{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch154.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch154.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch154.htm","text":"154A.1 BOTH gentlemen, or yeomen bould,\nOr whatsoever you are,\nTo have a stately story tould,\nAttention now prepare.\n154A.2 It is a tale of Robin Hood,\nWhich I to you will tell,\nWhich being rightly understood,\nI know will please you well.\n154A.3 This Robbin, so much talked on,\nWas once a man of fame,\nInstiled Earle of Huntington,\nLord Robert Hood by name.\n154A.4 In courtship and magnificence,\nHis carriage won him prayse,\nAnd greater favor with his prince\nThan any in his dayes.\n154A.5 In bounteous liberality\nHe too much did excell,\nAnd loved men of quality\nMore than exceeding well.\n154A.6 His great revennues all he sould\nFor wine and costly cheere;\nHe kept three hundred bowmen bold,\nHe shooting loved so deare.\n154A.7 No archer living in his time\nWith him might well compare;\nHe practisd all his youthfull prime\nThat exercise most rare.\n154A.8 At last, by his profuse expence,\nHe had consumd his wealth,\nAnd being outlawed by his prince,\nIn woods he livd by stealth.\n154A.9 The abbot of Saint Maries rich,\nTo whom he mony ought,\nHis hatred to this earle was such\nThat he his downefall wrought.\n154A.10 So being outlawed, as \u2019tis told,\nHe with a crew went forth\nOf lusty cutters, stout and bold,\nAnd robbed in the North.\n154A.11 Among the rest, one Little John,\nA yeoman bold and free,\nWho could, if it stood him upon,\nWith ease encounter three.\n154A.12 One hundred men in all he got,\nWith whom, the story sayes,\nThree hundred common men durst not\nHold combate any wayes.\n154A.13 They Yorkshire woods frequented much,\nAnd Lancashire also,\nWherein their practises were such\nThat they wrought mickle woe.\n154A.14 None rich durst travell to and fro,\nThough nere so strongly armd,\nBut by these theeves, so strong in show,\nThey still were robd and harmd.\n154A.15 His chiefest spight to the clergie was,\nThat lived in monstrous pride;\nNo one of them he would let passe\nAlong the high-way side,\n154A.16 But first they must to dinner goe,\nAnd afterwards to shrift:\nFull many a one he served so,\nThus while he livd by theft.\n154A.17 monkes nor fryers he would let goe,\nWithout paying their fees:\nIf they thought much to be usd so,\nTheir stones he made them leese.\n154A.18 For such as they the country filld\nWith bastards in those dayes;\nWhich to prevent, these sparkes did geld\nAll that came by their wayes.\n154A.19 But Robbin Hood so gentle was,\nAnd bore so brave a minde,\nIf any in distresse did passe,\nTo them he was so kinde\n154A.20 That he would give and lend to them,\nTo helpe them at their neede:\nThis made all poore men pray for him,\nAnd wish he well might speede.\n154A.21 The widdow and the fatherlesse\nHe would send meanes unto,\nAnd those whom famine did oppresse\nFound him a friendly foe.\n154A.22 Nor would he doe a woman wrong,\nBut see her safe conveid;\nHe would protect with power strong\nAll those who crav\u2019d his ayde.\n154A.23 The abbot of Saint Maries then,\nWho him undid before,\nWas riding with two hundred men,\nAnd gold and silver store.\n154A.24 But Robbin Hood upon him set\nWith his couragious sparkes,\nAnd all the coyne perforce did get,\nWhich was twelve thousand markes.\n154A.25 He bound the abbot to a tree,\nAnd would not let him passe\nBefore that to his men and he\nHis lordship had sayd masse.\n154A.26 Which being done, upon his horse\nHe set him fast astride,\nAnd with his face towards his ar--\nHe forced him to ride.\n154A.27 His men were faine to be his guide,\nFor he rode backward home;\nThe abbot, being thus villifide,\nDid sorely chafe and fume.\n154A.28 Thus Robbin Hood did vindicate\nHis former wrongs receivd;\nFor \u2019twas this covetous prelate\nThat him of land bereavd.\n154A.29 The abbot he rode to the king\nWith all the haste he could,\nAnd to his Grace he every thing\nExactly did unfold.\n154A.30 And sayd if that no course were tane,\nBy force or stratagem,\nTo take this rebell and his traine,\nNo man should passe for them.