He blew both loud and amain,
And quickly sixty of Robin Hood's men
Came shining over the plain.
"O who are those," the sheriff he said,
"Come tripping over the lee?" 110
"They're my attendants," brave Robin did say,
"They'll pay a visit to thee."
They took the gallows from the slack,
They set it in the glen,
They hang'd the proud sheriff on that, 115
Releas'd their own three men.
30, and a down a.
73, 74. Oh save, oh save, oh sheriff, he said, Oh save and you may
see.
96, me.
ROBIN HOOD RESCUING THE THREE SQUIRES PROM NOTTINGHAM GALLOWS.
"This song, and its tune, as the editor is informed by his ingenious
friend, Edward Williams, the Welsh bard, are well known in South
Wales, by the name of _Marchog Glas_, _i.e._ Green Knight. Though
apparently ancient, it is not known to exist in black letter, nor has
any better authority been met with than the common collection of
Aldermary-churchyard." RITSON'S _Robin Hood_, ii. 216.
Bold Robin Hood ranging the forrest all round,
The forrest all round ranged he,
O there did he meet with a gay lady,
She came weeping along the highway.
"Why weep you, why weep you?" bold Robin he said, 5
"What, weep you for gold or fee?
Or do you weep for your maidenhead,
That is taken from your body?"
"I weep not for gold," the lady reply'd,
"Neither do I weep for fee; 10
Nor do I weep for my maidenhead,
That is taken from my body."
"What weep you for then?" said jolly Robìn,
"I prithee come tell unto me;"
"Oh! I do weep for my three sons, 15
For they are all condemned to die."
"What church have they robbed?" said jolly Robìn,
"Or parish-priest have they slain?
What maids have they forced against their will?
Or with other mens wives have lain?" 20
"No church have they robbed," this lady reply'd,
"Nor parish-priest have they slain;
No maids have they forced against their will,
Nor with other mens wives have lain."
"What have they done then?" said jolly Robìn, 25
"Come tell me most speedily:"
"Oh! it is for killing the kings fallow deer,
That they are all condemned to die."[L28]
"Get you home, get you home," said jolly Robìn,
"Get you home most speedily, 30
And I will unto fair Nottingham go,
For the sake of the squires all three."
Then bold Robin Hood for Nottingham goes,
For Nottingham town goes he,
O there did he meet with a poor beggar-man, 35
He came creeping along the highway.
"What news, what news, thou old beggar-man?
What news, come tell unto me:"
"O there's weeping and wailing in Nottingham,
For the death of the squires all three." 40
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 the beggar-mans stead.
"Come, pull off thy coat, thou old beggar-man, 45
And thou shalt put on mine;
And forty good shillings I'll give thee to boot,
Besides brandy, good beer, ale and wine."
Bold Robin Hood then unto Nottingham came,
Unto Nottingham town came he; 50
O there did he meet with great master sheriff,
And likewise the squires all three.
"One boon, one boon," says jolly Robín,
"One boon I beg on my knee;
That, as for the death of these three squires, 55
Their hangman I may be."
"Soon granted, soon granted," says master sheriff,
"Soon granted unto thee;
And you shalt have all their gay cloathìng,
Aye, and all their white monèy." 60
"O I will have none of their gay cloathìng,
Nor none of their white monèy,
But I'll have three blasts on my bugle-horn,
That their souls to heaven may flee."
Then Robin Hood mounted the gallows so high,[L65] 65
Where he blew loud and shrill,
Till an hundred and ten of Robin Hoods men
Came marching down the green hill.
"Whose men are these?" says master sherìff,
"Whose men are they? come tell unto me:" 70
"O they are mine, but none of thine,
And are come for the squires all three."
"O take them, O take them," says great master sheriff,
"O take them along with thee;
For there's never a man in fair Nottinghàm 75
Can do the like of thee.
28, And.
65. When.
ROBIN HOOD AND THE CURTALL FRYER.
Ritson's _Robin Hood_, ii. 61.
"From an old black-letter copy in the collection of Anthony à Wood:
corrected by a much earlier one in the Pepysian library, printed by H.
