No. 133: Robin Hood and the Beggar, I
CONTENTS:
1. Child's Narrative
2. Footnote (There is one footnote added to end of Child's Narrative)
3. Brief (Kittredge)
4. Child's Ballad Text A a. (There are changes to make texts A b- A d in End-Notes.)
5. Endnotes
ATTACHED PAGES (see left hand column):
1. Recordings & Info: 133. Robin Hood and the Beggar, I
A. Roud No. 3391: Robin Hood and the Beggar, I (6 Listings)
2. Sheet Music: (Bronson's traditional music versions and other versions)
3. English and Other Versions (Including Child versions A with additional notes)]
Child's Narative: Robin Hood and the Beggar, I
A. a. Wood, 401, leaf 23 b.
b. Garland of 1663, No 8.
c. Garland of 1670, No 7.
d. Pepys, II, 116, No 100.
a is printed, with changes, by Ritson, Robin Hood, 1795, II, 122. Evans, Old Ballads, 1777, 1784, 1, 180, agrees with the Aldermary garland.
There is a copy in the Roxburghe Collection, III, 20.
Robin Hood, riding towards Nottingham, comes upon a beggar, who asks charity. Robin says he has no money, but must have a bout with him. The beggar with his staff gives three blows for every stroke of Robin's with his sword. Robin cries truce, and at the suggestion, we might almost say upon the requisition, of the beggar, exchanges his horse and finery for the beggar's bags and rags. Thus equipped, he proceeds to Nottingham, and has the adventure with the sheriff and three yeomen which is the subject of No 140.
The copy in the Wood and in the Roxburghe collections is signed T. R., like Robin Hood and the Butcher, B, and, like the latter ballad, this is a rifacimento, with middle rhyme in the third line. It is perhaps made up from two distinct stories; the Second Part, beginning at stanza 20, from Robin Hood rescuing Three Squires, and what precedes from a ballad resembling Robin Hood and the Beggar, II.
But no seventeenth-century version of Robin Hood and the Beggar, II, is known, and it is more likely that we owe the fight between Robin Hood and the Beggar to the folly and bad taste of T. R. Robin has no sort of provocation to fight with the beggar, and no motive for changing clothes, the proposition actually coming from the beggar, st. 15, and it is an accident that his disguise proves useful (cf. Guy of Gisborne). The beggar should have reported that three men were to be hanged, but instead of this is forced into a fight, in order that one more ignominious defeat may be scored against Robin.
The verses,
93,4, I am an outlaw, as many do know,
My name it is Robin Hood,
occur also in Robin Hood and the Bishop, No 143, 63,4. 'And this mantle of mine I'le to thee resign,' 163, looks very like a reminiscence of Robin Hood and the Bishop, 103, 'Thy spindle and twine unto me resign.' [1]
Footnote: 1. Remarked by Fricke, p. 88 f.
Brief Description by George Lyman Kittredge
"An aged female in Bermondsey, Surrey, from whose oral recitation the editor took down the present version, informed him, that she had often heard her grandmother sing it, and that it was never in print; but he has of late met with several common stall copies." — Dixon. This ballad is a traditional variation of No, 128. A copy which varies but slightly from that here printed is found in Captain Delany's Garland [1775?], British Museum, 134(5, m. 7 (9). It is given in Child, v, 240.
Child's Ballad Text
'Robin Hood and the Beggar'- Version A a.; Child 133 Robin Hood and the Beggar, I
a. Wood, 401, leaf 23 b.
b. Garland of 1663, No 8.
c. Garland of 1670, No 7.
d. Pepys, II, 116, No 100.
1 Come light and listen, you gentlemen all,
Hey down, down, and a down
That mirth do love for to hear,
And a story true I'le tell unto you,
If that you will but draw near.
2 In elder times, when merriment was,
And archery was holden good,
There was an outlaw, as many did know,
Which men called Robin Hood.
3 Vpon a time it chanced so
Bold Robin was merry disposed,
His time to spend he did intend,
Either with friends or foes.
4 Then he got vp on a gallant brave steed,
The which was worth angels ten;
With a mantle of green, most brave to be seen,
He left all his merry men.
5 And riding towards fair Nottingham,
Some pastime for to spy,
There was he aware of a jolly beggar
As ere he beheld with his eye.
6 An old patcht coat the beggar had on,
Which he daily did vse for to wear;
And many a bag about him did wag,
Which made Robin Hood to him repair.
7 'God speed, God speed,' said Robin Hood,
'What countryman? tell to me:'
'I am Yorkeshire, sir; but, ere you go far,
Some charity give vnto me.'
8 'Why, what wouldst thou have?' said Robin Hood,
'I pray thee tell vnto me:'
'No lands nor livings,' the beggar he said,
'But a penny for charitie.'
9 'I have no money,' said Robin Hood then,
'But, a ranger within the wood,
I am an outlaw, as many do know,
My name it is Robin Hood.
10 'But yet I must tell thee, bonny beggar,
That a bout with [thee] I must try;
Thy coat of gray, lay down I say,
And my mantle of green shall lye by.'