\n154A.31 The king protested by and by\nUnto the abbot then\nThat Robbin Hood with speed should dye,\nWith all his merry men.\n154A.32 But ere the king did any send,\nHe did another feate,\nWhich did his Grace much more offend;\nThe fact indeed was great.\n154A.33 in a short time after that,\nThe kings receivers went\nTowards London with the coyne they got,\nFor \u2019s highnesse northerne rent.\n154A.34 Bold Robbin Hood and Little John,\nWith the rest of their traine,\nNot dreading law, set them upon,\nAnd did their gold obtaine.\n154A.35 The king much moved at the same,\nAnd the abbots talke also,\nIn this his anger did proclaime,\nAnd sent word to and fro,\n154A.36 That whosoere, alive or dead,\nCould bring him Robbin Hood,\nShould have one thousand markes, well payd\nIn gold and silver good.\n154A.37 This promise of the king did make\nFull many yeomen bold\nAttempt stout Robbin Hood to take,\nWith all the force they could.\n154A.38 But still when any came to him,\nWithin the gay greene wood,\nHe entertainement gave to them,\nWith venison fat and good.\n154A.39 And shewd to them such martiall sport,\nWith his long bow and arrow,\nThat they of him did give report,\nHow that it was great sorow,\n154A.40 That such a worthy man as he\nShould thus be put to shift,\nBeing late a lord of high degree,\nOf living quite bereft.\n154A.41 The king, to take him, more and more\nSent men of mickle might,\nBut he and his still beate them sore,\nAnd conquered them in fight.\n154A.42 Or else, with love and courtesie,\nTo him he won their hearts:\nThus still he livd by robbery,\nThroughout the northerne parts.\n154A.43 And all the country stood in dread\nOf Robbin Hood and \u2019s men;\nFor stouter lads nere livd by bread,\nIn those dayes nor since then.\n154A.44 The abbot which before I nam\u2019d\nSought all the meanes he could\nTo have by force this rebell tane,\nAnd his adherents bold.\n154A.45 Therefore he armd five hundred men,\nWith furniture compleate,\nBut the outlawes slew halfe of them,\nAnd made the rest retreate.\n154A.46 The long bow and the arrow keene\nThey were so usd unto\nThat still they kept the forest greene,\nIn spight o th\u2019 proudest foe.\n154A.47 Twelve of the abbots men he tooke,\nWho came him to have tane,\nWhen all the rest the field forsooke;\nThese he did entertaine\n154A.48 With banquetting and merriment,\nAnd, having usd them well,\nHe to their lord them safely sent,\nAnd willd them him to tell\n154A.49 That if he would be pleasd at last\nTo beg of our good king\nThat he might pardon what was past,\nAnd him to favour bring,\n154A.50 He would surrender backe agen\nThe money which before\nWas taken by him and his men,\nFrom him and many more.\n154A.51 Poore men might safely passe by him,\nAnd some that way would chuse,\nFor well they knew that to helpe them\nHe evermore did use.\n154A.52 But where he knew a miser rich,\nThat did the poore oppresse,\nTo feele his coyne his hand did itch;\nHee\u2019de have it, more or lesse.\n154A.53 And sometimes, when the high-way fayld,\nThen he his courage rouses;\nHe and his men have oft assayld\nSuch rich men in their houses.\n154A.54 So that, through dread of Robbin then\nAnd his adventurous crew,\nThe mizers kept great store of men,\nWhich else maintaynd but few.\n154A.55 King Richard, of that name the first,\nSirnamed Cuer de Lyon,\nWent to defeate the Pagans curst,\nWho kept the coasts of Syon.\n154A.56 The bishop of Ely, chancelor,\nWas left as vice-roy here,\nWho like a potent emperor,\nDid proudly domminere.\n154A.57 Our chronicles of him report\nThat commonly he rode\nWith a thousand horse from court to court,\nWhere he would make abode.\n154A.58 He, riding downe towards the north,\nWith his aforesayd traine,\nRobbin and his did issue forth,\nThem all to entertaine.\n154A.59 And, with the gallant gray-goose wing,\nThey shewed to them such play,\nThat made their horses kicke and fling,\nAnd downe their riders lay.\n154A.60 Full glad and faine the bishop was,\nFor all his thousand men,\nTo seeke what meanes he could to passe\nFrom out of Robbins ken.\n154A.61 Two hundred of his men were kil\u2019d,\nAnd fourscore horses good;\nThirty, who did as captives yeeld,\nWere carryed to the greene wood.