127ROBIN HOOD AND THE TINKER

a.Wood, 401, leaf 17 b.

b.Pepys, II, 107, No 94.

c.Douce, III, 118 b.

In the Roxburghe collection, III, 22. Not in the Garland of 1663 or that of 1670.

ais printed in Ritson’s Robin Hood, 1795, II, 38; in Gutch’s Robin Hood, II, 264, “compared with” the Roxburghe copy. The ballad was printed by Evans, Old Ballads, 1777, 1784, I, 118.

The fewest words will best befit this contemptible imitation of imitations. Robin Hood meets a Tinker, and they exchange scurrilities. The Tinker has a warrant from the king to arrest Robin, but will not show it when asked. Robin Hood suggests that it will be best to go to Nottingham, and there the twotake one inn and drink together till the Tinker falls asleep; when Robin makes off, and leaves the Tinker to pay the shot. The host informs the Tinker that it was Robin Hood that he was drinking with, and recommends him to seek his man in the parks. The Tinker finds Robin, and they fall to it, crab-tree staff against sword. Robin yields, and begs a boon; the Tinker will grant none. A blast of the horn brings Little John and Scadlock. Little John would fain see whether the Tinker can do for him what he has done for his master, but Robin proclaims a peace, and offers the Tinker terms which induce him to join the outlaws.

It is not necessary to suppose the warrant to arrest Robin a souvenir of ‘Guy of Gisborne’; though that noble ballad is in a 17th century MS., it does not appear to have been known to the writers of broadsides.

