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

Then Miles in his motley breeches,
 And he the piper beseeches
 To play him _Haw-thorn buds_,
 That he and his wench might trudge :
 But Lawrence liked not that,
 No more did lusty Kate ;
 For she cry’d, Can’st thou not hit it,
 To see how fine Thomas can trip it,
   For the honour of Arthur of Bradley, &c.

 When all the swains did see
 This mirth and merry glee,
 There was never a man did flinch, {363}
 But each one kist his wench ;
 But Giles was greedy of gain,
 For he would needs kiss twain :
 Her lover seeing that,
 Did rap him over the pate,
 That he had nought to say,
   For the honour of Arthur of Bradley,
   Oh fine Arthur of Bradley, oh, &c.

 The piper lookt aside,
 And there he spied the bride,
 He thought it was a hard chance,
 That none would lead her a dance ;
 But there was none durst touch her,
 Save only Bat the Butcher ;
 He took her by the hand,
 And danced while he could stand :
 The bride was fine and gay,
   For the honour of Arthur of Bradley,
   Oh fine Arthur of Bradley, oh, &c.

 Then out stept Will the weaver,
 And he swore he’d not leave her,
 He hopp’d it all on one leg,
 For the honour of his Peg :
 But Kister in cambrick ruffe,
 He took that all in snuffe ;
 For he against that day
 Had made himself fine and gay,
 His ruffe was whipt with blew, {364}
 And he cried, A new dance, a new,
 Then strike up a round-delay,
   For the honour of Arthur of Bradley,
   Oh fine, &c.

 Then gan the sun decline,
 And every one thought it time
 To go unto his home,
 And leave the bridegroom alone.
 Tut, tut, says lusty Ned,
 I’le see them both in bed,
 For I’le gib at a joynt,
 But I’le have his codpeece-point :
 Then forward piper and play,
   For the honour of Arthur of Bradley,
   Oh fine, &c.

 And thus the day was spent,
 And no man homeward went,
 There was such a crowding and thrusting,
 That some were in danger of bursting,
 To see them go to bed ;
 For all the skill they had,
 He was got to his bride,
 And lay close to her side :
 Then got they his points and his garters,
 And cut them in pieces like martyrs ;
 And then they all did play
   For the honour of Arthur of Bradley,
   Oh fine, &c. {365}

 Then Will and his sweetheart
 Did call for _Loth to depart_ ;
 And then they did foot it, and toss it,
 Till the cook brought in the sack-posset.
 The bride-pye was brought forth,
 A thing of mickle worth :
 And so all at the beds side
 Took leave of Arthur and his bride,
 And so went all away
   From the wedding of Arthur of Bradley,
   Oh fine, &c.


VI.

ROBIN HOOD RESCUING THE THREE SQUIRES FROM NOTTINGHAM GALLOWS.

This song and its tune, as the editor is informed by his ingenious
friend Edward Williams, the Welsh bard, are well known in South
Wales by the name of “Marchog glas,” _i.e._ Green knight. Though
apparently ancient, it is not known to exist in black letter, nor
has any better authority been met with than the common collection
of Aldermary-church-yard. See before, p. 303.

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

Then Miles in his motley breeches,
 And he the piper beseeches
 To play him _Haw-thorn buds_,
 That he and his wench might trudge :
 But Lawrence liked not that,
 No more did lusty Kate ;
 For she cry’d, Can’st thou not hit it,
 To see how fine Thomas can trip it,
   For the honour of Arthur of Bradley, &c.

 When all the swains did see
 This mirth and merry glee,
 There was never a man did flinch, {363}
 But each one kist his wench ;
 But Giles was greedy of gain,
 For he would needs kiss twain :
 Her lover seeing that,
 Did rap him over the pate,
 That he had nought to say,
   For the honour of Arthur of Bradley,
   Oh fine Arthur of Bradley, oh, &c.

 The piper lookt aside,
 And there he spied the bride,
 He thought it was a hard chance,
 That none would lead her a dance ;
 But there was none durst touch her,
 Save only Bat the Butcher ;
 He took her by the hand,
 And danced while he could stand :
 The bride was fine and gay,
   For the honour of Arthur of Bradley,
   Oh fine Arthur of Bradley, oh, &c.

 Then out stept Will the weaver,
 And he swore he’d not leave her,
 He hopp’d it all on one leg,
 For the honour of his Peg :
 But Kister in cambrick ruffe,
 He took that all in snuffe ;
 For he against that day
 Had made himself fine and gay,
 His ruffe was whipt with blew, {364}
 And he cried, A new dance, a new,
 Then strike up a round-delay,
   For the honour of Arthur of Bradley,
   Oh fine, &c.

 Then gan the sun decline,
 And every one thought it time
 To go unto his home,
 And leave the bridegroom alone.
 Tut, tut, says lusty Ned,
 I’le see them both in bed,
 For I’le gib at a joynt,
 But I’le have his codpeece-point :
 Then forward piper and play,
   For the honour of Arthur of Bradley,
   Oh fine, &c.

 And thus the day was spent,
 And no man homeward went,
 There was such a crowding and thrusting,
 That some were in danger of bursting,
 To see them go to bed ;
 For all the skill they had,
 He was got to his bride,
 And lay close to her side :
 Then got they his points and his garters,
 And cut them in pieces like martyrs ;
 And then they all did play
   For the honour of Arthur of Bradley,
   Oh fine, &c. {365}

 Then Will and his sweetheart
 Did call for _Loth to depart_ ;
 And then they did foot it, and toss it,
 Till the cook brought in the sack-posset.
 The bride-pye was brought forth,
 A thing of mickle worth :
 And so all at the beds side
 Took leave of Arthur and his bride,
 And so went all away
   From the wedding of Arthur of Bradley,
   Oh fine, &c.


VI.

ROBIN HOOD RESCUING THE THREE SQUIRES FROM NOTTINGHAM GALLOWS.

This song and its tune, as the editor is informed by his ingenious
friend Edward Williams, the Welsh bard, are well known in South
Wales by the name of “Marchog glas,” _i.e._ Green knight. Though
apparently ancient, it is not known to exist in black letter, nor
has any better authority been met with than the common collection
of Aldermary-church-yard. See before, p. 303.

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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