Ballads of Robin Hood and other Outlaws Part 20

Yet he was begyled, i-wys, Through a wycked woman, The pryoresse of Kyrkesly, That nye was of hys kynne:

452.

For the love of a knyght, Syr Roger of Donkesly, That was her owne speciall; Full evyll mote they the!

453.

They toke togyder theyr counsell Robyn Hood for to sle, And how they myght best do that dede, His banis for to be.

454.

Than bespake good Robyn, In place where as he stode, 'Tomorow I muste to Kyrkesly, Craftely to be leten blode.'

455.

Syr Roger of Donkestere By the pryoresse he lay, And there they betrayed good Robyn Hode, Through theyr false playe.

456.

Cryst have mercy on his soul, That dyed on the rode!

For he was a good outlawe, And dyde pore men moch G.o.de.

[Annotations: 421.1: 'kest of' = cast off: 'cole,' frock (cp. 372.1).

423.1: 'bente,' took.

423.2: 'in fere,' in company.

424.3: 'plucke-buffet,' the game of giving one another alternate buffets, as described in stt. 403-9. In the _Romance of Richard Cur de Lion_, Richard even kills his opponent at this 'game.'

'Shote plucke-buffet' implies that the buffeting was punishment for missing the mark at shooting.

428.2: 'slone,' slain.

429.4: 'hypped,' hopped.

433.4: 'fe,' pay.

434.2: 'layde downe,' spent, laid out.

438.4: 'sloo,' slay.

442.3: 'wolwarde,' with wool against skin, _i.e._ with a sheepskin turned inwards: 'hyght,' promised, vowed.

446.3: 'Me lyste,' I should like.

446.4: 'donne,' dun (cf. 417.3).

448.2: 'throwe,' s.p.a.ce of time.

448.4: See 306.4, etc.

452.3: 'speciall,' lover.

452.4: Cp. 234.2, 349.2.

453.4: 'banis,' murderers.]

ROBIN AND GANDELEYN

+The Text+ is modernised from the only known version, in Sloane MS.

2593, in the British Museum (c. 1450); the minstrel's song-book which contains the famous carols: 'I sing of a maiden,' and 'Adam lay i-bounden.' This ballad was first printed by Ritson in his _Ancient Songs_ (1790); but he misunderstood the phrase 'Robyn lyth' in the burden for the name 'Robin Lyth,' and ingeniously found a cave on Flamborough Head called Robin Lyth's Hole.

+The Story+ is similar to those told of Robin Hood and Little John; but there is no ground for identifying this Robin with Robin Hood. Wright, in printing the Sloane MS., notes that 'Gandeleyn' resembles Gamelyn, whose 'tale' belongs to the pseudo-Chaucerian literature. But we can only take this ballad to be, like so many others, an unrelated 'relique.'

ROBIN AND GANDELEYN

1.

I heard a carping of a clerk All at yon woodes end, Of good Robin and Gandeleyn, Was there none other thing.

_Robin lieth in greenwood bounden._

2.

Strong thieves wern tho children none, But bowmen good and hend; They wenten to wood to getten them flesh If G.o.d would it them send.

3.

All day wenten tho children two, And flesh founden they none, Till it were again even, The children would gone home.

4.

Half a hundred of fat fallow deer They comen ayon, And all they wern fair and fat enow, But marked was there none.

'By dear G.o.d,' said good Robin, 'Hereof we shall have one.'

5.

Robin bent his jolly bow, Therein he set a flo; The fattest deer of all.

The heart he cleft a-two.

6.

He had not the deer i-flaw Ne half out of the hide, There came a shrewd arrow out of the west That felled Robert's pride.

7.

Gandeleyn looked him east and west, By every side: 'Who hath my master slain?

Who hath done this deed?

Shall I never out of greenwood go Till I see his sides bleed.'

8.

Gandeleyn looked him east and west, And sought under the sun; He saw a little boy.

They clepen Wrennok of Donne.

9.

A good bow in his hand, A broad arrow therein, And four and twenty good arrows Trussed in a thrum.

'Beware thee, ware thee, Gandeleyn, Hereof thou shalt have some.

10.

'Beware thee, ware thee, Gandeleyn, Hereof thou gettest plenty.'

'Ever one for another,' said Gandeleyn; 'Misaunter have they shall flee.

11.

'Whereat shall our mark be?'

Saide Gandeleyn.

'Everich at otheres heart,'

Said Wrennok again.

12.

'Who shall give the first shot?'