VIII.

ROBIN HOOD AND THE MONK.

This singularly curious and excellent poem, which is probably the earliest extant on the subject, was first printed in the “Ancient Metrical Tales,” edited by the Rev. C. H. Hartshorne (8vo, 1829), from a MS. in the library of University College, Cambridge (F. F. 5. 48), with which it has been since obligingly collated by Frederic Madden, Esq. A few lines are unfortunately rendered illegible by damp.

In somer when the shawes be sheyne, And leves be large and longe, Hit is fulle mery in feyre foreste To here the foulys song.

To se the dere draw to the dale, And leve the hilles hee, And shadow hem in the leves grene Vndur the grene wode tre.

Hit befel on whitsontide, Erly in a may mornyng, The son vp fayre can shyne, And the briddis mery can syng.

This is a mery mornyng, seid litulle Johne, Be hym that dyed on tre, A more mery man than I am one Lyves not in cristianté. {371}

Pluk vp thi hert my dere mayster, Litulle Johne can sey, And thynk hit is a fulle fayre tyme In a mornynge of may.

Ze on thynge greves me seid Robyne, And does my hert myche woo, That I may not so solem day To mas nor matyns goo.

Hit is a fourtnet and more, seyd hee, Syn I my sauyour see ; To day wil I to Notyngham, seid Robyn, With the myght of mylde Mary.

Then spake Moche the mylner[s] sune, Euer more wel hym betyde, Take xii of thi wyght zemen Welle weppynd be ther side.

Such on wolde thi selfe slon That xii dar not abyde, Off alle my mery men, seid Robyne, Be my feithe I wil non haue.

But litulle Johne shalle beyre my bow Til that me list to drawe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . {372}

Thou shalle beyre ‘thin own’[352] seid litulle Jon, Maister & I wil beyre myne, And we wille shete a peny, seid litulle Jon, Vnder the grene wode lyne.

I wil not shete a peny, seyde Robyn Hode, In feith litulle Johne with thee, But euer for on as thou shetes, seid Robyn, In feith I hold the thre.

Thus shet thei forthe these zemen too Bothe at buske and brome, Til litulle Johne wan of his maister V s. to hose and shone.

A ferly strife fel them betwene As they went bi the way ; Litulle Johne seid he had won v shyllyngs, And Robyn Hode seid schortly nay.

With that Robyn Hode lyed litul Jone, And smote hym with his honde, Litul John waxed wroth therwith, And pulled out his bright bronde.

Were thou not my maister, seid litulle Johne, Thou shuldis by hit ful sore, Get the a man where thou wilt, Robyn, For thou getes me no more. {373}

Then Robyn goes to Notyngham Hymselfe mornynge allone, And litulle Johne to mery Scherewode, The pathes he knowe alkone.

Whan Robyn came to Notyngham, Sertenly withoutene layne, He prayed to god and myld Mary To brynge hym out saue agayne.

He gos into seynt Mary[s] chirche, And knelyd downe before the rode, Alle that euer were the churche within Beheld wel Robyne Hode.

Besyde hym stode a gret hedid munke, I pray to god woo he be, Ful sone he knew gode Robyn [Hode] As sone as he hym se.

Out at the durre he ran Ful son and anon, Alle the zatis of Notyngham He made to be sparred euerychone.

Rise vp, he seid, thou prowde schereff, Buske the and make the bowne, I haue spyed the kynges felone, For sothe he is in this towne. {374}

I haue spyed the false felone As he stondes at his masse, Hit is longe of the seide the munke, And euer he fro vs passe.

This traytur[s] name is Robyn Hode, Vndur the grene wode lynde, He robbyt me onys of a C pound, Hit shalle neuer out of my mynde.

Vp then rose this prowd schereff, And zade towarde hym zare ; Many was the modur son To the kyrk with hym can fare.

In at the durres thei throly thrast With staves ful gode ‘ilkone’[353] Alas, alas, seid Robyn Hode, Now mysse I litulle Johne.

