128ROBIN HOOD NEWLY REVIVED

‘Robin Hood Newly Reviv’d.’a.Wood, 401, leaf 27 b.b.Roxburghe, III, 18, in the Ballad Society’s reprint, II, 426.c.Garland of 1663, No 3.d.Garland of 1670, No 2.e.Pepys, II, 101, No 88.

Also Douce, III, 120 b, London, by L. How, and Roxburghe, III, 408: both of these are of the eighteenth century.

ais printed, with not a few changes, in Ritson’s Robin Hood, 1795, II, 66. Evans, Old Ballads, 1777, 1784, I, 143, agrees nearly with the Aldermary garland.

Robin Hood, walking the forest, meets a gaily-dressed young fellow, who presently brings down a deer at forty yards with his bow. Robin commends the shot, and offers the youngster a place as one of his yeomen. The offer is rudely received; each bends his bow at the other. Robin suggests that one of them may be slain, if they shoot: swords and bucklers would be better. Robin strikes the first blow, and is so stoutly answered that he is fain to know who the young man is. His name is Gamwell, and, having killed his father’s steward, he has fled to the forest to join his uncle, Robin Hood. The kinsmen embrace, and walk on till they meet Little John. Robin Hood tells John that the stranger has beaten him. Little John would like a bout, to see if the stranger can beat him. This Robin forbids, for this stranger is his own sister’s son; he shall be next in rank to Little John among his yeomen, and be called Scarlet.

The story seems to have been built up on a portion of the ruins, so to speak, of the fine tale of Gamelyn. There the king of the outlaws, sitting at meat with his seven score young men, sees Gamelyn wandering in the wood with Adam, and tells some of his young men to fetch them in. Seven start up to execute the order, and when they come to Gamelyn and his comrade bid the twain hand over their bows and arrows. Gamelyn replies, Not though ye fetch five men, and so be twelve; but no violence being attempted, the pair go to the king, who asks them what they seek in the woods. Gamelyn answers, No harm; but to shoot a deer, if we meet one, like hungry men. The king gives them to eat and drink of the best, and, upon learning that the spokesman is Gamelyn, makes him master, under himself, over all the outlaws. Little John having long had the place of first man under Robin, the best that the ballad-maker could do for Gamwell was to make him chief yeoman after John.[109](The Tale of Gamelyn, ed. Skeat, vv 625–686. The resemblance of the ballad is remarked upon at p. x.)

Ritson gives this ballad the title of Robin Hood and the Stranger, remarking: The title now given to this ballad is that which it seems to have originally borne; having been foolishly altered to Robin Hood newly Revived. R. H. and the Bishop, R. H. and the Beggar, R. H. and the Tanner, are directed to be sung to the tune of Robin Hood and the Stranger, but no ballad bears such a title in any garland or broadside.[110]The ballad referred to as Robin Hood and the Stranger may possibly have been this, but, for reasons given atp. 133, Robin Hood and Little John is, as I think, more likely to be the one meant.

Robin Hood and the Stranger was one name for the most popular of Robin Hood tunes, and this particular tune was sometimes called ‘Robin Hood’ absolutely (see the note at the end of the next ballad). If the ballad denoted by Robin Hood and the Stranger was also sometimes known as ‘Robin Hood’ simply, and especially if this ballad was Robin Hood and Little John, an explanation presents itself of the title ‘Robin Hood newly Revived.’ What is revived is the favorite topic of the process by which Robin Hood enlarged and strengthened his company. The earlier ballad had shown how Little John came to join the band; the second undertakes to tell us how Scarlet was enlisted, the next most important man after John.

The second part, referred to in the last stanza, was separated, Mr Chappell thought, when the present ballad was “newly revived,” because the whole was found too long for a penny (one would say that both parts together were “dear enough a leek”), and seven stanzas (incoherent in themselves and not cohering with what lies before us) added to fill up the sheet. These stanzas will be given under No 130, as Robin Hood and the Scotchman; and the “second part,” ‘R. H. and the Prince of Aragon,’ or ‘R. H., Will. Scadlock and Little John,’ follows immediately.

