam dryfting owyr the * ley.' Yonder comet a prod potter, seyde Roben, That long hayt hantyd this wey, He was never so corteys a man On peney of pawage to pay. Y met hem bot at Wentbreg, seyde Lytyll John, And therfor yeffell mot he the, Seche thre strokes he me gafe, Yet they cleffe by my seydys. Y ley forty shillings, seyde Lytyll John, To pay net thes same day, Ther ys nat a man among hus all A wed schail make hem lev. Her ys forty shillings, seyde Roben, Mor, and thow dar say, That y sehall make that prowde potter, A wed to me schail he ley. Ther thes money they leyde, They toke het a yeman to kepe ; Roben befor the potter he breyde, 1 And up to hem can lepe.' Handys apon hes horse he leyde, And bad ' hem' stonde foil stell, The potter schorteley to hem seyde, Felow, what ys they well ? All thes thre yer, and mor, potter, he seyde, Thow hast hantyd thes wey, Yet wer tow never so cortys a man One peney of pauage to pay. G 62 KOBYN HODE What ys they name ? seyde the potter ; For pauage thow aske of me. " Roben Hod ys mey name, A wed schall thow leffe me." Wed well y non leffe, seyde the potter, Nor pavag well y non pay ; Awey they honde fro mey horse, Y well the tene eyls, be mey fay. The potter to ties cart he went, He was not to seke, A god to-hande staffe therowt he hent, Befor Roben he ' lepe.' Roben howt with a swerd bent, A bokeler en hes honde [therto] ; The potter to Roben he went, And seyde, Felow, let mey horse go. Togeder then went thes two yemen, Het was a good sey t to se ; Therof low Robyn hes men, Ther they stod onder a tre. Leytell John to hes felow he seyde, Yend potter welle steffeley stonde. The potter, with a caward stroke, Smot the bokeler owt of hes honde ; And ar Roben meyt get het agen, Hes bokeler at hes fette, The potter yn the neke hem toke, To the gronde sone he yede. That saw Roben hes men, As they stode ender a bow : Let us helpe owr master, seyed Lytell John, Yonder potter els well hem sclo. [AND THE POTTER]. 6* Thes yemen went with a breyde, To ' ther' master they cam. Leytell John to hes master seyde, Ho haet the wager won? Schall y haff yowr forty shillings, seyde Lytel John, Or ye, master, schall haffe myne? Yeff they wer a hundred, seyde Roben, Y feythe, they ben all theyne. * Het ys fol leytell cortesey, seyde the potter, As y haffe harde weyse men saye, Yeff a por yeman com drywyng ower the wey, To let hem of hes gorney. Be mey trowet, thow seys soyt, seyde Roben, Thow seys god yemenrey ; And thow dreyffe forthe yevery day, Thow schalt never be let for me. Y well prey the, god potter, A felischepe well thow haffe ? Geffe me they clothyng, and thow schalt hafe myne ; Y well go to Notyuggam. Robyn went to Notynggam, Thes pottes for to sell ; The potter abode with Robens men, Ther he fered not eylle. Y grant therto, seyde the potter, Thow schalt feynde me a felow gode ; Bot thow can sell mey pottes well, Com ay en as thow yode. Nay, be mey trowt, seyde Roben, And then y bescro mey hede, Yeffe y bryng eney pottes ayen, And eney weyffe well hem chepe. G 2 64 ROBYN HODE Than spake Leytell John, And all hes felowhes heynd, Master, be well war of the screffe of Notynggam, For he ys leytell howr frende. Thorow the helpe of howr ladey, Felowhes, let me alone ; Heyt war howte, seyde Roben, To Notynggam well y gon. Tho Roben droffe on hes wey, So merey ower the londe. Heres mor and affter ys to saye, The best ys beheynde. [ THE SECOND FIT. ] When Roben cam to Notynggam, The soyt yef y seholde saye, He set op hes horse anon, And gaffe hem hotys and haye. Yn the medys of the towne, Ther he schowed hes war, Pottys! pottys ! he gan crey foil sone, HafFe hansell for the mar. Foil effen agenest the screfFeys gate, Schowed he hes chatfar ; Weyftes and wedowes abowt hem drow, And chepyd fast of hes war. Yet, Pottys, gret chepe ! creyed Robyn, Y loffe yeffel thes to stonde. And all that saw hem sell, Seyde he had be no potter long. [AND THE POTTER]. 6S The pottys that wer werthe pens feyffe, He solde tham for pens thre : Preveley seyde man and weyffe, Ywnder potter schall never the. Thos Roben solde foil fast, Tell he had pottys bot feyffe ; Op he hem toke of his car, And seude hem to the sereffeys weyffe. Therof sche was foil fayne, Gereamarsey, sir, than seyde sche, When ye com to thes contre ayen, Y schall bey of ' they' pottys, so mot y the. Ye schall haffe of the best, seyde Roben, And swar be the treneyte. Foil corteysley * she' gan them call, Com deyne with the screfe and me. Godamarsey, seyde Roben, Yowr bedyng schall be doyn. A mayden yn the pottys gan ber, Roben and the screffe wevffe folowed anon. Whan Roben ynto the hall cam, The screffe sone he met, The potter cowed of corteysey, And sone the screffe he gret. " Loketh what thes potter hayt geffe yow and me, Feyffe pottys smalle and grete i" He ys fol wellcoin, seyd the screffe, Let os was, and " go' to mete. As they sat at her methe, With a nob ell cher, Two of the screffes men gan speke Off a gret wager. G 3 66 ROBYN HODE Was made the thother daye, * Off a schotyng was god and feyne, Off forty shillings, the soyt to saye, Who scholdethes wager wen. Styll than sat thes prowde potter, Thos than thowt he, As y am a trow Cerstyn man, Thes schotyng well y se. Whan they had fared of the best, With bred and ale and weyne, To the ' bottys they' made them prest, With bowes and boltys foil feyne. The screffes men schot foil fast, As archares that weren godde, Ther cam non ner ney the marke Bey halfe a god archares bowe. Stell then stod the prowde potter, Thos than seyde he, And y had a bow, be the rode, On schot scholde yow se. Thow schall haffe a bow, seyde the screffe, The best that thow well cheys of thre; Thow semyst a stalward and a stronge, Asay schall thow be. The screffe comandyd a yeman that stod hem bey Affter bowhes to wende; The best bow that the yeman browthe Roben set on a stryng. " Now schall y wet and thow be god, And polle het op to they ner." So god me helpe, seyde the prowde potter, Thys ys bot rygzt weke ger. [AND THE POTTER]. 67 To a queqner Roben went, A god bolt owthe he toke, So ney on to the niarke he went, He fayled not a fothe. All they schot abowthe agen, The screffes men and he, Off the niarke he welde not fayle, He cleffed the preke on thre. The screffes men thowt gret schame, The potter the mastry wan ; The screffe lowe and made god game, And seyde, Potter, thow art a man ; Thow art worthey to ber a bowe, Yn what plas that thow * gaug.' Yn mey cart y haffe a bowe, Forsoyt, he seyde, and that a godde ; Yn mey cart ys the bow That < I had of Robyn Hode.' Knowest thow Robyn Hode? seyde the screffe, Potter, y prey the tell thou me. " A hundred torne y haffe schot with hem, Under lies tortyll tre." Y had lever nar a hundred ponde, seyde the screffe, And swar be the trenite, [Y had lever nar a hundred ponde, he seyde,] That the fals owtelawe stod be me. And ye well do afftyr mey red, seyde the potter, And boldeley go with me, And to morow, or we het bred, Roben Hode wel we se. Y well queyt the, kod the screffe, And swer be god of mey the. Schetyng thay left, and horn they went, Her scoper was redey deythe. 68 ROBYN HODE Upon the morow, when het was day, He boskyd hem forthe to reyde ; The potter hes carte forthe gan ray, And wolde not [be] leffe beheynde. He toke leffe of the screffys wyffe, And thankyd her of all thyng : " Dam, for mey loffe, and ye well thys wer, Y geffe yow her a golde ryng." Gramarsey, seyde the weyffe, Sir, god eylde het the. The screffes hart was never so leythe, The feyr forest to se. And when he cam ynto the foreyst, - Yonder the leffes grene, Berdys ther sange on bowhes prest, Het was gret goy to sene. Her het ys merey to be, seyde Roben, For a man that had hawt to spende : Re mey home ' we ' schall awet Yeff Roben Hode be ' ner hande.' Roben set hes home to hes mow^the, And blow a blast that was foil god, That herde hes men that ther stode, Fer downe yn the wodde. I her mey master, seyde Leytyll John : They ran as thay wer wode. Whan thay to thar master cam, Ley tell John wold not spar : " Master, how haffe yow far yn Notynggam ? " Haffe yow soide yowr war ?" " Ye, be mey trowthe, Leytyll John, Loke thow take no car ; Y haffe browt the screffe of Notynggam, For all howr chaffar. ,, [AND THE POTTER]. f>9 He ys foil welcom, seyde Lytell John, Thes tydyng ys foil godde. The screffe had lever nar a hundred ponde [He had never sene Roben Hode]. M Had I west that beforen, At Notynggam when we wer, Thow scholde not com yn feyr forest Of all thes thowsande eyr. That wot y well, seyde Roben, Y thanke god that y be her; Therfor schall ye leffe yowr horse with hos, And all your hother ger. That fend I godys forbode, kod the screffe, So to lese mey godde. " Hether ye cam on horse foil hey, And horn sehaii ye go on fote ; And gret well they weyffe at home, The woman ys foil godde. Y schall her sende a wheyt palffrey, Het hanibellet as the weynde ; Ner for the lofFe of yowr weyffe, Off mor sorow scholde yow seyng." # Thes parted Robyn Hode and the screffe, To Notyngam he toke the waye ; Hes weyffe feyr welcomed hem horn, And to hem gau sche save : Seyr, how haffe vow fared yn grene foreyst? Haffe ye browt Roben horn ? " Dam, the deyell spede hem, bothe bodey and bon, Y haffe hade a foil grete skorne. Of all the god that y haffe lade to grene wod, He hayt take het fro me, All bot this feyr palffrey, That he hayt sende to the." 70 ROBYN HODE With that sche toke op a lowde lawhyng, And swhar be hem that deyed on tre, Now haflfe yow payed for all the pottys That Roben gaffe to me. Now ye be com horn to Notynggam, Ye schall haffe god ynowe." Now speke we of Roben Hode, And of the pottyr onder the grene bowhe. u Potter, what was they pottys worthe To Notynggam that y ledde with me?" They wer worth two nobellys, seyd he, So mot y treyffe or the ; So cowde y had for tham, And y had ther be. Thon schalt hafe ten ponde, seyde Roben, Of money feyr and fre ; And yever whan thow comest to grene wod, Wellcom, potter, to me. Thes party d Robyn, the screfife, and the potter> Ondernethe the grene wod tre. God haffe mersey on Roben Hodys solle, And saffe all god yemanrey ! AND THE BEGGAR. 71 III. ROBIN HOOD AND THE BEGGAR. This poem, a north counfry (or, perhaps, Scotish) compo- sition of some antiquity, is given from a modern copy printed at Newcastle, where the editor accidentally picked it up ; no other having, to his knowledge, been ever seen or heard of — The original title is, " A pretty dialogue betwixt Robin Hood and a beggar. Lvth and listen, gentlemen, That be of high born blood, I'll tell yon of a brave booting That befell Robin Hood. Robin Hood upon a day, He went forth him alone, And as he came from Barnsdale Into fair evening, He met a beggar on the way, Who sturdily could gang ; He had a pike-staff in his hand, That was both stark and Strang ; A clouted clock about him was, That held him frae the cold, The thinnest bit of it, I guess, Was more then twenty fold. His meal-poke hang about his neck, Into a leathern whang, Well fasteu'd to a broad bucle, That was both stark and * Strang.' 7t . ftOBIN HOOD He had three hats upon his head, Together sticked fast, He car'd neither for wind nor wet, In lands where'er he past. Good Robin cast him in the way, To see what he might be, If any beggar had money, He thought some part had he. Tarry, tarry, good Robin says, Tarry, and speak with me. i He heard him as he heard him not, / And fast on his way can by. 'Tis be not so, says [good] Robin, Nay, thou must tarry still. By my troth, said the bold beggar, Of that I have no will. It is far to my lodging house, And it is growing late, If they have supt e'er I come in I will look wondrous blate. Now, by my truth, says good Robin, I see well by thy fare, If thou shares well to thy supper, Of mine thou dost not care, Who wants my dinner all this day, And wots not where to ly, And would I to the tavern go, I want money to buy. Sir, you must lend me some money Till we meet again. The beggar answer' d cankardly, 1 ha\e no money to lend. AND THE BEGGAR. 73 Thou art a young man as I, And seems to be as sweer 5 If thou fast till thou get from me, Thou shalt eat none this year. Now, by my truth, says [good] Robin, Since we are asembled so, If thou has but a small farthing, I'll have it ere thou go. Come, lay down thy clouted cloak, And do no longer stand, And loose the strings of all thy pokes, I'll ripe them with my hand. And now to thee I make a vow, If 6 thou' make any din, I shall see a broad arrow, Can pierce a beggar's skin. I The beggar smil'd, and answer made, Far better let me be ; I Think not that I will be afraid, For thy nip erooked tree ; Or that I fear thee any whit, For thy curn nips of sticks, I know no use for them so meet As to be puding-pricks. Here I defy thee to dome ill, For all thy boisterous fair, Thou's get nothing from me but ill, Would'st thou seek evermair. Good Robin bent his noble bow, He was an angery man, And in it set a broad arrow ; Lo ! e'er 'twas drawn a span, H t* ROBIN HOOET The beggar, with his noble tree, Reach'd him so round a rout, That his bow and his broad arrow In flinders flew about. Good Robin bound him to his brand. But that prov'd likewise vain, The beggar lighted on his hand With his pike-staff again : [I] wot he might not draw a sword For forty days and mair. Good Robin could not speak a word, His heart was ne'er so sair. He could not fight, he could not flee,. He wist not what to do ; The beggar with his noble tree Laid lusty slaps him to. He paid good Robin back and side, And baist him up and down, And with his pike-staff la d on loud, Till he fell in a swoon. Stand up, man, the beggar said, 'Tis shame to go to rest ; Stay till thou get thy money told, I think it were the best : And syne go to the tavern house, And buy both wine and ale ; Hereat thy friends will crack full crouse, Thou hast been at the dale* Good Robin answer'd ne'er a word, But lay still as a stane ; His cheeks were pale as any clay, And closed were his een. AND THE BEGGAR. 