But Robyne toke out a too-hond sworde That hangit down be his kne, Ther as the schereff and his men stode thyckust Thidurward wold he.

Thryes thorow at them he ran, Ther for sothe as I yow say, And woundyt many a modur sone, And xii he slew that day. {375}

His sworde vpon the schireff hed Sertanly he brake in too ; The smyth that the made, seid Robyn, I pray god[354] wyrke hym woo.

For now am I weppynlesse, seid Robyne, Alasse agayn my wylle ; But if I may fle these traytors fro, I wot thei wil me kylle.

Robyns men to the churche ran Throout hem euer ilkon, Sum fel in swonyng as thei were dede, And lay still as any stone.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Non of theym were in her mynde But only litulle Jon.

Let be your rule, seid litulle Jon, For his luf that dyed on tre, Ze that shulde be duzty men Hit is gret shame to se.

Oure maister has bene hard bystode, And zet scapyd away Pluk up your hertes and leve this mone, And herkyn what I shal say. {376}

He has seruyd our lady many a day, And zet wil securly, Therfore I trust in her specialy No wycked deth shal he dye.

Therfor be glad, seid litul Johne, And let this mournyng be, And I shall be the munkes gyde With the myght of mylde Mary.

And I mete hym, seid litull Johne, We wille go but we too . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Loke that ze kepe wel oure tristil tre Vndur the levys smale, And spare non of his venyson That gose in thys vale.

Forthe thei went these zemen too, Litul Johne and Moche onfere, And lokid on Moche emys hows The hyeway lay fulle nere.

Litul John stode at a window in the mornynge And lokid forth at a stage, He was war wher the munke came ridynge, And with hym a litul page. {377}

Be my feith, seid litul Johne to Moche, I can the tel tithyngus gode ; I see wher the munk comys rydyng, I know hym be his wyde hode.

Thei went into the way these zemen bothe, As curtes men and hende, Thei spyrred tithyngus at the munke As thei hade bene his frende.

Fro whens come ze, seid litul Johne, Tel vs tithyngus I yow pray Off a false owtlay [called Robyn Hode] Was takyn zisturday.

He robbyt me and my felowes bothe Of xx marke in serten ; If that false owtlay be takyn, For sothe we wolde be fayne.

So did he me, seid the munke, Of a C pound and more ; I layde furst hande hym apon, Ze may thonke me therfore.

I pray god thanke yow, seid litulle Johne, And we wil when we may, We wil go with yow with your leve, And brynge yow on your way. {378}

For Robyn Hode hase many a wilde felow, I telle yow in certen, If thei wist ze rode this way, In feith ze shulde be slayn.

As thei went talkyng be the way, The munke and litulle Johne, Johne toke the munkes horse be the hede Ful sone and anone.

Johne toke the munkes horse be the hed, For sothe as I yow say, So did Muche the litulle page, For he shulde not stirre away.

Be the golett of the hode Johne pulled the munke downe, Johne was nothynge of hym agast, He lete hym falle on his crowne.

Litulle John was ‘sore’[355] agrevyd, And drew out his swerde in hye, The munke saw he shulde be ded, Lowd mercy can he crye.

He was my maister, seid litulle Johne, That thou base browzt in bale, Shalle thou neuer cum at oure kynge For to telle hym tale. {379}

Johne smote of the munkes hed, No longer wolde he dwelle, So did Moche, the litulle page, For ferd lest he wold tell.

Ther thei beryed hem both In nouther mosse nor lynge, And litulle Johne and Muche infere Bare the letturs to oure kynge.

. . . . . . . . . . . He kneled down vpon kis kne, God zow saue, my lege lorde, Jesus yow saue and se.

God yow saue, my lege kyng, To speke Johne was fulle bolde ; He gaf hym the letturs in his hond, The kynge did hit unfold.

