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Robin Hood: A collection of all the ancient poems, songs, and ballads, now extant, relative to that celebrated English outlaw. To which are prefixed historical anecdotes of his life.

General

Robin Hood: A collection of all the ancient poems, songs, and ballads, now extant, relative to that celebrated English outlaw. To which are prefixed historical anecdotes of his life.

Ballads, English -- England -- Texts; Outlaws -- Poetry; Robin Hood (Legendary character) -- Poetry; Songs, English -- England -- Texts

Among the rest one Little John,
   A yeoman bold and free,
 Who could (if it stood him upon)
   With ease encounter three. {130}

 One hundred men in all he got,
   With whom (the story says)
 Three hundred common men durst not
   Hold combat any waies.

 They Yorkshire woods frequented much,
   And Lancashire also,
 Wherein their practises were such
   That they wrought muckle woe.

 None rich durst travel to and fro,
   Though ne’r so strongly arm’d,
 But by these thieves (so strong in show)
   They still were rob’d and harm’d.

 His chiefest spight to th’ clergy was,
   That liv’d in monstrous pride :
 No one of them he would let pass
   Along the highway side,

 But first they must to dinner go,
   And afterwards to shrift :
 Full many a one he served so,
   Thus while he liv’d by theft.

 No monks nor fryers he would let go
   Without paying their fees :
 If they thought much to be used so,
   Their stones he made them lese. {131}

 For such as they the country fill’d
   With bastards in those days :
 Which to prevent, these sparks did geld
   All that came in their ways.[279]

 But Robin Hood so gentle was,
   And bore so brave a mind,
 If any in distress did pass,
   To them he was so kind,

 That he would give and lend to them,
   To help them in their need ;
 This made all poor men pray for him,
   And wish he well might speed.

 The widow and the fatherless
   He would send means unto ;
 And those whom famine did oppress
   Found him a friendly foe. {132}

 Nor would he do a woman wrong,
   But see her safe convey’d :
 He would prótect with power strong
   All those who crav’d his aid.

 The abbot of Saint Maries then,
   Who him undid before,
 Was riding with two hundred men,
   And gold and silver store :

 But Robin Hood upon him set,
   With his couragious sparks,
 And all the coyn perforce did get,
   Which was twelve thousand marks.

 He bound the abbot to a tree,
   And would not let him pass,
 Before that to his men and he
   His lordship had said mass :

 Which being done, upon his horse
   He set him fast astride,
 And with his face towàrds his a—
   He forced him to ride.

 His men were forced to be his guide,
   For he rode backward home :
 The abbot, being thus villify’d,
   Did sorely chafe and fume.

[Illustration: ROBIN HOOD AND THE ABBOT.]

[Illustration: ROBIN HOOD AND THE ABBOT.]

{133}

 Thus Robin Hood did vindicate
   His former wrongs receiv’d :
 For ’twas this covetous prelàte
   That him of land bereav’d.

 The abbot he rode to the king,
   With all the haste he could ;
 And to his grace he every thing
   Exactly did unfold :

 And said that if no course were ta’n,
   By force or stratagem,
 To take this rebel and his train,
   No man should pass for them.

 The king protested by and by
   Unto the abbot then,
 That Robin Hood with speed should dye,
   With all his merry men.

 But e’re the king did any send,
   He did another feat,
 Which did his grace much more offend,
   The fact indeed was great :

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

Opening the text

General

Robin Hood: A collection of all the ancient poems, songs, and ballads, now extant, relative to that celebrated English outlaw. To which are prefixed historical anecdotes of his life.

Ballads, English -- England -- Texts; Outlaws -- Poetry; Robin Hood (Legendary character) -- Poetry; Songs, English -- England -- Texts

Among the rest one Little John,
   A yeoman bold and free,
 Who could (if it stood him upon)
   With ease encounter three. {130}

 One hundred men in all he got,
   With whom (the story says)
 Three hundred common men durst not
   Hold combat any waies.

 They Yorkshire woods frequented much,
   And Lancashire also,
 Wherein their practises were such
   That they wrought muckle woe.

 None rich durst travel to and fro,
   Though ne’r so strongly arm’d,
 But by these thieves (so strong in show)
   They still were rob’d and harm’d.

 His chiefest spight to th’ clergy was,
   That liv’d in monstrous pride :
 No one of them he would let pass
   Along the highway side,

 But first they must to dinner go,
   And afterwards to shrift :
 Full many a one he served so,
   Thus while he liv’d by theft.

 No monks nor fryers he would let go
   Without paying their fees :
 If they thought much to be used so,
   Their stones he made them lese. {131}

 For such as they the country fill’d
   With bastards in those days :
 Which to prevent, these sparks did geld
   All that came in their ways.[279]

 But Robin Hood so gentle was,
   And bore so brave a mind,
 If any in distress did pass,
   To them he was so kind,

 That he would give and lend to them,
   To help them in their need ;
 This made all poor men pray for him,
   And wish he well might speed.

 The widow and the fatherless
   He would send means unto ;
 And those whom famine did oppress
   Found him a friendly foe. {132}

 Nor would he do a woman wrong,
   But see her safe convey’d :
 He would prótect with power strong
   All those who crav’d his aid.

 The abbot of Saint Maries then,
   Who him undid before,
 Was riding with two hundred men,
   And gold and silver store :

 But Robin Hood upon him set,
   With his couragious sparks,
 And all the coyn perforce did get,
   Which was twelve thousand marks.

 He bound the abbot to a tree,
   And would not let him pass,
 Before that to his men and he
   His lordship had said mass :

 Which being done, upon his horse
   He set him fast astride,
 And with his face towàrds his a—
   He forced him to ride.

 His men were forced to be his guide,
   For he rode backward home :
 The abbot, being thus villify’d,
   Did sorely chafe and fume.

[Illustration: ROBIN HOOD AND THE ABBOT.]

[Illustration: ROBIN HOOD AND THE ABBOT.]

{133}

 Thus Robin Hood did vindicate
   His former wrongs receiv’d :
 For ’twas this covetous prelàte
   That him of land bereav’d.

 The abbot he rode to the king,
   With all the haste he could ;
 And to his grace he every thing
   Exactly did unfold :

 And said that if no course were ta’n,
   By force or stratagem,
 To take this rebel and his train,
   No man should pass for them.

 The king protested by and by
   Unto the abbot then,
 That Robin Hood with speed should dye,
   With all his merry men.

 But e’re the king did any send,
   He did another feat,
 Which did his grace much more offend,
   The fact indeed was great :

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

Robin Hood: A collection of all the ancient poems, songs, and ballads, now extant, relative to that celebrated English outlaw. To which are prefixed historical anecdotes of his life.

Robin Hood: A collection of all the ancient poems, songs, and ballads, now extant, relative to that celebrated English outlaw. To which are prefixed historical anecdotes of his life.

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