1Come listen a while, you gentlemen all,With a hey down down a down downThat are in this bower within,For a story of gallant bold Robin HoodI purpose now to begin.2‘What time of the day?’ quoth Robin Hood then;Quoth Little John, ’Tis in the prime;‘Why then we will to the green wood gang,For we have no vittles to dine.’3As Robin Hood walkt the forrest along—It was in the mid of the day—There was he met of a deft young manAs ever walkt on the way.4His doublet it was of silk, he said,His stockings like scarlet shone,And he walkt on along the way,To Robin Hood then unknown.5A herd of deer was in the bend,All feeding before his face:‘Now the best of ye I’le have to my dinner,And that in a little space.’6Now the stranger he made no mickle adoe,But he bends and a right good bow,And the best buck in the herd he slew,Forty good yards him full froe.7‘Well shot, well shot,’ quoth Robin Hood then,‘That shot it was shot in time;And if thou wilt accept of the place,Thou shalt be a bold yeoman of mine.’8‘Go play the chiven,’ the stranger said,‘Make haste and quickly go;Or with my fist, be sure of this,I’le give thee buffets store.’9‘Thou hadst not best buffet me,’ quoth Robin Hood,‘For though I seem forlorn,Yet I can have those that will take my part,If I but blow my horn.’10‘Thou wast not best wind thy horn,’ the stranger said,‘Beest thou never so much in hast,For I can draw out a good broad sword,And quickly cut the blast.’11Then Robin Hood bent a very good bow,To shoot, and that he would fain;The stranger he bent a very good bow,To shoot at bold Robin again.12‘O hold thy hand, hold thy hand,’ quoth Robin Hood,‘To shoot it would be in vain;For if we should shoot the one at the other,The one of us may be slain.13‘But let’s take our swords and our broad bucklers,And gang under yonder tree:’‘As I hope to be sav’d,’ the stranger said,‘One foot I will not flee.’14Then Robin Hood lent the stranger a blowMost scar’d him out of his wit;‘Thou never felt blow,’ the stranger he said,‘That shall be better quit.’15The stranger he drew out a good broad sword,And hit Robin on the crown,That from every haire of bold Robins headThe blood ran trickling down.16‘God a mercy, good fellow!’ quoth Robin Hood then,‘And for this that thou hast done;Tell me, good fellow, what thou art,Tell me where thou doest woon.’17The stranger then answered bold Robin Hood,I’le tell thee where I did dwell;In Maxfield was I bred and born,My name is Young Gamwell.18For killing of my own fathers steward,I am forc’d to this English wood,And for to seek an vncle of mine;Some call him Robin Hood.19‘But thou art a cousin of Robin Hoods then?The sooner we should have done:’‘As I hope to be sav’d,’ the stranger then said,‘I am his own sisters son.’20But, Lord! what kissing and courting was there,When these two cousins did greet!And they went all that summers day,And Little John did meet.21But when they met with Little John,He there unto [him] did say,O master, where have you been,You have tarried so long away?22‘I met with a stranger,’ quoth Robin Hood then,‘Full sore he hath beaten me:’‘Then I’le have a bout with him,’ quoth Little John,‘And try if he can beat me.’23‘Oh [no], oh no,’ quoth Robin Hood then,‘Little John, it may [not] be so;For he’s my own dear sisters son,And cousins I have no mo.24‘But he shall be a bold yeoman of mine,My chief man next to thee;And I Robin Hood, and thou Little John,And Scarlet he shall be:25‘And wee’l be three of the bravest outlawsThat is in the North Country.’If you will have any more of bold Robin Hood,In his second part it will be.

1Come listen a while, you gentlemen all,With a hey down down a down downThat are in this bower within,For a story of gallant bold Robin HoodI purpose now to begin.

Come listen a while, you gentlemen all,

With a hey down down a down down

That are in this bower within,

For a story of gallant bold Robin Hood

I purpose now to begin.

2‘What time of the day?’ quoth Robin Hood then;Quoth Little John, ’Tis in the prime;‘Why then we will to the green wood gang,For we have no vittles to dine.’

‘What time of the day?’ quoth Robin Hood then;

Quoth Little John, ’Tis in the prime;

‘Why then we will to the green wood gang,

For we have no vittles to dine.’

3As Robin Hood walkt the forrest along—It was in the mid of the day—There was he met of a deft young manAs ever walkt on the way.

