141ROBIN HOOD RESCUING WILL STUTLY

a.Wood, 401, leaf 35 b.

b.Garland of 1663, No 7.

c.Garland of 1670, No 6.

d.Pepys, II, 106, No 93.

This ballad probably occurs in all the larger collections of broadsides. It was given in Old Ballads, 1723, I, 90.ais printed by Ritson, Robin Hood, 1795, II, 102. Evans, Old Ballads, 1777, 1784, I, 164, follows an Aldermary copy.

Robin Hood learns that Will Stutly has been captured and is to be hanged the next day. Robin and his men go to the rescue, and ask information of a palmer who is standing under the wall of the castle in which Stutly is confined; the palmer confirms the news. Stutly is brought out by the sheriff, of whom he asks to have a sword and die in fight, not on the tree. This refused, he asks only to have his hands loosed. The sheriff again refuses; he shall die on the gallows. Little John comes out from behind a bush, cuts Stutly’s bonds, and gives him a sword twitched by John from one of the sheriff’s men. An arrow shot by Robin Hood puts the sheriff to flight, and his men follow. Stutly rejoices that he may go back to the woods.

This is a ballad made for print, with little of the traditional in the matter and nothing in the style. It may be considered as an imitation of The Rescue of the Three Squires, whence the ambush in st. 9 and the palmer ‘fair’ in 10.

1When Robin Hood in the green-wood livd,Derry derry downVnder the green-wood tree,Tidings there came to him with speed,Tidings for certainty,Hey down derry derry down2That Will Stutly surprized was,And eke in prison lay;Three varlets that the sheriff had hiredDid likely him betray.3I, and to-morrow hanged must be,To-morrow as soon as it is day;But before they could this victory get,Two of them did Stutly slay.4When Robin Hood he heard this news,Lord! he was grieved sore,I, and unto his merry men [said],Who altogether swore,5That Will Stutly should rescued be,And be brought safe again;Or else should many a gallant wightFor his sake there be slain.6He cloathed himself in scarlet then,His men were all in green;A finer show, throughout the world,In no place could be seen.7Good lord! it was a gallant sightTo see them all on a row;With every man a good broad sword,And eke a good yew bow.8Forth of the green wood are they gone,Yea, all couragiously,Resolving to bring Stutly home,Or every man to die.9And when they came the castle neerWhereas Will Stutly lay,‘I hold it good,’ saith Robin Hood,‘Wee here in ambush stay,10‘And send one forth some news to hear,To yonder palmer fair,That stands under the castle-wall;Some news he may declare.’11With that steps forth a brave young man,Which was of courage bold;Thus hee did say to the old man:I pray thee, palmer old,12Tell me, if that thou rightly ken,When must Will Stutly die,Who is one of bold Robins men,And here doth prisoner lie?13‘Alack, alass,’ the palmer said,‘And for ever wo is me!Will Stutly hanged must be this day,On yonder gallows-tree.14‘O had his noble master known,Hee would some succour send;A few of his bold yeomandreeFull soon would fetch him hence.’15‘I, that is true,’ the young man said;‘I, that is true,’ said hee;‘Or, if they were neer to this place,They soon would set him free.16‘But fare thou well, thou good old man,Farewell, and thanks to thee;If Stutly hanged be this day,Revengd his death will be.’17He was no sooner from the palmer gone,But the gates was opened wide,And out of the castle Will Stutly came,Guarded on every side.18When hee was forth from the castle come,And saw no help was nigh,Thus he did say unto the sheriff,Thus he said gallantly:19Now seeing that I needs must die,Grant me one boon, says he;For my noble master nere had manThat yet was hangd on the tree.20Give me a sword all in my hand,And let mee be unbound,And with thee and thy men I’le fight,Vntill I lie dead on the ground.21But his desire he would not grant,His wishes were in vain;For the sheriff had sworn he hanged should be,And not by the sword be slain.22‘Do but unbind my hands,’ he saies,‘I will no weapons crave,And if I hanged be this day,Damnation let me have.’23‘O no, O no,’ the sheriff he said,‘Thou shalt on the gallows die,I, and so shall thy master too,If ever in me it lie.’24‘O dastard coward!’ Stutly cries,‘Thou faint-heart pesant slave!If ever my master do thee meet,Thou shalt thy paiment have.25‘My noble master thee doth scorn,And all thy cowardly crew;Such silly imps unable areBold Robin to subdue.’26But when he was to the gallows come,And ready to bid adiew,Out of a bush leaps Little John,And steps Will Stutly to.27‘I pray thee, Will, before thou die,Of thy dear friends take leave;I needs must borrow him a while,How say you, master sheriff?’28‘Now, as I live,’ the sheriff he said,‘That varlet will I know;Some sturdy rebell is that same,Therefore let him not go.’29With that Little John so hastilyAway cut Stutly’s bands,And from one of the sheriff his men,A sword twicht from his hands.30‘Here, Will, here, take thou this same,Thou canst it better sway;And here defend thy self a while,For aid will come straight way.’31And there they turnd them back to back,In the middle of them that day,Till Robin Hood approached neer,With many an archer gay.32With that an arrow by them flew,I wist from Robin Hood;‘Make haste, make haste,’ the sheriff he said,‘Make haste, for it is good.’33The sheriff is gone; his doughty menThought it no boot to stay,But, as their master had them taughtThey run full fast away.34‘O stay, O stay,’ Will Stutly said,‘Take leave ere you depart;You nere will catch bold Robin HoodVnless you dare him meet.’35‘O ill betide you,’ quoth Robin Hood,‘That you so soon are gone;My sword may in the scabbord rest,For here our work is done.’36‘I little thought when I came here,When I came to this place,For to have met with Little John,Or seen my masters face.’37Thus Stutly was at liberty set,And safe brought from his foe;‘O thanks, O thanks to my master,Since here it was not so.’38‘And once again, my fellows,We shall in the green woods meet,Where we will make our bow-strings twang,Musick for us most sweet.’

