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
This seven yere have I used this way up and downe,
Yet payed I passage to no man,
Nor now I wyl not beginne, so do[345] the worst you can.
ROBYN HODE.
Passage shalt thou pai here under the grene-wode tre,
Or els thou shalt leve a wedde[346] with me.
THE POTTER.
If thou be a good felowe, as men do the call,
Lay awaye thy bowe,
And take thy sword and buckeler in thy hande,
And se what shall befall.
ROBYN HODE.
Lyttle John, where art thou ?
LYTELL [JOHN].
Here, mayster, I make god avowe. {353}
I tolde you, mayster, so god me save,
That you shoulde fynde the[347] potter a knave.
Holde your buckeler fast in your hande,
And I wyll styfly by you stande,
Ready for to fyghte ;
Be the knave never so stoute,
I shall rappe him on the snoute,
And put hym to flyghte.
II.
A FREEMAN’S SONG,
FOR THREE VOICES.
This strange and whimsical performance is taken from a very rare
and curious publication, intitled “Deuteromelia: or the second part
of musicks melodie, or melodius musicke. Of pleasant roundelaies;
K. H. mirth, or freemens songs. And such delightfull catches.
London: printed for Thomas Adams dwelling in Paules church-yard
at the signe of the white lion, 1609.” 4to. Freemen’s songs is
supposed to be a corruption of Three men’s songs, from their being
generally for three voices. K. H. is King Henry’s. See “Ancient
Songs,” ed. 1829, vol. i. p. lxxix., and vol. ii. p. 54, &c.
In the collection of old printed ballads made by Anthony a Wood is
an inaccurate copy of this ancient and singular production, in his
own handwriting: “This song,” says he, “was esteemed an old song
before the rebellion broke out in 1641.” It thereby appears that
the first line of every stanza was “to be sung thrice.” Beside the
music here given, there are three parts of “Another way,” which it
was not thought necessary to insert. {354}
[Music: TREBLE.
By Lands-dale hey ho, by mery Lands-dale there dwelt a jolly
miller, And a very good old man was hee, was he, hey ho He had, he
had and a sonne a, He had, he had and a sonne.]
[Music: TENOR.
By Lands-dale hey ho, by mery Lands dale hey ho was he hey ho. He
had, he had and a sonne a]
{355}
[Music: BASSUS.
By Lands-dale hey ho, by mery Lands-dale, hey ho, There dwelt a
jolly miller, and a very good old man was he, hey ho, He had, he
had and a sonne a, he had he had, he had]
He had, he had and a sonne a,
Men called him Renold,
And mickle of his might
Was he, was he, hey ho.
And from his father a wode a,
His fortune for to seeke,
From mery Landsdale
Wode he, wode he, hey ho. {356}
His father would him seeke a,
And found him fast asleepe.
Among the leaves greene
Was he, was he, hey ho.
He tooke, he tooke him up a,
All by the lilly-white hand,
And set him on his feet,
And bad him stand, hey ho.
He gave to him a benbow,
Made all of a trusty tree,
And arrowes in his hand,
And bad him let them flee.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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