124THE JOLLY PINDER OF WAKEFIELD

A. a.Wood, 402, leaf 43.b.Garland of 1663, No 4.c.Garland of 1670, No 3.d.Pepys, II, 100, No 87 a.e.Wood, 401, leaf 61 b.

B.Percy MS., p. 15; Hales and Furnivall, I, 32.

Printed in Ritson’s Robin Hood, 1795, II, 16, from one of Wood’s copies, “compared with two other copies in the British Museum, one in black letter:” Evans, Old Ballads, 1777, 1784, I, 99.

There is another copy in the Roxburghe collection, III, 24, and there are two in the Bagford.

‘A ballett of Wakefylde and a grene’ is entered to Master John Wallye and Mistress Toye, 19 July, 1557–9 July, 1558: Stationers’ Registers, Arber, I, 76.

The ballad is one of four, besides the Gest, that were known to the author of the Life of Robin Hood in Sloane MS., 715, which dates from the end of the seventeenth century. It is thoroughly lyrical, and therein “like the old age,” and was pretty well sung to pieces before it ever was printed. A snatch of it is sung, as Ritson has observed, in each of the Robin Hood plays, The Downfall of Robert, Earl of Huntington, by Anthony Munday, and The Death of Robert, Earl of Huntington, by A. Munday and Henry Chettle, both printed in 1601.

At Michaelmas cometh my covenant out,My master gives me my fee;Then, Robin, I’ll wear thy Kendall green,And wend to the greenwood with thee.O there dwelleth a jolly pinderAt Wakefield all on a green.[104]

At Michaelmas cometh my covenant out,My master gives me my fee;Then, Robin, I’ll wear thy Kendall green,And wend to the greenwood with thee.

At Michaelmas cometh my covenant out,

My master gives me my fee;

Then, Robin, I’ll wear thy Kendall green,

And wend to the greenwood with thee.

O there dwelleth a jolly pinderAt Wakefield all on a green.[104]

O there dwelleth a jolly pinder

At Wakefield all on a green.[104]

Silence sings the line ‘And Robin Hood, Scarlet, and John,’ 32, in the Second Part of King Henry Fourth, V, 3, and Falstaff addresses Bardolph as Scarlet and John in the first scene of The Merry Wives of Windsor. In Beaumont and Fletcher’s Philaster, V, 4, Dyce, I, 295, we have: “Let not ... your Robinhoods, Scarlets, and Johns tie your affections in darkness to your shops.” Scarlet and John, comrades of Robin Hood from the beginning, are prominent in many ballads.

Robin Hood, Scarlet, and John have left the highway and made a path over the corn,[105]apparently in defiance of the Pinder of Wakefield, who has the fame of being able to exact a penalty of trespassers, whatever their rank. The Pinder bids them turn again; they, being three to one, scorn to comply. The Pinder fights with them till their swords are broken. Robin cries Hold! and asks the Pinder to join his company in the greenwood. This the Pinder is ready to do at Michaelmas, when his engagement to his present master will be terminated. Robin asks for meat and drink, and the Pinder offers him bread, beef, and ale.

The adventure of the ballad is naturally introduced into the play of George a Greene, the Pinner of Wakefield, printed in 1599, reprinted in Dodsley’s Old Plays (the third volume of the edition of 1825), and by Dyce among the works of Robert Greene. George a Greene fights with Scarlet, and beats him; then with Much (not John), and beats him; then with Robin Hood. Robin protests he is the stoutest champion that ever he laid hands on, and says:

George, wilt thou forsake WakefieldAnd go with me?Two liveries will I give thee every year,And forty crowns shall be thy fee.

George, wilt thou forsake Wakefield

And go with me?

Two liveries will I give thee every year,

And forty crowns shall be thy fee.

George welcomes Robin to his house, offering him wafer-cakes, beef, mutton, and veal. (Dyce, II, 196 f.)

The scene in the play is found in the prose history of George a Green, London, 1706, of which a copy is known, no doubt substantially the same, of the date 1632. The Pinner here fells ‘Slathbatch,’ Little John, and the Friar, before his bout with Robin. See Thoms, A Collection of Early Prose Romances, II, 44–47, and the prefaces, p. viii ff, p. xviii f, for more about the popularity of the Pinner’s story.

Wakefield is in the West Riding of the county of York.