\n154A.62 Which afterwards were ransomed,\nFor twenty markes a man;\nThe rest set spurres to horse, and fled\nTo th\u2019 town of Warrington.\n154A.63 The bishop, sore enraged then,\nDid, in King Richards name,\nMuster a power of northerne men,\nThese outlawes bold to tame.\n154A.64 But Robbin, with his courtesie,\nSo wonne the meaner sort,\nThat they were loath on him to try\nWhat rigor did import.\n154A.65 So that bold Robbin and his traine\nDid live unhurt of them,\nVntill King Richard came againe\nFrom faire Jerusalem.\n154A.66 And then the talke of Robbin Hood\nHis royall eares did fill;\nHis Grace admir\u2019d that ith\u2019 greene wood\nHe thus continued still.\n154A.67 So that the country farre and neare\nDid give him great applause;\nFor none of them neede stand in feare,\nBut such as broke the lawes.\n154A.68 He wished well unto the king,\nAnd prayed still for his health,\nAnd never practised any thing\nAgainst the common wealth.\n154A.69 Onely, because he was undone\nBy th\u2019 crewell clergie then,\nAll meanes that he could thinke upon\nTo vexe such kinde of men\n154A.70 He enterprized, with hatefull spleene;\nIn which he was to blame,\nFor fault of some, to wreeke his teene\nOn all that by him came.\n154A.71 With wealth which he by robbery got\nEight almes-houses he built,\nThinking thereby to purge the blot\nOf blood which he had spilt.\n154A.72 Such was their blinde devotion then,\nDepending on their workes;\nWhich, it \u2019twere true, we Christian men\nInferiour were to Turkes.\n154A.73 But, to speak true of Robbin Hood,\nAnd wrong him not a iot,\nHe never would shed any mans blood\nThat him invaded not.\n154A.74 Nor would he iniure husbandmen,\nThat toyld at cart and plough;\nFor well he knew, were \u2019t not for them,\nTo live no man knew how.\n154A.75 The king in person, with some lords,\nTo Notingham did ride,\nTo try what strength and skill affords\nTo crush these outlawes pride.\n154A.76 And, as he once before had done,\nHe did againe proclaime,\nThat whosoere would take upon\nTo bring to Notingham,\n154A.77 Or any place within the land,\nRebellious Robbin Hood,\nShould be preferd in place to stand\nWith those of noble blood.\n154A.78 When Robbin Hood heard of the same,\nWithin a little space,\nInto the towne of Notingham\nA letter to his Grace\n154A.79 He shot upon an arrow-head,\nOne evening cunningly;\nWhich was brought to the king, and read\nBefore his Maiestie.\n154A.80 The tennour of this letter was,\nThat Robbin would submit,\nAnd be true leigeman to his Grace,\nIn any thing that\u2019s fit,\n154A.81 So that his Highnesse would forgive\nHim and his merry men all;\nIf not, he must i th\u2019 greene wood live,\nAnd take what chance did fall.\n154A.82 The king would faine have pardoned him,\nBut that some lords say,\nThis president will much condemne\nYour Grace another day.\n154A.83 While that the king and lords did stay\nDebating on this thing,\nSome of these outlawes fled away\nUnto the Scottish king.\n154A.84 For they supposed, if he were tane,\nOr to the king did yeeld,\nBy th\u2019 commons all the rest on \u2019s traine\nFull quickely would be quelld.\n154A.85 Of more than full a hundred men\nBut forty tarryed still,\nWho were resolvd to sticke to him,\nLet fortune worke her will.\n154A.86 If none had fled, all for his sake\nHad got their pardon free;\nThe king to favour meant to take\nHis merry men and he.\n154A.87 But ere the pardon to him came,\nThis famous archer dy\u2019d:\nHis death, and manner of the same,\nI\u2019le presently describe.\n154A.88 For, being vext to thinke upon\nHis followers revolt,\nIn melancholly passion\nHe did recount their fault.\n154A.89 \u2018Perfideous traytors!\u2019 sayd he then,\n\u2018In all your dangers past\nHave I you guarded as my men\nTo leave me thus at last?\u2019\n154A.90 This sad perplexity did cause\nA fever, as some say,\nWhich him unto confusion drawes,\nThough by a stranger way.\n154A.91 This deadly danger to prevent,\nHe hide him with all speede\nVnto a nunnery, with intent\nFor his healths sake to bleede.\n154A.92 A faithlesse fryer did pretend\nIn love to let him blood;\nBut he by falshood wrought the end\nOf famous Robbin Hood .