Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England Part 10

With that the fair bride they all did embrace, Saying, 'You are come of an honourable race, Thy father likewise is of high degree, And thou art right worthy a lady to be.'

Thus was the feast ended with joy and delight, A happy bridegroom was made the young knight, Who lived in great joy and felicity, With his fair lady dear pretty Bessee.

Ballad: THE BOLD PEDLAR AND ROBIN HOOD.

[This ballad is of considerable antiquity, and no doubt much older than some of those inserted in the common Garlands. It appears to have escaped the notice of Ritson, Percy, and other collectors of Robin Hood ballads. The tune is given in Popular Music. An aged woman in Bermondsey, Surrey, from whose oral recitation the present version was taken down, said that she had often heard her grandmother sing it, and that it was never in print; but we have since met with several common stall copies. The subject is the same as that of the old ballad called Robin Hood newly revived; or, the Meeting and Fighting with his Cousin Scarlett.]

There chanced to be a pedlar bold, A pedlar bold he chanced to be; He rolled his pack all on his back, And he came tripping o'er the lee.

Down, a down, a down, a down, Down, a down, a down.

By chance he met two troublesome blades, Two troublesome blades they chanced to be; The one of them was bold Robin Hood, And the other was Little John, so free.

'Oh! pedlar, pedlar, what is in thy pack, Come speedilie and tell to me?'

'I've several suits of the gay green silks, And silken bowstrings two or three.'

'If you have several suits of the gay green silk, And silken bowstrings two or three, Then it's by my body,' cries BITTLE John, 'One half your pack shall belong to me.'

Oh! nay, oh! nay,' says the pedlar bold, 'Oh! nay, oh! nay, that never can be, For there's never a man from fair Nottingham Can take one half my pack from me.'

Then the pedlar he pulled off his pack, And put it a little below his knee, Saying, 'If you do move me one perch from this, My pack and all shall gang with thee.'

Then Little John he drew his sword; The pedlar by his pack did stand; They fought until they both did sweat, Till he cried, 'Pedlar, pray hold your hand!'

Then Robin Hood he was standing by, And he did laugh most heartilie, Saying, 'I could find a man of a smaller scale, Could thrash the pedlar, and also thee.'

'Go, you try, master,' says Little John, 'Go, you try, master, most speedilie, Or by my body,' says Little John, 'I am sure this night you will not know me.'

Then Robin Hood he drew his sword, And the pedlar by his pack did stand, They fought till the blood in streams did flow, Till he cried, 'Pedlar, pray hold your hand!'

'Pedlar, pedlar! what is thy name?

Come speedilie and tell to me.'

'My name! my name, I ne'er will tell, Till both your names you have told to me.'

'The one of us is bold Robin Hood, And the other Little John, so free.'

'Now,' says the pedlar, 'it lays to my good will, Whether my name I chuse to tell to thee.

'I am Gamble Gold {3} of the gay green woods, And travelled far beyond the sea; For killing a man in my father's land, From my country I was forced to flee.'

'If you are Gamble Gold of the gay green woods, And travelled far beyond the sea, You are my mother's own sister's son; What nearer cousins then can we be?'

They sheathed their swords with friendly words, So merrily they did agree; They went to a tavern and there they dined, And bottles cracked most merrilie.

Ballad: THE OUTLANDISH KNIGHT.

[This is the common English stall copy of a ballad of which there are a variety of versions, for an account of which, and of the presumed origin of the story, the reader is referred to the notes on the Water o' Wearie's Well, in the Scottish Traditional Versions of Ancient Ballads, published by the Percy Society. By the term 'outlandish' is signified an inhabitant of that portion of the border which was formerly known by the name of 'the Debateable Land,' a district which, though claimed by both England and Scotland, could not be said to belong to either country. The people on each side of the border applied the term 'outlandish' to the Debateable residents. The tune to The Outlandish Knight has never been printed; it is peculiar to the ballad, and, from its popularity, is well known.]

An Outlandish knight came from the North lands, And he came a wooing to me; He told me he'd take me unto the North lands, And there he would marry me.

'Come, fetch me some of your father's gold, And some of your mother's fee; And two of the best nags out of the stable, Where they stand thirty and three.'

She fetched him some of her father's gold, And some of the mother's fee; And two of the best nags out of the stable, Where they stood thirty and three.

She mounted her on her milk-white steed, He on the dapple grey; They rode till they came unto the sea side, Three hours before it was day.

'Light off, light off thy milk-white steed, And deliver it unto me; Six pretty maids have I drowned here, And thou the seventh shall be.

'Pull off, pull off thy silken gown, And deliver it unto me, Methinks it looks too rich and too gay To rot in the salt sea.

'Pull off, pull of thy silken stays, And deliver them unto me; Methinks they are too fine and gay To rot in the salt sea.

'Pull off, pull off thy Holland smock, And deliver it unto me; Methinks it looks too rich and gay, To rot in the salt sea.'

'If I must pull off my Holland smock, Pray turn thy back unto me, For it is not fitting that such a ruffian A naked woman should see.'

He turned his back towards her, And viewed the leaves so green; She catched him round the middle so small, And tumbled him into the stream.

He dropped high, and he dropped low, Until he came to the side, - 'Catch hold of my hand, my pretty maiden, And I will make you my bride.'

'Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted man, Lie there instead of me; Six pretty maids have you drowned here, And the seventh has drowned thee.'

She mounted on her milk-white steed, And led the dapple grey, She rode till she came to her own father's hall, Three hours before it was day.

The parrot being in the window so high, Hearing the lady, did say, 'I'm afraid that some ruffian has led you astray, That you have tarried so long away.'

'Don't prittle nor prattle, my pretty parrot, Nor tell no tales of me; Thy cage shall be made of the glittering gold, Although it is made of a tree.'

The king being in the chamber so high, And hearing the parrot, did say, 'What ails you, what ails you, my pretty parrot, That you prattle so long before day?'

'It's no laughing matter,' the parrot did say, 'But so loudly I call unto thee; For the cats have got into the window so high, And I'm afraid they will have me.'

'Well turned, well turned, my pretty parrot, Well turned, well turned for me; Thy cage shall be made of the glittering gold, And the door of the best ivory.' {4}

Ballad: LORD DELAWARE. (TRADITIONAL.)