135ROBIN HOOD AND THE SHEPHERD

a.Garland of 1663, No 13.

b.Garland of 1670, No 12.

c.Wood, 401, leaf 13 b.

d.Pepys, II, 115, No 102.

Roxburghe, II, 392, III, 284; Douce, III, 115 b, by L. How, of the eighteenth century. A manuscript copy in the British Museum, Add. 15072, fol. 59, isa, with omission of 122–154, and a few errors of carelessness.

Printed in Ritson’s Robin Hood fromcand one of the Roxburghe broadsides. Evans, Old Ballads, 1777, 1784, I, 136, seems to have followed the Aldermary garland, with slight deviation.

Robin Hood, walking in the forest, finds a shepherd lying on the ground, and bids him rise and show what he has in his bottle and bag. The shepherd tells him that he shall not see a drop of his bottle until his valor has been tried. Robin stakes twenty pound on the issue of a fight, and the shepherd his bag and bottle. They fight from ten to four, hook against sword. Robin Hood falls to the ground, and the shepherd calls on him to own himself beaten. Robin demands the boon of three blasts on his horn. These bring Little John, who undertakes the shepherd, and is so roughly handled that Robin is fain to yield his wager, to which Little John heartily agrees.

It is but the natural course of exaggeration that the shepherd, having beaten Robin Hood, should beat Little John. This is descending low enough, but we do not see the bottom of this kind of balladry here.

In King Alfred and the Shepherd, Old Ballads, 1723, I, 43, stanzas 6–17, the king plays Robin’s part, fighting four hours with the Shepherd and then craving a truce. Further on Alfred blows his horn. There are also verbal agreements.

1All gentlemen and yeomen good,Down a down a down a downI wish you to draw near;For a story of gallant brave Robin HoodVnto you I wil declare.Down, etc.2As Robin Hood walkt the forrest along,Some pastime for to spie,There was he aware of a jolly shepherd,That on the ground did lie.3‘Arise, arise,’ cryed jolly Robin,‘And now come let me seeWhat is in thy bag and bottle, I say;Come tell it unto me.’4‘What’s that to thee, thou proud fellow?Tell me as I do standWhat thou hast to do with my bag and bottle?Let me see thy command.’5‘My sword, which hangeth by my side,Is my command I know;Come, and let me taste of thy bottle,Or it may breed thee wo.’6‘Tut, the devil a drop, thou proud fellow,Of my bottle thou shalt see,Untill thy valour here be tried,Whether thou wilt fight or flee.’7‘What shall we fight for?’ cries bold Robin Hood;‘Come tell it soon to me;Here is twenty pounds in good red gold;Win it, and take it thee.’8The Shepherd stood all in a maze,And knew not what to say:‘I have no money, thou proud fellow,But bag and bottle I’le lay.’9‘I am content, thou shepherd-swain,Fling them down on the ground;But it will breed thee mickle pain,To win my twenty pound.’10‘Come draw thy sword, thou proud fellow,Thou stands too long to prate;This hook of mine shall let thee knowA coward I do hate.’11So they fell to it, full hardy and sore;It was on a summers day;From ten till four in the afternoonThe Shepherd held him play.12Robins buckler proved his chief defence,And saved him many a bang,For every blow the Shepherd gaveMade Robins sword cry twang.13Many a sturdy blow the Shepherd gave,And that bold Robin found,Till the blood ran trickling from his head;Then he fell to the ground.14‘Arise, arise, thou proud fellow,And thou shalt have fair play,If thou wilt yield, before thou go,That I have won the day.’15‘A boon, a boon,’ cried bold Robin;‘If that a man thou be,Then let me take my beaugle-horn,And blow but blasts three.’16‘To blow three times three,’ the Shepherd said,‘I will not thee deny;For if thou shouldst blow till to-morrow morn,I scorn one foot to fly.’17Then Robin set his horn to his mouth,And he blew with mickle main,Until he espied Little JohnCome tripping over the plain.18‘O who is yonder, thou proud fellow,That comes down yonder hill?’‘Yonder is Little John, bold Robin Hoods man,Shall fight with thee thy fill.’19‘What is the matter?’ saies Little John,‘Master, come tell to me:’‘My case is great,’ saies Robin Hood,‘For the Shepherd hath conquered me.’20‘I am glad of that,’ cries Little John,‘Shepherd, turn thou to me;For a bout with thee I mean to have,Either come fight or flee.’21‘With all my heart, thou proud fellow,For it never shall be saidThat a shepherds hook of thy sturdy lookWill one jot be dismaid.’22So they fell to it, full hardy and sore,Striving for victory;‘I will know,’ saies John, ‘ere we give ore,Whether thou wilt fight or flye.’23The Shepherd gave John a sturdy blow,With his hook under the chin;‘Beshrew thy heart,’ said Little John,‘Thou basely dost begin.’24‘Nay, that’s nothing,’ said the Shepherd;‘Either yield to me the day,Or I will bang thee back and sides,Before thou goest thy way.25‘What? dost thou think, thou proud fellow,That thou canst conquer me?Nay, thou shalt know, before thou go,I’le fight before I’le flee.’26With that to thrash Little John like madThe Shepherd he begun;‘Hold, hold,’ cryed bold Robin Hood,‘And I’le yield the wager won.’27‘With all my heart,’ said Little John,‘To that I will agree;For he is the flower of shepherd-swains,The like I never did see.’28Thus have you heard of Robin Hood,Also of Little John,How a shepherd-swain did conquer them;The like did never none.

