"If I could thy pardon get,
To serve the king in every thing
Wouldst thou thy mind firm set?"
"Yes, with all my heart," bold Robin said,
So they flung off their hoods; 110
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, 115
Love them again I shall."
The king no longer could forbear,
For he was mov'd with ruth,
"Robin," said he, "I'll now tell thee[L119]
The very naked truth.[L120] 120
"I am the king, thy 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, 125
"I'll thee thy pardon give;
Stand up, my friend; who can contend,
When I give leave to live?"
So they are all gone to Nottingham,
All shouting as they came: 130
But when the people them did see,
They thought the king was slain;
And for that cause th' outlaws were come,
To rule all as they list;
And for to shun, which way to run, 135
The people did not wist.
The plowman left the plow in the field,
The smith ran from his shop;
Old folks also, that scarce could go,
Over their sticks did hop. 140
The king did soon 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, 145
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 I do hate; 150
Both me and mine he caus'd 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, 155
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. 160
"But if 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 sheriff could not that gainsay, 165
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 train; 170
He once was there a noble peer,
And now he's there again.
Many such pranks brave Robin play'd,
While he liv'd in the green-wood:
Now, my friend, attend, and hear an end[L175] 175
Of honest Robin Hood.[L176]
119, 120. Wanting in Ritson; supplied by Gutch.
175, 176. The two concluding lines refer to _Robin Hood and the
Valiant Knight_, (see p. 888,) which ballad in some collections
follows the present.
ROBIN HOOD AND THE GOLDEN ARROW.
RITSON'S _Robin Hood_, ii. 175. From an Aldermary-Churchyard Garland.
Perhaps by the same feeble and vulgar hand as the preceding, and, like
that, founded on the _Lytell Geste_.
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 dal de_.
So unto London road he past, 5
His losses to unfold
To king Richàrd, who did regard
The tale that he had told.
"Why," quoth the king, "what shall I do?
Art thou not sheriff for me" 10
The law is in force, to take thy course
Of them that injure thee.
"Go get thee gone, and by thyself
Devise some tricking game
For to enthral yon rebels all; 15
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. 20
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 25
And shaft of silver-white,
Who won the day should bear away[L27]
For his own proper right.
Tidings came to bold Robin Hood,
Under the green-wood tree: 30
"Come prepare you then, my merry men,
We'll go yon sport to see."
With that stept forth a brave young man,
David of Doncastèr:
"Master," said he, "be rul'd by me, 35
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." 40
"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."
O then bespoke brave Little John, 45
"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; 50
We'll dress us all so several,
They shall not us perceive.
"One shall wear white, another red,
One yellow, another blue;
Thus in disguise, to the exercise 55
We'll gang, whate'er ensue."
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. 60
So themselves they mixèd with the rest,
To prevent all suspicion;
For if they should together hold
They thought it no discretion.
So the sheriff looked round about, 65
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, 70
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;
I thought he would, but tho' he's bold, 75
He durst not now appear."
O that word griev'd Robin Hood to the heart;
He vexèd in his blood;
Ere long, thought he, thou shalt well see
That here was Robin Hood. 80
Some cried "Blue jacket!" 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, 85
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, 90
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, 95
As they went in came out;
Until they all assembled were
Under the green-wood shade,
Where they report, in pleasant sport,
What brave pastime they made. 100
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 105
Did take effect before,
So therefore now, if you'll allow,
I will advise once more."
"Speak on, speak on," said Robin Hood,
"Thy wit's both quick and sound, 110
I know no man among us can[L111]
For wit like thee be found."[L112]
"This I advise," said Little John;
"That a letter shall be penn'd,
And when it is done, to Nottingham 115
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. 120
"I'll stick it on my arrows head,
And shoot it into the town;
The mark will show where it must go,
Whenever it lights down."
The project it was well perform'd; 125
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; 130
Now, my friends, attend, and hear the end[L131]
Of honest Robin Hood.[L132]
27, on the day. Ritson.