\n154A.93 The fryer, as some say, did this\nTo vindicate the wrong\nWhich to the clergie he and his\nHad done by power strong.\n154A.94 Thus dyed he by trechery,\nThat could not dye by force;\nHad he livd longer, certainely,\nKing Richard, in remorse,\n154A.95 Had unto favour him receavd;\nHe brave men elevated;\n\u2019Tis pitty he was of life bereavd\nBy one which he so hated.\n154A.96 A treacherous leech this fryer was,\nTo let him bleed to death;\nAnd Robbin was, me thinkes, an asse,\nTo trust him with his breath.\n154A.97 His corpes the priores of the place,\nThe next day that he dy\u2019d,\nCaused to be buried, in mean case,\nClose by the high-way side.\n154A.98 And over him she caused a stone\nTo be fixed on the ground;\nAn epitaph was set thereon,\nWherein his name was found.\n154A.99 The date o th\u2019 yeare, and day also,\nShee made to be set there,\nThat all who by the way did goe\nMight see it plaine appeare\n154A.100 That such a man as Robbin Hood\nWas buried in that place;\nAnd how he lived in the greene wood,\nAnd robd there for a space.\n154A.101 It seems that although the clergie he\nHad put to mickle woe,\nHe should not quite forgotten be,\nAlthough he was their foe.\n154A.102 This woman, though she did him hate,\nYet loved his memory;\nAnd thought it wondrous pitty that\nHis fame should with him dye.\n154A.103 This epitaph, as records tell,\nWithin this hundred yeares\nBy many was discerned well,\nBut time all things outweares.\n154A.104 His followers, when he was dead,\nWere some received to grace;\nThe rest to forraigne countries fled,\nAnd left their native place.\n154A.105 Although his funerall was but meane,\nThis woman had in minde\nLeast his fame should be buried cleane\nFrom those that came behind.\n154A.106 For certainely, before nor since,\nNo man ere understood,\nVnder the reigne of any prince,\nOf one like Robbin Hood.\n154A.107 Full thirteene yeares, and something more,\nThese outlawes lived thus,\nFeared of the rich, loved of the poore,\nA thing most marvelous.\n154A.108 A thing impossible to us\nThis story seemes to be;\nNone dares be now so venturous;\nBut times are chang\u2019d, we see.\n154A.109 We that live in these latter dayes\nOf civill government,\nIf neede be, have a hundred wayes\nSuch outlawes to prevent.\n154A.110 In those dayes men more barbarous were,\nAnd lived lesse in awe;\nNow, God be thanked! people feare\nMore to offend the law.\n154A.111 No roaring guns were then in use,\nThey dreampt of no such thing;\nOur English men in fight did chuse\nThe gallant gray-goose wing.\n154A.112 In which activity these men,\nThrough practise, were so good,\nThat in those dayes non equald them,\nSpecially Robbin Hood.\n154A.113 So that, it seemes, keeping in caves,\nIn woods and forrests thicke,\nThei\u2019d beate a multitude with staves,\nTheir arrowes did so pricke.\n154A.114 And none durst neare unto them come,\nUnlesse in courtesie;\nAll such he bravely would send home,\nWith mirth and iollity.\n154A.115 Which courtesie won him such love,\nAs I before have told;\n\u2019Twas the cheefe cause that he did prove\nMore prosperous than he could.\n154A.116 Let us be thankefull for these times\nOf plenty, truth, and peace,\nAnd leave our great and horrid crimes,\nLeast they cause this to cease.\n154A.117 I know there\u2019s many fained tales\nOf Robbin Hood and \u2019s crew;\nBut chronicles, which seldome fayles,\nReports this to be true.\n154A.118 Let none then thinke this a lye,\nFor, if \u2019twere put to th\u2019 worst,\nThey may the truth of all discry\nI th\u2019 raigne of Richard the first.\n154A.119 If any reader please to try,\nAs I direction show,\nThe truth of this brave history,\nHee\u2019l finde it true I know.\n154A.120 And I shall thinke my labour well\nBestowed, to purpose good,\nWhen \u2019t shall be sayd that I did tell\nTrue tales of Robbin Hood.\n154A.Epi.: A True Tale of Robin Hood\n154A.Epi..1 Robert Earle of Huntington\nLies under this little stone.\nNo archer was like him so good:\nHis wildnesse named him Robbin Hood.\nFull thirteene yeares, and something more,\nThese northerne parts he vexed sore.\nSuch out-lawes as he and his men\nMay England never know agen.","title":"The Child Ballads: 154. A True Tale of Robin Hood","type":"page"}