C
Robin Hood’s Garland. a. London, printed by W. & C. Dicey, in St. Mary Aldermary Church Yard, Bow Lane, Cheapside, and sold at the Warehouse at Northampton, n. d.: p. 74, No 24. b. London, printed by L. How, in Peticoat Lane, n. d.: p. 23. c. York, T. Wilson and R. Spence, n. d.: p. 27. d. Preston, W. Sergent, n. d.: p. 62. e. London, printed and sold by J. Marshall & Co., Aldermary Church Yard, Bow Lane, n. d.: No 24. f. Wolverhampton, printed and sold by J. Smart, n. d.
1
Bold Robin Hood ranging the forest all round,
The forest all round ranged he;
O there did he meet with a gay lady,
She came weeping along the highway.
2
‘Why weep you, why weep you?’ bold Robin he said,
‘What, weep you for gold or fee?
Or do you weep for your maidenhead,
That is taken from your body?’
3
‘I weep not for gold,’ the lady replyed,
‘Neither do I weep for fee;
Nor do I weep for my maidenhead,
That is taken from my body.’
4
‘What weep you for then?’ said jolly Robin,
‘I prithee come tell unto me;’
‘Oh! I do weep for my three sons,
For they are all condemned to die.’
5
‘What church have they robbed?’ said jolly Robin,
‘Or parish-priest have they slain?
What maids have they forced against their will?
Or with other men’s wives have lain?’
6
‘No church have they robbd,’ this lady replied,
‘Nor parish-priest have they slain;
No maids have they forc’d against their will,
Nor with other men’s wives have lain.’
7
‘What have they done then?’ said jolly Robin,
‘Come tell me most speedily:’
‘Oh! it is for killing the king’s fallow deer,
And they are all condemned to die.’
8
‘Get you home, get you home,’ said jolly Robin,
‘Get you home most speedily,
And I will unto fair Nottingham go,
For the sake of the squires all three.’
9
Then bold Robin Hood for Nottingham goes,
For Nottingham town goes he,
O there did he meet with a poor beggar-man,
He came creeping along the highway.
10
‘What news, what news, thou old beggar-man?
What news, come tell unto me:’
‘O there is weeping and wailing in fair Nottingham,
For the death of the squires all three.’
11
This beggar-man had a coat on his back,
’Twas neither green, yellow, nor red;
Bold Robin Hood thought ’twas no disgrace
To be in a beggar-man’s stead.
12
‘Come, pull off thy coat, you old beggar-man,
And you shall put on mine;
And forty good shillings I’ll give thee to boot,
Besides brandy, good beer, ale and wine.’
13
Bold Robin Hood then unto Nottingham came,
Unto Nottingham town came he;
O there did he meet with great master sheriff,
And likewise the squires all three.
14
‘One boon, one boon,’ says jolly Robin,
‘One boon I beg on my knee;
That, as for the deaths of these three squires,
Their hangman I may be.’
15
‘Soon granted, soon granted,’ says great master sheriff,
‘Soon granted unto thee;
And you shall have all their gay cloathing,
Aye, and all their white money.’
16
‘O I will have none of their gay cloathing,
Nor none of their white money,
But I’ll have three blasts on my bugle-horn,
That their souls to heaven may flee.’
17
Then Robin Hood mounted the gallows so high,
Where he blew loud and shrill,
Till an hundred and ten of Robin Hood’s men
They came marching all down the green hill.
18
‘Whose men are they all these?’ says great master sheriff,
‘Whose men are they? tell unto me:’
‘O they are mine, but none of thine,
And they’re come for the squires all three.’
19
‘O take them, O take them,’ says great master sheriff,
‘O take them along with thee;
For there’s never a man in all Nottingham
Can do the like of thee.’
A.
13. 20l
:.
52. Only one of the i’s is dotted in cliit: Furnivall.
63. said wm.
92. half a page wanting.
10 follows 12.
113. 300d
:.
153, 181. 3.
172. or be me.
181. half a page wanting.
B. a.
33. Knews.
41, 61, 111, 191,2, 251, 281. Oh.
82. and a down a.
121. chur.