The kynge red the letturs anon, And seid so mot I the, Ther was neuer zoman in mery Inglond I longut so sore to see.

Wher is the munke that these shuld haue browzt, Oure kynge can say, Be my trouthe, seid litulle Jone, He dyed aftur the way. {380}

The kyng gaf Moche and litul Jon xx pound in sertan, And made theim zemen of the crowne, And bade theim go agayn.

He gaf Johne the seel in hand, The scheref for to bere, To brynge Robyn hym to, And no man do hym dere.

Johne toke his leve at oure kyng, The sothe as I yow say ; The next way to Notyngham To take he zede the way.

Whan Johne came to Notyngham The zatis were sparred ychone, Johne callid vp the porter, He answerid sone anon.

What is the cause, seid litul John, Thou sparris the zates so fast ? Because Robyn Hode,[356] seid [the] porter, In depe prison is cast.

Johne, and Moche, and Wylle Scathlok, For sothe as I yow say, Thir slew oure men vpon oure wallis, And sawtene vs euery day. {381}

Litulle Johne spyrred aftur the schereff, And sone he hym fonde, He oppyned the kyngus priue seelle And gaf hym in his honde.

When the schereff saw the kyngus seelle He did of his hode anon, Wher is the munke that bare the letturs ? He seid to litulle Johne.

He is so fayn of him, seid litulle Johne, For sothe as I yow sey ; He has made hym abot of Westmynster, A lorde of that abbay.

The scheref made John gode chere, And gaf hym wine of the best ; At nyzt thei went to her bedde, And euery man to his rest.

When the scheref was on-slepe Dronken of wine and ale, Litul Johne and Moche for sothe Toke the way vnto the gale ;

Litul Johne callid vp the jayler, And bade hym rise anon ; He seid Robyn Hode had brokyn preson, And out of hit was gon. {382}

The portere rose anon sertan, As sone as he herd John calle ; Litul Johne was redy with a swerd, And bare hym to the walle.

Now will I be porter, seid litul Johne, And take the keyes in honde ; He toke the way to Robyn Hode, And sone he hym vnbonde.

He gaf hym a gode swerd in his hond, His hed [ther-]with for to kepe, And ther as the walle was lowyst Anon downe can thei lepe.

Be that the cok began to crow, The day began to sprynge, The scheref fond the jaylier ded, The comyn belle made he rynge.

He made a crye thoroowt al the tow[n], Whedur he be zoman or knave, That cowthe brynge hym Robyn Hode, His warisone he shuld haue.

For I dar neuer, said the scheref, Cum before oure kynge ; For if I do I wot serten, For sothe he wil me henge. {383}

The scheref made to seke Notyngham, Bothe be strete and stye, And Robyn was in mery Scherwode As lizt as lef on lynde.

Then bespake gode litulle Johne To Robyn Hode can he say, I haue done the a gode turne for an euylle, Quyte ‘me’[357] whan thou may.

I haue done the a gode turne, said litulle Johne, For sothe as I you saie, I haue brouzt the vndur [the] grene wode lyne, Fare wel, and haue gode day.

Nay be my trouthe, seid Robyn Hode, So shalle hit neuer be, I make the maister, seid Robyne Hode, Off alle my men and me.

Nay be my trouthe, seid litulle Johne, So shall hit neuer be, But lat me be a felow, seid litulle Johne, No nodur kepe I’ll be.

Thus Johne gate Robyn Hode out of prisone Sertan withoutyn layne, When his men saw hym hol and sounde For sothe they were ful fayne. {384}

They filled in wyne, and made him glad Vndur the levys smale, And zete pastes of venysone That gode was ‘withal.’[358]

Than worde came to our kynge, How Robyn Hode was gone, And how the scheref of Notyngham Durst neuer loke hyme vpone.

Then bespake oure cumly kynge, In an angur hye, Litulle Johne hase begyled the schereff, In faith so hase he me.