111, 112. Wanting in Ritson; supplied by Gutch, from a York edition.
ROBIN HOOD AND THE VALIANT KNIGHT:
Together with an account of his death and burial, &c. Tune of _Robin
Hood and the fifteen foresters_.
"From the common garland of Aldermary-churchyard; corrected by the
York copy." RITSON'S _Robin Hood_, ii. 182.
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, 5
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 summers day,
At length it was agreed 10
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, 15
He told him his pleasure all.
"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. 20
"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, 25
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: 30
On Midsummer-day they march'd away,
To conquer that brave outlaw.
With long yew bows and shining spears,
They marched with mickle pride,
And never delay'd, nor halted, nor stay'd, 35
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. 40
"I'll go first in person," he cry'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 45
To the tent of Robin Hood;
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; 50
But tell them from me, that never shall be,
While I have full seven score men."
Sir William the knight, both hardy and bold,
He offer'd to seize him there,
Which William Locksley by fortune did see, 55
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. 60
Sir William with care he drew up his men,
And plac'd them in battle array;
Bold Robin, we find, he was not behind;
Now this was a bloody fray.
The archers on both sides bent their bows, 65
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; 70
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, 75
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. 80
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.
131, 132. These lines, like the last two of the preceding ballad,
refer to _Robin Hood and the Valiant Knight_.
THE BIRTH OF ROBIN HOOD. See p. 170.
From Buchan's _Ballads of the North of Scotland_, ii. 1.
Mony ane talks o' the grass, the grass,
And mony ane o' the corn,
And mony ane talks o' gude Robin Hood,
Kens little whar he was born.
He was gotten in a earl's ha', 5
And in a lady's bower,
And born into gude greenwood,
Thro' mony cauld winter's shower.
His father was the earl's own steward,
Sprung frae sma' pedigree; 10
His mother, Earl Huntingdon's ae daughter,
For he had nane else but she.
When nine months were near an end,
And eight months they were gone;
The lady's cheeks wi' tears were wet, 15
And thus she made her moan:--
"What shall I say, my love, Archibald,
This day for you and me?
I will be laid in cauld irons,
And ye'll be hanged on tree." 20
"What aileth my love Clementina?
What gars you mourn sae sair?"
"You know," said she, "I'm with child to thee,
These eight lang months and mair."
"Will ye gae to my mother's bower, 25
Stands on yon stately green?
Or will ye gae to the gude greenwood,
Where ye will not be seen?"
"I winna gang to your mother's bower,
Stands on yon stately green; 30
But I will on to gude greenwood,
For I will not be seen."
He's girt his sword down by his side,
Took his lady by the hand;
And they are on thro' gude greenwood, 35
As fast as they could gang.
With slowly steps these couple walk'd,
About miles scarcely three;
When this lady, being sair wearied out,
Lay down beneath a tree. 40
"O for a few of yon junipers,
To cheer my heart again;
And likewise for a gude midwife,
To ease me of my pain."
"I'll bring to you yon junipers, 45
To cheer your heart again;
And I'll be to you a gude midwife,
To ease you of your pain."
"Had far awa' frae me, Archibald,
For this will never dee; 50
That's nae the fashion o' our land,
And its nae be used by me.
"Ye'll take your small sword by your side,
Your buckler and your bow;
And ye'll gae down thro' gude greenwood, 55
And hunt the deer and roe.
"You will stay in gude green wood,
And with the chase go on;
Until yon white hind pass you by,
Then straight to me ye'll come." 60
He's girt his sword then by his side,
His buckler and his bow;
And he is on thro' gude greenwood,
To hunt the deer and roe.
And in the greenwood he did stay, 65
And with the chase gaed on,
Until the white hind pass'd him by,
Then to his love he came.
He girt his sword then by his side,
Fast thro' greenwood went he; 70
And there he found his love lie dead,
Beneath the green oak tree.
The sweet young babe that she had born
Right lively seemed to be;
"Ohon, alas!" said young Archibald, 75
"A mournful scene to me!