1When Robin Hood in the green-wood livd,Derry derry downVnder the green-wood tree,Tidings there came to him with speed,Tidings for certainty,Hey down derry derry down

When Robin Hood in the green-wood livd,

Derry derry down

Vnder the green-wood tree,

Tidings there came to him with speed,

Tidings for certainty,

Hey down derry derry down

2That Will Stutly surprized was,And eke in prison lay;Three varlets that the sheriff had hiredDid likely him betray.

That Will Stutly surprized was,

And eke in prison lay;

Three varlets that the sheriff had hired

Did likely him betray.

3I, and to-morrow hanged must be,To-morrow as soon as it is day;But before they could this victory get,Two of them did Stutly slay.

I, and to-morrow hanged must be,

To-morrow as soon as it is day;

But before they could this victory get,

Two of them did Stutly slay.

4When Robin Hood he heard this news,Lord! he was grieved sore,I, and unto his merry men [said],Who altogether swore,

When Robin Hood he heard this news,

Lord! he was grieved sore,

I, and unto his merry men [said],

Who altogether swore,

5That Will Stutly should rescued be,And be brought safe again;Or else should many a gallant wightFor his sake there be slain.

That Will Stutly should rescued be,

And be brought safe again;

Or else should many a gallant wight

For his sake there be slain.

6He cloathed himself in scarlet then,His men were all in green;A finer show, throughout the world,In no place could be seen.

He cloathed himself in scarlet then,

His men were all in green;

A finer show, throughout the world,

In no place could be seen.

7Good lord! it was a gallant sightTo see them all on a row;With every man a good broad sword,And eke a good yew bow.

Good lord! it was a gallant sight

To see them all on a row;

With every man a good broad sword,

And eke a good yew bow.

8Forth of the green wood are they gone,Yea, all couragiously,Resolving to bring Stutly home,Or every man to die.

Forth of the green wood are they gone,

Yea, all couragiously,

Resolving to bring Stutly home,

Or every man to die.

9And when they came the castle neerWhereas Will Stutly lay,‘I hold it good,’ saith Robin Hood,‘Wee here in ambush stay,

And when they came the castle neer

Whereas Will Stutly lay,

‘I hold it good,’ saith Robin Hood,

‘Wee here in ambush stay,

10‘And send one forth some news to hear,To yonder palmer fair,That stands under the castle-wall;Some news he may declare.’

‘And send one forth some news to hear,

To yonder palmer fair,

That stands under the castle-wall;

Some news he may declare.’