Litulle Johne has begyled vs bothe, And that fulle wel I se, Or ellis the schereff of Notyngham Hye hongut shuld he be.

I made hem zemen of the crowne, And gaf hem fee with my hond, I gaf hem grithe, seid oure kyng, Thorowout alle mery Inglond.

I gaf hem grithe, then seid oure kyng, I say, so mot I the, For sothe soche a zeman as he is on In alle Ingland ar not thre. {385}

He is trew to his maister, seid oure kynge, I sey, be swete seynt Johne, He louys bettur Robyn Hode, Then he dose vs ychone.

Robyne Hode is euer bond to him, Bothe in strete and stalle, Speke no ‘more’[359] of this matter, seid our kynge, But John has begyled vs alle.

Thus endys the talkyng of the munke, And Robyne Hode I wysse ; God, that is euer a crowned kyng, Bryng vs alle to his blisse.

[Illustration]

FOOTNOTES TO “APPENDIX”, pp. 341–385

[333] Maister. C.

[334] Ell. C.

[335] You. you. C.

[336] Donee. C.

[337] Starte. C.

[338] A trul of trust was a common phrase. So in the ancient morality of the iiii elements (Sig. E iij 6):

“For to satisfye your wanton lust I shall apoynt you a trull of trust, Not a feyrer in this towne.”

Again, in Warner’s Albion’s England, 1602:

“How cheere you Pan, quoth Pryapus, the shameles god of lust, Thus can i fit such friends as you with such a trull of trust.”

[339] Shefes. C.

[340] Ballockes. C.

[341] How a potter comes to be decked with so elegant and honourable a chaplet, does not seem easy to account for; unless for the reason given by Chaucer, that

—“soche araie costnith but lite.”

The poet Gower, as represented on his monument in the church of St. Mary-Overy, hath, according to Stow, “on his head a chaplet, like a coronet of foure roses;” and it may be remembered that Copland, the printer of this identical May-game, dwelled “at the signe of the rose garlande.” We see, likewise, that “a rose garlonde” was set up (to be shot through, it is presumed) in the “Lytell Geste of Robyn Hode,” fytte 7, v. 177. Though the fashion of wearing such an ornament was formerly common in France (for which see Chaucer’s “Romaunt of the Rose,” a close translation from the French), and at a still later period in Germany, see “The Hystorye of Reynarde the Foxe,” a translation from the language of that country, and Moryson’s Itinerary, 1617 (part 1, p. 25, and part 3, p. 167), no further instance has been met with of its prevalence in this country.

[342] Maryet. C.

[343] The. C.

[344] Not omitted in W.

[345] To do. C. to or so omitted in W.

[346] Wedded. C. wed. W.

[347] Your. C.

[348] And.

[349] You shall.

[350] When.

[351] Come tell.

[352] Th’ now. MS.

[353] Wone. MS.

[354] I pray _to_. MS.

[355] So. MS.

[356] Because of Robyn Hode. MS.

[357] The. MS.

[358] That gode was _with ale_. MS.

[359] Mere. MS.

{387}

[Illustration]

GLOSSARY.

_Abye_, [to suffer].

_Air_, early.

_Alderbest_, best of all. This phrase, which occurs in Chaucer, is corrupted in De Worde’s edition to “_al ther_” and “_al theyre_,” which Coplande has changed to “_al of the_;” whence it may be inferred that the expression was become already obsolete, and consequently that the poem is of much greater antiquity than 1520: and yet Shakespeare, above half a century after, puts the word _Alderliefest_ into the mouth of Queen Margaret in his _Second Part of Henry the Sixth_.

_Angels_, pieces of gold coin, value 10s.

_Anker_, hermit, anchorite.

_Ar_, ere.

_Asay_, _Asayed_, essayed, tried, proved.

_A-sound_, in a swoon.

_Aunsetters_, ancestors.

_Avow_, _Avowe_, protestation, confession. “_I make myn avow to God_,” profess to God: from _aveu_, F.