151. Teen.
162. Where.
174. Itts.
244. For me.
281. are you.
b.
Robin Hood rescu’d the Widow’s three Sons from the Sheriff when going to be hanged.
c.
How Robin Hood rescued, etc., ... to be hanged.
b, c.
21. Hood wanting.
22. a down down.
23. met with.
24. along the highway.
32. to me.
34. To-day are.
52. Nor have they.
63. ’Tis for.
73. quoth wanting.
81. Robin he is.
82. a down down and a day.
83. old wanting.
91. silly palmer.
102. with for for.
103. of for in.
104. beer and good wine.
121. churl.
143. not for no.
144. the poor bags.
151. Then.
152. Were for Was.
153. did say.
162, 172. Were wanting.
172. both wanting.
174. ’Tis.
181. Robin is unto.
182. a down down and a day.
184. the highway.
192. you may you [may you?].
194. That to-day.
204. day is.
212. stone to stone.
221. never: in wanting.
232. And wanting.
241. a small horn now in.
242. it wanting.
244. For thee.
254. fly out.
263. An: Robin’s men.
273. Robin’s men.
281. are you.
282. Comes.
283. bold Robin.
294. And released.
b.
183. with wanting.
202. unto thee.
203. pence fourteen.
c.
62. unto me.
72. mad’st.
151. poor for old.
201. suits and pence fourteen.
202,3. wanting.
211. turnd.
212. jumpd.
222. the trade.
243. I put.
253. gave.
292. let for set.
C. a.
The Garland is not earlier, and probably not much later, than 1753, “The Arguments ... in the ... affair of Eliz. Canning ... robbed ... in Jany, 1753,” occurring in advertisements printed therewith.
161. of ther.
b.
54. have they.
64. have they.
114. in the.
124. beside.
163. buglee.
172. blew both.
183. are all.
194. That can.
c.
11. ranged.
31. this lady.
44. all wanting.
54. have they.
63. they have.
64. have they.
73. it’s all.
74. they’re.
83. will then to.
91. bold wanting: to for for.
112. It was.
112. or red.
113. it was.
114. in the.
121. thou old.
123. give you.
131. then to.
133. And there.
134. Aye and.
142. upon my.
143. the three.
151. great wanting.
152. Soon grant it I will unto thee.
154. Aye wanting.
161. I’ll.
163. of my.
172. blew both.
174. They wanting.
183. are all.
194. That can.
d.
13. he did.
32. I wanting.
62. No.
72. Come tell unto me speedily.
83. will for.
103. there’s: fair wanting.
114. in the.
121. thou old.
122. thou shalt.
151. great wanting.
171. When.
173. Hood’s wanting.
174. They wanting: all wanting.
181. all wanting: great wanting.
184. And are.
193. in fair.
e.
54. have they.
64. have they.
103. there’s: fair wanting.
114. in the.
121. thou old.
122. thou shalt.
143. death.
151. great wanting.
171. When.
174. They wanting: all wanting.
181. are they: great wanting.
182. come tell.
184. And are.
193. in fair.
f.
54. have they.
64. have they.
74. they’re.
103. there’s: fair wanting.
114. in the.
121. thou old.
122. thou shalt.
143. death.
151. great wanting.
171. When.
174. They wanting: all wanting.
181. are they: great wanting.
182. come tell.
184. And are come.
193. in fair.
APPENDIX
ROBIN HOOD AND THE SHERIFF
Kinloch MSS, V, 288, in Kinloch’s handwriting.
1
Robin Hood’s to Nottinghame gane,
Wi a linkie down and a day,
And there he met wi an auld woman,
Coming weeping alang the highway.
2
‘Weep ye for any of my gold, auld woman?
Or weep ye for my fee?
Or weep ye for any warld’s gear
This day I can grant to thee?’
3
‘I weep not for your gold, kind sir,
I weep not for your fee;
But I weep for my three braw sons,
This day condemned to die.’
4
‘O have they parishes burned?’ he said,
‘Or have they ministers slain?
Or have they forced maidens against their will?
Or wi other men’s wives hae they lain?’