75 The beggar thought him dead but fail, And boldly bound his way. — I would ye had been at the dale, And gotten part of the play. THE SECOND PART. Now three of Robin's men, by chance, Came walking by the way, And found their master in a trance, On ground where that he lay. Up have they taken good Robin, Making a piteous bear, Yet saw they no man there at whom They might the matter spear. They looked him all round about, But wound on him saw * nane', Yet at his mouth came bocking out The blood of a good vain. Cold water they have gotten syne, And cast unto his face ; Then he began to hitch his ear, And speak within short space. Tell us, dear master, said his men, How with you stands the case. Good Robin sighed ere he began To tell of his disgrace. " I have been watchman in this wood Near hand this twenty year, Yet I was never so hard bestead As ye have found me here j H % 76 ROBIN HOOD A beggar with a clouted clock, Of whom I fear'd no ill Hath with his pyke-staff cla'd my back, I fear'twiil never be well. See, where he goes o'er yon hill, With hat upon his-head ; If e'er ye lov'd your master well, Go now revenge this deed ; And bring him back again to me, If it lie in your might, That I may see, before I die, Him punish'd in my sight : And if you may not bring him back, Let him not go loose on ; For to us all it were great shame If he escape again." il One of us shall with you remain, Because you're ill at ease, The other two shall bring him back, To use him as you please." Now, by my truth, says good Robin, I true there's enough said ; And he get scouth to wield his tree, I fear you'll both be paid. lt Be not fear'd, our master, That we two can be dung With any bluter base beggar, That has nought but a rung. His staff shall stand him in no stead, That you shall shortly see, But back again he shall be led, And fast bound shall he be, To see if ye will have him slain, Or hanged on a tree." AND THE BEGGAR. 7t ** But cast you sliely in his way, Before he be aware, And on his p>ke-staff first hands la}', Ye'll speed the better far." $Jow leave we Robin with his man, Again to play the child, And learn himself to stand and gang By halds, for all his eild. Now pass we to the bold beggar, That raked o'er the hill, Who never mended his pace more, Then he had .done no ill. And they have taken another way, Was nearer by miles three. They stoutly ran with all their might, Spared neither dub • nor' mire, They started at neither how nor height, No travel made them tire, Till they before the beggar wan, And cast them in his way ; A little wood lay in a glen, And there they both did stay ; They stood up closely by a tree, In each side of the gate, XJntill the beggar came them nigh, That thought of no such late ; And as he was betwixt them past, They leapt upon him baith ; The one liis pyke-staff gripped fast, They feared for its skaith. u 3 78 ROBIN HOOIX The other he held in his sight A drawen durk to his breast, And said, False ' card,' quit thy staff, Or I shall be thy priest. His pyke-staffthey have taken him frae, And stuck it in the green, He was full loath to let it gae, An better might it been. The beggar was the feardest man Of any that e'er might be, To win away no way he can, Nor help him with his tree. Nor wist he wherefore he was ta'en, Nor how many was there ; He thought his life days had been gane, He grew into dispair. Grant me my life, the beggar said, For him that dy'd on the tree, And hold away that ugly knife, Or else for fear I'll die. I griev'd you never in all my life, Neither by late or air, You have great sin if you would slay A silly poor beggar. * Thou lies, false lown, they said again, For all that may be sworn ; Thou hast ' near' slain the gentlest man Of one that e'er was born ; And back again thou shall be led, And fast bound shalt thou be, To see if he will have thee slain, Or hanged on a tree. AND THE BEGGAR. 79 The beggar then thought all was wrong, They were set for his wrack, He saw nothing appearing then, But ill upon warse back. Were he out of their hands, he thought, And had again his tree, He should not be let back for nought, With such as he did see. Then he bethought him on a wile, If it could tak£ effect, How he might the young men beguile, And give them a begeck. Thus to do them shame for ill His beastly breast was bent, He found the wind blew something shrill, To further his intent. He said, Brave gentlemen, be good, And let a poor man be ; When ye have taken a beggar's blood, It helps you not a flee. It was but in my own defence, If he has gotten skaith ; But I will make a recompence Is better for you baith. If ye will set me fair and free, And do me no more dear, An hundred pounds I will you give, And much more odd silver, That I have gather'd this many years, Under this clouted cloak, And hid up wonder privately, Iu bottom of my poke. SO ROBIN HOOD The young men to the council yeed, And let the beggar gae ; They wist full well he had no speed From them to run away. They thought they would the money take, Come after what so may ; And yet they would not take him back, But in that place him slay. By that good Robin would not know That they had gotten coin, It would content him [well] to show That there they had him slain. They said, False carel, soon have done, And tell forth thy money, For the ill turn that thou hast done It's but a simple plee. And yet we will not have thee back, Come after what so may, If thou wilt do that which thou spak, And make us present pay. O then he loosed his clouted clock, And spread it on the ground. And thereon lay he many a poke, Betwixt them and the wind. He took a great bag from his hals, It was near full of meal, Two pecks in it at least there was, And more, I wot full well. Upon this cloak he set it down, The mouth he opened wide, To turn the same he made him bown, The young men ready spy'd ; AND THE BEGGAR. 81 1 In every hand he took a nook Of that great leathern l mail,' And with a fling the meal he shook Into their face all hail : J Wherewith he blinded them so close, (A stime they could not see ; And then in heart he did rejoice, And clap'd his lusty tree. He thought if he had done them wrong, In mealing of their cloaths, For to strike off the meal again With his pyke-staff he goes. Ere any of them could red their een, Or a glimmring might see, like one of them a dozen had, Well laid on with his tree. The young men were right swift of foot, And boldly bound away, The beggar could them no more hit, For all the haste he may. What's all this haste ? the beggar said, May not you tarry still, Untill your money be received? I'll pay you with good will. The shaking of my pokes, I fear, Hath blown into your een ; But I have a good pyke-staff here Can ripe them out full clean. The young men answered never a word, They were dum as a stane ; In the thick wood the beggar fled, Ere they riped their een : m ROBIN HOOD And syne the night became so late, To seek him was in vain : But judge ye if they looked blate When they cam home again. Good Robin speer'd how they had sped. They answer'd him, Full ill. That can not be, good Robin says, Ye have been at the mill. The mill it is a meat rife part, They may lick what they please, Most like ye have been at the art, Who would look at your * claiths.' They hang'd their heads, they drooped down, A word they could not speak. Robin said, Because I fell a sound, I think ye'll do the like. Tell on the matter, less or more, And tell me what and how Ye have done with the bold beggar J sent you for right now. And when they told him to an end, As i have said before, How that the beggar did them blind, What misters presses more ? And how in the thick woods he fled, Ere they a stiine could see j And how they scarcely could win home, Their bones were baste so sore ; Good Robin cried, Fy ! out ! for shame ! We're sham'd for evermore. AND GUY OF GISBORNE. Although good Robin would full fain Of his wrath revenged be, He smil'd to see his merry young men Had gotten a taste of the tree. IV. ROBIN HOOD AND GUY OF GISBORNE. Whan shawsbeene sheene, and shraddes full fayre, And leaves both large and longe, Itt's merrye walkyng in the fayre forr^st To heare the small birdes songe. The woodweele sang, and wold not cease, Sitting upon the spraye, Soe lowde, he wakened Robin Hood, In the greenwood where he lay. Now, by my faye, sayd jollye Robin, A sweaven I had this night ; I dreamt me of tow wighty yemen, That fast with me can fight. Methought they did me beate and binde, And tooke my bowe me froe ; Iff I be Robin alive in this lande, lie be wroken on them towe. Sweavens are swift, sayd Lyttle John, As the wind blowes over the hill ; For iff itt be never so loude this night, To-morrow it may be still. 84 ROBIN HOOD u Buske yee, bowne yee, my merry men all ? And John shall goe with mee, For He goe seeke yond wighty yeomen, In greenwood where they bee." Then they cast on theyr gownes of grene, And tooke theyr bowes each one ; And they away to the greene torrent A shooting forth are gone ; !Untill they came to the merry greenwood, Where they had gladdest to bee, There they were ware of a wight yeoman, That leaned agaynst a tree, iA sword and a dagger he wore by his side, Of manye a man the bane; And he was clad in his captill hyde Topp and tayll and mayne. Stand still, master, quoth Little John, Under this tree so grene, And I will go to yond wight yeoman, To know what he doth meane. u Ah ! John, by me thou settest noe store, And that I farley rlnde : How often send I my men before, And tarry my selfe behinde ? It is no cunning a knave to ken, And a man but heare him speake; And it were not for bursting of my bowe, John, I thy head wold breake." As often wordes they breeden bale, So they parted Robin and John : And John is gone to Barnesdale ; The gates he knoweth eche one. AND GUY OF GISBORNE. £5 But when he came to Barnesdale, Great heavinesse there he hadd, For he found tow of his own fellowes, Where slaine both in a slade. And Scarlette he was flying a-foote Fast over stocke and stone, For the proud sheriffe with seven score men Fast after him is gone. One shoote now I will shoote, quoth John, With Christ his might and mayne ; * lie make yond sheriffe that wends soe fast, To stopp he shall be fayne. Then John bent up his long bende-bowe, And fetteled him to shoote : The bow was made of tender boughe, And fell downe at his foote. " Woe worth, woe worth thee, wicked wood, That ever thou grew on a tree ! For now this day thou art my bale, My boote when thou shold bee." His shoote it was but loosely shott, Yet flewe not the arrowe in vaine, Fot itt mett one of the sheriffes men, And William a Trent was slaine. It had bene better of William a Trent To have bene abed with sorrowe, Than to be that day in the greenwood slade To meet with Little Johns arrowe. But as it is said, when men be mett Fyve can doe more than three, The sheriffe hath taken Little John, And bound him fast to a tree. i 16 ROBIN HOOD " Thou shalt be drawen by dale and downe, And hanged hye on a hill." But thou mayst fayle of thy purpose, quoth John, If it be Christ his will. Lett us leave talking of Little John, And thinke of Robin Hood, How he is gone to the wight yeoman, Where under the leaves he stood. Good morrowe, good fellowe, sayd Robin so fayre, Good morrowe, good fellow, quo' he : Methinkes by this bowe thou beares in thy hande, A good archere thou sholdst bee. I am wilfulle of my waye, quo' the yeman, And of my morning tyde. He lead thee through the wood, said Robin ; Good fellow, lie be thy guide. I seeke an outlawe, the straunger sayd, Men call him Robin Hood ; Rather lid meet with that proud outlawe Than fortye pound soe good. u Now come with me, thou wighty yeman, And Robin thou soone shalt see : But first let us some pastime find Under the greenwood tree. First let us some masterye make Among the woods so even, We may chance to meet with Robin Hood Here at some unsett Steven." They cut them down two summer shroggs, That grew both under a breere, And sett them threescore rood in twaine, To shoote the prickes y-fere. AND GUY OF G1SBORNE. 87 Leade on, good fellowe, quoth Robin Hood, Leade on, I do bidd thee. Nay, by my faith, good fellowe, hee sayd. My leader thou shalt bee. i The first time Robin shot at the prieke, He mist but an inch it fro : The yeoman he was an archer good, But he cold never do soe. The second shoote had the wightye yeman, He shot within the garland : But Robin he shott far better than hee, For he clave the good prieke- wande. A blessing upon thy heart, he sayd ; Good fellowe, thy shooting is goode ; For an thy hart be as good as thy hand, Thou wert better than Robin Hoode. Now tell me thy name, good fellowe, sayd he, Under the leaves of lyne. Nay, by my faith, quoin bold Robin, Till thou have told me thine. I dwell by dale and downe, quoth hee, And Robin to take Ime sworne ; And when I am called by my right name I am Guy of good Gisborue. My dwelling is in this w T ood, saves Robin, By thee I set right nought : I am Robin Hood of Barn£sdale> Whom thou so long hast sought. He that had neyther beene kythe nor kin, Might have seen a full fayre fight, i To see how together these yeomen went With blades both browne and bright, i % 88 ROBIN HOOD To see how these yeomen together they fought Two howres of a summers day : Yett neither Robin Hood nor sir Guy Them fettled to flye away. Robin was reachles on a roote, And stumbled at that tyde ; And Guy was quicke and nimble withall, And liitt him upon the syde. i Ah, deere ladye, sayd Robin Hood tho, That art but mother and may, I think it was never mans destinye To dye before his day. Robin thought on our ladye deere, And soone leapt up againe, And strait he came with a [nj awkwarde stroke And he sir Guy hath slayne. He took sir Guys head by the hayre, And stuck it upon his bowes end : " Thou hast beene a traytor all thy life, " J Which thing must have an end."