Gosson, about the year 1610; compared with a later one in the same
collection. The full title is: _The famous battell betweene Robin Hood
and the Curtall Fryer_. _To a new Northern tune._"
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, 5
And some would use artillery;
"Which of you can a good bow draw,
A good archer for to be?
"Which of you can kill a bucke,
Or who can kill a doe? 10
Or who can kill a hart of greece
Five hundreth foot him fro?"
Will Scadlocke he kild a bucke,
And Midge he kild a doe,
And Little John kild a hart of greece, 15
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." 20
This caused Will Scadlocke to laugh,
He laught full heartily:
"There lives a curtall fryer in Fountaines Abbey
Will beate both him and thee.
"The curtall fryer in Fountaines Abbey 25
Well can a strong bow draw;
He will beat you and your yeomèn,
Set them all on a row."
Robin Hood he tooke a solemne oath,
It was by Mary free, 30
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, 35
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. 40
And comming unto Fountaine Dale,
No farther would he ride;
There he was aware of the curtall fryer,
Walking by the water side.
The fryer had on a harnesse good, 45
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: 50
"Carry me over the water, thou curtall fryer,
Or else thy life's forlorne."
The fryer tooke Robin Hood on his backe,
Deepe water he did bestride,
And spake neither good word nor bad, 55
Till he came at the other side.
Lightly leapt Robin offe the fryers backe;
The fryer said to him againe,
"Carry me over this water, [thou] fine fellow,
Or it shall breed thy paine." 60
Robin Hood took the fryer on his backe,
Deepe water he did bestride,
And spake neither good word nor bad,
Till he came at the other side.
Lightly leapt the fryer off Robin Hoods backe; 65
Robin Hood said to him againe,
"Carry me over this water, thou curtall fryer,
Or it shall breede thy pain."
The fryer tooke Robin on's backe againe,
And stept in to the knee; 70
Till he came at the middle streame
Neither good nor bad spake he.
And comming to the middle streame,
There he threw Robin in;
"And chuse thee, chuse thee, fine fellow, 75
Whether thou wilt sink or swim."
Robin Hood swam to a bush of broome,
The fryer to a wigger wand;
Bold Robin Hood is gone to shore,
And took his bow in his hand. 80
One of his best arrowes under his belt
To the fryer he let fly;
The curtall fryer with his steel buckler
Did put that arrow by.
"Shoot on, shoot on, thou fine fellow, 85
Shoot as thou hast begun,
If thou shoot here a summers day,
Thy marke I will not shun."
Robin Hood shot passing well,
Till his arrows all were gane; 90
They tooke their swords and steele bucklers,
They fought with might and maine;
From ten o'th' clock that [very] day,
Till four i'th' afternoon;
Then Robin Hood came to his knees, 95
Of the fryer to beg a boone.
"A boone, a boone, thou curtall fryer,
I beg it on my knee:
Give me leave to set my horne to my mouth,
And to blow blasts three." 100
"That I will do," said the curtall fryer,
"Of thy blasts I have no doubt;
I hope thou'lt blow so passing well,
Till both thy eyes fall out."
Robin Hood set his home to his mouth, 105
He blew out blasts three;
Halfe a hundreth yeomen, with bowes bent,
Came raking over the lee.
"Whose men are these," said the fryer,
"That come so hastily?" 110
"These men are mine," said Robin Hood;
"Fryer, what is that to thee?"
"A boone, a boone," said the curtall fryer,
"The like I gave to thee;
Give me leave to set my fist to my mouth, 115
And to whute whues three."
"That will I doe," said Robin Hood,
"Or else I were to blame;
Three whues in a fryers fist
Would make me glad and faine." 120
The fryer set his fist to his mouth,
And whuted whues three;
Half a hundred good band-dogs
Came running over the lee.
"Here's for every man a dog, 125
And I myselfe for thee:"
"Nay, by my faith," said Robin Hood,
"Fryer, that may not be."
Two dogs at once to Robin Hood did goe,
The one behind, the other before; 130
Robin Hoods mantle of Lincolne greene
Off from his backe they tore.
And whether his men shot east or west,
Or they shot north or south,
The curtall dogs, so taught they were, 135
They kept the arrows in their mouth.