5
‘They have not parishes burned, kind sir,
They have not ministers slain;
They neer forced a maid against her will,
Nor wi no man’s wife hae they lain.’
6
‘O what hae they done then?’ quo Robin Hood,
‘I pray thee tell unto me:’
‘O they killed the king’s fallow deer,
And this day are condemned to die.’
7
‘O have you mind, old mother,’ he said,
‘Since you made my merry men to dine?
And for to repay it back unto thee
Is come in a very good time.’
8
Sae Robin Hood’s to Nottinghame gane,
With a linkie down and a day,
And there he met an old beggar man,
Coming creeping along the high way.
9
‘What news, what news, old father?’ he said,
‘What news hast thou for me?’
‘There’s three merry men,’ quo the poor auld man,
‘This day condemned to die.’
10
‘Will you change your apparel wi me, old father?
Will you change your apparel for mine?
And twenty broad shillings I’ll gie ye to the boot,
To drink gude beer or wine.’
11
‘Thine is of the scarlet fine,
And mine is baith ragged and torn;
Sae never let a young supple youth
Laugh a gude auld man to scorn.’
12
‘Change your apparel wi me, old churl,
And quickly change it for mine,
And thirty broad shillings I’ll gie to the boot,
To drink gude beer or wine.’
13
When Robin put on the auld man’s hat,
It was weary high in the crown;
‘By the hand of my body,’ quo Robin Hood,
‘I am lang whan I loot down.’
14
Whan Robin put on the auld man’s cloak,
There was mony a pock therein;
A pock for meal, and a pock for maut,
And a pock for groats and corn,
And a little wee pockie that hung by his side
That he put in his bugle-horn.
15
Sae Robin Hood’s [to] Nottinghame gane,
Wi a linkie down and a day,
And there he met wi the high sheriff,
Coming riding alang the high way.
16
‘O save you, O save you, high sheriff,’ he said,
‘And weel saved mote you be!
And what will you gie to the silly auld man
Your hangman for to be?’
17
‘Thirteen pence,’ the sheriff replied,
‘That is the hangman’s fee,
But an the claiths of the three young men
This day condemned to die.’
18
‘I never hanged a man in a’ my life,
And intend not to begin;
But ever I hang a man in my life,
High sheriff, thou’s be the ane.
19
‘But I have a horn in my pocket,
I gat it frae Robin Hood,
And gif I tak out my little horn,
For thee it will no blaw gude.’
20
‘Blaw, blaw, bauld beggar,’ he said,
‘Blaw, and fear nae doubt;
I wish you may gie sic a blast
Till your eyne loup out.’
21
Then Robin he gave a skip,
And he skipped frae a stick till a stane;
‘By the hand of my body,’ quo the high sheriff,
‘You are a supple auld man.’
22
Then Robin set his horn to his mouth,
And he blew baith loud and shrill,
Till sixty-four of bold Robin’s men
Cam marching down the green hill.
23
‘What men are these,’ quo the high sheriff,
‘That comes sae merrily?’
‘They are my men,’ quo Robin Hood,
‘And they’ll pay a visit to thee.’
24
They tack the gallows out of the glen,
And they set it in a slap;
They hanged the sheriff upon it,
And his best men at his back.
25
They took the gallows out o the slap,
And they set [it] back in the glen,
And they hanged the sheriff upon it,
Let the three young men gae hame.
141
ROBIN HOOD RESCUING WILL STUTLY
a. Wood, 401, leaf 35 b.
b. Garland of 1663, No 7.
c. Garland of 1670, No 6.
d. Pepys, II, 106, No 93.
This ballad probably occurs in all the larger collections of broadsides. It was given in Old Ballads, 1723, I, 90. a is printed by Ritson, Robin Hood, 1795, II, 102. Evans, Old Ballads, 1777, 1784, I, 164, follows an Aldermary copy.
Robin Hood learns that Will Stutly has been captured and is to be hanged the next day. Robin and his men go to the rescue, and ask information of a palmer who is standing under the wall of the castle in which Stutly is confined; the palmer confirms the news. Stutly is brought out by the sheriff, of whom he asks to have a sword and die in fight, not on the tree. This refused, he asks only to have his hands loosed. The sheriff again refuses; he shall die on the gallows. Little John comes out from behind a bush, cuts Stutly’s bonds, and gives him a sword twitched by John from one of the sheriff’s men. An arrow shot by Robin Hood puts the sheriff to flight, and his men follow. Stutly rejoices that he may go back to the woods.