1All gentlemen and yeomen good,Down a down a down a downI wish you to draw near;For a story of gallant brave Robin HoodVnto you I wil declare.Down, etc.

All gentlemen and yeomen good,

Down a down a down a down

I wish you to draw near;

For a story of gallant brave Robin Hood

Vnto you I wil declare.

Down, etc.

2As Robin Hood walkt the forrest along,Some pastime for to spie,There was he aware of a jolly shepherd,That on the ground did lie.

As Robin Hood walkt the forrest along,

Some pastime for to spie,

There was he aware of a jolly shepherd,

That on the ground did lie.

3‘Arise, arise,’ cryed jolly Robin,‘And now come let me seeWhat is in thy bag and bottle, I say;Come tell it unto me.’

‘Arise, arise,’ cryed jolly Robin,

‘And now come let me see

What is in thy bag and bottle, I say;

Come tell it unto me.’

4‘What’s that to thee, thou proud fellow?Tell me as I do standWhat thou hast to do with my bag and bottle?Let me see thy command.’

‘What’s that to thee, thou proud fellow?

Tell me as I do stand

What thou hast to do with my bag and bottle?

Let me see thy command.’

5‘My sword, which hangeth by my side,Is my command I know;Come, and let me taste of thy bottle,Or it may breed thee wo.’

‘My sword, which hangeth by my side,

Is my command I know;

Come, and let me taste of thy bottle,

Or it may breed thee wo.’

6‘Tut, the devil a drop, thou proud fellow,Of my bottle thou shalt see,Untill thy valour here be tried,Whether thou wilt fight or flee.’

‘Tut, the devil a drop, thou proud fellow,

Of my bottle thou shalt see,

Untill thy valour here be tried,

Whether thou wilt fight or flee.’

7‘What shall we fight for?’ cries bold Robin Hood;‘Come tell it soon to me;Here is twenty pounds in good red gold;Win it, and take it thee.’

‘What shall we fight for?’ cries bold Robin Hood;

‘Come tell it soon to me;

Here is twenty pounds in good red gold;

Win it, and take it thee.’

8The Shepherd stood all in a maze,And knew not what to say:‘I have no money, thou proud fellow,But bag and bottle I’le lay.’

The Shepherd stood all in a maze,

And knew not what to say:

‘I have no money, thou proud fellow,

But bag and bottle I’le lay.’

9‘I am content, thou shepherd-swain,Fling them down on the ground;But it will breed thee mickle pain,To win my twenty pound.’