As Robin Hood walkt the forrest along—

It was in the mid of the day—

There was he met of a deft young man

As ever walkt on the way.

4His doublet it was of silk, he said,His stockings like scarlet shone,And he walkt on along the way,To Robin Hood then unknown.

His doublet it was of silk, he said,

His stockings like scarlet shone,

And he walkt on along the way,

To Robin Hood then unknown.

5A herd of deer was in the bend,All feeding before his face:‘Now the best of ye I’le have to my dinner,And that in a little space.’

A herd of deer was in the bend,

All feeding before his face:

‘Now the best of ye I’le have to my dinner,

And that in a little space.’

6Now the stranger he made no mickle adoe,But he bends and a right good bow,And the best buck in the herd he slew,Forty good yards him full froe.

Now the stranger he made no mickle adoe,

But he bends and a right good bow,

And the best buck in the herd he slew,

Forty good yards him full froe.

7‘Well shot, well shot,’ quoth Robin Hood then,‘That shot it was shot in time;And if thou wilt accept of the place,Thou shalt be a bold yeoman of mine.’

‘Well shot, well shot,’ quoth Robin Hood then,

‘That shot it was shot in time;

And if thou wilt accept of the place,

Thou shalt be a bold yeoman of mine.’

8‘Go play the chiven,’ the stranger said,‘Make haste and quickly go;Or with my fist, be sure of this,I’le give thee buffets store.’

‘Go play the chiven,’ the stranger said,

‘Make haste and quickly go;

Or with my fist, be sure of this,

I’le give thee buffets store.’

9‘Thou hadst not best buffet me,’ quoth Robin Hood,‘For though I seem forlorn,Yet I can have those that will take my part,If I but blow my horn.’

‘Thou hadst not best buffet me,’ quoth Robin Hood,

‘For though I seem forlorn,

Yet I can have those that will take my part,

If I but blow my horn.’

10‘Thou wast not best wind thy horn,’ the stranger said,‘Beest thou never so much in hast,For I can draw out a good broad sword,And quickly cut the blast.’

‘Thou wast not best wind thy horn,’ the stranger said,

‘Beest thou never so much in hast,

For I can draw out a good broad sword,

And quickly cut the blast.’

11Then Robin Hood bent a very good bow,To shoot, and that he would fain;The stranger he bent a very good bow,To shoot at bold Robin again.

Then Robin Hood bent a very good bow,

To shoot, and that he would fain;

The stranger he bent a very good bow,

To shoot at bold Robin again.

12‘O hold thy hand, hold thy hand,’ quoth Robin Hood,‘To shoot it would be in vain;For if we should shoot the one at the other,The one of us may be slain.

‘O hold thy hand, hold thy hand,’ quoth Robin Hood,

‘To shoot it would be in vain;

For if we should shoot the one at the other,

The one of us may be slain.

13‘But let’s take our swords and our broad bucklers,And gang under yonder tree:’‘As I hope to be sav’d,’ the stranger said,‘One foot I will not flee.’

‘But let’s take our swords and our broad bucklers,

And gang under yonder tree:’

‘As I hope to be sav’d,’ the stranger said,

‘One foot I will not flee.’

14Then Robin Hood lent the stranger a blowMost scar’d him out of his wit;‘Thou never felt blow,’ the stranger he said,‘That shall be better quit.’

Then Robin Hood lent the stranger a blow

Most scar’d him out of his wit;

‘Thou never felt blow,’ the stranger he said,

‘That shall be better quit.’

15The stranger he drew out a good broad sword,And hit Robin on the crown,That from every haire of bold Robins headThe blood ran trickling down.

The stranger he drew out a good broad sword,

And hit Robin on the crown,

That from every haire of bold Robins head

The blood ran trickling down.

16‘God a mercy, good fellow!’ quoth Robin Hood then,‘And for this that thou hast done;Tell me, good fellow, what thou art,Tell me where thou doest woon.’

‘God a mercy, good fellow!’ quoth Robin Hood then,

‘And for this that thou hast done;

Tell me, good fellow, what thou art,

Tell me where thou doest woon.’

17The stranger then answered bold Robin Hood,I’le tell thee where I did dwell;In Maxfield was I bred and born,My name is Young Gamwell.