Tis pitty he was of life bereav'd By one which he so hated. A trecherous leach this fryer was, To let him bleed to death ; And Robin was. methinks, an ass To trust him with his breath. His corps the prioress of the place, The next day that he dy'd, Caused to be buried, in mean case, Close by the high-way side. And over him she caused a stone To be fixt on the ground, An epitaph was set thereon, Wherein his name was found ; The date o' th' year and day also, She made to be set there : That all, who by the way did go, Might see it plain appear. That such a man as Robin Hood Was buried in that place ; And how he lived in the green wood And robbed for a space. 104 A TRUE TALE It seems that though the clergy he Had put to mickle woe, He should not quite forgotten be, Although he was their foe. This woman, though she did him hate, Yet loved his memory ; And thought it wondrous pity that His fame should with him dye. This epitaph, as records tell, Within this hundred years, By many was discerned well, But time all things out-wears. His followers, when he was dead, Were some repriev'd to grace ; The rest to foreign countries fled, And left their native place. Although his funeral was but mean, This woman had in mind, Lest his fame should be buried clean From those that came behind. For certainly, before nor since No man ere understood, Under the reign of any prince, Of one like Robin Hood. Full thirteen years, and something more, These outlaws lived thus ; Feared of the rich, loved of the poor: A thing most marvellous. A thing impossible to us This story seems to be ; None dares be now so venturous, But times are chang'd we see. OF ROBIN HOOD. 105 We that live in these later days Of civil government, If need be, have an hundred ways Such outlaws to prevent. In those days men more barbarous were, And lived less in awe ; Now (god be thanked) people fear More to offend the law. No waring guns were then in use, They dreamt of no such thing ; Our Englishmen in fight did use The gallant gray-goose wing : In which activity these men, Through practice, were so good, That in those days none equal'd them, Especially Robin Hood. So that, it seems, keeping in caves, In woods and forests thick, They'd beat a multitude with staves, Their arrows did so prick : And none durst neer unto them come, Unless in courtesie ; All such he bravely would send home With mirth and jollity : Which courtesie won him such love, As i before have told, 'Twas the chief cause that he did prove More prosperous than he could. Let us be thaukful for these times Of plenty, truth, aud peace; And leave out great and horrid crimes, Least they cause this to cease. 106 A TRUE TALE, &c. I know there's many feigned tales Of Robin Hood and *s crew; Rut chronicles, which seldome fails, Reports this to be true. Let none then think this is a lye, For, if 'twere put to th' worst, They may the truth of all descry I' th* reign of Richard the first. If any reader please to try, As i direction show, The truth of this brave history, He'l find it true I know. And i shall think my labour well Bestow'd to purpose good, When't shall be said that i did tell True tales of Robin Hood. ROBIN HOOD. PART II. I. ROBIN HOODS BIRTH, BREEDING, VALOUR, AND MARRIAGE. From a black letter copy in the large and valuable collec- tion of old ballads formerly belonging to Thomas Pearson, esq,, and subsequently to the duke of Roxburgh, [This matchless collection, in three volumes folio, was sold at the sale of the Roxburgh library in 1812, for 4771., and is now in the possession of Bright, Esq* Manchester.] The full title of the original is : " A new ballad of bold Robin Hood : shewing his birth, breeding, valour, and mar- riage at Titbury Bull-running. Calculated for the meridian: of Staffordshire, but may serve for Derbyshire or Kent." Kind gentlemen, will you be patient awhile? Ay, and then you shall hear anon A very good ballad of bold Robin Hood^ And of his man brave Little John. 105 ROBIN HOODS 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 strong bow Two north country miles and an inch at a shot, As the Pinder of Wakefield does know. For he brought Adam Bell, and Clim of the Clugh, And William of i Clowdesle', To shoot with our forrester for forty mark, And the forrester beat them all three. His mother was neece 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, A ljoble house-keeper was he, Ay, as ever broke bread in sweet Nottinghamshire, And aJsauire of famous degree. The mother of Robin said to her husband, My honey, my love, and my dear, Let Robin and 1 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 arising, and therefore make haste, For to-morrow is Christmas-day. Then Robin Hood's father's grey gelding was brought, And sadled and bridled was he ; God-wot a blue bonnet, his new suit of cloaths, And a cloak that did reach to his knee. BIRTH, BREEDING, ETC. 109 She got on her holyday kirtle and gown, They were of a light Lincoln green : The cloath was homespun, but for colour and make It might have beseemed' our queen. And lhen Robin got on his basket-hilt sword, And his dagger on his tother 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 * had ' oft carried double. And when she was settled, they rode to their neighbours, And drank and shook hands with them all ; And then Robin gallopt, and never gave o're, 'Till they lighted at Gamwel-hall. And now you may think the rigiit worshipful 'squire Was joyful his sister to see ; For he kist her, and kist her, and swore a great oath, Thou art welcome, kind sister, to me. To-morrow, when mass had been said at the chappel, Six tables were covered in the hall, And in conies the 'squire, and makes a short speech, It was, Neighbours, you're welcome ali. But not a man here shall taste my March beer, 'Till a Christmas carrol he does sing. Then all clapt their hands, and they shouted and sung, 'Till the halt and the parlour did ring. Now mustard and brawn, 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. l 110 ROBIN HOODS When dinner was ended, his chaplain said grace, And, Be merry, my friends, said the 'squire ; It rains and it blows, but call for more ale, And lay some more wood on the fire. And now call ye. Lit J le 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 thiuk ? 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 then, 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 : i Go fetch me my bow, my longest long bow, And broad arrows one, two, or three. For when 'tis fair weather we'll into Sherwood, Some merry pastime to see. When Robin Hood came into merry Sherwood, He winded his bugle so clear; And twice rive and twenty good yeomen and bold, Before Robin Hood did appear. BIRTH, BREEDING, ETC. ill Where are your companions all? said Robin Hood, For still I want forty and three. Then said a bold yeoman, Lo, yonder they stand, All under the 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 gait it was graceful, her body was straight, And her countenance free from pride ; A bow in her hand, and a quiver of arrows Hung dangling by her sweet side. Her eye-brows 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 i Said Robin Hood, Lady fair, whither away? O whither, fair lady, away? And she made him answer, To kill a fat buck ; For to-morrow is Titbury day. Said RoDin Hood, Lady fair, wander with me A little to yonder green bower ; There set down to rest you, and you shall be sure Of a brace or a * leash' in an hour. And as we were going towards the green bower, Two hundred good bucks we espy'd ; She chose 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 com'st thou from east, or com'st thou from west, Thou needst not beg venison of me. L 2 112 ROBIN HOODS 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, and honey combs plenty ; And the servitors they were, besides Little John, Good yeomen at least four and twenty. Clorinda said, Tell me your name, gentle sir : And he said, "lis bold Robin Hood: 'Squire Gamwel's my 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 reply'd. But oh ! said bold Robin, how sweet would it be, If Clorinda would be my bride ! S'he blusht 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 married 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 ; And bid my yeomen kill six brace of bucks, And meet me to-morrow just here. Before he had ridden five Staffordshire miles, Eight yeomen, that were too bold. Bid Robin stand, and deliver his buck : A truer tale never was told. BIRTH, BREEDING, ETC. 113 I will not, faith, said bold Robin; come, John, Stand by me, and we'll beat 'em all. Then both drew their swords, and so cut 'em, and slasht 'em, That five out of them did fall. The three that remained call'd to Robin for quarter, And pitiful John begg'd their lives : When John's boon was granted, he gave them good counsel, And sent them all home to their wives. This battle was fought near to Titbury town, When the bagpipes baited ihe bull ; I'm the king of the fiddlers, and I swear 'tis truth, And I call him that doubts it a gull ; For I saw them fighting, and fiddled the while ; And Clorinda sung " Hey derry down! u The bumpkins are beaten, put up thy sword, Bob, u And now let's dance into the town." Before we came in we heard a great shouting, And all that were in it look'd madly ; For some were on bull-back, some dancing a morris, Aud some singing Artliur-a~Bradley. And there we see Thomas, our justices clerk, And Mary, to whom he was kiud ; For Tom rode before her, and call'd Mary madam, And kiss'd 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 bade them take hand* And joyn'd them in marriage full fast. l 3 111 ROBIN HOODS And then, as bold Robin Hood and his sweet bride Went hand in hand to the £ieen bower, The birds sung with pleasure in merry Sherwood, And 'twas a most joyful hour. And when Robin came in sight of the bower, Where are my yeomen ? said lie : And Little John answer'd, Lo, yonder they stand, All under the green wood tree. Then a garland they brought her by two and by two, And plac'd them all on the bride's head : The music struck up, and we all fell to dance, 'Till the bride and bridegroom were a-bed. [The sweet vestal blush shall be counsel to me, The sun smiled upon them next day,] And I had haste home, but I got a good piece Of bride-cake, and so came away. Now out, alas ! I had forgotten to tell ye, That marry'd they were with a ring ; And so will Nan Knight, or be buried a maiden. And now let us pray for the king 4 * That he may have children, and they may have more, To govern and do us some good : And then I'll make ballads in Robin Hood's bower, And sing 'em in merry Sherwood. PROGRESS TO NOTTINGHAM. US II. ROBIN HOODS PROGRESS TO NOTTINGHAM. Robin Hood he was and a tall young man, Derry dtrry down, And fifteen winters old ; And Robin Hood he was a proper young man, Of courage stout and bold. Bey down, derry derry down, Robin Hood hee would and to fair Nottingham, With the general for to dine ; There was hee aware of fifteen forresters, And a drinking bear, ale, and wine. What news ? What news ? said bold Robin Hood, What news fain wouldest thou know? Our king hath provided a shooting match, And I'm ready with my bow. We hold it in scorn, said the forresters, That ever a boy so young Should bear a bow before our king, That's not able to draw one string. Tie hold you twenty marks, said bold Robin Hood, By the leave of our lady, That Pie hit a mark a hundred rod, And Tie cause a hart to dye. We'l hold you twenty mark, then said the forresters, By the leave of our lady, Thou hit'st not the marke a hundred rod, Nor causesl a hart to dye. fi6 ROBIN HOODS ! Robin Hood he bent up a noble bow. And a broad arrow. he let fiye, He hit the mark a hundred rod, And he caused a hart to dye. Some say bee brake ribs one or two, And some say he brake three ; The arrow within the hart would not abide, But it glanced in two or three. The hart did skip, and the hart did leap, And the hart lay on the ground; The wager is mine, said bold Robin Hood, If 't were for a thousand pound. The wager's none of thine, then said the forrest£rs, Although thou beest in haste ; Take up thy bow, and get thee hence, Lest wee thy sides do baste. Robin Hood hee took up his noble bow, And his broad arrows all amain ; And Robin Hood he laught, and begun [for] to smile, As hee went over the plain. Then Robin hee bent his noble bow, And his broad arrows he let flye, Till fourteen of these fifteen forresters Upon the ground did lye. He that did this quarrel first begin Went tripping over the plain ; But Robin Hood he bent his noble bow, And hee fetcht him back again. You said I was no archer, said Robin Hood, But say so now again : With that he sent another arrow, That split his head in twain. PROGRESS TO NOTTINGHAM. 