Ritson's Robin Hood, ii. 18.
"From an old black-letter copy, in A. à Wood's collection, compared with two others in the British Museum, one in black-letter.
"Several lines of this ballad are quoted in the two old plays of the Downfall and Death of Robert earle of Huntington, 1601, 4to. b. l. but acted many years before. It is also alluded to in Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor, act i. scene 1, and again in his Second Part of King Henry IV., act v. scene 3.
"In 1557 certain 'ballets' are entered on the books of the Stationers' Company, 'to John Wallye and Mrs. Toye,' one of which is entitled Of Wakefylde and a grene; meaning apparently the ballad here reprinted." Ritson.
In Wakefield there lives a jolly pindèr,
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,5
Nor baron that is so bold,
Dare make a trespàss to the town of Wakefield,
But his pledge goes to the pinfold," &c.
All this beheard three [wighty yeomen],
'Twas Robin Hood, Scarlet and John;10
With that they espy'd the jolly pindèr,
As he sat under a thorn.
"Now turn again, turn again," said the pindèr,
"For a wrong way you have gone;
For you have forsaken the kings highway,15
And made a path over the corn."
"O that were a shame," said jolly Robìn,
"We being three, and thou but one:"
The pinder leapt back then thirty good foot,
'Twas thirty good foot and one.20