This is a ballad made for print, with little of the traditional in the matter and nothing in the style. It may be considered as an imitation of The Rescue of the Three Squires, whence the ambush in st. 9 and the palmer ‘fair’ in 10.
1
When Robin Hood in the green-wood livd,
Derry derry down
Vnder the green-wood tree,
Tidings there came to him with speed,
Tidings for certainty,
Hey down derry derry down
2
That Will Stutly surprized was,
And eke in prison lay;
Three varlets that the sheriff had hired
Did likely him betray.
3
I, and to-morrow hanged must be,
To-morrow as soon as it is day;
But before they could this victory get,
Two of them did Stutly slay.
4
When Robin Hood he heard this news,
Lord! he was grieved sore,
I, and unto his merry men [said],
Who altogether swore,
5
That Will Stutly should rescued be,
And be brought safe again;
Or else should many a gallant wight
For his sake there be slain.
6
He cloathed himself in scarlet then,
His men were all in green;
A finer show, throughout the world,
In no place could be seen.
7
Good lord! it was a gallant sight
To see them all on a row;
With every man a good broad sword,
And eke a good yew bow.
8
Forth of the green wood are they gone,
Yea, all couragiously,
Resolving to bring Stutly home,
Or every man to die.
9
And when they came the castle neer
Whereas Will Stutly lay,
‘I hold it good,’ saith Robin Hood,
‘Wee here in ambush stay,
10
‘And send one forth some news to hear,
To yonder palmer fair,
That stands under the castle-wall;
Some news he may declare.’
11
With that steps forth a brave young man,
Which was of courage bold;
Thus hee did say to the old man:
I pray thee, palmer old,
12
Tell me, if that thou rightly ken,
When must Will Stutly die,
Who is one of bold Robins men,
And here doth prisoner lie?
13
‘Alack, alass,’ the palmer said,
‘And for ever wo is me!
Will Stutly hanged must be this day,
On yonder gallows-tree.
14
‘O had his noble master known,
Hee would some succour send;
A few of his bold yeomandree
Full soon would fetch him hence.’
15
‘I, that is true,’ the young man said;
‘I, that is true,’ said hee;
‘Or, if they were neer to this place,
They soon would set him free.
16
‘But fare thou well, thou good old man,
Farewell, and thanks to thee;
If Stutly hanged be this day,
Revengd his death will be.’
17
He was no sooner from the palmer gone,
But the gates was opened wide,
And out of the castle Will Stutly came,
Guarded on every side.
18
When hee was forth from the castle come,
And saw no help was nigh,
Thus he did say unto the sheriff,
Thus he said gallantly:
19
Now seeing that I needs must die,
Grant me one boon, says he;
For my noble master nere had man
That yet was hangd on the tree.
20
Give me a sword all in my hand,
And let mee be unbound,
And with thee and thy men I’le fight,
Vntill I lie dead on the ground.
21
But his desire he would not grant,
His wishes were in vain;
For the sheriff had sworn he hanged should be,
And not by the sword be slain.
22
‘Do but unbind my hands,’ he saies,
‘I will no weapons crave,
And if I hanged be this day,
Damnation let me have.’
23
‘O no, O no,’ the sheriff he said,
‘Thou shalt on the gallows die,
I, and so shall thy master too,
If ever in me it lie.’
24
‘O dastard coward!’ Stutly cries,
‘Thou faint-heart pesant slave!
If ever my master do thee meet,
Thou shalt thy paiment have.
25
‘My noble master thee doth scorn,
And all thy cowardly crew;
Such silly imps unable are
Bold Robin to subdue.’
26
But when he was to the gallows come,
And ready to bid adiew,
Out of a bush leaps Little John,
And steps Will Stutly to.
27
‘I pray thee, Will, before thou die,
Of thy dear friends take leave;
I needs must borrow him a while,
How say you, master sheriff?’