_Avowe_, maintain, _verbum juris_.

_Avowè_, founder, patron, protector. See Spelman’s _Glossary_, _v._ ADVOCATUS.

_Awayte_, _Awatye me scathe_, lie in wait to do me harm.

_Awayted_, lay in wait for.

_Awet_, wit, know.

_Awkwarde_, backward. _An awkwarde stroke_ seems to mean an unusual or out of the way stroke, one which the receiver could not foresee, be aware of, or guard against; a sort of left or back hand stroke. “_An_ auke _stroke_” is a frequent expression in _La Mort d’Arthur_.

_Ayenst_, against.

_Baist_, _Baste_, basted, belaboured.

_Baith_, both.

_Bale_, mischief, woe, sorrow, misery.

_Ballup_, p. 306.

_Banis_, bane, destruction.

_Bear_, moan, lamentation, outcry.

_Bearing_, arrow.

_Bedene_, behind, one after another? {388}

_Bedyng_, asking. _Your bedyng shall be doyn_, your invitation shall be complied with.

_Beforen_, before.

_Begeck_, _Give them a begeck_, play them a trick, make fools of them.

_Behote_, promised.

_Benbow_, [a bent bow?].

_Bent_, ii. 84.

_Bescro_, beshrew.

_Bestad_, _Ferre and friend bestad_, far from home and without a friend. The passage, however, seems corrupt. Perhaps, indeed, it should be _fren_ (_frend_ or _fremd_) _bestad_, _i.e._ beset or surrounded by strangers. (Fremd, Saxon.) Thus, in Spenser’s 4th eclogue:

“So now his friend is changed for a _fren_.”

Again, in Florio’s _Worlde of Wordes_, 1598: “_Alieno_, an alien, a stranger, a forraine, a _freme_.”

_Bestead_, beset, put to it.

_Beth_, are, be.

_Blate_, sheepish or foolish, as we should now say.

_Blive_, belive, immediately.

_Bloschems_, blossoms.

_Bluter_, p. 105.

_Blyve_, fast, quickly, briskly.

_Bocking_, pouring, flowing.

_Bode_, bidden, invited.

_Bolt_, _Bolte_, _Boltes_, _Boltys_. A bolt was an arrow of a

## particular kind, used chiefly for shooting at birds; having a

round or blunt head. Much’s object, it has been observed, was not to wound, but stun, the monk, and the bolt from its shape was peculiarly adapted to this purpose. In other passages, however, it seems to mean either an arrow in general, or one used for shooting at a mark. “I’ll make a shaft or a bolt on’t,” which Shakespeare has put into the mouth of M. Slender, appears, from Ray’s _Collection_, to have been a common proverb.

_Boote_, help.

_Booting_, p. 98.

_Borde_, table.

_Borowe_, _Borrow_, pledge, surety, bail.

_Borowehode_, suretyship.

_Boskyd_, busked, prepared, got ready.

_Bottle_, a small vessel, of wood or leather, in the shape of a cask, in which shepherds and others employed abroad in the fields carry or keep their drink.

_Bottys_, buts.

_Bou_, bow.

_Bound_, betook, went. _Boldly bound away_, briskly scampered off.

_Bowe_, bough. {389}

_Bown_, ready. _Bowne ye_, prepare ye, get ready.

_Boyt_, both.

_Breche_, breeches.

_Breyde_, started, stepped hastily.

_Breyde_, start, quick or hasty step.

_Broke_, brook, enjoy, use, keep.

_Bronde_, brand, sword.

_Bushement_, ambush.

_Buske_, _I wyll me buske_, _i.e._ go, betake myself. _Buske you_, address or prepare yourselves, make ready.

_Bydene_, one after another.

_Can_, did.

_Carpe_, [to speak].

_Cankardly_, peevishly, with ill-temper.

