English and Scottish Ballads, Volume V

Ballads, English -- England -- Texts; Ballads, Scots -- Scotland -- Texts

The three that remain'd call'd to Robin for quarter,
    And pitiful John begg'd their lives;                           170
  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 the bull;[L174]
  I'm the king of the fidlers, and I swear 'tis truth,             175
    And I call him that doubts it a gull:

  For I saw them fighting, and fiddled the while,
    And Clorinda sung "Hey derry down!
  The bumkins are beaten, put up thy sword, Bob,
    And now let's dance into the town."                            180

  Before we came in, we heard a strange shouting,
    And all that were in it look'd madly;
  For some were on bull-back, some dancing a morris,
    And some singing _Arthur-a-Bradley_.

  And there we see Thomas, our justices clerk,                     185
    And Mary, to whom he was kind;
  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;                                 190
  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 bad them take hands,            195
    And joyn'd them in marriage full fast.

  And then, as bold Robin Hood and his sweet bride
    Went hand in hand to the green bower,
  The birds sung with pleasure in merry Sherwood,
    And 'twas a most joyful hour.                                  200

  And when Robin came in sight of the bower,
    "Where are my yeomen?" said he:
  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,               205
    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.

  And what they did there must be counsel to me,
    Because they lay long the next day;                            210
  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,                   215
    And now let us pray for the king:

  That he may get children, and they may get 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.                                220

    14, Clowdel le.

    48, has.

    104, a.

    124, lease.

    127, choose.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

General

English and Scottish Ballads, Volume V

Ballads, English -- England -- Texts; Ballads, Scots -- Scotland -- Texts

The three that remain'd call'd to Robin for quarter,
    And pitiful John begg'd their lives;                           170
  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 the bull;[L174]
  I'm the king of the fidlers, and I swear 'tis truth,             175
    And I call him that doubts it a gull:

  For I saw them fighting, and fiddled the while,
    And Clorinda sung "Hey derry down!
  The bumkins are beaten, put up thy sword, Bob,
    And now let's dance into the town."                            180

  Before we came in, we heard a strange shouting,
    And all that were in it look'd madly;
  For some were on bull-back, some dancing a morris,
    And some singing _Arthur-a-Bradley_.

  And there we see Thomas, our justices clerk,                     185
    And Mary, to whom he was kind;
  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;                                 190
  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 bad them take hands,            195
    And joyn'd them in marriage full fast.

  And then, as bold Robin Hood and his sweet bride
    Went hand in hand to the green bower,
  The birds sung with pleasure in merry Sherwood,
    And 'twas a most joyful hour.                                  200

  And when Robin came in sight of the bower,
    "Where are my yeomen?" said he:
  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,               205
    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.

  And what they did there must be counsel to me,
    Because they lay long the next day;                            210
  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,                   215
    And now let us pray for the king:

  That he may get children, and they may get 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.                                220

    14, Clowdel le.

    48, has.

    104, a.

    124, lease.

    127, choose.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

English and Scottish Ballads, Volume V

English and Scottish Ballads, Volume V

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