Richard Brathwayte, in a poetical epistle “to all true-bred northerne sparks of the generous society of the Cottoneers,” Strappado for the Divell, 1615 (cited by Ritson, Robin Hood, ed. 1795, I, xxvii-ix), speaks of

The Pindar’s valour, and how firme he stoodIn th’ townes defence gainst th’ rebel Robin Hood;How stoutly he behav’d himselfe, and would,In spite of Robin, bring his horse to th’ fold:

The Pindar’s valour, and how firme he stood

In th’ townes defence gainst th’ rebel Robin Hood;

How stoutly he behav’d himselfe, and would,

In spite of Robin, bring his horse to th’ fold:

from which we might infer that according to one account the Pinder had impounded Robin’s horse. But as Robin Hood, in this passage, is confounded with the rebel Earl of Kendal, or some one of his adherents, it is safe to suppose that Brathwayte has been twice inaccurate.[106]

The ballad is so imperfect that one might be in doubt whether the Pinder fights with Robin Hood, Scarlet, and John all together or successively. But to suppose the Pinder capable of dealing with all three at once would be monstrous, and we see from the History and from Greene’s play that the Pinder must take them one after the other, and Robin the last of the three.

There are seven other ballads, besides The Pinder of Wakefield, in which Robin Hood, after trying his strength with a stout fellow, and coming off somewhat or very much the worse, induces his antagonist to enlist in his company. Several of these are very late, and most of them imitations, we may say, of the Pinder, or one of the other. These ballads are: Robin Hood and the Curtal Friar; Robin Hood and Little John; Robin Hood and the Tanner; Robin Hood and the Tinker, 28 ff; Robin Hood Revived; Robin Hood and the Ranger; Robin Hood and the Scotchman. We might add Robin Hood and Maid Marian. The episode of Little John and the Cook, in the Gest, 165–171, is after the same pattern. There is another set in which a contest of a like description does not result in an accession to the outlaw-band. These are Robin Hood and the Potter; Robin Hood and the Butcher; Robin Hood and the Beggar, I; Robin Hood and the Beggar, II (Robin Hood first beaten, then three of his men severely handled); Robin Hood and the Shepherd (Robin Hood overmastered, Little John on the point of being beaten, etc.); The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood (John outmatched first, then his master); Robin Hood’s Delight (combat between Robin Hood, Little John, and Scadlock and three Keepers); Robin Hood and the Pedlars (again three to three).

There are, as might be expected, frequent verbal agreements in these ballads, and many of them are collected by Fricke, Die Robin-Hood-Balladen, pp 91–95.

The fights in these ballads last from an hour, Gest, st. 168, to a long summer’s day, in this ballad, st. 6. In Robin Hood and Maid Marian, st. 11, the time is at least an hour, or more; in Robin Hood and the Tanner,st. 20, two hours and more; in Robin Hood and the Ranger, st. 12, three hours; in Robin Hood and the Curtal Friar,B24, and Robin Hood and the Shepherd, st. 11, from ten o’clock till four; in Robin Hood’s Delight, st. 11, from eight o’clock till two, and past.

a.Wood, 402, leaf 43.b.Garland of 1663, No 4.c.Garland of 1670, No 3.d.Pepys, II, 100, No 87 a.e.Wood, 401, leaf 61 b.

1In Wakefield there lives a jolly pinder,In Wakefield, all on a green; (bis)2‘There is neither knight nor squire,’ said the pinder,‘Nor baron that is so bold, (bis)Dare make a trespasse to the town of Wakefield,But his pledge goes to the pinfold.’ (bis)3All this beheard three witty young men,’Twas Robin Hood, Scarlet, and John;With that they spyed the jolly pinder,As he sate under a thorn.4‘Now turn again, turn again,’ said the pinder,‘For a wrong way have you gone;For you have forsaken the king his highway,And made a path over the corn.’5‘O that were great shame,’ said jolly Robin,‘We being three, and thou but one:’The pinder leapt back then thirty good foot,’Twas thirty good foot and one.6He leaned his back fast unto a thorn,And his foot unto a stone,And there he fought a long summer’s day,A summer’s day so long,Till that their swords, on their broad bucklers,Were broken fast unto their hands.* * * * *7‘Hold thy hand, hold thy hand,’ said Robin Hood,‘And my merry men euery one;For this is one of the best pindersThat ever I try’d with sword.8‘And wilt thou forsake thy pinder his craft,And live in [the] green wood with me?. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .9‘At Michaelmas next my covnant comes out,When every man gathers his fee;I’le take my blew blade all in my hand,And plod to the green wood with thee.’10‘Hast thou either meat or drink,’ said Robin Hood,‘For my merry men and me?. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .11‘I have both bread and beef,’ said the pinder,‘And good ale of the best;’‘And that is meat good enough,’ said Robin Hood,‘For such unbidden guest.12‘O wilt thou forsake the pinder his craft,And go to the green wood with me?Thou shalt have a livery twice in the year,The one green, the other brown [shall be].’13‘If Michaelmas day were once come and goneAnd my master had paid me my fee,Then would I set as little by himAs my master doth set by me.’

