Opening the text

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

Said Robin Hood, Reach me that buck, Little John,
   For I’ll go along with my dear ;
 And bid my yeomen kill six brace of bucks,
   And meet me to-morrow just here.

 Before he had ridden five Staffordshire miles,
   Eight yeomen, that were too bold,
 Bid Robin Hood stand, and deliver his buck :
   A truer tale never was told. {158}

 I will not, faith, said bold Robin ; come, John,
   Stand by me, and we’ll beat ’em all.
 Then both drew their swords, and so cut ’em, and slasht ’em,
   That five out of them did fall.

 The three that remain’d call’d to Robin for quarter,
   And pitiful John begg’d their lives :
 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 ;
 I’m the king of the fidlers, and I swear ’tis truth,
   And I call him that doubts it a gull :[287]

 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.”

 Before we came in we heard a great 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_.[288] {159}

 And there we see Thomas, our justices clerk,
   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 ;
 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,
   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.

 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,
   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. {160}

 And what they did there must be counsel to me,
   Because they lay long the next day ;
 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 :
   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.

[Illustration]

{161}

[Illustration]


II.

ROBIN HOOD’S PROGRESS TO NOTTINGHAM.

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

Said Robin Hood, Reach me that buck, Little John,
   For I’ll go along with my dear ;
 And bid my yeomen kill six brace of bucks,
   And meet me to-morrow just here.

 Before he had ridden five Staffordshire miles,
   Eight yeomen, that were too bold,
 Bid Robin Hood stand, and deliver his buck :
   A truer tale never was told. {158}

 I will not, faith, said bold Robin ; come, John,
   Stand by me, and we’ll beat ’em all.
 Then both drew their swords, and so cut ’em, and slasht ’em,
   That five out of them did fall.

 The three that remain’d call’d to Robin for quarter,
   And pitiful John begg’d their lives :
 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 ;
 I’m the king of the fidlers, and I swear ’tis truth,
   And I call him that doubts it a gull :[287]

 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.”

 Before we came in we heard a great 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_.[288] {159}

 And there we see Thomas, our justices clerk,
   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 ;
 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,
   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.

 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,
   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. {160}

 And what they did there must be counsel to me,
   Because they lay long the next day ;
 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 :
   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.

[Illustration]

{161}

[Illustration]


II.

ROBIN HOOD’S PROGRESS TO NOTTINGHAM.

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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