"Take up thy dogs," said Little John,
"Fryer, at my bidding be;"
"Whose man art thou," said the curtall fryer,
"Comes here to prate with me?" 140
"I am Little John, Robin Hoods man,
Fryer, I will not lie;
If thou take not up thy dogs soone,
I'le take up them and thee."
Little John had a bow in his hand, 145
He shot with might and main;
Soon halfe a score of the fryers dogs
Lay dead upon the plain.
"Hold thy hand, good fellow," said the curtal fryer,
"Thy master and I will agree; 150
And we will have new orders taken,
With all the hast may be."
"If thou wilt forsake fair Fountaines Dale,
And Fountaines Abbey free,
Every Sunday throwout the yeere, 155
A noble shall be thy fee:
"And every holliday through the yeere,
Changed shall thy garment be,
If thou wilt goe to faire Nottingham,
And there remaine with me." 160
This curtal fryer had kept Fountaines Dale
Seven long yeeres and more;
There was neither knight, lord, nor earle,
Could make him yeeld before.
ROBIN HOOD AND ALLIN A DALE.
Or, a pleasant relation how a young gentleman, being in love with a
young damsel, 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, when they were going to be marryed, and restored her to her
own love again. To a pleasant northern tune, _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. RITSON'S
_Robin Hood_, ii. 49.
The same in _A Collection of Old Ballads_, ii. 44.
Come listen to me, you gallants so free,
All you that love mirth for to hear,
And I will tell you of a bold outlàw
That lived in Nottinghamshire.
As Robin Hood in the forest stood, 5
All under the green-wood tree,
There he was aware of a brave young man,
As fine as fine might be.
The youngster was cloathed in scarlet red,
In scarlet fine and gay; 10
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, 15
Come drooping along the way.
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!" 20
Then stepped forth brave Little John,
And Midge the millers son,[L22]
Which made the young man bend his bow,
When as he see them come.
"Stand off, stand off," the young man said, 25
"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, 30
"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 years, 35
To have it at my wedding.
"Yesterday, I should have married a maid,
But she soon from me was tane,
And chosen to be an old knights delight,
Whereby my poor heart is slain." 40
"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 wilt thou give me," said Robin Hood, 45
"In ready gold or fee,
To help thee to thy true love again,
And deliver her unto thee?"
"I have no money," then quoth the young man,
"No ready gold nor fee, 50
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, 55
"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. 60
"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, 65
"That musick best pleaseth me:"
"You shall have no musick," quoth Robin Hood,
"Till the bride and the bridegroom I see."
With that came in a wealthy knight,
Which was both grave and old, 70
And after him a finikin lass,
Did shine like the glistering gold.
"This is not a fit match," quod bold Robin Hood,
"That you do seem to make here,
For since we are come into the church, 75
The bride shall chuse 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. 80
And when they came into the church-yard,
Marching all on a row,
The first man was Allin a Dale,
To give bold Robin his bow.
"This is thy true love," Robin he said, 85
"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; 90
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, 95
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. 100
"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 ende of this merry wedding, 105
The bride lookt like a queen;
And so they return'd to the merry green-wood,
Amongst the leaves so green.
22. Nicke.
ROBIN HOODS RESCUING WILL STUTLY.
From _A Collection of Old Ballads_, i. 90. The full title is: _Robin
Hood rescuing Will Stutley from the sheriff and his men, who had taken
him prisoner, and were going to hang him, &c. To the tune of Robin
Hood and Queen Catherine_. The same in Ritson's _Robin Hood_, ii. 106.
When Robin Hood in the green wood stood,
_Derry, derry down_,
Under the green wood tree,
Tidings there came to him with speed,
Tidings for certainty;
_Hey down, derry, derry, down_.
That Will Stutly surprized was, 5
And eke in prison lay;
Three varlets that the king had hir'd,
Did likely him betray.
Ay, and to-morrow hang'd must be,
To-morrow as soon as day; 10
Before they could the victory get,
Two of 'em did Stutly slay.
When Robin Hood did hear this news,
Lord! it did grieve him sore;
And to his merry men he said, 15
(Who altogether swore)
That Will Stutly should rescu'd be,
And be brought back again;
Or else should many a gallant wight
For his sake there be slain. 20
He cloath'd himself in scarlet then,
His men were all in green;
A finer shew, throughout the world,
In no place could be seen.
