ROBIN HOOD.Part II.I.ROBIN HOOD’S BIRTH, BREEDING,VALOUR, AND MARRIAGE.From a black letter copy in the large and valuable collection of old ballads late belonging to Thomas Pearson, Esq., and now in the possession of the Duke of Roxburghe. This is the collection mentioned in the Harleian Catalogue, and would seem to be the greater part of that originally made by old Bagford (see Hearne’s Appendix to Hemingi Chartularium, p. 662), another volume or two having come, with the rest of his typographical collections, to the British Museum. The three vols. which went to Osborne were probably bought of him by Mr. West, at whose sale they{150}were purchased by Major Pearson, by whom the collection was new-arranged, ornamented, and improved.In reading this song, we are admonished by the editor of the collection of old ballads printed in 1723 (who thinks it “the most beautiful and one of the oldest extant, written on that subject”) to observe one thing, “and that is, between some of the stanzas we must suppose a considerable time to pass. Clorinda,” he says, “might be [thought] a very forward girl, if between Robin Hood’s question and her answer we did not suppose two or three hours to have been spent in courtship; and between Robin Hood’s being entertained at Gamwell-hall and his having ninety-three bowmen in Sherwood, we must allow some years.”With respect to its antiquity, Dr. Percy, in the new edition of his “Reliques of Ancient English Poetry” (vol. i. p. xcvii.), expresses a very different opinion; since, according to him, it “seems of much later date than most of the others, and can scarce be older than the reign of King Charles I.;FOR,” says he, “King James I. had no issue after his accession to the throne of England:” an observation which, if any way to the purpose, is certainlyNOT TRUE. “It may even,” he continues, “have been written since the Restoration, and only express the wishes of the nation for issue on the marriage of their favourite King Charles II. on his marriage (sic) with the infanta of Portugal.” However this may be, the writer’s having deviated from “all the old traditions concerning this celebrated outlaw,” is no proof that he was “ignorant” of them; and that Dr. Percy chooses to “think it is not found in the Pepys Collection” only shows conjecture to be easier than investigation.☞In the second volume of that collection, any person disposed to the search will find at leastTWO COPIESof it, both in black letter.The full title of the original is: “A new ballad of bold Robin Hood; shewing his birth, breeding, valour, and marriage at Titbury Bull-running. Calculated for the meridian of Staffordshire, but may serve for Derbyshire or Kent.”{151}
ROBIN HOOD.Part II.I.ROBIN HOOD’S BIRTH, BREEDING,VALOUR, AND MARRIAGE.From a black letter copy in the large and valuable collection of old ballads late belonging to Thomas Pearson, Esq., and now in the possession of the Duke of Roxburghe. This is the collection mentioned in the Harleian Catalogue, and would seem to be the greater part of that originally made by old Bagford (see Hearne’s Appendix to Hemingi Chartularium, p. 662), another volume or two having come, with the rest of his typographical collections, to the British Museum. The three vols. which went to Osborne were probably bought of him by Mr. West, at whose sale they{150}were purchased by Major Pearson, by whom the collection was new-arranged, ornamented, and improved.In reading this song, we are admonished by the editor of the collection of old ballads printed in 1723 (who thinks it “the most beautiful and one of the oldest extant, written on that subject”) to observe one thing, “and that is, between some of the stanzas we must suppose a considerable time to pass. Clorinda,” he says, “might be [thought] a very forward girl, if between Robin Hood’s question and her answer we did not suppose two or three hours to have been spent in courtship; and between Robin Hood’s being entertained at Gamwell-hall and his having ninety-three bowmen in Sherwood, we must allow some years.”With respect to its antiquity, Dr. Percy, in the new edition of his “Reliques of Ancient English Poetry” (vol. i. p. xcvii.), expresses a very different opinion; since, according to him, it “seems of much later date than most of the others, and can scarce be older than the reign of King Charles I.;FOR,” says he, “King James I. had no issue after his accession to the throne of England:” an observation which, if any way to the purpose, is certainlyNOT TRUE. “It may even,” he continues, “have been written since the Restoration, and only express the wishes of the nation for issue on the marriage of their favourite King Charles II. on his marriage (sic) with the infanta of Portugal.” However this may be, the writer’s having deviated from “all the old traditions concerning this celebrated outlaw,” is no proof that he was “ignorant” of them; and that Dr. Percy chooses to “think it is not found in the Pepys Collection” only shows conjecture to be easier than investigation.☞In the second volume of that collection, any person disposed to the search will find at leastTWO COPIESof it, both in black letter.The full title of the original is: “A new ballad of bold Robin Hood; shewing his birth, breeding, valour, and marriage at Titbury Bull-running. Calculated for the meridian of Staffordshire, but may serve for Derbyshire or Kent.”{151}