"Altho' my sweet babe is alive,
This does increase my woe;
How to nourish a motherless babe
Is mair than I do know." 80
He looked east, he looked west,
To see what he could see;
Then spied the Earl o' Huntingdon,
And mony a man him wi'.
Then Archibald fled from the earl's face, 85
Among the leaves sae green,
That he might hear what might be said,
And see, and nae be seen.
The earl straight thro' the greenwood came,
Unto the green oak tree; 90
And there he saw his daughter dead,
Her living child her wi'.
Then he's taen up the little boy,
Rowed him in his gown sleeve;
Said, "Tho' your father's to my loss, 95
Your mother's to me leave.
"And if ye live until I die,
My bowers and lands ye'se heir;
You are my only daughter's child,
But her I never had mair. 100
"Ye'se hae all kinds of nourishment,
And likewise nurses three;
If I knew where the fause knave were,
High hanged should he be."
His daughter he buried in gude church-yard, 105
All in a mournful mood;
And brought the boy to church that day,
And christen'd him Robin Hood.
This boy was bred in the earl's ha',
Till he became a man; 110
But loved to hunt in gude green wood
To raise his noble fame.
ROSE THE RED AND WHITE LILLIE.
From Buchan's _Ballads of the North of Scotland_, i. 67. See p. 173.
Now word is gane thro' a' the land,
Gude seal that it sae spread!
To Rose the Red and White Lillie,
Their mither dear was dead.
Their father's married a bauld woman, 5
And brought her ower the sea;
Twa sprightly youths, her ain young sons,
Intill her companie.
They fix'd their eyes on those ladies,
On shipboard as they stood, 10
And sware, if ever they wan to land,
These ladies they wou'd wed.
But there was nae a quarter past,
A quarter past but three,
Till these young luvers a' were fond 15
O' others companie.
The knights they harped i' their bower,
The ladies sew'd and sang;
There was mair mirth in that chamer
Than a' their father's lan'. 20
Then out it spak their step-mither,
At the stair-foot stood she;
"I'm plagued wi' your troublesome noise,
What makes your melodie?
"O Rose the Red, ye sing too loud, 25
While Lillie your voice is strang;
But gin I live and brook my life,
I'se gar you change your sang."
"We maunna change our loud, loud song,
For nae duke's son ye'll bear; 30
We winna change our loud, loud song,
But aye we'll sing the mair.
"We never sung the sang, mither,
But we'll sing ower again;
We'll take our harps into our hands, 35
And we'll harp, and we'll sing."
She's call'd upon her twa young sons,
Says, "Boun ye for the sea;
Let Rose the Red, and White Lillie,
Stay in their bower wi' me." 40
"O God forbid," said her eldest son,
"Nor lat it ever be,
Unless ye were as kind to our luves
As gin we were them wi."
"Yet never the less, my pretty sons, 45
Ye'll boun you for the faem;
Let Rose the Red, and White Lillie,
Stay in their bowers at hame."
"O when wi' you we came alang,
We felt the stormy sea; 50
And where we go, ye ne'er shall know,
Nor shall be known by thee."
Then wi' her harsh and boisterous word,
She forc'd these lads away;
While Rose the Red and White Lillie 55
Still in their bowers did stay.
But there was not a quarter past,
A quarter past but ane;
Till Rose the Red in rags she gaed,
White Lillie's claithing grew thin. 60
Wi' bitter usage every day,
The ladies they thought lang;
"Ohon, alas!" said Rose the Red,
"She's gar'd us change our sang.
"But we will change our own fu' names, 65
And we'll gang frae the town;
Frae Rose the Red and White Lillie,
To Nicholas and Roger Brown.
"And we will cut our green claithing
A little aboon our knee; 70
And we will on to gude greenwood,
Twa bauld bowmen to be."
"Ohon, alas!" said White Lillie,
"My fingers are but sma';
And tho' my hands wou'd wield the bow, 75
They winna yield at a'."