_Capull hyde_, horse hide. _Capal_ or _Capul_ in Irish or Erse is a horse or mare, as _Kephyl_ is in Welsh.

_Carel_, _Carril_, carle, old fellow.

_Caward_, awkward or backward. See _Awkwarde_.

_Cerstyn_, Christian.

_Chaffar_, chaffer, merchandise, commodity.

_Chepe_, _better chepe_, cheaper; _à meilleur marché_, F. _Gret chepe_, very cheap; _à très bon marché_.

_Chepe_, cheapen, buy. _Chepyd_, cheapened, bought.

_Cheys_, choose.

_Chiven_, p. 219.

_Chorle_, churl, peasant, clown.

_Cla’d_, scratched.

_Clock_, cloak.

_Clouted_, patched.

_Cole_, p. 66.

_Come_, (pronounced com) came.

_Command_, warrant, authority.

_Commytted_, accounted.

_Coresed_, p. 20.

_Cortessey_, courteous. Q. _Corteysse_.

_Cote a pye_, upper garment, short cloke; _courtepy_, Chaucer. See Tyrwhitt’s note, iv. 201.

_Coud_, knew, understood.

_Counsell_, “_And counsell shall it be_,” and it shall be kept secret; in allusion, perhaps, to the oath of a grand juror:—“the king’s _counsel_, your fellows, and your own you shall keep secret.” The phrase is, however, used by Chaucer:

“Shall it be _conseil_? sayed the firste shrewe; And I shall tellen thee in wordes fewe What we shall don, and bring it wel aboute.”

—_Pardoneres Tale._

_Covent_, convent; whence our Covent Garden.

_Cowed_, could, knew. _Cowed of curteysey_, understood good manners. {390}

_Crack_, boast.

_Craftely_, skilfully, _secundum artem_.

_Crouse_, brisk.

_Cun_, con, owe, give.

_Curn_, p. 101.

_Curtall_, p. 210, 211.

_Curteyse_, courteous.

_Cutters_, sharking fellows; such as live by robbery or violence; bravos. So in the old play of _Arden of Feversham_, h. d. b. l.: “And they are cutters, and may cut your throat.”

_Dame_, mother.

_Dead_, certain; so in the common saying, “As dead as Chelsea;” _i.e._ as certain as a situation in that hospital.

_Demed_, judged.

_Depart_, part, separate.

_Derne_, privy, secret.

_Deyell_, devil.

_Deythe_, dight, dressed.

_Donne_, dun.

_Doyt_, doth, do.

_Dree_, hye.

_Dreyffe_, drive.

_Dub_, shallow miry pool.

_Dung_, beaten, overcome.

_Durk_, dagger.

_Dyght_, dressed, done.

_Dyghtande_, p. 69.

_Dysgrate_, disgraced, degraded. _Hath be dysgrate_, hath fallen into poverty.

_Een_, eyes.

_Eftsones_, hereafter, afterward.

_Eild_, age.

_Elephant_, p. 263.

_Ender_, under.

_English wood._ If _Inglewood Forest_ be here intended, the Queen is a little out in her geography: she probably means _Sherwood_, but neither was that in the page’s way to Nottingham, and _Barnsdale_ was still farther north. See _Ancient Popular Poetry_, 1791, p. 3.

_Ere_, before.

_Eylde_, yield.

_Eyr_, year.

_Eyre_, heir.

_Fail_, _But fail_, without fail, without doubt.

_Failyd_, wanted, missed.

_Fair_, fare, ado.

_Fare_, live.

_Farley_, fairly, plainly.

_Fay_, faith. {391}

_Fayne_, glad.

_Fe_, fee, wages.

_Feardest_, fearfulest, most frightened or afraid.

_Feders_, feathers.

_Fend_, _Fend I godys forbode_.

_Fende_, defend.

_Fered_, feared, lived.

_Ferre_, far. _Ferre dayes_, far in the day; _grand jour_, F. _Ferre gone_, long since.

