Most of the songs inserted in the second half of this volume were common broad-sheet ballads, printed in black letter, with woodcuts, between the Restoration and the Revolution; though copies of some few have been found of an earlier date. “Who was the author of the collection intitled Robin Hood’s Garland, no one,” says Sir John Hawkins, “has yet pretended to guess. As some of the songs have in them more of the spirit of poetry than others, it is probable,” he thinks, “it is the work of various hands: that it has from time to time been varied and adapted to the phrase of the times,” he says, “is certain.” None of these songs, it is believed, were collected into a garland till after the Restoration; as the earliest that has been met with, a copy of which is in the possession of Francis Douce, Esq., was printed by W. Thackeray, a noted ballad-monger, in 1670. This, however, contains no more than sixteen songs, some of which, very falsely as it seems, are said to have been “never before printed.” “The latest edition of any worth,” according to Sir John Hawkins, “is that of 1719.” None of the old editions of this garland have any sort of preface: that prefixed to the modern ones, of Bow or Aldermary churchyard, being {lxxxv} taken from the collection of old ballads, 1723, where it is placed at the head of Robin Hood’s birth and breeding. The full title of the last London edition of any note is—“Robin Hood’s Garland: being a complete history of all the notable and merry exploits performed by him and his men on many occasions: To which is added a preface [_i.e._ the one already mentioned] giving a more full and particular account of his birth, &c., than any hitherto published. [Cut of archers shooting at a target.] I’ll send this arrow from my bow, And in a wager will be bound To hit the mark aright, although It were for fifteen hundred pound. Doubt not I’ll make the wager good, Or ne’er believe bold Robin Hood. Adorned with twenty-seven neat and curious cuts adapted to the subject of each song. London, Printed and sold by R. Marshall, in Aldermary church-yard, Bow-lane.” 12mo. On the back of the title-page is the following Grub-street address: “To all gentlemen archers. “This garland has been long out of repair, Some songs being wanting, of which we give account; For now at last, by true industrious care, The sixteen songs to twenty-seven we mount; Which large addition needs must please, I know, All the ingenious ‘yeomen’ of the bow. To read how Robin Hood and Little John, Brave Scarlet, Stutely, valiant, bold and free, Each of them bravely, fairly play’d the man, While they did reign beneath the green-wood tree; Bishops, friars, likewise many more, Parted with their gold, for to increase their store, But never would they rob or wrong the poor.”