1In Wakefield there lives a jolly pinder,In Wakefield, all on a green; (bis)

In Wakefield there lives a jolly pinder,

In Wakefield, all on a green; (bis)

2‘There is neither knight nor squire,’ said the pinder,‘Nor baron that is so bold, (bis)Dare make a trespasse to the town of Wakefield,But his pledge goes to the pinfold.’ (bis)

‘There is neither knight nor squire,’ said the pinder,

‘Nor baron that is so bold, (bis)

Dare make a trespasse to the town of Wakefield,

But his pledge goes to the pinfold.’ (bis)

3All this beheard three witty young men,’Twas Robin Hood, Scarlet, and John;With that they spyed the jolly pinder,As he sate under a thorn.

All this beheard three witty young men,

’Twas Robin Hood, Scarlet, and John;

With that they spyed the jolly pinder,

As he sate under a thorn.

4‘Now turn again, turn again,’ said the pinder,‘For a wrong way have you gone;For you have forsaken the king his highway,And made a path over the corn.’

‘Now turn again, turn again,’ said the pinder,

‘For a wrong way have you gone;

For you have forsaken the king his highway,

And made a path over the corn.’

5‘O that were great shame,’ said jolly Robin,‘We being three, and thou but one:’The pinder leapt back then thirty good foot,’Twas thirty good foot and one.

‘O that were great shame,’ said jolly Robin,

‘We being three, and thou but one:’

The pinder leapt back then thirty good foot,

’Twas thirty good foot and one.

6He leaned his back fast unto a thorn,And his foot unto a stone,And there he fought a long summer’s day,A summer’s day so long,Till that their swords, on their broad bucklers,Were broken fast unto their hands.

He leaned his back fast unto a thorn,

And his foot unto a stone,

And there he fought a long summer’s day,

A summer’s day so long,

Till that their swords, on their broad bucklers,

Were broken fast unto their hands.

* * * * *

7‘Hold thy hand, hold thy hand,’ said Robin Hood,‘And my merry men euery one;For this is one of the best pindersThat ever I try’d with sword.

‘Hold thy hand, hold thy hand,’ said Robin Hood,

‘And my merry men euery one;

For this is one of the best pinders

That ever I try’d with sword.

8‘And wilt thou forsake thy pinder his craft,And live in [the] green wood with me?. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .

‘And wilt thou forsake thy pinder his craft,

And live in [the] green wood with me?

. . . . . . . .

9‘At Michaelmas next my covnant comes out,When every man gathers his fee;I’le take my blew blade all in my hand,And plod to the green wood with thee.’

‘At Michaelmas next my covnant comes out,

When every man gathers his fee;

I’le take my blew blade all in my hand,

And plod to the green wood with thee.’

10‘Hast thou either meat or drink,’ said Robin Hood,‘For my merry men and me?. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .

‘Hast thou either meat or drink,’ said Robin Hood,

‘For my merry men and me?

. . . . . . . .

11‘I have both bread and beef,’ said the pinder,‘And good ale of the best;’‘And that is meat good enough,’ said Robin Hood,‘For such unbidden guest.

‘I have both bread and beef,’ said the pinder,

‘And good ale of the best;’

‘And that is meat good enough,’ said Robin Hood,

‘For such unbidden guest.

12‘O wilt thou forsake the pinder his craft,And go to the green wood with me?Thou shalt have a livery twice in the year,The one green, the other brown [shall be].’

‘O wilt thou forsake the pinder his craft,

And go to the green wood with me?

Thou shalt have a livery twice in the year,

The one green, the other brown [shall be].’

13‘If Michaelmas day were once come and goneAnd my master had paid me my fee,Then would I set as little by himAs my master doth set by me.’

‘If Michaelmas day were once come and gone

And my master had paid me my fee,

Then would I set as little by him

As my master doth set by me.’

Percy MS., p. 15; Hales and Furnivall, I, 32.

* * * * *1‘But hold y . . hold y . . .’ says Robin,‘My merrymen, I bid yee,For this [is] one of the best pindarsThat euer I saw with mine eye.2‘But hast thou any meat, thou iolly pindar,For my merrymen and me?’. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .3‘But I haue bread and cheese,’ sayes the pindar,‘And ale all on the best:’‘That’s cheere good enoughe,’ said Robin,‘For any such vnbidden guest.4‘But wilt be my man?’ said good Robin,‘And come and dwell with me?And twise in a yeere thy clothing [shall] be changedIf my man thou wilt bee,The tone shall be of light Lincolne greene,The tother of Picklory.’5‘Att Michallmas comes a well good time,When men haue gotten in their ffee;I’le sett as litle by my masterAs he now setts by me,I’le take my benbowe in my hande,And come into the grenwoode to thee.’