117 You have found mee an archer, saith Robin Hood, Which will make your wives for to wring, And wish that yon had never spoke the word, That I could not draw one string. The people that lived in fair Nottingham Came running out amain, Supposing to have taken bold Robin Hood, With the forresters that were slain. Some lost legs, and some lost arms, And some did lose their blood ; But Robin hee took up his noble bow, And is gone to the merry green wood. They carried these forresters into fair Nottingham, As many there did know ; They dig'd them graves in their church-yard, And they buried them all a row. III. THE JOLLY PINDER OF WAKEFIELD, WITH ROBIN HOOD, SCARLET, AND JOHN. From an old black letter copy, in A.b\ Woods collection, compared with two other copies in the British Museum, one in black letter. It should be sung " To an excellent tune," which has not been recovered. In Wakefield there lives a jolly pinder, In Wakefield all on a green, In Wakefield all on a green: There is neither knight nor squire, said the pinder, Nor baron that is so bold, Nor baron that is so bold, Dare make a trespass to the town of Wakefield, But his pledge goes to the pinfold, &c. 113 PINDER OF WAKEFIELD. Ail this be heard three witty young men, 'Twas Robin Hood, Scarlet, and John ; With that they espy'd the jolly pinder, As he sat under a thorn. Now turn again, turn again, said the pinder, For a wrong way you have gone ; For you have forsaken the kings highway, And made a path over the corn. that were a shame, said jolly Robin, We being three, and thou but one. The pinder leapt back then thirty good foot, 5 Twas thirty good foot and one. He leaned his back fast unto a thorn, And his foot against a stone, And there he fought a long summers day, A summers day so long, Till that their swords on their broad bucklers Were broke fast into their hands. Hold thy hand, hold thy hand, said bold Robin Hood, And my merry men every one ; For this is one of the best pinders, That ever I tryed with sword. And wilt thou forsake thy pinders craft, And live in the green-wood with me? " At Michaelmas next my cov'nant comes out, When every man gathers his fee ; Then Fie take my blew blade all in my hand, And plod to the green-wood with thee." Hast thou either meat or drink, said Robin Hood, For my merry men and me ? 1 have both bread and beef, said the pinder, And good ale of the best. And that is meat good enough, said Robin Hood, For such unbidden ' guests.' ROBIN HOOD AND THE BISHOP. 119 " O wilt thou forsake the pinder his craft, And go to the green-wood with me? Thou shalt have a livery twice in the year, The one green, the other brown/' u If Michaelmas day was come and gone, And my master had paid me my fee, Then would I set as little by him, As my master doth by me,' 5 IV. ROBIN HOOD AND THE BISHOP ; u Shewing how Robin Hood went to an old womans house find changed cloaths with her to scape from the biskop ; and how he robbed the bishop of all his gold, and made him sing a mass. To the tune of Robin Hood and the Stranger." From an old black letter copy in the collection of Anthony a Wood. Comf, gentlemen all, and listen awhile, Hey down, down, an a down, And a story ile to you unfold ; He tell you how Robin Hood served the bishop, When he robbed him of his gold. As it fell out on a sun-shining day, When Phoebus was in * his ' prime, Then Robin Hood, that archer good, In mirth would spend some time. And as he walk'd the forest along, Some pastime for to spy, There was he aware of a proud bishop, And all his company. 120 ROBIN HOOD O what shall I do, said Robin Hood then, If the bishop he doth take me? " No mercy he'l show unto me, I know, But hanged I shall be. Then Robin was stout, and turned him about, And a little house there he did spy; And to an old wife, for to save his life, He loud began for to cry. Why, who art thou ? said the old woman, Come tell to me for good. " I am an out-law, as many do know, My name it is Robin Hood ; And yonder's the bishop and all his men, And if that I taken be, Then day and night he'l work my spight, And hanged I shall be." If thou be Robin Hood, said the old wife, As thou c dost ' seem to be, I'le for thee provide, and thee I will hide, Prom the bishop and his company. For I remember, i one ' Saturday night, Thou brought me both shoos and hose ; Therefore I'le provide thy person to hide, And keep thee from thy foes. "Then give me soon thy coat of gray, And take thou my mantle of gre^n ; Thy spindle and twine unto me resign, And take thou my arrows so keen. ,> And when Robin Hood was so araid, He went straight to his company, With his spindle and twine, he oft lookt behind For the bishop and his company. AND THE BISHOP. 121 O who is yonder, quoth little Johu, That now comes over the lee ? An arrow I will at her let flie, So like an old witch looks shee. hold thy hand, hold thy hand, said Robin Hood then, And shoot not thy arrows so keen ; 1 am Robin Hood, thy master good, And quickly it shall be seen. The bishop he came to the old womans house, And called, with furious mood, Come let me soon see, and bring unto me That traitor Robin Hood. The old woman he set on a milk-white steed, Himselfe on a dapple gray ; And for joy he had got Robin Hood, He went laughing all the way. But as they were riding the forrest along, The bishop he c chanc'd ' for to see A hundred brave bowmen bold, Stand under the green-wood tree, O who is yonder, the bishop then said, That's ranging within yonder wood ? Marry, says the old woman, I think it to be A man call'd Robin Hood. Why, who art thou, the bishop he said, Which I have here with me ? u Why, I am old woman, thou [haughty] bishop, [As presently thou shalt] see." Then woe is me, the bishop he said, That ever I saw this day ! He turn'd him about, but Robin stout Call'd kirn, and bid him stay. M 122 ROBIN HOOD Then Robin took hold of the bishop's horse, And ty'd him fast to a tree ; Then Little John smil'd his master upon, For joy of that company. Robin Hood took his mantle from 's back, And spread it upon the ground, And out of the bishop's portmantle he Soon told five hundred pound. Now let him go, said Robin Hood. Said little John, That may not be ; For I vow and protest he shall sing us a mass, Before that he goe from me. Then Robin Hood took the bishop by the hand, And bound him fast to a tree^ And made him sing a mass, God wot, To him and his yeomandree. And then they brought him through the wood, And set him on his dapple gray, And gave him the tail within his hand, And bade him for Robin Hood pray* V. ROBIN HOOD AND THE BUTCHER. From an old black letter copy in the collection of Anthony & Wood, The tune is, " Robin Hood and the Begger." Come, all you brave gallants, listen awhile, With hey down, down, an a down, That are \ this bower' within ; For of Robin Hood, that archer good A song I intend for to sing. AND THE BUTCHER. 12.3 Upon a time it chanced so. Bold Robin in [the] forrest did 'spy A jolly butcher, with a bonny fine mare, With his flesh to the market did hye. Good morrow, good fellow, said jolly Robin, What food hast [thou], tell unto me ? Thy trade to me tell, and where thou dost dwell, For I like well thy company. The butcher he answer'd jolly Robin, No matter where I dwell ; For a butcher I am, and to Notinghani I am going, my flesh to sell. What is [the] price of thy flesh? said jolly Robin, Come tell it soon unto me ; And the price of thy mare, be she never so dear, For a butcher fain would I be. The price of my flesh, the butcher repli'd, I soon will tell unto thee ; With my bonny mare, and they are not too dear, Four mark thou must give unto me. Four mark I will give thee, saith jolly Robin, Four mark it shall be thy fee ; The mony come count, and let me mount, For a butcher I fain would be. Now Robin he is to Notingham gone, His butchers trade to begin ; With good intent to the sheriff he went, And there he took up his inn. When other butchers they opened their meat, Bold Robin he then begun ; But how for to sell he knew not well, For a butcher he was but young. M 2 124 ROBIN HOOD When other butchers no meat could sell, Robin got both gold and fee ; For he sold more meat for one peny Than others could do for three. \ But when he sold his meat so fast, No butcher by him could thrive ; For he sold more meat for one peny Than others could do for five. Which made the butchers of Notingham To study as they did stand, Saying, Surely he 4 is' some prodigal, That hath sold his fathers land. The butchers stepped to jolly Robin, Acquainted with him for to be ; Come, brother, one said, we be all of one trade, Come, will you go dine with me? Accurst of his heart, said jolly Robin, That a butcher doth deny ; I will go with you, my brethren true, As fast as I can hie. But when to the sheriffs house they came, To dinner they hied apace, And Robin Hood he the man must be Before them all to say grace. Pray God bless us all, said jolly Robin, And our meat within this place ; A cup of sack so good will nourish our blood : And so I do end my grace. i Come fill us more wine, said jolly Robin, I Let us be merry while we do stay ; \For wine and good cheer, be it never so dear, ; I vow I the reckning will pay. AND THE BUTCHER. 125 Come, * brothers/ be merry, said jolly Robin, Let us drink, and never give ore ; For the shot I will pay, ere 1 go my way, If it cost me five pounds and more. This is a mad blade, the butchers then said. Saies the sheriff, He is some prodigal, That some land has sold for silver and gold, And now he doth mean to spend all. Hast thou any horn beasts, the sheriff repli'd, Good fellow, to sell unto me? " Yes, that I have, good master sheriff, I have hundreds two or three, And a hundred aker of good free land, If you please it to see : And He make you as good assurance of it, As ever my father made me." \ The sheriff he saddled his good palfrey, And, with three hundred pound in gold, Away he went with bold Robin Hood, His horned beasts to behold. Away then the sheriff and Robin did ride, To the forrest of merry Sherwood, Then the sheriff did say, God bless us this day, From a man they call Robin Hood ! But when a little farther they came, Bold Robin he chanced to spy A hundred head of good red deer, Come tripping the sheriff full nigh. u How like you my horn'd beasts, good master sheriff? They be fat and fair for to see." u I tell thee, good fellow, I would I were gone, For I like not thy company .* M 3 126 ROBIN HOOD Then Robin set his horn to his mouth, And blew but blasts three ; Then quickly anon there came Little John, And all his company. What is your will, master? then said Little John, Good master come tell unto me. " I have brought hither the sheriff of Nottingham This day to dine with thee." He is welcome to me, then said Little John, I hope he will honestly pay ; I know he has gold, if it be but well told, Will serve us to drink a whole day. Then Robin took his mantle from his back, And laid it upon the ground ; And out of the sheriffs portmantle He told three hundred pound. Then Robin he brought him thorow the wood, And set him on his dapple gray ; u O have me commended to your wife at home :" So Robin went laughing away. AND THE TANNER. If VI. ROBIN HOOD AND THE TANNER; OR, ROBIN HOOD MET WITH HIS MATCH. 11 A merry and pleasant song relating the gallant and fierce combate fought between Arthur Bland, a tanner of Nottingham and Robin Hood, the greatest and most noblest archer of England. Tune is, Robin Hood and the Stran- ger.^ From an old black letter copy in the collection of Anthony & Wood, In Nottingham there lives a jolly tanner, With a hey down, down, a down, down. His name is Arthur-a-Bland ; There is nere a squire in Nottinghamshire Dare bid bold Arthur stand. With a long pike-staff upon his shoulder, So well he can clear his way ; By two and by three he makes them to flee, For he hath no list to stay. And as he went forth, in a summers morning, Into the * forrest of merry' Sherwood, To view the red deer, that range here and there, There met he with bold Robin Hood. As soon as bold Robin i he did' espy, He thought some sport he would make, Therefore out of hand he bid him to stand, And thus to him ' he 1 spake : Why, what art thou, thou bold fellow, That ranges so boldly here ? In sooth, to be brief, thou looks t like a thief, That comes to steal our kings deer. 128 ROBIN HOOD For I am a keeper in this forrest, The king puts me in trust To look to his deer, that range here and there; Therefore stay thee I must. " If thou beest a keeper in this forrest, And hast such a great command, ' Yet' thou must have more partakers in store, Before thou make me to stand." " Nay, I have no more partakers in store, Or any that I do not need ; But I have a staff of another oke grafF, I know it will do the deed. \ For thy sword and thy bow I care not a straw, Nor all thine arrows to boot ; If I get a knop upon thy bare scop, Thou canst as well [spit] as shoot." Speak cleanly, good fellow, said jolly Robin, And give better terms to me ; Else He thee correct for thy neglect, And make thee more mannerly. Marry gep with a wenion ! quod Arthur-a-Bland, Art thou such a goodly man ? I care not a fig for thy looking so big, Mend thou thyself where thou can. Then Robin Hood he unbuckled his belt, And laid down his bow so long ; He took up a staff of another oke grafF, That was both stiff and strong. He yield to thy weapon, said jolly Robin, Since thou wilt not yield to mine; For I have a staff of another oke grafF, Not half a foot longer then thine. AND THE TANNER. 