"O had your tongue now, White Lillie,
And lat these fears a' be;
There's naething that ye're awkward in
But I will learn thee." 80
Then they are on to gude greenwood
As fast as gang cou'd they;
O then they spied him, Robin Hood,
Below a green aik tree.
"Gude day, gude day, kind sir," they said, 85
"God make you safe and free."
"Gude day, gude day," said Robin Hood,
"What is your wills wi' me?"
"Lo here we are, twa banish'd knights,
Come frae our native hame; 90
We're come to crave o' thee service,
Our king will gie us nane."
"If ye be twa young banish'd knights,
Tell me frae what countrie;"
"Frae Anster town into Fifeshire, 95
Ye know it as well as we."
"If a' be true that ye ha'e said,
And tauld just now to me;
Ye're welcome, welcome, every one,
Your master I will be. 100
"Now ye shall eat as I do eat,
And lye as I do lye;
Ye salna wear nae waur claithing
Nor my young men and I."
Then they went to a ruinous house, 105
And there they enter'd in;
And Nicholas fed wi' Robin Hood,
And Roger wi' little John.
But it fell ance upon a day,
They were at the putting-stane; 110
Whan Rose the Red she view'd them a',
As they stood on the green.
She hit the stane then wi' her foot,
And kep'd it wi' her knee;
And spaces three aboon them a', 115
I wyte she gar'd it flee.
She sat her back then to a tree,
And ga'e a loud Ohon!
A lad spak in the companie,
"I hear a woman's moan." 120
"How know you that, young man," she said,
"How know you that o' me?
Did e'er ye see me in that place
A'e foot my ground to flee?
"Or know ye by my cherry cheeks, 125
Or by my yellow hair?
Or by the paps on my breast bane?
Ye never saw them bare."
"I know not by your cherry cheeks,
Nor by your yellow hair; 130
But I know by your milk-white chin,
On it there grows nae hair.
"I never saw you in that cause
A'e foot your ground to flee;
I've seen you stan' wi' sword in han' 135
'Mang men's blood to the knee.
"But if I come your bower within,
By night, or yet by day,
I shall know before I go,
If ye be man or may." 140
"O if you come my bower within,
By night, or yet by day,
As soon's I draw my trusty brand,
Nae lang ye'll wi' me stay."
But he is haunted to her bower, 145
Her bigly bower o' stane,
Till he has got her big wi' bairn,
And near sax months she's gane.
Whan three mair months were come and gane,
They gae'd to hunt the hynde; 150
She wont to be the foremost ane,
But now stay'd far behynd.
Her luver looks her in the face,
And thus to her said he;
"I think your cheeks are pale and wan, 155
Pray, what gaes warst wi' thee?
"O want ye roses to your breast,
Or ribbons to your sheen?
Or want ye as muckle o' dear bought luve
As your heart can conteen?" 160
"I want nae roses to my breast,
Nae ribbons to my sheen;
Nor want I as muckle dear bought luve
As my heart can conteen.
"I'd rather ha'e a fire behynd, 165
Anither me before;
A gude midwife at my right side,
Till my young babe be bore."
"I'll kindle a fire wi' a flint stane,
Bring wine in a green horn; 170
I'll be midwife at your right side,
Till your young babe be born."
"That was ne'er my mither's custom,
Forbid that it be mine!
A knight stan' by a lady bright, 175
Whan she drees a' her pine!
"There is a knight in gude greenwood,
If that he kent o' me,
Thro' stock and stane and the hawthorn,
Sae soon's he wou'd come me tee." 180
"If there be a knight in gude greenwood
Ye like better than me,
If ance he come your bower within,
Ane o' us twa shall dee."
She set a horn to her mouth, 185
And she blew loud and shrill!
Thro' stock and stane and the hawthorn,
Brave Roger came her till.
"Wha's here sae bauld," the youth replied,
"Thus to encroach on me?" 190
"O here I am," the knight replied,
"Ha'e as much right as thee."