‘I am content, thou shepherd-swain,

Fling them down on the ground;

But it will breed thee mickle pain,

To win my twenty pound.’

10‘Come draw thy sword, thou proud fellow,Thou stands too long to prate;This hook of mine shall let thee knowA coward I do hate.’

‘Come draw thy sword, thou proud fellow,

Thou stands too long to prate;

This hook of mine shall let thee know

A coward I do hate.’

11So they fell to it, full hardy and sore;It was on a summers day;From ten till four in the afternoonThe Shepherd held him play.

So they fell to it, full hardy and sore;

It was on a summers day;

From ten till four in the afternoon

The Shepherd held him play.

12Robins buckler proved his chief defence,And saved him many a bang,For every blow the Shepherd gaveMade Robins sword cry twang.

Robins buckler proved his chief defence,

And saved him many a bang,

For every blow the Shepherd gave

Made Robins sword cry twang.

13Many a sturdy blow the Shepherd gave,And that bold Robin found,Till the blood ran trickling from his head;Then he fell to the ground.

Many a sturdy blow the Shepherd gave,

And that bold Robin found,

Till the blood ran trickling from his head;

Then he fell to the ground.

14‘Arise, arise, thou proud fellow,And thou shalt have fair play,If thou wilt yield, before thou go,That I have won the day.’

‘Arise, arise, thou proud fellow,

And thou shalt have fair play,

If thou wilt yield, before thou go,

That I have won the day.’

15‘A boon, a boon,’ cried bold Robin;‘If that a man thou be,Then let me take my beaugle-horn,And blow but blasts three.’

‘A boon, a boon,’ cried bold Robin;

‘If that a man thou be,

Then let me take my beaugle-horn,

And blow but blasts three.’

16‘To blow three times three,’ the Shepherd said,‘I will not thee deny;For if thou shouldst blow till to-morrow morn,I scorn one foot to fly.’

‘To blow three times three,’ the Shepherd said,

‘I will not thee deny;

For if thou shouldst blow till to-morrow morn,

I scorn one foot to fly.’

17Then Robin set his horn to his mouth,And he blew with mickle main,Until he espied Little JohnCome tripping over the plain.

Then Robin set his horn to his mouth,

And he blew with mickle main,

Until he espied Little John

Come tripping over the plain.

18‘O who is yonder, thou proud fellow,That comes down yonder hill?’‘Yonder is Little John, bold Robin Hoods man,Shall fight with thee thy fill.’

‘O who is yonder, thou proud fellow,

That comes down yonder hill?’

‘Yonder is Little John, bold Robin Hoods man,

Shall fight with thee thy fill.’

19‘What is the matter?’ saies Little John,‘Master, come tell to me:’‘My case is great,’ saies Robin Hood,‘For the Shepherd hath conquered me.’

‘What is the matter?’ saies Little John,

‘Master, come tell to me:’

‘My case is great,’ saies Robin Hood,

‘For the Shepherd hath conquered me.’

20‘I am glad of that,’ cries Little John,‘Shepherd, turn thou to me;For a bout with thee I mean to have,Either come fight or flee.’

‘I am glad of that,’ cries Little John,

‘Shepherd, turn thou to me;

For a bout with thee I mean to have,

Either come fight or flee.’

21‘With all my heart, thou proud fellow,For it never shall be saidThat a shepherds hook of thy sturdy lookWill one jot be dismaid.’

‘With all my heart, thou proud fellow,

For it never shall be said

That a shepherds hook of thy sturdy look

Will one jot be dismaid.’

22So they fell to it, full hardy and sore,Striving for victory;‘I will know,’ saies John, ‘ere we give ore,Whether thou wilt fight or flye.’

So they fell to it, full hardy and sore,

Striving for victory;

‘I will know,’ saies John, ‘ere we give ore,

Whether thou wilt fight or flye.’

23The Shepherd gave John a sturdy blow,With his hook under the chin;‘Beshrew thy heart,’ said Little John,‘Thou basely dost begin.’