129 But let me measure, said jolly Robin, Before we begin our fray ; For I'le not have mine to be longer then thine, For that will be counted foul play. I pass not for length, bold Arthur reply'd, My staff is of oke so free ; Eight foot and a half, it will knock down a calf, And I hope it will knock down thee. Then Robin could no longer forbear, He gave him such a knock, Quickly and soon the blood came down, Before it was ten a clock. \ Then Arthur he soon recovered himself, And gave him such a knock on the crown, That from every side of bold Robin Hoods head, The blood came trickling down. Then Robin raged like a wild boar, As soon as he saw his own blood : Then Bland was in hast he laid on so fast, As though he had been cleaving of wood. And about, and about, and about they went* Like two wild bores in a chase. Striving to aim each other lo maim, Leg, arm, or any other place. And knock for knock they lustily dealt, Which held for two hours and more ; That all the wood rang at every bang, They ply'd their work so sore. Hold thy hand, hold thy hand, said Robin Hood, And let thy quarrel fall ; For here we may thrash our bones all to mesh, And get no eoyn at all : 1&> ROBIN HOOD And in the forrest of merry Sherwood Heareafter thou shalt be free. " God a mercy for ' nought,' my freedom I bought, I may thank my staff, and not thee." What tradesman art thou ? said jolly Robin, Good fellow, I prethee me show : And also me tell, iu what place thou dost dwel ? For both of these fain would I know. ' I am a tanner, bold Arthur reply'd, In Nottingham long have I wrought ; And if thou'lt come there, I vow and swear, L I will tan thy hide for * nought.' I God-a-mercy, good fellow, said jolly Robin, Since thou art so kind and free ; And if thou wilt tan my hide for ' nought,' I will do as much for thee. And if thou'lt forsake thy tanners trade, And live in the green wood with me, My name's Robin Hood, I swear by the ' rood,' I will give thee both gold and fee. If thou be Robin Hood, bold Arthur reply'd, As I think well thou art, Then here's my hand, my name's Arthur-a-Bland, We two will never depart. But tell me, O tell me, where is Little John ? Of him fain would I hear ; For we are alide by the mothers side, And he is my kinsman dear. Then Robin Hood blew on the beaugle horn, He blew full lowd and shrill ; But quickly anon appear'd Little John, Come tripping down a green hill ; AND THE TANNER. 131 O what is the matter ? then said Little John, Master, I pray you tell : Why do you stand with your staff in your hand, I fear all is not well. " O man I do stand, and he makes me to stand, The tanner that stands thee beside ; He is a bonny blade, and master of his trade, For soundly he hath tan'd my hide." He is to be commended, then said Little John, If such a feat he can do ; If he be so stout, we will have a bout, And he shall tan my hide too. Hold thy hand, hold thy hand, said Robin Hood, For as I do understand, He's a yeoman good of thine own blood, For his name is Arthur-a-Bland. Then Little John threw his staff away, As far as he could it fling, And ran out of hand to Arthur-a-Bland, And about his neck did cling. With loving respect, there was no neglect, They were neither ' nice' nor coy, Each other did face with a lovely grace, And both did weep for joy. Then Robin Hood took * them both' by the hands, And danc'd round about the oke tree : ** For three merry men, and three merry men, And three merry men we be : And ever hereafter as long as we live, We three will be * as* one ; The wood it shall ring, and the old wife sing, Of Robin Hood, Arthur, and John." 132 ROBIN HOOD VII. ROBIN HOOD AND THE TINKER. From an old black letter copy in the library of Anthony H Wood. The full title is, y " A new song- to drive away cold winter, Between Robin Hood and the jovial tinker : How Robin by a wile The Tinker he did cheat ; But at the length as you shall hear The Tinker did him beat, Whereby the same they did then so agree They after liv\l in love and unity. To the tune of, In Summer time." In summer time, when leaves grow green, Down, a down, a down, And birds sing on every tree, Hey down, a down, a down* Robin Hood went to Nottingham, Down, a down, a down. As fast as hee could dree. Hey down, a down, a down. And as hee came to Nottingham, A tinker he did meet, And seeing him a lusty blade. He did him kindly greet. Where dost thou live? quoth Robin Hood, I pray thee now mee tell : Sad news I hear there is abroad, I fear all is not well. AND THE TINKER. 153 What is that news? the tinker said, Tell mee without delay : I am a tinker by my trade, And do live at Banbury. As for the news, quoth Robin Hood, It is but as I hear, Two tinkers were set ith' stocks, For drinking ale and ' beer.' If that be all, the tinker he said, As I may say to you, Your news is not worth a [groat] Since that they all bee true. For drinking good ale and c beer,' You will not lose your part. No, by my faith, quoth Robin Hood, I love it with all my heart. What news abroad? quoth Robin Hood, Tell me what thou dost hear : Seeing thou goest from town to town, Some news thou need not fear. I All the news I have, the tinker said, 1 hear it is for good, It is to seek a bold outlaw, Which they call Robin Hood. I have a warrant from the king, To take him where I can ; If you can tell me where hee is, I will mak you a man. The king would give a hundred pound, That he could but him see ; And if wee can but now him get, It will serve thee and mee. N 134 ROBIN HOOD Let me see that warrant, said Robin Hood, He see if it bee right; And I will do the best I can For to take him this night. That will I not, the tinker said, None with it I will trust ; And where hee is if you'll not tell, Take him by force I must. But Robin Hood perceiving well How then the game would go, a If you would go to Nottingham, We shall find him I know." I The tinker had a crab-tree staff, Which was both good and strong, Robin hee had a good strong blade ; So they went both along. And when they came to Nottingham, There they both tooke their inn ; And they called for ale and wine, To drink it was no sin. But ale and wine they drank so fast, That the tinker hee forgot What thing he was about to do ; It fell so to his lot. That, while the tinker fell asleep, ' Robin ' made then haste away, And left the tinker in the lurch, For the great shot to pay. But when the tinker wakened, And saw that he was gone, He call'd then even for his host, And thus hee made his moan : AND THE TINKER. 135 I had a warrant from the king, Which might have done me good, That is to take a bold outlaw, Some call him Robin Hood : But now my warrant and mony's gone, Nothing I have to pay ; And he that promis'd to be my friend, He is gone and fled away. 5 That friend you tell en, said the host, They call him Robin Hood; And when that first hee met with you, He ment you little good. " Had I but known it had heen hee, When that I had been here, Th' one of us should have tri'd our might Which should have paid full dear. In the mean time I will away, No longer here He bide, But I will go and seek him out, Whatever do me betide. But one thing I would gladly know, What here I have to pay." Ten shillings just, then said the host. " He pay without delay j } Or elce take here my working-bag, And my good hammer too ; And if that I light but on the knave, I will then soon pay you." The onely way, then said the host, And not to stand in fear, Is to seek him among the parks, Killing of the king's deer. N 2 136 ROBIN HOOD The tinker liee then went with speed, And made then no delay, Till he had found « bold ' Robin Hood, That they might have a fray. At last hee spy'd him in a park, Hunting then of the deer. What knave is that, quoth Robin Hood, That doth come mee so near? J No knave, no knave, the tinker said, And that you soon shall know ; Whether of us hath done any wrong, My crab-tree staff shall show. i Then Robin drew his gallant blade, Made then of trusty steel : But the tinker he laid on so fast, That he made Robin reel. Then Robins anger did arise, He fought right manfully, Until he had made the tinker Almost then fit to fly. With that they had a bout again, They ply'd their weapons fast ; The tinker threshed his bones so sore, He made him yeeld at last. A boon, a boon, Robin hee cryes, If thou wilt grant it mee. Before I do it, the tinker said, He hang thee on this tree. But the tinker looking him about, Robin his horn did blow ; Then came unto him Little John, And William Scadlock too. AND THE TINKER. 1ST What is the matter, quoth Little John, You sit on th' highway side? 11 Here is a tinker that stauds by, That hath paid well my hide." That tinker then, said Little John, Fain that blade I would see, And I would try what I eould do, If hee'l do as much for me. But Robin hee then wish'd them both They should the quarrel cease, * That henceforth wee may bee as one, And ever live in peace. And for the jovial tinker's part, A hundred pounds He give In th' year to maintain him on, As long as he doth live. I In manhood he is a mettled man, And a mettle man by trade ; Never thought I that any man Should have made me so afraid. And if hee will bee one of us, Wee will take all one fare ; And whatsoever wee do get, He shall have his full share." So the tinker was content With them to go along, And with them a part to take ; And so I end my song. w 3 138 ROBIN HOOD VIII. ROBIN HOOD AND ALLIN < A' DALE ; u Or a pleasant relation how a young gentleman, being in love with a young damsel, c she* was taken from him to be an old knights bride : and how Robin Hood, pittying the young mans case, took her from the old knight, v)hen they were going to be marryed, and restored her to her own love again. To a pleasant northern tune 9 Robin Hood in the green-wood stood. Bold Robin Hood he did the young man right And took the damsel from the doting knight " From an old black letter copy in major Pearson's collection* Come listen to me, you gallants so free, All yon that love mirth for to hear, And I will tell you of a bold outlaw, That lived in Nottinghamshire. As Robin Hood in the forest stood, All under the green wood tree, There he was aware of a brave young man, As fine as fine might be. The youngster was clothed in scarlet red, In scarlet fine and gay ; And he did frisk it over the plain, And chanted a round-de-lay. As Robin Hood next morning stood Amongst the leaves so gay, There did [he] espy the same young man Come drooping along the way. AND ALLIN A DALE. 139 The scarlet he wore the day before It was clean cast away ; And at every step he fetcht a sigh, " Alack and a well a day !" Then stepped forth brave Little John, And ' Midge' the millers son, Which made the young man bend his bow, When as he see them come. Stand off, stand off, the young man said, What is your will with me? " You must come before our master straight, Under yon green wood tree." And when he came bold Robin before, Robin askt him courteously, O, hast thou any money to spare For my merry men and me ? I have no money, the young man said, But five shillings and a ring ; And that I have kept this seven long year3, To have it at my wedding. Yesterday I should have married a maid, But she from me was taue, And chosen to be an old knights delight, Whereby my poor heart is slain. What is thy name? then said Robin Hood, Come tell me, without any fail. By the faith of my body, then said the young man, My name it is Allin a Dale. What will thou give me, said Robin Hood, In ready gold or fee, To help thee to thy true love again, And deliver her unto thee? 140 ROBIN HOOD I have no money, then quoth the young man, No ready gold nor fee, But I will swear upon a book Thy true servant for to be. »' " How many miles is it to thy true love? Come tell me without guile." By the faith of my body, then said the young man, It is but five little mile. Then Robin he hasted over the plain. He did neither stint nor lin, Until he came unto the church, Where Allin should keep his wedding. What hast thou here? the bishop then said, I prithee now tell unto me. I am a bold harper, quoth Robin Hood, And the best in the north country. O welcome, O welcome, the bishop he said, That music best pleaseth me ; You shall have no music, quoth Robin Hodd, Till the bride and the bridegroom I see. With that came in a wealthy knight, Which was both grave and old, And after him a finikin lass. Did shine like the glistering gold. This is not a fit match, quoth bold Robin Hood, That you do seem to make here, For since we are come into the church, The bride shall enuse her own dear. Then Robin Hood put his horn to his mouth, And blew blasts two or three ; When four and twenty bowmen bold Came leaping over the lee. AND ALLIN A DALE. 141 And when they came into the church-yard, Marching all on a row, The first man was AUin a Dale, To give bold Robin his bow. This is thy true love, Robin he said, Young Allin, as I hear say, : And you shall be married at ■ this' same time, Before we depart away. That shall not be, the bishop he said, For thy word shall not stand ; They shall be three times askt in the church, As the law is of our land. Robin Hood pull'd off the bishops coat, And put it upon little John ; By the faith of my body, then Robin said, This * cloth' does make thee a man* When Little John went into the quire, The people began to laugh ; He askt them seven times in the church, Lest three times should not be enough. Who gives me this maid ? said Little John. Quoth Robin Hood, that do I; And he that takes her from Allin a Dale, Full dearly he shall her buy. And thus having ended this merry wedding, The bride lookt like a queen ; And so they return'd to the merry green wood Amongst the leaves so green. U<2 ROBIN HOOD IX. ROBIN HOOD AND THE SHEPHERD ; u Shewing how Robin Hood, Little John, and the Shep- herd fought a sore combate. The Shepherd fought for twenty pound, and Robin for bottle and bag, But the shepherd stout, gave them the rout, so sore they could not wag. Tune is, Robin Hood and queen KatherineJ* From two old black letter copies, one of them in the collec* Hon of Anthony d Wood, the other in that of Thomas Pearson, esq. All gentlemen, and yeomen good, Down, a down, a down, a down, I wish yen to drew near; For a story of gallant bold Robin Hood Unto you I will declare. Down a, fyc. As Robin Hood walkt the forrest along, Some pastin/e for to spie, There he was aware of a jolly shepherd, That on the ground did lie. Arise, arise, cried jolly Robin, And now come let me see What's in thy bag and bottle; I say, Come tell it unto me. " What's that to thee? thou proud fellow, Tell me as 1 do stand; What hast thou to do with my bag and bottle ? Let me see thy command." I AND THE SHEPHERD. 