Then they fought up the gude greenwood,
Sae did they down the plain;
They niddart ither wi' lang braid swords, 195
Till they were bleedy men.
Then out it spak the sick woman,
Sat under the greenwood tree;
"O had your han', young man," she said,
"She's a woman as well as me." 200
Then out it speaks anither youth,
Amang the companie;
"Gin I had kent what I ken now,
'Tis for her I wou'd dee."
"O wae mat worth you, Rose the Red, 205
An ill death mat ye dee!
Altho' ye tauld upo' yoursell,
Ye might ha'e heal'd on me.
"O for her sake I was content
For to gae ower the sea; 210
For her I left my mither's ha',
Tho' she proves fause to me."
But whan these luvers were made known,
They sung right joyfullie;
Nae blyther was the nightingale, 215
Nor bird that sat on tree.
Now they ha'e married these ladies,
Brought them to bower and ha',
And now a happy life they lead,
I wish sae may we a'.
ROBIN HOOD AND THE STRANGER.
Ritson's _Robin Hood_. ii. 69.
"From an old black-letter copy in the collection of Anthony à Wood.
The title now given to this ballad is that which it seems to have
originally borne; having been foolishly altered to _Robin Hood newly
revived_. The circumstances attending the second part will be
explained in a note." RITSON.
For the different versions of the first part of the story see _Robin
Hood and the Beggar_, p. 188.
Come listen awhile, you gentlemen all,
_With a hey down, down, a down, down_,
That are this bower within,
For a story of gallant bold Robin Hood
I purpose now to begin.
"What time of day?" quod Robin Hood then; 5
Quoth Little John, "'Tis in the prime;"
"Why then we will to the greenwood gang,
For we have no vittles to dine."
As Robin Hood walkt the forrest along,
(It was in the mid of the day,) 10
There he was met of a deft young man
As ever walkt on the way.
His doublet was of silk, 'tis said,
His stockings like scarlet shone;
And he walked on along the way, 15
To Robin Hood then unknown.
A herd of deer was in the bend,
All feeding before his face:
"Now the best of you Ile have to my dinner,
And that in a little space." 20
Now the stranger he made no mickle adoe,
But he bends a right good bow,
And the best of all the herd he slew,[L23]
Forty good yards him froe.[L24]
"Well shot, well shot," quod Robin Hood then, 25
"That shot it was shot in time;
And if thou wilt accept of the place,
Thou shalt be a bold yeoman of mine."
"Go play the chiven," the stranger said,
"Make haste and quickly go, 30
Or with my fist, be sure of this,
Ile give thee buffets sto'."
"Thou had'st not best buffet me," quod Robin Hood,
"For though I seem forlorn,
Yet I have those will take my part, 35
If I but blow my horn."
"Thou wast not best wind thy horn," the stranger said,
"Beest thou never so much in haste,
For I can draw out a good broad sword,
And quickly cut the blast." 40
Then Robin Hood bent a very good bow,
To shoot, and that he would fain;
The stranger he bent a very good bow,
To shoot at bold Robin again.
"Hold thy hand, hold thy hand," quod Robin Hood, 45
"To shoot it would be in vain;
For if we should shoot the one at the other,
The one of us may be slain.
"But let's take our swords and our broad bucklèrs,
And gang under yonder tree:" 50
"As I hope to be sav'd," the stranger said,
"One foot I will not flee."
Then Robin Hood lent the stranger a blow,
'Most scar'd him out of his wit:
"Thou never delt blow," the stranger he said,[L55] 55
"That shall be better quit."
The stranger he drew out a good broad sword,
And hit Robin on the crown,
That from every haire of bold Robins head,
The blood ran trickling down. 60
"God a mercy, good fellow!" quod Robin Hood then,
"And for this that thou hast done,
Tell me, good fellow, what thou art,
Tell me where thou doest wone."[L64]
The stranger then answer'd bold Robin Hood, 65
"Ile tell thee where I do dwell;
In Maxwell town I was bred and born,
My name is young Gamwell.