From a black letter copy in the large and valuable collection of old ballads late belonging to Thomas Pearson, Esq., and now in the possession of the Duke of Roxburghe. This is the collection mentioned in the Harleian Catalogue, and would seem to be the greater part of that originally made by old Bagford (see Hearne’s Appendix to Hemingi Chartularium, p. 662), another volume or two having come, with the rest of his typographical collections, to the British Museum. The three vols. which went to Osborne were probably bought of him by Mr. West, at whose sale they{150}were purchased by Major Pearson, by whom the collection was new-arranged, ornamented, and improved.In reading this song, we are admonished by the editor of the collection of old ballads printed in 1723 (who thinks it “the most beautiful and one of the oldest extant, written on that subject”) to observe one thing, “and that is, between some of the stanzas we must suppose a considerable time to pass. Clorinda,” he says, “might be [thought] a very forward girl, if between Robin Hood’s question and her answer we did not suppose two or three hours to have been spent in courtship; and between Robin Hood’s being entertained at Gamwell-hall and his having ninety-three bowmen in Sherwood, we must allow some years.”With respect to its antiquity, Dr. Percy, in the new edition of his “Reliques of Ancient English Poetry” (vol. i. p. xcvii.), expresses a very different opinion; since, according to him, it “seems of much later date than most of the others, and can scarce be older than the reign of King Charles I.;FOR,” says he, “King James I. had no issue after his accession to the throne of England:” an observation which, if any way to the purpose, is certainlyNOT TRUE. “It may even,” he continues, “have been written since the Restoration, and only express the wishes of the nation for issue on the marriage of their favourite King Charles II. on his marriage (sic) with the infanta of Portugal.” However this may be, the writer’s having deviated from “all the old traditions concerning this celebrated outlaw,” is no proof that he was “ignorant” of them; and that Dr. Percy chooses to “think it is not found in the Pepys Collection” only shows conjecture to be easier than investigation.☞In the second volume of that collection, any person disposed to the search will find at leastTWO COPIESof it, both in black letter.The full title of the original is: “A new ballad of bold Robin Hood; shewing his birth, breeding, valour, and marriage at Titbury Bull-running. Calculated for the meridian of Staffordshire, but may serve for Derbyshire or Kent.”{151}
From a black letter copy in the large and valuable collection of old ballads late belonging to Thomas Pearson, Esq., and now in the possession of the Duke of Roxburghe. This is the collection mentioned in the Harleian Catalogue, and would seem to be the greater part of that originally made by old Bagford (see Hearne’s Appendix to Hemingi Chartularium, p. 662), another volume or two having come, with the rest of his typographical collections, to the British Museum. The three vols. which went to Osborne were probably bought of him by Mr. West, at whose sale they{150}were purchased by Major Pearson, by whom the collection was new-arranged, ornamented, and improved.
In reading this song, we are admonished by the editor of the collection of old ballads printed in 1723 (who thinks it “the most beautiful and one of the oldest extant, written on that subject”) to observe one thing, “and that is, between some of the stanzas we must suppose a considerable time to pass. Clorinda,” he says, “might be [thought] a very forward girl, if between Robin Hood’s question and her answer we did not suppose two or three hours to have been spent in courtship; and between Robin Hood’s being entertained at Gamwell-hall and his having ninety-three bowmen in Sherwood, we must allow some years.”
With respect to its antiquity, Dr. Percy, in the new edition of his “Reliques of Ancient English Poetry” (vol. i. p. xcvii.), expresses a very different opinion; since, according to him, it “seems of much later date than most of the others, and can scarce be older than the reign of King Charles I.;FOR,” says he, “King James I. had no issue after his accession to the throne of England:” an observation which, if any way to the purpose, is certainlyNOT TRUE. “It may even,” he continues, “have been written since the Restoration, and only express the wishes of the nation for issue on the marriage of their favourite King Charles II. on his marriage (sic) with the infanta of Portugal.” However this may be, the writer’s having deviated from “all the old traditions concerning this celebrated outlaw,” is no proof that he was “ignorant” of them; and that Dr. Percy chooses to “think it is not found in the Pepys Collection” only shows conjecture to be easier than investigation.☞In the second volume of that collection, any person disposed to the search will find at leastTWO COPIESof it, both in black letter.
The full title of the original is: “A new ballad of bold Robin Hood; shewing his birth, breeding, valour, and marriage at Titbury Bull-running. Calculated for the meridian of Staffordshire, but may serve for Derbyshire or Kent.”{151}