28
‘Now, as I live,’ the sheriff he said,
‘That varlet will I know;
Some sturdy rebell is that same,
Therefore let him not go.’
29
With that Little John so hastily
Away cut Stutly’s bands,
And from one of the sheriff his men,
A sword twicht from his hands.
30
‘Here, Will, here, take thou this same,
Thou canst it better sway;
And here defend thy self a while,
For aid will come straight way.’
31
And there they turnd them back to back,
In the middle of them that day,
Till Robin Hood approached neer,
With many an archer gay.
32
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.’
33
The sheriff is gone; his doughty men
Thought it no boot to stay,
But, as their master had them taught
They run full fast away.
34
‘O stay, O stay,’ Will Stutly said,
‘Take leave ere you depart;
You nere will catch bold Robin Hood
Vnless you dare him meet.’
35
‘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.’
36
‘I little thought when I came here,
When I came to this place,
For to have met with Little John,
Or seen my masters face.’
37
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.’
38
‘And once again, my fellows,
We shall in the green woods meet,
Where we will make our bow-strings twang,
Musick for us most sweet.’
a.
Robin Hood his rescuing Will Stutly from the sheriff and his men, who had taken him prisoner, and was going to hang him.
To the tune of Robin Hood and Queen Katherine.
London, Printed for F. Grove, on Snow-hill. Entred according to order. (1620–55: Chappell.)
251. thou dost.
264. too.
292. Stutli’s.
331. doubtless.
b.
Title as in a, except rescuing of: were going.
43. said wanting.
63. in all the.
111. steps out.
131. Alas, alas.
134. yonders gallow.
142. would soon.
164. shall be.
194. the wanting.
251. thou dost.
264. too.
281. he wanting.
331. doubtless.
c.
Title as in a, except were going.
14. Tiding for certainly.
34. stay.
43. men said.
131. Alass, alass.
172. was wanting.
242. hearted.
251. thee dost.
264. too.
292. Stutli’s.
331. doubtless.
362. came hereto,
d.
Title as in a.
Printed for J. Clarke, W. Thackeray, and T. Passenger. (1670–86?)
11. livd wanting.
32. as ’tis.
43. and to: men said.
52. brought back.
81. they are.
93. said.
131. Alas, alas.
133. to day.
143. yeomanry.
172. gates were.
192. said.
194. the wanting.
211. But this.
213. swore.
242. hearted.
251. thee doth.
261. gone for come.
281. he wanting.
291. And Little.
293. sheriffs.
331. doubtless.
351. said for quoth.
362. came here.
142
LITTLE JOHN A BEGGING
A. Percy MS., p. 20; Hales and Furnivall, I, 47.
B. ‘Little John and the Four Beggers.’ a. Wood, 401, leaf 33 b. b. Garland of 1663, No 16. c. Garland of 1670, No 15. d. Pepys, II, 119, No 105.
B is also in the Roxburghe collection, III, 10.
B a is printed in Ritson’s Robin Hood, 1795, II, 128. Evans, Old Ballads, 1777, 1784, I, 196 follows the Aldermary garland.
A. Little John, meaning to go a begging, induces an old mendicant to change clothes with him and to give him some hints how to conduct himself. Thus prepared he attempts to attach himself to three palmers, who, however, do not covet his company. One of the palmers gives John a whack on the head. We may conjecture, from the course of the story in B, that John serves them all accordingly, and takes from them so much money that, if he had kept on in this way, he might, as he says, have bought churches.
The beginning of A is very like that of Robin Hood rescuing Three Squires, A; but the disguise is for a different object. We are reminded again of Hind Horn, and particularly of versions C, G, H, in which the beggar, after change of clothes, is asked for instructions.
B. John is deputed by Robin to go a begging, and asks to be provided with staff, coat, and bags. He joins four sham beggars, one of whom takes him a knock on the crown. John makes the dumb to speak and the halt to run, and bangs them against the wall, then gets from one’s cloak three hundred pound, and from another’s bag three hundred and three, which he thinks is doing well enough to warrant his return to Sherwood.
B is translated by Anastasius Grün, p. 155.