Good lord! it was a gallant sight 25
To see them all a-row;
With ev'ry man a good broad sword,
And eke a good yew bow.
Forth of the green wood are they gone,
Yea, all couragously, 30
Resolving to bring Stutly home,
Or every man to dye.
And when they came to the castle near
Wherein Will Stutly lay,
"I hold it good," said Robin Hood, 35
"We here in ambush stay,
"And send one forth some news to hear,
To yonder palmer fair,
That stands under the castle wall;
Some news he may declare." 40
With that steps forth a brave young man,
Which was of courage bold;
Thus he did say to the old man:
"I pray thee, palmer old,
"Tell me, if that thou rightly ken, 45
When must Will Stutly dye,
Who is one of bold Robin's men,
And here doth prisoner lye?"
"Alas, alas," the palmer said,
"And for ever woe is me! 50
Will Stutly hang'd will be this day,
On yonder gallows tree.
"O had his noble master known,
He would some succour send;
A few of his bold yeomanry 55
Full soon would fetch him hence."
"Ay, that is true," the young man said;
"Ay, that is true," said he;
"Or, if they were near to this place,
They soon would set him free. 60
"But fare thou well, thou good old man,
Farewel, and thanks to thee;
If Stutly hanged be this day,
Reveng'd his death will be."
No sooner he was from the palmer gone, 65
But the gates were open'd wide,
And out of the castle Will Stutly came,
Guarded on every side.
When he was forth from the castle come,
And saw no help was nigh, 70
Thus he did say unto the sheriff,
Thus he said gallantly:
"Now seeing that I needs must dye,
Grant me one boon," said he,
"For my noble master ne'er had man 75
That yet was hang'd on tree.
"Give me a sword all in my hand,
And let me be unbound,
And with thee and thy men I'll fight,
Till I lye dead on the ground." 80
But this desire he would not grant,
His wishes were in vain;
For the sheriff swore he hang'd should be,
And not by the sword be slain.
"Do but unbind my hands," he says, 85
"I will no weapons crave,
And if I hanged be this day,
Damnation let me have."
"O no, no, no," the sheriff said,
"Thou shalt on gallows dye, 90
Ay, and so shall thy master too,
If ever in me it lye."
"O dastard coward!" Stutly cries,
Faint-hearted peasant slave!
If ever my master do thee meet, 95
Thou shalt thy payment have.
"My noble master thee doth scorn,
And all thy cowardly crew;
Such silly imps unable are
Bold Robin to subdue." 100
But when he was to the gallows gone,
And ready to bid adieu,
Out of a bush steps Little John,
And goes Will Stutly to.
"I pray thee, Will, before thou dye, 105
Of thy dear friends take leave;
I needs must borrow him a while,
How say you, master sheriff?"
"Now, as I live," the sheriff said,
"That varlet will I know; 110
Some sturdy rebel is that same,
Therefore let him not go."
And Little John most hastily
Away cut Stutly's bands,
And from one of the sheriffs men, 115
A sword twich'd from his hands.
"Here, Will Stutly, take thou this same,
Thou canst it better sway;
And here defend thyself awhile,
For aid will come straightway." 120
And there they turn'd them back to back,
In the midst of them that day,
Till Robin Hood approached near,
With many an archer gay.
With that an arrow from them flew, 125
I-wis[126] from Robin Hood;[L126]
"Make haste, make haste," the sheriff he said,
"Make haste, for it is not good."
The sheriff is gone; his doughty men
Thought it no boot to stay, 130
But, as their master had them taught,
They run full fast away.
"O stay, O stay," Will Stutly said,
"Take leave ere you depart;
You ne'er will catch bold Robin Hood, 135
Unless you dare him meet."
"O ill betide you," said Robin Hood,
That you so soon are gone;
My sword may in the scabbard rest,
For here our work is done." 140
"I little thought," Will Stutly said,
"When I came to this place,
For to have met with Little John,
Or seen my master's face."
Thus Stutly he was at liberty set, 145
And safe brought from his foe:
"O thanks, O thanks to my mastèr,
Since here it was not so.
"And once again, my fellows dear,
_Derry, derry down_,
We shall in the green woods meet, 150
Where we will make our bow-strings twang,
Musick for us most sweet."