11With that steps forth a brave young man,Which was of courage bold;Thus hee did say to the old man:I pray thee, palmer old,

With that steps forth a brave young man,

Which was of courage bold;

Thus hee did say to the old man:

I pray thee, palmer old,

12Tell me, if that thou rightly ken,When must Will Stutly die,Who is one of bold Robins men,And here doth prisoner lie?

Tell me, if that thou rightly ken,

When must Will Stutly die,

Who is one of bold Robins men,

And here doth prisoner lie?

13‘Alack, alass,’ the palmer said,‘And for ever wo is me!Will Stutly hanged must be this day,On yonder gallows-tree.

‘Alack, alass,’ the palmer said,

‘And for ever wo is me!

Will Stutly hanged must be this day,

On yonder gallows-tree.

14‘O had his noble master known,Hee would some succour send;A few of his bold yeomandreeFull soon would fetch him hence.’

‘O had his noble master known,

Hee would some succour send;

A few of his bold yeomandree

Full soon would fetch him hence.’

15‘I, that is true,’ the young man said;‘I, that is true,’ said hee;‘Or, if they were neer to this place,They soon would set him free.

‘I, that is true,’ the young man said;

‘I, that is true,’ said hee;

‘Or, if they were neer to this place,

They soon would set him free.

16‘But fare thou well, thou good old man,Farewell, and thanks to thee;If Stutly hanged be this day,Revengd his death will be.’

‘But fare thou well, thou good old man,

Farewell, and thanks to thee;

If Stutly hanged be this day,

Revengd his death will be.’

17He was no sooner from the palmer gone,But the gates was opened wide,And out of the castle Will Stutly came,Guarded on every side.

He was no sooner from the palmer gone,

But the gates was opened wide,

And out of the castle Will Stutly came,

Guarded on every side.

18When hee was forth from the castle come,And saw no help was nigh,Thus he did say unto the sheriff,Thus he said gallantly:

When hee was forth from the castle come,

And saw no help was nigh,

Thus he did say unto the sheriff,

Thus he said gallantly:

19Now seeing that I needs must die,Grant me one boon, says he;For my noble master nere had manThat yet was hangd on the tree.

Now seeing that I needs must die,

Grant me one boon, says he;

For my noble master nere had man

That yet was hangd on the tree.

20Give me a sword all in my hand,And let mee be unbound,And with thee and thy men I’le fight,Vntill I lie dead on the ground.

Give me a sword all in my hand,

And let mee be unbound,

And with thee and thy men I’le fight,

Vntill I lie dead on the ground.

21But his desire he would not grant,His wishes were in vain;For the sheriff had sworn he hanged should be,And not by the sword be slain.

But his desire he would not grant,

His wishes were in vain;

For the sheriff had sworn he hanged should be,

And not by the sword be slain.

22‘Do but unbind my hands,’ he saies,‘I will no weapons crave,And if I hanged be this day,Damnation let me have.’

‘Do but unbind my hands,’ he saies,

‘I will no weapons crave,

And if I hanged be this day,

Damnation let me have.’

23‘O no, O no,’ the sheriff he said,‘Thou shalt on the gallows die,I, and so shall thy master too,If ever in me it lie.’

‘O no, O no,’ the sheriff he said,

‘Thou shalt on the gallows die,

I, and so shall thy master too,

If ever in me it lie.’

24‘O dastard coward!’ Stutly cries,‘Thou faint-heart pesant slave!If ever my master do thee meet,Thou shalt thy paiment have.

‘O dastard coward!’ Stutly cries,

‘Thou faint-heart pesant slave!

If ever my master do thee meet,

Thou shalt thy paiment have.

25‘My noble master thee doth scorn,And all thy cowardly crew;Such silly imps unable areBold Robin to subdue.’

‘My noble master thee doth scorn,

And all thy cowardly crew;

Such silly imps unable are

Bold Robin to subdue.’

26But when he was to the gallows come,And ready to bid adiew,Out of a bush leaps Little John,And steps Will Stutly to.

But when he was to the gallows come,

And ready to bid adiew,

Out of a bush leaps Little John,

And steps Will Stutly to.

27‘I pray thee, Will, before thou die,Of thy dear friends take leave;I needs must borrow him a while,How say you, master sheriff?’