1In summer time, when leaves grow green,Down a down a downAnd birds sing on every tree,Hey down a down a downRobin Hood went to Nottingham,Down a down a downAs fast as hee could dree.Hey down a down a down2And as hee came to NottinghamA Tinker he did meet,And seeing him a lusty blade,He did him kindly greet.3‘Where dost thou live?’ quoth Robin Hood,‘I pray thee now mee tell;Sad news I hear there is abroad,I fear all is not well.’4‘What is that news?’ the Tinker said;‘Tell mee without delay;I am a tinker by my trade,And do live at Banbura.’5‘As for the news,’ quoth Robin Hood,‘It is but as I hear;Two tinkers they were set ith’ stocks,For drinking ale and bear.’6‘If that be all,’ the Tinker said,‘As I may say to you,Your news it is not worth a fart,Since that they all bee true.7‘For drinking of good ale and bear,You wil not lose your part:’‘No, by my faith,’ quoth Robin Hood,‘I love it with all my heart.8‘What news abroad?’ quoth Robin Hood;‘Tell mee what thou dost hear;Being thou goest from town to town,Some news thou need not fear.’9‘All the news,’ the Tinker said,‘I hear, it is for good;It is to seek a bold outlaw,Which they call Robin Hood.10‘I have a warrant from the king,To take him where I can;If you can tell me where hee is,I will make you a man.11‘The king will give a hundred poundThat hee could but him see;And if wee can but now him get,It will serve you and mee.’12‘Let me see that warrant,’ said Robin Hood;‘I’le see if it bee right;And I will do the best I canFor to take him this night.’13‘That will I not,’ the Tinker said;‘None with it I will trust;And where hee is if you’l not tell,Take him by force I must.’14But Robin Hood perceiving wellHow then the game would go,‘If you will go to Nottingham,Wee shall find him I know.’15The Tinker had a crab-tree staff,Which was both good and strong;Robin hee had a good strong blade,So they went both along.16And when they came to Nottingham,There they both tooke one inn;And they calld for ale and wine,To drink it was no sin.17But ale and wine they drank so fastThat the Tinker hee forgotWhat thing he was about to do;It fell so to his lot18That while the Tinker fell asleep,Hee made then haste away,And left the Tinker in the lurch,For the great shot to pay.19But when the Tinker wakened,And saw that he was gone,He calld then even for his host,And thus hee made his moan.20‘I had a warrant from the king,Which might have done me good,That is to take a bold outlaw,Some call him Robin Hood.21‘But now my warrant and mony’s gone,Nothing I have to pay;And he that promisd to be my friend,He is gone and fled away.’22‘That friend you tell on,’ said the host,‘They call him Robin Hood;And when that first hee met with you,He ment you little good.’23‘Had I known it had been hee,When that I had him here,Th’ one of us should have tri’d our strengthWhich should have paid full dear.24‘In the mean time I must away;No longer here I’le bide;But I will go and seek him out,What ever do me betide.25‘But one thing I would gladly know,What here I have to pay;’‘Ten shillings just,’ then said the host;‘I’le pay without delay.26‘Or elce take here my working-bag,And my good hammer too;And if that I light but on the knave,I will then soon pay you.’27‘The onely way,’ then said the host,‘And not to stand in fear,Is to seek him among the parks,Killing of the kings deer.’28The Tinker hee then went with speed,And made then no delay,Till he had found then Robin Hood,That they might have a fray.29At last hee spy’d him in a park,Hunting then of the deer;‘What knave is that,’ quoth Robin Hood,‘That doth come mee so near?’30‘No knave, no knave,’ the Tinker said,‘And that you soon shall know;Whether of us hath done most wrong,My crab-tree staff shall show.’31Then Robin drew his gallant blade,Made then of trusty steel;But the Tinker laid on him so fastThat he made Robin reel.32Then Robins anger did arise;He fought full manfully,Vntil hee had made the TinkerAlmost then fit to fly.33With that they had a bout again,They ply’d their weapons fast;The Tinker threshed his bones so soreHe made him yeeld at last.34‘A boon, a boon,’ Robin hee cryes,‘If thou wilt grant it mee;’‘Before I do it,’ the Tinker said,‘I’le hang thee on this tree.’35But the Tinker looking him about,Robin his horn did blow;Then came unto him Little John,And William Scadlock too.36‘What is the matter,’ quoth Little John,‘You sit in th’ highway side?’‘Here is a Tinker that stands by,That hath paid well my hide.’37‘That Tinker,’ then said Little John,‘Fain that blade I would see,And I would try what I could do,If hee’l do as much for mee.’38But Robin hee then wishd them bothThey should the quarrel cease,‘That henceforth wee may bee as one,And ever live in peace.39‘And for the jovial Tinker’s part,A hundred pound I’le give,In th’ year to maintain him on,As long as he doth live.40‘In manhood hee is a mettle man,And a mettle man by trade;I never thought that any manShould have made me so fraid.41‘And if hee will bee one of us,Wee will take all one fare,And whatsoever wee do get,He shall have his full share.’42So the Tinker was contentWith them to go along,And with them a part to take,And so I end my song.

1In summer time, when leaves grow green,Down a down a downAnd birds sing on every tree,Hey down a down a down

In summer time, when leaves grow green,

Down a down a down

And birds sing on every tree,

Hey down a down a down

Robin Hood went to Nottingham,Down a down a downAs fast as hee could dree.Hey down a down a down

Robin Hood went to Nottingham,

Down a down a down

As fast as hee could dree.

Hey down a down a down

2And as hee came to NottinghamA Tinker he did meet,And seeing him a lusty blade,He did him kindly greet.

And as hee came to Nottingham

A Tinker he did meet,

And seeing him a lusty blade,

He did him kindly greet.

3‘Where dost thou live?’ quoth Robin Hood,‘I pray thee now mee tell;Sad news I hear there is abroad,I fear all is not well.’

‘Where dost thou live?’ quoth Robin Hood,

‘I pray thee now mee tell;

Sad news I hear there is abroad,

I fear all is not well.’

4‘What is that news?’ the Tinker said;‘Tell mee without delay;I am a tinker by my trade,And do live at Banbura.’

‘What is that news?’ the Tinker said;

‘Tell mee without delay;

I am a tinker by my trade,

And do live at Banbura.’