11 'Content, content,' the beggar he cry'd,
'Thy part it will be the worse;
For I hope this to give thee the rout,
And the have at thy purse.'
12 The beggar he had a mickle long staffe,
And Robin had a nut-brown sword;
So the beggar drew nigh, and at Robin let fly,
But gave him never a word.
13 'Fight on, fight on,' said Robin Hood then,
'This game well pleaseth me;'
For every blow that Robin did give,
The beggar gave buffets three.
14 And fighting there full hard and sore,
Not far from Nottingham town,
They never fled, till from Robin['s] head
The blood came trickling down.
15 'O hold thy hand,' said Robin Hood then,
'And thou and I will agree;'
'If that be true,' the beggar he said,
'Thy mantle come give vnto me.'
16 'Nay a change, a change,' cri'd Robin Hood;
'Thy bags and coat give me,
And this mantle of mine I'le to thee resign,
My horse and my braverie.'
17 When Robin Hood had got the beggars clothes,
He looked round about;
'Methinks,' said he, 'I seem to be
A beggar brave and stout.
18 'For now I have a bag for my bread,
So have I another for corn;
I have one for salt, and another for malt,
And one for my little horn.
19 'And now I will a begging goe,
Some charitie for to find:'
And if any more of Robin you'l know,
In this second part it's behind.
20 Now Robin he is to Nottingham bound,
With his bags hanging down to his knee,
His staff, and his coat, scarce worth a groat,
Yet merrilie passed he.
21 As Robin he passed the streets along,
He heard a pittifull cry;
Three brethren deer, as he did hear,
Condemned were to dye.
22 Then Robin he highed to the sheriffs [house],
Some reliefe for to seek;
He skipt, and leapt, and capored full high,
As he went along the street.
23 But when to the sheriffs doore he came,
There a gentleman fine and brave,
'Thou beggar,' said he, 'Come tell vnto me
What is it that thou wouldest have?'
24 'No meat, nor drink,' said Robin Hood then,
'That I come here to crave;
But to beg the lives of yeomen three,
And that I fain would have.'
25 'That cannot be, thou bold beggar,
Their fact it is so cleer;
I tell to thee, hanged they must be,
For stealing of our kings deer.'
26 But when to the gallows they did come,
There was many a weeping eye:
'O hold your peace,' said Robin then,
'For certainly they shall not dye.'
27 Then Robin he set his horn to his mouth,
And he blew but blastes three,
Till a hundred bold archers brave
Came kneeling down to his knee.
28 'What is your will, master?' they said,
'We are here at your command:'
'Shoot east, shoot west,' said Robin Hood then,
'And look that you spare no man.'
29 Then they shot east, and they shot west;
Their arrows were so keen
The sheriffe he, and his companie,
No longer must be seen.
30 Then he stept to these brethren three,
And away he had them tane;
But the sheriff was crost, and many a man lost,
That dead lay on the plain.
31 And away they went into the merry green wood,
And sung with a merry glee,
And Robin took these brethren good
To be of his yeomandrie.
End-Notes
a. Robin Hood and the Beggar: Shewing how Robin Hood and the Beggar fought, and how he changed clothes with the Beggar, and how he went a begging to Nottingham, and how he saved three brethren from being hangd for stealing of deer. To the tune of Robin Hood and the Stranger. Signed T. R.
London, Printed for Francis Grove, on Snowhill. (1620-55.)
Burden: an a.
11, light in all: a corruption of lyth.
22. archrey.
34. friend or foe: cf. b, c.
42. angell.
61. had one.
101. tell the.
121. saffe.
213. brethred.
274. dow.
314. yeomandriee.
b, c. Title as in a. Not signed. Burden sometimes, With hey, etc., or, With a hey, etc.; once, in c, Hey derry derry down.
b. 34. friends or foes.
42. angels.
71. Hood then.
72. unto.
83. he wanting.
93. doth know.
102. with thee.
104. lay.
161. said for cri'd.
201. he wanting.
214. was for to.
221. sheriffs house.
272. he wanting.
302. them had.
c. 34. friends or foes.
42. angels.
71. Hood then.
72. unto.
83. living:
102. with thee.
194. known for behind.
214. for to.
221. sheriffs house.
253. they hanged.
272. he wanting.
302. them had.
d. Title as in a: except of the king's deer. Not signed.
Printed for I. Clarke, W. Thackeray, and T. Passinger. (1670-86.)
Burden: With a hey down down and a down.
32. merrily.
34. friend or foe.
42. angels.
51. brave for fair.
71. Hood then.
72. unto.
102. with thee.
111. he said.
121. muckle.
124. But he.
133. Robin gave.
143. Robin Hood's head.
153. If it.
171. Hood wanting.
173. Methink.
183. for mault: for salt.
194. In the house wanting, as in a.
223. and he leapt.
234. is 't: would'st.
254. of the.
263. O wanting: Robin Hood.
274. down on their.
282. here wanting.
291. east then.
302. has.
303. many men.
311. And wanting.
313. Then Robin Hood.