The stranger then answered bold Robin Hood,

I’le tell thee where I did dwell;

In Maxfield was I bred and born,

My name is Young Gamwell.

18For killing of my own fathers steward,I am forc’d to this English wood,And for to seek an vncle of mine;Some call him Robin Hood.

For killing of my own fathers steward,

I am forc’d to this English wood,

And for to seek an vncle of mine;

Some call him Robin Hood.

19‘But thou art a cousin of Robin Hoods then?The sooner we should have done:’‘As I hope to be sav’d,’ the stranger then said,‘I am his own sisters son.’

‘But thou art a cousin of Robin Hoods then?

The sooner we should have done:’

‘As I hope to be sav’d,’ the stranger then said,

‘I am his own sisters son.’

20But, Lord! what kissing and courting was there,When these two cousins did greet!And they went all that summers day,And Little John did meet.

But, Lord! what kissing and courting was there,

When these two cousins did greet!

And they went all that summers day,

And Little John did meet.

21But when they met with Little John,He there unto [him] did say,O master, where have you been,You have tarried so long away?

But when they met with Little John,

He there unto [him] did say,

O master, where have you been,

You have tarried so long away?

22‘I met with a stranger,’ quoth Robin Hood then,‘Full sore he hath beaten me:’‘Then I’le have a bout with him,’ quoth Little John,‘And try if he can beat me.’

‘I met with a stranger,’ quoth Robin Hood then,

‘Full sore he hath beaten me:’

‘Then I’le have a bout with him,’ quoth Little John,

‘And try if he can beat me.’

23‘Oh [no], oh no,’ quoth Robin Hood then,‘Little John, it may [not] be so;For he’s my own dear sisters son,And cousins I have no mo.

‘Oh [no], oh no,’ quoth Robin Hood then,

‘Little John, it may [not] be so;

For he’s my own dear sisters son,

And cousins I have no mo.

24‘But he shall be a bold yeoman of mine,My chief man next to thee;And I Robin Hood, and thou Little John,And Scarlet he shall be:

‘But he shall be a bold yeoman of mine,

My chief man next to thee;

And I Robin Hood, and thou Little John,

And Scarlet he shall be:

25‘And wee’l be three of the bravest outlawsThat is in the North Country.’If you will have any more of bold Robin Hood,In his second part it will be.

‘And wee’l be three of the bravest outlaws

That is in the North Country.’

If you will have any more of bold Robin Hood,

In his second part it will be.

a,b,e.

Robin Hood newly reviv’d. To a delightful new tune.

c,d.

Robin Hood newly revived: Or his meeting and fighting with his cousin Scarlet. To a delightful new tune.

Printed for Richard Burton. (1641–74.)

21, 71, 91, 121, 161, 221, 223, qd.

63. in th.

112. To that shoot and.

212. himsupplied fromc,d.

London, Printed for Richard Burton, at the Sign of the Horshooe in West Smithfield.

32. midst.

41. itwanting.

64. fullwanting.

112. To shot and that.

124. must be.

212. himwanting.

231. Oh no.

232. may not.

33. wareformet.

71, 91, 121, 161, 221, 223, 231, qd.

93. can I.

101. blowforwind.

112. To shoot and that.

133. he said.

161, 184. bold Robin.

191. art thou.

212. unto him.

231. Oh no.

232. may not.

254. In this.

21, 71, 91, 121, 161, 221, qd.

33. wareformet.

64. goodwanting.

72. was in.

92. amforseem.

111. he bent.

112. To shoot and that.

124. must be.

133. he said.

162. thatwanting.

181. ownwanting.

191. art thou.

212. unto him.

231. Oh no.

232. may not.

253. If thou wilt.

254. In this.

Printed for J. Clarke, W. Thackeray, and T. Passenger. (1670–82?)

12. inwanting.

21, 71, 91, 121, 161, 221, 223. quod.

32. midst.

33. withforof.

41. itwanting.

62. andwanting.

64. fullwanting.

73. except.

93. canwanting.

112. To that shot and he.

113. bent up a noble.

121. Owanting.

124. must be.

191. art thou.

212. himwanting.

221, 231. thenwanting.

231. Oh no.

232. may not.

253. If you’l have more.

254. In this.

Followed in all the copies by seven stanzas which belong to a different ballad.SeeNo 130.

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