5‘As for the news,’ quoth Robin Hood,‘It is but as I hear;Two tinkers they were set ith’ stocks,For drinking ale and bear.’

‘As for the news,’ quoth Robin Hood,

‘It is but as I hear;

Two tinkers they were set ith’ stocks,

For drinking ale and bear.’

6‘If that be all,’ the Tinker said,‘As I may say to you,Your news it is not worth a fart,Since that they all bee true.

‘If that be all,’ the Tinker said,

‘As I may say to you,

Your news it is not worth a fart,

Since that they all bee true.

7‘For drinking of good ale and bear,You wil not lose your part:’‘No, by my faith,’ quoth Robin Hood,‘I love it with all my heart.

‘For drinking of good ale and bear,

You wil not lose your part:’

‘No, by my faith,’ quoth Robin Hood,

‘I love it with all my heart.

8‘What news abroad?’ quoth Robin Hood;‘Tell mee what thou dost hear;Being thou goest from town to town,Some news thou need not fear.’

‘What news abroad?’ quoth Robin Hood;

‘Tell mee what thou dost hear;

Being thou goest from town to town,

Some news thou need not fear.’

9‘All the news,’ the Tinker said,‘I hear, it is for good;It is to seek a bold outlaw,Which they call Robin Hood.

‘All the news,’ the Tinker said,

‘I hear, it is for good;

It is to seek a bold outlaw,

Which they call Robin Hood.

10‘I have a warrant from the king,To take him where I can;If you can tell me where hee is,I will make you a man.

‘I have a warrant from the king,

To take him where I can;

If you can tell me where hee is,

I will make you a man.

11‘The king will give a hundred poundThat hee could but him see;And if wee can but now him get,It will serve you and mee.’

‘The king will give a hundred pound

That hee could but him see;

And if wee can but now him get,

It will serve you and mee.’

12‘Let me see that warrant,’ said Robin Hood;‘I’le see if it bee right;And I will do the best I canFor to take him this night.’

‘Let me see that warrant,’ said Robin Hood;

‘I’le see if it bee right;

And I will do the best I can

For to take him this night.’

13‘That will I not,’ the Tinker said;‘None with it I will trust;And where hee is if you’l not tell,Take him by force I must.’

‘That will I not,’ the Tinker said;

‘None with it I will trust;

And where hee is if you’l not tell,

Take him by force I must.’

14But Robin Hood perceiving wellHow then the game would go,‘If you will go to Nottingham,Wee shall find him I know.’

But Robin Hood perceiving well

How then the game would go,

‘If you will go to Nottingham,

Wee shall find him I know.’

15The Tinker had a crab-tree staff,Which was both good and strong;Robin hee had a good strong blade,So they went both along.

The Tinker had a crab-tree staff,

Which was both good and strong;

Robin hee had a good strong blade,

So they went both along.

16And when they came to Nottingham,There they both tooke one inn;And they calld for ale and wine,To drink it was no sin.

And when they came to Nottingham,

There they both tooke one inn;

And they calld for ale and wine,

To drink it was no sin.

17But ale and wine they drank so fastThat the Tinker hee forgotWhat thing he was about to do;It fell so to his lot

But ale and wine they drank so fast

That the Tinker hee forgot

What thing he was about to do;

It fell so to his lot

18That while the Tinker fell asleep,Hee made then haste away,And left the Tinker in the lurch,For the great shot to pay.

That while the Tinker fell asleep,

Hee made then haste away,

And left the Tinker in the lurch,

For the great shot to pay.

19But when the Tinker wakened,And saw that he was gone,He calld then even for his host,And thus hee made his moan.

But when the Tinker wakened,

And saw that he was gone,

He calld then even for his host,

And thus hee made his moan.

20‘I had a warrant from the king,Which might have done me good,That is to take a bold outlaw,Some call him Robin Hood.

‘I had a warrant from the king,

Which might have done me good,

That is to take a bold outlaw,

Some call him Robin Hood.