* * * * *

1‘But hold y . . hold y . . .’ says Robin,‘My merrymen, I bid yee,For this [is] one of the best pindarsThat euer I saw with mine eye.

‘But hold y . . hold y . . .’ says Robin,

‘My merrymen, I bid yee,

For this [is] one of the best pindars

That euer I saw with mine eye.

2‘But hast thou any meat, thou iolly pindar,For my merrymen and me?’. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .

‘But hast thou any meat, thou iolly pindar,

For my merrymen and me?’

. . . . . . . .

3‘But I haue bread and cheese,’ sayes the pindar,‘And ale all on the best:’‘That’s cheere good enoughe,’ said Robin,‘For any such vnbidden guest.

‘But I haue bread and cheese,’ sayes the pindar,

‘And ale all on the best:’

‘That’s cheere good enoughe,’ said Robin,

‘For any such vnbidden guest.

4‘But wilt be my man?’ said good Robin,‘And come and dwell with me?And twise in a yeere thy clothing [shall] be changedIf my man thou wilt bee,The tone shall be of light Lincolne greene,The tother of Picklory.’

‘But wilt be my man?’ said good Robin,

‘And come and dwell with me?

And twise in a yeere thy clothing [shall] be changed

If my man thou wilt bee,

The tone shall be of light Lincolne greene,

The tother of Picklory.’

5‘Att Michallmas comes a well good time,When men haue gotten in their ffee;I’le sett as litle by my masterAs he now setts by me,I’le take my benbowe in my hande,And come into the grenwoode to thee.’

‘Att Michallmas comes a well good time,

When men haue gotten in their ffee;

I’le sett as litle by my master

As he now setts by me,

I’le take my benbowe in my hande,

And come into the grenwoode to thee.’

The second and fourth lines were repeated in singing.

The Iolly Pinder of Wakefield.

Printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, and W. G[i]lber[t]son. (F. Coles, 1646–1674; T. Vere, 1648–1680; W. Gilbertson, 1640–1663. Chappell.)

11. their.

31. witty,which all have, is a corruption ofwight.

101. laid.

134. by my.

b,c.

Robin Hood and the jolly Pinder of Wakefield, shewing how he fought with Robin Hood, Scarlet, and John a long summer’s day. To a Northern tune.

11. there dwels.

24. it goes.

41. saith.

51. aforgreat: saith.

112. all.

113. that’s.

121. thyforthe.

43. king’s high.

62. fast unto.

64. And a.

65. thatwanting.

91. covenants.

101. thouwanting.

The Jolly Pinder of Wakefield with Robin Hood, Scarlet, and John.

Printed by and for Alex. Milbourn, in Green-Arbor Court, in the Little Old-Baily. (A. Milbourn, 1670–1697. Chappell.)

33. espy’d.

34. sat.

42. you have.

43. the kings.

51. aforgreat.

62. foot against.

63. theyforhe.

66. broke.

81. pinders craft.

82. in the.

131. was come.

134. setwanting.

The Jolly Pinder of Wakefield: with Robin Hood, Scarlet and John.

No printer’s name.

33. espyed.

34. sat.

42. you have.

43. kings.

61. foot against.

66. broke.

81. pinders craft.

131. was come.

134. setwanting.

Pepys Penny Merriments Garland:according to Hales and Furnivall.

64. And a.

65. thatwanting.

101. thouwanting.

121. thy pinder.

Gutch, Robin Hood, II, 144 f,says that the Roxburghe copy has in31wight yeomen.

He prints72–4:And my merry men stand aside;For this is one of the best pindersThat with sword ever I tryed.83–4.Thou shalt have a livery twice in the year,Th’one greene, tither brown shall be.

He prints72–4:And my merry men stand aside;For this is one of the best pindersThat with sword ever I tryed.

He prints72–4:

And my merry men stand aside;

For this is one of the best pinders

That with sword ever I tryed.

83–4.Thou shalt have a livery twice in the year,Th’one greene, tither brown shall be.

83–4.

Thou shalt have a livery twice in the year,

Th’one greene, tither brown shall be.

These parts of stanzas7, 8he gives as from a black-letter copy, which he does not describe.

11,2make half a stanza in the MS., and 13,4are joined with 21,2. 45,6and 51,2make a stanza. It is not supposed that 4 and 5 were originally stanzas of six lines, but rather that, one half of each of two stanzas having been forgotten, the other has attached itself to a complete stanza which chanced to have the same rhyme. Stanzas of six lines, formed in this way, are common in traditional ballads.

34. guests.

43. 2s:. in.

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