143 u My sword, which hangeth by my side, Is my command I know ; Come, and let me taste of thy bottle, Or it may breed thy woe." u The devil a drop, thou proud fellow, Of my bottle thou shalt see, Until thy valour here be tried, Whether thou wilt fight or £66." What shall we fight for? cries Robin Hood, Come tell it soon to me ; Here is twenty pound in good red gold, Win it and take it thee. The shepherd stood all in a maze, And»knew not what to say : u I have no money, thou proud fellow, But bag and bottle ile lay." " I am content, thou shepherd swain, Fling them down on the ground ; But it will breed thee mickle pain, To win my twenty pound." H Come draw thy sword, thou proud fellow, Thou standest too long to prate ; This hook of mine shall let thee know, A coward I do hate." So they fell to it, full hardy and sore, It was on a summers day, From ten till four in the afternoon The shepherd held him play. Robins buckler prov'd his l chief defence, And saved him many a bang, For every blow the shepherd gave Made Robins sword cry twang. 144 ROBIN HOOD Many a sturdie blow the shepherd gave, And that bold Robin found, Till the blood ran trickling from his head, Then he fell to the ground. 11 Arise, arise, thou proud fellow, And thou shalt have fair play, If thou wilt yield before thou go, That I have won the day." A boon, a boon, cry'd bold Robin, Tf that a man thou be, Then let me have my beugle horn, And blow but blasts three. Then said the shepherd to bold Robin, To that I will agree ; 1 For* if thou shouldst blow till to-morrow morn, I scorn one foot to flee. Then Robin he set his horn to his mouth. And he blew with mickle main, Until he espied Little John Come tripping over the plain. " O who is yonder, thou proud fellow, That comes down yonder hill?" " Yonder is John, bold Robin Hoods man, Shall right with thee thy 611." What is the matter ? saies Little John, Master, come tell to me. My case is bad, cries Robin Hood. For the shepherd hath conquered me, I am glad of that, cries Little John : Shepherd, turn thou to me ; For a bout with thee I mean to have. Either come fight or flee. AND THE SHEPHERD. 145 u With all my heart, thou proud fellow, For it never shall be said That a shepherd's hook of thy sturdy look Will one jot be dismaied." So they fell to it, full hardy and sore, Striving for vietorie. He know, says John, ere we give o'er, Whether thou wilt fight or flee. The shepherd gave John a sturdie blow, With his hook under the chin. Beshrew thy heart, said Little John, Thou basely dost begin. Nay, that is nothing, said the shepherd, Either yield to me the daie, Or I will bang thy back and sides, Before thou goest thy way. What, dost thou think, thou proud fellow, That thou canst conquer me? Nay, thou shalt know, before thou go, He fight before ile flee. Again the shepherd laid on him, ■ Just as he first begun.' Hold thy hand, cry'd bold Robin, I will yield the wager won. With all my heart, said Little John, To that I will agree ; For he is the flower of shepherd swains, The like I did never see. Thus have you heard of Robin Hood, Also of Little John ; How a shepherd swain did conquer them, The like was never known. o 146 ROBIN HOOD X. ROBIN HOOD AND THE CURTALL FRYER. From an old black letter copy in the collection of Anthony ct Wood ; corrected by a much early er one in the Pepysian library, printed by H. Gosson, about the year 1600 ; com- pared with a later one in the same collection. The full title is : " The famous battell betweene Robin Hood and the cur- tall fryer. To a New Northerne tune" " The curtail fryer, 1 ' dr. Stukeley says, u is cordelier from the cord or rope which they wore round their wast, to whip themselves with. They were," adds he, "of the Franciscan order. 7 * Our fryer, however, is undoubtedly so called from his a curtail dogs," or curs, as we now say, (Courtault, F.) In fact, he is no fryer at all, but a monk of Fountains abbey, which was of the Cistercian order. In summer time, when leaves grow green, And flowers are fresh and gay, Robin Hood and his merry men Were disposed to play. Then some would leape, and some would runne, And some would use artillery ; iC Which of you can a irood bow draw, A good archer for to be ? Which of you can kill a bucke, Or who can kill a doe ; Or who can kill a hart of Greece Five liuudreth foot him fro ?" AND THE CURTALL FRYER. 147 I Will Scadlocke he kiid a bueke, And Midge he kild a doe ; I And Little Iohn kild a hart of Greece, Five hundreth foot him fro. Gods blessing on thy heart, said Robin Hood, That hath such a shot for me ; I would ride my horse a hundred miles, To find one could match thee. That caused Will Scadlocke to laugh, He laught full heartily : " There lives a curtail fryer in Fouutaines Abby Will beate both him and thee. The curtail fryer in Fouutaines Abbey Well can a strong bow draw, He will beat you and your yeomen, Set them all on a row." Robin Hood he tooke a solemne oath, It was by Mary free, | That he would neither eate nor drinke, | 'Till the fryer he did see. Robin Hood put on his harnesse good, On his head a cap of steel, Broad sword and buckler by his side, And they became him weele. He tooke his bow into his hand, It was made of a trusty tree, With a sheafe of arrowes at his belt, And to Fountaine Dale went he. And comming unto Fountaine Dale, No farther he would ride; There he was aware of the curtail fryer, Walking by the water side, o 2 148 ROBIN HOOD The fryer had on a harnesse good, On his head a cap of steel, Broad sword and buckler by his side, And they became him weele. Robin Hood lighted off his horse, And tyed him to a thorne : dastard coward ! Stutly cries, Thou faint heart peasant slave ! If ever my master do thee meet, Thou shalt thy paiment have. My noble master i doth thee ' scorn, And all thy ' coward' crew; Such silly imps unable are, Bold Robin to subdue. But when he was to the gallows come, And ready to bid adiew, Out of a bush leaps Little John, And comes Will Stutly c to ' ; j <( I pray thee, Will, before thou die, Of thy dear ftiends take leave ; I needs must borrow him for a while, How say you, master ' shrieve ' ? " Now, as I live, the sheriff he said, That varlet will I know ; Some sturdy rebell is that same, Therefore let him not go. R 182 ROBIN HOODS Then Little John most hastily, Away cut Study's bands, And from one of the ' sheriffs' men, A sword twicht from his hands. u Here, Will, here, take thou this same Thou canst it better sway ; And here defend thyself a while, For aid will come straightway." And there they turned them back to back In the middle of them that day, 'Till Robin Hood approached near With many an archer gay. With that an arrow by them flew, I wist from Robin Hood ; Make haste, make haste, the sheriff he said, Make haste, for it is good. The sheriff is gon, his '.doughty' men Thought it no boot to stay, But as their master had them taught, 6 They' run full fast away. O stay, O stay, Will Stutly said, Take leave ere you depart ; Yon neere will catch bold Robin Hood, Unless you dare him meet, O ill betide you, quoth Robin Hood, That you so soon are gone ; My sword may in the scabbord rest, For here our work is done. I little thought, * Will Stutly said,' When I came to this place, For to have met with Little John, Or seen my masters face. RESCUING WILL STUTLY. 183 Thus Stutly was at liberty set, And safe brought from his foe : • " O thanks, O thanks to my master, Since here it was not so." And once again, my fellows [all], We shall in the green wood meet, Where we [will] make our bow-strings twang, Musick for us most sweet." XVI. THE NOBLE FISHER-MAN ; OR, ROBIN HOODS PREFERMENT : li Skewing how he won a prize on the sea, and how he gave the one halfe to his dame, and the other to the building of almes-houses. The tune is, In summer time, fyc," From three old black letter copies ; one in the collection of Anthony cl Woody another in the British Museum, and the third in a private collection. In summer time, when leaves grow green, When they doe grow both green and long,- Of a bold outlaw, call'd Robin Hood, It is of him I sing this song, — When the lilly leafe, and the elephant, Doth bud and spring with a merry cheere, This outlaw was weary of the wood side, And chasing of the fallow deere. | down, a down, down, Maid Marian call'd by name, Did live in the North, of excellent worth* For she was a gallant dame. AND MAID MARIAN. 215 For favour and face, and beauty most rare, Queen Hellen shee did excel! : For Marian then was prais'd of all men, That did in the country dwell, "Twas neither Rosamond nor Jane Shore, Whose beauty was clear and bright, That could surpass this country lass, Beloved of lord and knight. The earl of Huntingdon, nobly born, That came of noble blood, To Marian went, with a good intent, By the name of Robin Hood. ******* ****** ******* ***** But fortune bearing these lovers a spight, That soon they were forced to part : To the merry green wood then went Robin Hood, With a sad and sorrowfnll heart. And Marian, poor soul, was troubled in mind, For the absence of her friend ; With finger in eye, shee often did cry, And his person did much comend. Perplexed and vexed, and troubled in mind, Shee drest herself like a page, And ranged the wood, to find Robin Hood, The bravest of men in that age. With quiver and bow, sword, buckler, and all, Thus armed was Marian most bold, Still wandering about, to rind Robin out, Whose person was better than gold. 216 ROBIN HOOD But Robin Hood, hee, himself had disguis'd, And Marian was strangely attii^d, That they prov'd foes, and so fell to blowes, Whose vallour bold Robin admir'd. They drew out their swords, and to cutting they went, At least an hour or more, That the blood ran apace from bold Robins face, And Marian was wounded sore. O hold thy hand, hold thy hand, said Robin Hood, And thou shalt be one of my string, To range in the wood, with bold Robin Hood, And hear the sweet nightingall sing. When Marian did hear the voice of her love, Her self shee did quickly discover, And with kisses sweet, she did him greet, Like to a most loyall lover. When bold Robin Hood his Marian did see, Good lord, what clipping was there! With kind embraces, and jobbing of faces, Providing of gallant cheer. For Little John took his bow in his hand, And 6 wandred' in the wood, To kill the deer, and make good chear, For Marian and Robin Hood. A stately banquet l they* had full soon, All in a shaded bower, Where venison sweet they had to eat, And were merry that present hour. Great flaggons of wine were set on the board, And merrily they drunk round Their boules of sack * * * * AND MAID MARIAN. $17 First Robin Hood began a health To Marian his onely dear ; And his yeomen all, both comly and tall, Did quickly bring up the rear : For in a brave venie they tost off the bonis, Whilst thus they did remain ; And every cup, as they drank up, They filled with speed again. At last they ende^d their merryment, And went to walk in the wood, Where little John, and maid Marian, Attended on bold Robin Hood. In sollid content together they liv'd, With all their yeomen gay ; They liv'd by * their' hands, without any lands, And so they did many a day. But now to conclude an end I will make, In time as I think it good ; For the people that dwell in the North can tell Of Marian and bold Robin Hood,. XXV. THE KING'S DISGUISE, AND FRIENDSHIP WITH ROBIN HOOD. King Richard hearing of the pranks Of Robin Hood and his men, He much admir'd, and more desired To see both him and them. 218 THE KINGS DISGUISE. Then, with a dozen of his lords, To Nottingham he rode ; When he came there, he made good cheer, And took up his abode. He having staid there some time, But had no hopes to speed, He and his lords, with one accord, All put on monk's weeds. From Fountain-abbey they did ride, Down to Barnsdale ; Where Robin Hood prepared stood All company to assail. The king was higher than the rest, And Robin thought he had An abbot been whom he had seen, To rob him he was glad. He took the king's horse by the head, Abbot, says he, abide; I am bound to rue such knaves as you, That live iu pomp and pride. But we are messengers from the king, The king himself did say ; Near to this place his royal grace To speak with thee does stay. God save the king, said Robin Hood, And all that wish him well ; He that does deny his sovereignty, I wish he was in hell. Thyself thou cursedst, says the king, For thou a traitor art. " Nay, but that you are his messenger, I swear you lie in heart. THE KINGS DISGUISE. 