21‘But now my warrant and mony’s gone,Nothing I have to pay;And he that promisd to be my friend,He is gone and fled away.’

‘But now my warrant and mony’s gone,

Nothing I have to pay;

And he that promisd to be my friend,

He is gone and fled away.’

22‘That friend you tell on,’ said the host,‘They call him Robin Hood;And when that first hee met with you,He ment you little good.’

‘That friend you tell on,’ said the host,

‘They call him Robin Hood;

And when that first hee met with you,

He ment you little good.’

23‘Had I known it had been hee,When that I had him here,Th’ one of us should have tri’d our strengthWhich should have paid full dear.

‘Had I known it had been hee,

When that I had him here,

Th’ one of us should have tri’d our strength

Which should have paid full dear.

24‘In the mean time I must away;No longer here I’le bide;But I will go and seek him out,What ever do me betide.

‘In the mean time I must away;

No longer here I’le bide;

But I will go and seek him out,

What ever do me betide.

25‘But one thing I would gladly know,What here I have to pay;’‘Ten shillings just,’ then said the host;‘I’le pay without delay.

‘But one thing I would gladly know,

What here I have to pay;’

‘Ten shillings just,’ then said the host;

‘I’le pay without delay.

26‘Or elce take here my working-bag,And my good hammer too;And if that I light but on the knave,I will then soon pay you.’

‘Or elce take here my working-bag,

And my good hammer too;

And if that I light but on the knave,

I will then soon pay you.’

27‘The onely way,’ then said the host,‘And not to stand in fear,Is to seek him among the parks,Killing of the kings deer.’

‘The onely way,’ then said the host,

‘And not to stand in fear,

Is to seek him among the parks,

Killing of the kings deer.’

28The Tinker hee then went with speed,And made then no delay,Till he had found then Robin Hood,That they might have a fray.

The Tinker hee then went with speed,

And made then no delay,

Till he had found then Robin Hood,

That they might have a fray.

29At last hee spy’d him in a park,Hunting then of the deer;‘What knave is that,’ quoth Robin Hood,‘That doth come mee so near?’

At last hee spy’d him in a park,

Hunting then of the deer;

‘What knave is that,’ quoth Robin Hood,

‘That doth come mee so near?’

30‘No knave, no knave,’ the Tinker said,‘And that you soon shall know;Whether of us hath done most wrong,My crab-tree staff shall show.’

‘No knave, no knave,’ the Tinker said,

‘And that you soon shall know;

Whether of us hath done most wrong,

My crab-tree staff shall show.’

31Then Robin drew his gallant blade,Made then of trusty steel;But the Tinker laid on him so fastThat he made Robin reel.

Then Robin drew his gallant blade,

Made then of trusty steel;

But the Tinker laid on him so fast

That he made Robin reel.

32Then Robins anger did arise;He fought full manfully,Vntil hee had made the TinkerAlmost then fit to fly.

Then Robins anger did arise;

He fought full manfully,

Vntil hee had made the Tinker

Almost then fit to fly.

33With that they had a bout again,They ply’d their weapons fast;The Tinker threshed his bones so soreHe made him yeeld at last.

With that they had a bout again,

They ply’d their weapons fast;

The Tinker threshed his bones so sore

He made him yeeld at last.

34‘A boon, a boon,’ Robin hee cryes,‘If thou wilt grant it mee;’‘Before I do it,’ the Tinker said,‘I’le hang thee on this tree.’

‘A boon, a boon,’ Robin hee cryes,

‘If thou wilt grant it mee;’

‘Before I do it,’ the Tinker said,

‘I’le hang thee on this tree.’

35But the Tinker looking him about,Robin his horn did blow;Then came unto him Little John,And William Scadlock too.

But the Tinker looking him about,

Robin his horn did blow;

Then came unto him Little John,

And William Scadlock too.

36‘What is the matter,’ quoth Little John,‘You sit in th’ highway side?’‘Here is a Tinker that stands by,That hath paid well my hide.’