‘I pray thee, Will, before thou die,

Of thy dear friends take leave;

I needs must borrow him a while,

How say you, master sheriff?’

28‘Now, as I live,’ the sheriff he said,‘That varlet will I know;Some sturdy rebell is that same,Therefore let him not go.’

‘Now, as I live,’ the sheriff he said,

‘That varlet will I know;

Some sturdy rebell is that same,

Therefore let him not go.’

29With that Little John so hastilyAway cut Stutly’s bands,And from one of the sheriff his men,A sword twicht from his hands.

With that Little John so hastily

Away cut Stutly’s bands,

And from one of the sheriff his men,

A sword twicht from his hands.

30‘Here, Will, here, take thou this same,Thou canst it better sway;And here defend thy self a while,For aid will come straight way.’

‘Here, Will, here, take thou this same,

Thou canst it better sway;

And here defend thy self a while,

For aid will come straight way.’

31And there they turnd them back to back,In the middle of them that day,Till Robin Hood approached neer,With many an archer gay.

And there they turnd them back to back,

In the middle of them that day,

Till Robin Hood approached neer,

With many an archer gay.

32With that an arrow by them flew,I wist from Robin Hood;‘Make haste, make haste,’ the sheriff he said,‘Make haste, for it is good.’

With that an arrow by them flew,

I wist from Robin Hood;

‘Make haste, make haste,’ the sheriff he said,

‘Make haste, for it is good.’

33The sheriff is gone; his doughty menThought it no boot to stay,But, as their master had them taughtThey run full fast away.

The sheriff is gone; his doughty men

Thought it no boot to stay,

But, as their master had them taught

They run full fast away.

34‘O stay, O stay,’ Will Stutly said,‘Take leave ere you depart;You nere will catch bold Robin HoodVnless you dare him meet.’

‘O stay, O stay,’ Will Stutly said,

‘Take leave ere you depart;

You nere will catch bold Robin Hood

Vnless you dare him meet.’

35‘O ill betide you,’ quoth Robin Hood,‘That you so soon are gone;My sword may in the scabbord rest,For here our work is done.’

‘O ill betide you,’ quoth Robin Hood,

‘That you so soon are gone;

My sword may in the scabbord rest,

For here our work is done.’

36‘I little thought when I came here,When I came to this place,For to have met with Little John,Or seen my masters face.’

‘I little thought when I came here,

When I came to this place,

For to have met with Little John,

Or seen my masters face.’

37Thus Stutly was at liberty set,And safe brought from his foe;‘O thanks, O thanks to my master,Since here it was not so.’

Thus Stutly was at liberty set,

And safe brought from his foe;

‘O thanks, O thanks to my master,

Since here it was not so.’

38‘And once again, my fellows,We shall in the green woods meet,Where we will make our bow-strings twang,Musick for us most sweet.’

‘And once again, my fellows,

We shall in the green woods meet,

Where we will make our bow-strings twang,

Musick for us most sweet.’

Robin Hood his rescuing Will Stutly from the sheriff and his men, who had taken him prisoner, and was going to hang him.

To the tune of Robin Hood and Queen Katherine.

London, Printed for F. Grove, on Snow-hill. Entred according to order. (1620–55:Chappell.)

251. thou dost.

264. too.

292. Stutli’s.

331. doubtless.

Title as ina,exceptrescuing of: were going.

43. saidwanting.

63. in all the.

111. steps out.

131. Alas, alas.

134. yonders gallow.

142. would soon.

164. shall be.

194. thewanting.

251. thou dost.

264. too.

281. hewanting.

331. doubtless.

Title as ina,exceptwere going.

14. Tiding for certainly.

34. stay.

43. men said.

131. Alass, alass.

172. waswanting.

242. hearted.

251. thee dost.

264. too.

292. Stutli’s.

331. doubtless.

362. came hereto,

Title as ina.

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

11. livdwanting.

32. as ’tis.

43. and to: men said.

52. brought back.

81. they are.

93. said.

131. Alas, alas.

133. to day.

143. yeomanry.

172. gates were.

192. said.

194. thewanting.

211. But this.

213. swore.

242. hearted.

251. thee doth.

261. goneforcome.

281. hewanting.

291. And Little.

293. sheriffs.

331. doubtless.

351. saidforquoth.

362. came here.

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