219 For I never yet hurt any man That honest is and true ; But those who give their minds to live Upon other mens due. I never hurt the ' husbandmen,' That use to till the ground : Nor spill their blood who range the wood, To follow hawk or hound. s My chiefest spite to clergy is, Who in these days bear great sway ; With fryars and monks, with their fine sprunks, I make my chiefest prey." But I am very glad, says Robin Hood, That I have met you here ; Come, before we end, you shall, my friend, Taste of our green- wood cheer. The king he then did marvel much, And so did all his men ; They thought with fear, what kind of cheer, Robin would provide for them. Robin took the king's horse by the head, And led him to his tent : Thou wouldst not be so us'd, quoth he, But that my king thee sent. I Nay, more than that, quoth Robin Hood, For good king Richard's sake, \ If you had as much gold as ever I told, I would not one penny take. Then Robin set his horn to his mouth, And a loud blast he did blow, -'Till a hundred and ten of Robin Hood's men, Came marching all of a row. u 2 520 ■ THE KINGS DISGUISE. And when they came bold Robin before, Each man did bend his knee : O, thought the king, 'tis a gallant thing, And a seemly sight to see. I Within himself the king did say, These men of Robin Hood's More humble be than mine to me ; So the court may learn of the woods. So then they all to dinner went, Upon a carpet green ; Black, yellow, red, finely mingled, Most curious to be seen^ Venison and fowls were plenty there, With fish out of the river : King Richard swore, on sea or shore, He never was feasted better. Then Robin takes a cann of ale : " Come, let us now begin ; And every man shall have his cann : Here's a health unto the king." The king himself drank to the king, So round about it went ; Two barrels of ale, both stout and stale* To pledge that health was spent. : And, after that, a bowl of wine In his hand took Robin Hood ; Until I die, I'll drink wine, said he, While I live in the green wood. Bend all your bows, said Robin Hood, And with the grey-goose-wing, Such sport now show, as you would d» In the presence of the king. THE KINGS DISGUISE. 2 They shewed such brave archery, By cleaving sticks and wands, That the king did say, such men as they Live not in many lands. Well, Robin Hood, then says the king, If I could thy pardon get, To serve the king in every thing Would'st thou thy mind firm set? Yes, * with air my heart, bold Robin said, So they flung off their hoods, To serve the king in every thing, They swore they would spend their * bloods*' For a clergyman was first my bane, Which makes me hate them all, But if you will be so kind to me, Love them again I shall. The king no longer could forbear, For he was mov'd with * truth.' * * * * * * ****** " I am the king, ' your* sovereign king, That appears before you all." When Robin saw that it was he, Strait then he down did fall. Stand up again, then said the king, I'll thee thy pardon give ; Stand up ray friend, who can contend, When I give leave to live ? So they are all gone to Nottingham, All shouting as they came : But when the people them did see, They thought the king was slain ; u 3 222 THE KINGS DISGUISE. And for that cause the outlaws were come. To rule all as they list; And for to shun, which ' way* to run, The people did not wist. I' 1 The plowman left the plow in the fields, The smith ran from his shop ; Old folks also, that scarce could go, Over their sticks did hop. The king soon did let them understand He had been in the green-wood, And from that day, for evermore, He'd forgiven Robin Hood. Then [when] the people they did hear, And [that] the truth was known, They all did sing, God save the king ! Hang care, the town's our own ! What's that Robin Hood ? then said the sheriff, That varlet £ do hate ; Both me and mine he caused to dine, And serv'd us all with one plate. Ho, ho, said Robin Hood, I know what you mean, Come, take your gold again ; Be friends with me, and I with thee, And so with every man. Now, master sheriff, you are paid, And since you are beginner, As well as you give me my due, For you ne'er paid for that dinner. But if c that it' should please the king, So much your house to grace, To sup with you, for, to speak true, [I] know you ne'er was base. THE KINGS DTSGUISE. 223 The sheriff [this] could not gainsay, For a trick was put upon him ; A supper was drest, the king was a guest, But he thought 'twould have outdone him. They are all gone to London court, Robin Hood with all his traiu ; He once was there a noble peer, And now he's there again. 4 Many such pranks brave Robin play'd, While he liv'd in the green wood : Now, my friend, attend, and hear an end Of honest Robin Hood. XXVI. ROBIN HOOD AND THE GOLDEN ARROW. When as the sheriff of Nottingham Was come with mickle grief, He talk'd no good of Robin Hood, That strong and sturdy thief. Fal la dot de. So unto London road he past, His losses to unfold To king Richard, who did regard The tale that he had told. Why, quoth the king, what shall I do ? Art thou not sheriff for me ? The law is in force, to take thy course Of them that injure thee. 2te ROBIN HOOD Go get thee gone, and by thyself Devise some tricking game, For to enthral yon rebels all, Go take thy course with them. So away the sheriff he return'd, And by the way he thought Of th' words of the king, and how the thing To pass might well be brought. For within his mind he imagined, That when such matches were, Those outlaws stout, without all doubt. Would be the bowmen there. So an arrow with a golden head, And shaft of silver-white, Who on the day should bear away For his own proper right. Tidings came to bold Robin Hood, Under the green-wood tree : u Come prepare you then, my merry men, We'll go yon sport to see." With that stept forth a brave young man, David of Doncaster, Master, said he, be rul'd by me, From the green wood we'll not stir. To tell the truth, I'm well inform'd, Yon match it is a wile ; The sheriff, I wiss, devises this Us archers to beguile. Thou smells of a coward, said Robin Hood. Thy words do not please me ; Come on't what will, I'll try my skill, At yon brave archery. AND THE GOLDEN ARROW. 325 then bespoke brave Little John, Come let us thither gang ; Come listen to me, how it shall be, That we need not be ken'd. Our mantles all of Lincoln-green Behind us we will leave 5 We'll dress us all so several, They shall not us perceive. One shall wear white, another red, One yellow, another blue ; Thus iu disguise, f to' the exercise We'll gang, whate'er insue. forth from the green wood they are gone, With hearts all firm and stout, Resolving [then] with the sheriffs men To have a hearty bout. So themselves they mixed with the rest, To prevent all suspicion ; For if they should together hold They thought it no discretion. So the sheriff looking round about, Amongst eight hundred men, But could not see the sight that he, Had long suspected then* Some said, If Robin Hood was here, And all his men to boot, Sure none of them could pass these men, So bravely they do shoot. Ay, quoth the sheriff, and scratch'd his head, I thought he would have been here ; 1 thought he would, but tho' he's bold, He durst not now appear. 226 ROBIN HOOD O that word griev'd Robin Hood to the heart, He vexed in his blood ; Ere long, thought he, thou shalt well see That here was Robin Hood. Some cried, Bluejacket! another cried, Brown! And a third cried, Brave yellow! But the fourth man said, Yon man in red In this place has no fellow. For that was Robin Hood himself, For he was cloath'd in red ; At every shot the prize he got, For he was both sure and dead. So the arrow with the golden head, And shaft of silver-white, Brave Robin Hood won, and bore with him, For his own proper right. These outlaws there, that very day, To shun all kinds of doubt, By three or four, no less nor more, As they went in came out. Untill they all assembled were Under the green-wood shade. Where they * report/ in pleasant sport, What brave pastime they made. Says Robin Hood, all my care is, How that yon sheriff may Know certainly that it was I That bore his arrow away. Says Little John, My counsel good Did take effect before, So therefore now, if you'll allow. I will advise once more. AND THE GOLDEN ARROW. §27 Speak on, speak on, said Robin Hood, Thy wit's both quick and sound, ******* ******* This I advise, said Little John, That a letter shall be penn'd, And when it is done, to Nottingham You to the sheriff shall send. That is well advised, said Robin Hood, But how must it be sent? " Pugh ! when you please, 'tis done with ease ; Master, be you content. I'll stick it on my arrow's head, And shoot it into the town ; The mark must show where it must go, Whenever it lights down." The project it was well perform'd, The sheriff that letter had, Which when he read, he scratch' d his head, And rav'd like one that's mad. So we'll leave him chafing in * his* grease, Which will do him no good : Now, my friends, attend, and hear the end Of honest Robin Hood. 228 ROBIN HOOD XXVII. ROBIN HOOD AND THE VALIANT KNJGHT, " Together with an account of his" death and burial, fyc. Tune of Robin Hood and the fifteen foresters" From the common garland of 4ldermary -church-yard ; corrected, by the York copy* : ■* When Robin Hood, and his merry men all, Derry down, down, Had reigned many years, The king was then told that they had been bold To his bishops and noble peers. Hey down, derry derry down. Therefore they called a council of state, To know what was best to be done, For to quell their pride, or else they reply' d The land would be over-run. Having consulted a whole summer's day, At length it was agreed, That one should be sent to try the event, And fetch him away with speed. Therefore a trusty and most worthy knight The king was pleas'd to call, Sir William by name ; when to him he came, He told him his pleasure all. 11 Go you from hence to bold Robin Hood, And bid him, without more ado, Surrender himself, or else the proud elf Shall suffer with all his crew. AND THE VALIANT KNIGHT. 229 Take here a hundred bowmen brave, All chosen men of great might. Of excellent art to take thy part, In glittering armour most bright." Then said the knight, My sovereign liege, By me they shall be led ; I'll venture my blood against bold Robin Hood, And bring him alive or dead. One hundred men were chosen straight, As proper as e'er men saw ; ^ On Midsummer-day they marched away, To conquer that brave outlaw. With long yew bows, and shining spears, They march'd with mickle pride, And never deiay'd, nor halted, nor stay'd 'Till they came to the green-wood side. Said he to his archers, Tarry here, Your bows make ready all, That if need should be, you may follow me, And see you observe my call. I'll go first in person, he ery'd, With the letters of my good king, Well sign'd and seal'd, and if he will yield, We need not to draw one string. He wander' d about 'till at length he came To the tent of Robin Etood; The letter he shows; bold Robin arose, And there on his guard he stood. They'd have me surrender, quoth bold Robin Hood, And lie at their mercy then ; But tell them from me, that never shall be, While I have full seven score men. x £30 ROBIN HOOD, &c. Sir William the knight, both hardy and bold, He offer'd to seize him there, Which William Locksley by fortune did see, And bid him that trick to forbear. Then Robin Hood set his horn to his mouth, And blew a blast or twain, And so did the knight, at which there in sight The archers came all amain. Sir William with care he drew up his men, And plac'd them in battle-array ; Bold Robin, we Hud, he was not behind : Now this was a bloody fray. The archers on both sides bent their bows, And the clouds of arrows flew; The very first flight that honour'd knight Did there bid the world adieu. Yet nevertheless their fight did last From morning till almost noon ; Both parties were stout, and loth to give out, This was on the last day of June. At length they left off: one party they went To London with right good will; And Robin Hood he to the green-wood tree, And there he was taken ill. He sent for a monk, to let him blood, Who took his life away ; Now this being done, his archers they run, It was not a time to stay. Some got on board and cross'd the seas, To Flanders, France, and Spain, And others to Rome, for fear of their doom, But soon return'd again. 