_Hey down, derry, derry down_.
126, I wist.
ROBIN HOODS PROGRESS TO NOTTINGHAM.
Ritson's _Robin Hood_, ii. 13.
"From an old black-letter copy in the collection of Anthony à Wood. It
is there said to go 'To the tune of Bold Robin Hood;' and the chorus
is repeated in every stanza. To the above title are added the
following doggerel lines:--
Where hee met with fifteen forresters all on a row,
And hee desired of them some news for to know,
But with crosse-grain'd words they did him thwart,
For which at last hee made them smart."
One or two corrections made by Gutch from copies in the Roxburghe
collection have been admitted.
Robin Hood he was a tall young man,[L1]
_Derry, derry down_,
And fifteen winters old;
And Robin Hood he was a proper young man,
Of courage stout and bold.
_Hey down, derry, derry down_.
Robin Hood hee would unto fair Nottingham,[L5] 5
With the general for to dine;
There was hee aware of fifteen forresters,
And a drinking beer, ale, and wine.[L8]
"What news?" "What news?" said bold Robin Hood,
"What news fain wouldest thou know? 10
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, 15
That's not able to draw one string."
"I'le hold you twenty marks," said bold Robin Hood,
"By the leave of our lad[y'],
That I'le hit a mark a hundred rod,
And I'le cause a hart to dye." 20
"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 causest a hart to dye."
Robin Hood he bent up a noble bow, 25
And a broad arrow he let flye,
He hit the mark a hundred rod,
And he caused a hart to dye.
Some say hee brake ribs one or two,
And some say hee brake three; 30
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, 35
"If't were for a thousand pound."
"The wager's none of thine," then said the forresters,
"Although thou beest in haste;
Take up thy bow, and get thee hence,
Lest wee thy sides do baste." 40
Robin Hood he took up his noble bow,
And his broad arrows all amain;
And Robin Hood he laught, and begun to smile,
As hee went over the plain.
Then Robin Hood he bent his noble bow, 45
And his broad arrowes 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; 50
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, 55
That split his head in twain.
"You have found mee an archer," said Robin Hood,[L57]
"Which will make your wives for to wring,
And wish that you had never spoke the word,
That I could not draw one string." 60
The people that lived in fair Nottinghàm
Came running out amain,
Supposing to have taken bold Robin Hood,
With the forresters that were slain.
Some lost legs, and some lost arms, 65
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; 70
They dig'd them graves in their church-yard,
And they buried them all a-row.
1, and he;
5, and to, Ritson.
8, bear.
57, saith. RITSON.
ROBIN HOOD AND THE BISHOP OF HEREFORD.
"This excellent ballad, given from the common edition of Aldermary
church-yard (compared with the York copy), is supposed to be modern;
the story, however, seems alluded to in the ballad of _Renowned Robin
Hood_. The full title is _The Bishop of Herefords entertainment by
Robin Hood and Little John, &c., in merry Barnsdale_." RITSON'S _Robin
Hood_, ii. 150.
Some they will talk of bold Robin Hood,
And some of barons bold;
But I'll tell you how he serv'd the bishop of Hereford,
When he robb'd him of his gold.
As it befel in merry Barnsdale, 5
All under the green-wood tree,
The bishop of Hereford was to come by,
With all his company.
"Come, kill [me] a ven'son," said bold Robin Hood,
"Come, kill me a good fat deer; 10
The bishop of Hereford is to dine with me to-day,
And he shall pay well for his cheer.
"We'll kill a fat ven'son," said bold Robin Hood,
And dress it by the highway side;
And we will watch the bishop narrowly, 15
Lest some other way he should ride."
Robin Hood dress'd himself in shepherds attire,
With six of his men alsò;
And, when the bishop of Hereford came by,
They about the fire did go. 20
"O what is the matter?" then said the bishop,
"Or for whom do you make this a-do?
Or why do you kill the kings ven'son,
When your company is so few?"
"We are shepherds," said bold Robin Hood, 25
"And we keep sheep all the year,
And we are disposed to be merry this day,
And to kill of the kings fat deer."
"You are brave fellows!" said the bishop,
"And the king of your doings shall know: 30
Therefore make haste, and come along with me,
For before the king you shall go."