‘What is the matter,’ quoth Little John,

‘You sit in th’ highway side?’

‘Here is a Tinker that stands by,

That hath paid well my hide.’

37‘That Tinker,’ then said Little John,‘Fain that blade I would see,And I would try what I could do,If hee’l do as much for mee.’

‘That Tinker,’ then said Little John,

‘Fain that blade I would see,

And I would try what I could do,

If hee’l do as much for mee.’

38But Robin hee then wishd them bothThey should the quarrel cease,‘That henceforth wee may bee as one,And ever live in peace.

But Robin hee then wishd them both

They should the quarrel cease,

‘That henceforth wee may bee as one,

And ever live in peace.

39‘And for the jovial Tinker’s part,A hundred pound I’le give,In th’ year to maintain him on,As long as he doth live.

‘And for the jovial Tinker’s part,

A hundred pound I’le give,

In th’ year to maintain him on,

As long as he doth live.

40‘In manhood hee is a mettle man,And a mettle man by trade;I never thought that any manShould have made me so fraid.

‘In manhood hee is a mettle man,

And a mettle man by trade;

I never thought that any man

Should have made me so fraid.

41‘And if hee will bee one of us,Wee will take all one fare,And whatsoever wee do get,He shall have his full share.’

‘And if hee will bee one of us,

Wee will take all one fare,

And whatsoever wee do get,

He shall have his full share.’

42So the Tinker was contentWith them to go along,And with them a part to take,And so I end my song.

So the Tinker was content

With them to go along,

And with them a part to take,

And so I end my song.

A new song, to drive away cold winter,Between Robin Hood and the Jovial Tinker;How Robin by a wileThe Tinker he did cheat,But at the length, as you shall hear,The Tinker did him beat;Whereby the same they then did so agreeThey after livd in love and unity.

A new song, to drive away cold winter,

Between Robin Hood and the Jovial Tinker;

How Robin by a wile

The Tinker he did cheat,

But at the length, as you shall hear,

The Tinker did him beat;

Whereby the same they then did so agree

They after livd in love and unity.

To the tune of In Summer Time.

London, Printed for F. Grove, dwelling on Snowhill. (1620–55.)

13. Nottingam.

82. here.

101. warrand.

Title as ina: except thatheis wanting in the fourth line, andsoin the last line but one.

Printed for I. Clarke, W. Thackeray, and T. Passenger. (1670–86?)

31. qd.

44. Banburay.

63. itwanting.

111. king would: an.

143. you would.

162. they took up their.

221. speakfortell.

241. wasforwill.

244. mewanting.

253. Ten shillings just I have to pay.

263. if I: on that.

283. then found.

313. Tinker he laid on so fast.

322. rightforfull.

331. laid about.

334. That he.

354. Will.

392. pounds: IforIle.

401. mettled.

404. afraid.

411. with us.

Robin Hood and the Jolly Tinker: Shewing how they fiercely encountered, and after the victorious conquest lovingly agreed. Tune of In Summer Time.

London, Printed by J. Hodges, at the Looking Glass, on London Bridge.Not in black letter.

31. doth.

41. the news.

44. Bullbury.

53. they are.

63. itwanting.

84. needs.

111. would give an.

114. theeforyou.

151. A crab-tree staff the Tinker had.

162. they took up at their inn.

182. Robin made haste away.

191. did awake.

193. evenwanting.

203. to seek.

211. theformy.

214. Hewanting.

221. speakfortell.

231. I but.

233. mightforstrength.

241. I will.

244. should betide.

251. Butwanting.

253. just I have to pay.

261. bags.

263. thatwanting.

273. amongst.

291. in the.

312. Made of a.

313. he laid: himwanting.

323. that he.

324. Then almost.

331. they laid about.

333. fullforso.

334. That he.

342. grant to.

354. alsofortoo.

363. There.

372. would I.

373. And would.

382. They would.

393. In a.

401. mettle.

404. afraid.

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