231 XXVIII. ROBIN HOODS DEATH AND BURIAL : a Shewing how he was taken ill, and how he went to his cousin at Kirkley-hall, who let him blood, which was the came of his death. Tune of Robin Hoods last farewel, &c." This very old and curious piece is preserved solely in the editions of " Robin Hood's garland," printed at York, where it is made to conclude with some foolish lines, (adopted from the London copy of the preceding ballad,) in order to introduce the epitaph. It is here given from a collation of two different copies, containing numerous variations. When Robin Hood and Little John, Down a down, a down, a down, "Went o'er yon bank of broom, Said Robin Hood to Little John, We have shot for many a pound: Hey down, a down, a down. But I am not able to shoot one shot more, My arrows will not flee ; But I have a cousin lives down below, Please god, she will bleed me. Now Robin is to fair Kirkley gone, As fast as he can win ; But before he came there, as we do hear, He was taken very ill. And when that he came to fair Kirkley-hall, He knock'd all at the ring, But none was so ready as his cousin herself For to let bold Robin in. x 2 232 ROBIN HOODS Will you please to sit down, cousin Robin, she said* And drink some beer with me? u No, I will neither eat nor drink, Till I am blooded by thee." Well, I have a room, cousin Robin, she said*; Which you did never see, And if you please to walk therein, You blooded by me shall be. She took him by the lilly-white hand, And let him to a private room, And there she blooded bold Robin Hood, Whilst one drop of blood would run* She blooded him in the vein of the arm^ And lock'd him up in the room ; There did he bleed all the live-long day, Until the next day at noon. He then bethought him of a casement door, Thinking for to be gone, He was so weak he could not leap, Nor he could not get down. He then bethought him of his bugle-horn, Which hung lpw down to his knee, He set his horri unto his mouth, And blew oiit weak blasts three. Then Little John, when hearing him, As he sat under the tree, " I fear my master is near dead, He blows so wearily." Then Little John to fair Kirkley is gone, ' As fast as he can dree ; But when he came to Kirkley-hall, He broke locks two or three: DEATH AND BURIAL. 233 Untill he came bold Robin to, Then he fell on his knee ; A boon, a boon, cries Little John, Master, I beg of thee. What is that boon, quoth Robin Hood, Little John, thou begs of me ? " It is to burn fair Kirkley-hall, And all their nunnery ." Now nay, now nay, quoth Robin Hood, That boon I'll not grant thee ; I never ' hurt - woman in all my life, Nor man in woman's company. I never hurt fair maid in all my time, Nor at my end shall it be ; But give me my bent bow in my hand, And a broad arrow III let flee ; And where this arrow is taken up, There shall my grave digg'd be. | Lay me a green sod under my head, And another at my feet; ? And lay my bent bow by my side, Which was my music sweet ; : And make my grave of gravel and green* Which is most right and meet. Let me have length and breadth enough, With a green sod nnder my head ; That they may say, when I am dead, Here lies bold Robin Hood. These words they readily promisM him, Which did bold Robin please : And there they buried bold Robin Hood, Near to the fair Kiikleys. x 3 244 GLOSSARY. Air, early. Alderbest, best of all. Angels, pieces of gold coin value 10s, Anker, hermit, anchorite. Ar, ere. Asay, Asayed, essayed, try- ed, proved. A sound, in a swoon. Aunsetters ancestors. Avow, Avow©, vow. Avowe, maintain, verbum juris. Avowe , founder, patron, pro- tector. Awayte, awayte me scathe, lye in wait to do me harm. Away ted, lay in wait for. Awet, wit, know. Awkwarde, backward. Ayenst, against. Baist, Baste, basted, bela- boured. Baith, both. Bale, mischief woe, sorrow, misery. Band-dogs, mastives; so call- ed from their being usually tyed or chained up at night. Banis, bane, destruction. Bear, moan, lamentation, outcry. Bedene, behind, one after another ? Bedyng, asking. Beforen, before. Begeck, give them a be- geck, play them a triek t make fools of them. Behote, promised. Bescro, beshrew. Bestad, ferre and friend bestad, far from home and without a friend. Bestead, beset, put to it. Beth, are, be. Blate, sheepish or foolish, as we should now say. Blive, belive, immediately. Bloschems, blossoms. Blyve, fast, quickly, briskly. Booking, pouring, flowing. Bode, bidden, invited. Bolt, Bolte, Boltes, Boltys, A bolt was an arrow of a particular kind, used for shooting at a mark or at birds. Boote, help. Borde, table. Borowe, pledge, surety. Borrow, pledge, bail. Borowehode, suretyship. Boskyd, busked, prepared, got ready. Bottys, buts. Bou, bow. Bound, betook, went ; bold- ly bound away, briskly scamper d off. Bowe, bough. Bown, ready. Bowne ye, prepare ye, get ready. GLOSSARY. 233 Boyt, both. Breyde, started, steped has- tyly. Breyde, start, quick or hasty step. Broke, brook, enjoy, use, keep. Bronde, brand, sword. Brook, enjoy. Busheraent, ambush. Buske, I wyll me buske, i. e. go, betake myself— buske you, address or pre- pare yourselves, make rea- dy. Bydene, one after another. Can, did. Cankardly, peevishly, with ill temper. Capull hyde, horse hide. Carel, carle, old fellow. Caward, awkward, or back- ward. — See, Awkwarde. Cerstyn, christian. Chaffar, chaffer, merchan- dise, commodity. Chepe, belter chepe, cheap- er, very cheap. Cheys, choose. Cla'd, scratched. Clouted, patched. Commytted, accounted. Cote a pye, tipper garment, short cloke. Coud, knew, understood. Co vent, convent; whence our Covent-garden. Cowed, could, knew. Crack, boast. Craftely, skilfully, secun- dum artem. Crouse, brisk. Cun, con, owe, give. Curteyse, courteous. Cutters, sharking fellows. Dear, harm. Deft, well-looking, neatly dressed. Denied, judged. Derne, privy, secret. Deyell, devil. Deythe, dight, dressed. Donne, dun. Doyt, doth, do* Dree, hye. Dreyffe, drive. Dub, shallow mirey pool. Dung, beaten, overcome. Durk, dagger. Dyght, dressed, done. Dysgrate, disgraced. Een, eyes. Eftsones, hereafter, after- ward. Eild, age. Ender, under. Eylde, yield. Eyr, year. Fail, but fail, without fail. Failyd, wanted, missed.. Fair, fare, ado. Fare, live. Farley, fairly, plainly. Fay, faith. Fay ne, glad. Fe,fee, wages. Feardest, fearfulest, most frightened or afraid. Feders, feathers. Fende, defend. Fered, fared, lived. Ferre, far, ferre dayes, far in the day. Fette, fetched. Fetteled him, made him rea- dy, prepared himself, set about. Feyffe, five. 2S& GLOSSARY. Flinders, splinters. Fone, foes. For bode, commandment. Forgone, forego, lose. Fors, care. Forsoyt, forsooth, truly. Foryete, forgoten. Fostere, forester. Fothe, foot. Frae, from. Frebore, free-born, gentle. F ynly, goodly. Gate, way. Geffe, given. Ger, gear, stuff, goods, pro- perty, effects. Gillore, plenty. God, good, goods, property. Gorney, journey. Goy, joy. Graff, oke graff, oak-branch or sapling! Gramercy, thanks, Or many thanks; grand merci, F. Gree, satisfaction. Gret, greeted, saluted. Grome, a common man ? Hail, all hail, wholely, en- tirely. Hart of Greece, means, per- haps, no more than a fat hart, for the sake of a quib- ble between Greece and grease. Highed, hyed, hastened. Hight, what they hight, what they are called. Halfendell, half. Hals, neck. Hambellet, ambleth. Hawt, aught, any thing, something, Hayt, hath. Hende, gentle, courteous. Hent, took, caught. Hepe, hip, haw. Her, their. Het, it. Het, eat. Heynd, gentle, courteous. Holy, wholely. Hos, Hus, us. Hotys, oats. Housband, manager. Housbonde, husbandman, peasant. How, hill. Howt, out. Hyght, vowed, promised. Hynde, knave. Ibent, bent. Ibonde, bound. Ichaunged, changed, . Idyght, dight, dressed, made ready. Ifedered, feathered. like, each. In fere, together. Inocked, nocked, notched. Iquyt, acquitted, set at lu berty. Iswore, sworn* Itake, taken. Japes, tricks. Kest, cast. Kirtle, upper petticoat. Knave, servant, man. Kod, quod, quoth, said. Kyrtell, waistcoat? Lappe, wrap. Late, lake, play, game t Launsgay, a sort of lance. Leasynge, lying, falsehood. Ledo, train, suite. Ledesman, guide. Lee, plain. Lefe, willing. Leffes, leaves. GLOSSARY. 237 Lende, meet, encounter, Lene, lend* Lere, learn* Lere ; cheek. Let, omit, hinder, hindered. Lever, rather, Lewt£, loyalty, faith, truth; leautS; F. Ley the, light, Ligge, lay. Lin, stop, stay. Lithe, attend, hear, hearken, Loffe, love. Lore, lost. Lough, Loughe, Low, laughed, Lowe, " a little hill" P. Lown, villain, knave, base fellow, Lynde, Lyne, the lime or lin- den tree; or collectively lime trees; or trees in general, Ly veray, livery, habit, live- ry, delivery : the mess, portion, or quantity of provisions delivered out at a time by the butler was called a livery. Main, force, Masars, cups, vessels. May, maid, Medys, midst, middle, Meede, reward. Met, Mete, measured. Me the, meat. Meyne, attendants, retinue; mesnie, F, Meythe, might. Miekle, much, great, very. Misters, need, r. mister. Mo, more, Molde, earth. Mot, might. Mote, might, may. Mote, meeting, assembly, court, audit. Mountenaunce, amount, du- ration,- space. Mow, mouth, Mowe, may, Muckle. See Miekle. Myrthes, mirth, merriment, Myster, need, Ner, ear, Ner, (ne wer it) were it not, Nobellys, nobles. The noble was a gold coin value 6s. 8d. Nombles, Numbles, en- trails; those parts which are usually baked in a pye: now, corruptly, called hum- bles or umbies ; nombles, Okerer, usurer, [F. Owthe, out. Palmer. A palmer was, properly, a pilgrim who had visited the holy-land, from the palm-branch or cross which he bore as a sign of such visitation; but, it is probable that the distinction between pal- mers and other pilgrims was never much attended to in this country. The palmer in the text seems to be no more than a com- mon begger. Partakers, assistants, per- sons to take thy part. Passe, extent, bounds, limits, district. Pauage, Pavag, Pavage, Pawage, a toll or duty payable for the liberty of passing over the soil or territory of another ; paa- gium, L, GLOSSARY. Pay, content, satisfaction* Pay, money, Pinder. The pinder is the pounder or pound-keeper; the petty officer of a manor whose duty it is to impound all strange cattle straying upon the common, &c. Preke, prick, apiece of wood in the center of the target, Prese, company, Prest, ready, ready to go, Quequer, quiver, Queyt, quit, recompense. Quod, quoth, says, said. Raked, walked apace, Ray, battle ray, battle array, Reachles, careless, regard- less, unobservant. Red, clear. Reutb, pity, compassion, Reve, take by force, Reves, bailiffs, receivers. Ripe, cleanse, Riped, cleansed. Rod, poles, perches, A rod, pole, or perch, is usually sixteen feet and a half, but in Sherwood forest (ac- cording to Blount) it is Qlfeet, the foot there be- ing 18 inches. Rode, rood, cross. Rung, staff. Ruth, pity, compassion, Ryghtwys, righteous, just* Sack, a kind of Spanish wine, perhaps sherry, for- merly much drunk in this country ; very different, at least, from the sweet or Canary wine now so-called, Salved, (salued ?) saluted. Scathe, harm, Schetyng, shooting. Schomer, summer, Sclo, slay. Scop, scalp, pate. Scoper, supper, Screfe, Screffe, sheriff, Seche, seek. See, saw, regard, protect, Seker, sure. Semblaunte, semblance, ap- pearance, Sene, see, Sette, mortgaged. Shende, hurt, annoy. Shente, hurt, wounded, Shete, shoot. Shope, shaped, made, Shrewde, Shrewed, unlucky. Shrift, confession, Shroggs, " shrubs, thorns, briars, G. Doug, scrog- gis." P. Skaith, hurt, harm. Slack, low ground. Siade, " a slip ofgreenswerd between plow-lands, or woods, &c." P. Slawe, Slone, slain, Sle, Sloo, slay, Somers, sumpter-horses, Sothe, sooth, truth, Soyt, sooth, truth. Spear, ask, Speer'd, asked, enquired, Stalward, Stalworthe, stout, well made. Stark, stiff, Stede, time, Steven. At some unsett Steven. At some unlooked for time, by some odd ac- cident, by mere chance. Voice, GLOSSARY. 239 Stime, spark, particle or ray of light. Stint, stop. Sto', store. Sweaven, dream. Syne, after, afterward, then. Sytb, afterward. Takles, amows. Takyll, arrow. Tene, grief, sorrow, distress, vexation. The, thrive, prosper. Tortyll, wreathed, twined, twirled, twisted: tortille, F. Tray, anger. Treyffe, thrive. Trow, true. Trowet, troth. True, trow, believe. Twicht, snatched, wrested sharply. Tynde, tyndes, tines, ant- lers, the pointed branches that issue from the main beam of a stag. Unketh, uncouth, strange. Unneth, scarcely. Venie, brave venie, merry vein, jovial humour. Wan, wonnynge wan, dwel- ling-place. Warden pies. Wardens are a species of large pears. In Shakspeares M Winters Tale," the clown, enume- rating the articles he had to provide for the sheep- shearing feast, says he u must have saffron to colour the warden-pies.' ' Ware, aware, sensible. Was, wash. Weele, well Wed, Wedde, pawn, pledge, or deposit. — to wedde, in mortgage. — lay my life to wedde, pawnmy life. Welt, welt them at his wyll, did as he pleased with them. Wen, wend, go, hye. Wende, go. Wenest, thinkest. Went, wended, gone. Werschep, worshipped, re- verenced, respected. West, wist, known. Wete, know. Whang, leathern whang, leather thong or string. Whute, whistle. Wigger wand, wicker wand. Win, get. Wist, knew, wis, trew, be- lieve. Wight, Wighty, strong. Wilfulle, doubtful. Wode, mad. Wolwarde, wearing a ftanel shirt, by way of penance. Wouest, dwellest. Woodweele, " the golden ouzle, a bird of the thrush kind:' P. Worthe, Wo worthe the, woe be to thee. Wrack, ruin, destruction. Wroken, wreaked, revenge Wyght, strong, stout. Wynne, go. Wys, trow. Wyte, Wytte, know. Yede, Yeed, went. Yeffell, evil. Yeft, gift. Yemenry, yeomanry. Yend, yon. 240 GLOSSARY. Yeomandree, Yeomandry, yeomanry, followers. Yerdes, rods. Yever, ever. Yfere, together. YIke, same. Ylke same, very same, same 9 very. Ynowe, enough. Yode, went. Yole, Christmass. Yonder, under. Yong men, yeomen* FINIS, J. M'Creery, Priuter, Black-Horse Court, London. ,-0 v c ° N ° * ■** AV <*\ ° WMavv ^ %<► -0 \ 0o «. •"- Deachflfied using the Bookkeeper pnxess Sizing agent: Magne.omOx.de V ** V ^ "0 x°^ .„ ^J"*T ^ *, I ..-■ ^ **■ ,Oo, c ^. ^ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 014 044 580 I Id Hi IHl ■ I ■i ■■!