The Shepherd gave John a sturdy blow,

With his hook under the chin;

‘Beshrew thy heart,’ said Little John,

‘Thou basely dost begin.’

24‘Nay, that’s nothing,’ said the Shepherd;‘Either yield to me the day,Or I will bang thee back and sides,Before thou goest thy way.

‘Nay, that’s nothing,’ said the Shepherd;

‘Either yield to me the day,

Or I will bang thee back and sides,

Before thou goest thy way.

25‘What? dost thou think, thou proud fellow,That thou canst conquer me?Nay, thou shalt know, before thou go,I’le fight before I’le flee.’

‘What? dost thou think, thou proud fellow,

That thou canst conquer me?

Nay, thou shalt know, before thou go,

I’le fight before I’le flee.’

26With that to thrash Little John like madThe Shepherd he begun;‘Hold, hold,’ cryed bold Robin Hood,‘And I’le yield the wager won.’

With that to thrash Little John like mad

The Shepherd he begun;

‘Hold, hold,’ cryed bold Robin Hood,

‘And I’le yield the wager won.’

27‘With all my heart,’ said Little John,‘To that I will agree;For he is the flower of shepherd-swains,The like I never did see.’

‘With all my heart,’ said Little John,

‘To that I will agree;

For he is the flower of shepherd-swains,

The like I never did see.’

28Thus have you heard of Robin Hood,Also of Little John,How a shepherd-swain did conquer them;The like did never none.

Thus have you heard of Robin Hood,

Also of Little John,

How a shepherd-swain did conquer them;

The like did never none.

a,b.

Robin Hood and the Shepard: Shewing how Robin Hood, Little John and the Shepheard fought a sore combate.

Tune is, Robin Hood and Queen Katherine.

Burden: a thirda downis not printed after the first line, but is after the last.

43. hast thou.

54. thy wo.

72. Gome.

204. Eihter.

262. Sheherd.

Burden: Down a down a down a down.

After91, 214, With a, &c.

13. boldforbrave.

43. thou hast.

53. tast.

54. theeforthy.

71. boldwanting.

73. pound.

102. standst.

121. chiefest.

133. tickling.

161. Then said the Shepherd to bold Robin.

162.wanting.

171. Robin he.

183. Littlewanting.

193. is very bad, cries.

261. Again the Shepherd laid on him.

264. Andwanting: I will.

274. I did never.

284. was never known.

Robin Hood and the Shepheard: Shewing how Robin Hood, Little John and the Shepheard fought a sore combat.

The Shepherd fought for twenty pound,And Robin for bottle and bag,But the Shepheard stout gave them the routSo sore they could not wag.

The Shepherd fought for twenty pound,

And Robin for bottle and bag,

But the Shepheard stout gave them the rout

So sore they could not wag.

The tune is Robin and Queen Katherine.

London, Printed for John Andrews, at the White Lion, in Pie-Corner. (1660.)

Burden: Down a down a down a down.

13. boldforbrave.

43. thou hast.

54. my wo.

81. amaze.

113. four till ten.

121. chiefest.

134. And then.

161.wanting.

193. criesforsaies.

194. hath beaten.

223. ile know saith.

224. flee.

251. doest.

261.wanting.

262. began.

264. Andwanting: I will.

273. Shepheards.

274. I did never.

Title as ina,b.

Printed for William Thackeray, at the Angel in Duck Lane. (1689.)

Burden: Down a down down.

13. boldforbrave.

23. he was.

43. hast thou,as ina.

51. thatforwhich.

54. thy woe,as ina.

61. Tutwanting.

71. boldwanting.

73. pound.

102. standest.

111. hard.

121. chiefest.

153. beagle.

161. Then said the Shepherd to bold Robin.

162. To that will I agree.

164. flee.

171. he set.

172. with might and main.

183. Littlewanting.

193. bad cries.

212. shall never.

213. at thy.

224. flee.

243. thyforthee.

261. Again the Shepherd laid on him.

262. began.

263. Hoodwanting.

264. Andwanting: I will.

274. I did never.

284. The like was never known.

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