2 The first that he met was a jolly stout Scot, His servant he said he would be; ‘No,’ quoth Robin Hood, ‘it cannot be good, For thou wilt prove false unto me. 3 ‘Thou hast not been true to sire or cuz;’ ‘Nay, marry,’ the Scot he said, ‘As true as your heart, I never will part; Good master, be not afraid.’ 4 ‘But eer I employ you,’ said bold Robin Hood, ‘With you I must have a bout;’ The Scotchman reply’d, Let the battle be try’d, For I know I will beat you out. 5 Thus saying, the contest did quickly begin, Which lasted two hours and more; The blows Sawney gave bold Robin so brave The battle soon made him give oer. 6 ‘Have mercy, thou Scotchman,’ bold Robin Hood cry’d, ‘Full dearly this boon have I bought; We will both agree, and my man you shall be, For a stouter I never have fought.’ 7 Then Sawny consented with Robin to go, To be of his bowmen so gay; Thus ended the fight, and with mickle delight To Sherwood they hasted away. * * * * * #A.# _For the printer, etc., see_ No 128, Robin Hood newly Revived. #a.# 1^3. trid. 1^4. rigth. 4^3, 5^3. qd. #b.# 1^3. tri’d. 3^1. or _for_ nor. 4^3. case. #c.# 4^3, 5^3. qd. #d.# 4^3. case. #e.# 2^1. met with was a bold. 2^3. qd. 4^3. case: quod. 131 ROBIN HOOD AND THE RANGER ‘Robin Hood and the Ranger.’ #a.# Robin Hood’s Garland, London, C. Dicey, in Bow Church-Yard, n. d., but before 1741, p. 78. #b.# R. H.’s Garland, London, W. & C. Dicey, n. d. #c.# R. H.’s Garland, London, L. How, in Peticoat Lane, n. d. #d.# The English Archer, etc., York, N. Nickson, in Feasegate, n. d. #e.# The English Archer, etc., Paisley, John Neilson, 1786. #f.# R. H.’s Garland, York, T. Wilson & R. Spence, n. d. (All in the Bodleian Library.) In Ritson’s Robin Hood, 1795, II, 133, from a York edition of Robin Hood’s Garland. Evans, Old Ballads, 1777, 1784, I, 200, apparently from an Aldermary garland. Mr Halliwell, in Notices of Fugitive Tracts, etc., Percy Society, vol. xxix. p. 19, refers to an edition of Robin Hood’s Garland printed for James Hodges, at the Looking-glass, London-bridge, n. d., as containing “the earliest copy yet known” of Robin Hood and the Ranger, but does not indicate how the alleged fact was ascertained. Inside of the cover of #a# is written, William Stukely, 1741. #b# appears in advertisements as early as 1753.