_Fette_, fetched.

_Fetteled him_, made him ready, prepared himself, set about. _Fettled_, _Them fettled_, attempted, set about.

_Feyffe_, five.

_Finikin_, finical, fine, spruce.

_Flee_, fly.

_Flinders_, splinters.

_Fone_, foes, enemies.

_Forbode_, _Godys forbode_, ‘prohibition or curse.’ Florio, in his Italian dictionary, 1598, renders the phrase, _Adio non piaceia_. God forbid, _Godes forbode_. In _A Briefe Conceipte of English Policy_, 1581, it is corrupted to “_God swarbote_.”

_Force_, care.

_Forgone_, forego, lose.

_Fors_, see _Force_.

_Forsoyt_, forsooth, truly.

_Foryete_, forgotten.

_Fostere_, forester.

_Fothe_, foot.

_Frae_, from.

_Frebore_, free-born, gentle.

_Frese_, p. 39.

_Furmety_, [_fumenty_].

_Frere_, [friar].

_Fynly_, goodly.

_Gae_, go.

_Gan_, _Gan they gone_, are they gone, did they go.

_Gang_, _Gange_, go.

_Gate_, _Gates_, ways, passes, paths, ridings. _Gate_ is a common word in the North for way.—_P._

_Geffe_, given.

_General_, perhaps the governor, Nottingham still being a garrison town.

_Ger_, gear, stuff, goods, property, effects.

_Gereamarsey_, see _Gramercy_.

_Gillore_, plenty.

_Glen_, valley.

_God_, good, goods, property.

_God-a-marsey_, God-a-mercy! See _Gramercy_.

_Godde_, see _God_. {392}

_Godys forbode._ See _Forbode_.

_Gorney_, journey.

_Goy_, joy.

_Graff_, _Oke graff_, oak branch or sapling.

_Gramercy_, thanks, or many thanks; _grand mercie_, F.

_Gree_, satisfaction.

_Gret_, greeted, saluted.

_Gripped_, grasped, laid hold of.

_Grome_, a common man.

_Hail_, _All hail_, wholely, entirely.

_Halds_, holds, holding-places, supports.

_Halke_, perhaps haugh, low ground by the side of a river. See the glossary to Bishop Douglas’s _Virgil_, _v._ _Hawchis_. _Halke_ with Chaucer signifies a corner; but seems here used in opposition to _hill_.

_Halfendell_, half.

_Hals_, neck.

_Hambellet_, ambleth.

_Hansell._ The vendor of any wares is said to receive _hansel_ of his first customer; but the meaning of the text, _Haffe hansell for the mar_, is not understood, unless it can be thought to imply, _Give me hansel_, _i.e._ buy of my pots.

_Hart of Greece_ means perhaps no more than a fat hart, for the sake of a quibble between Greece and grease.

_Hawt_, aught, anything, something.

_Hayt_, hath.

_Held_, kept preserved.

_Hende_, gentle, courteous.

_Hent_, took, caught.

_Hepe_, hip, haw, the fruit of the white thorn. So in _Gil Morice_, a Scotish ballad:—

“I was once AS FOW of Gill Morrice AS THE HIP IS O’ THE STEAN.”

_Her_, their.

_Het_, it.

_Het_, eat.

_Heynd_, gentle, courteous.

_Heyt war howte_, p. 86.

_Highed_, hyed, hastened.

_Hight_, _What they hight_, what they are called.

_Holde_, keep, held, retained of council.

_Holy_, wholely.

_Holy dame_, _Our holy dame_, p. 250, the Virgin Mary (so called); unless, for our “holy dame” we should read our halidome, which may mean our holiness, honesty, chastity; haligoome, sanctimonia.

_Hos_, _Hus_, us.

_Hotys_, oats.

_Housband_, _Housbonde_, manager, husbandman, peasant. {393}

_How_, hill.

_Howt_, out.

_Hyght_, vowed, promised.

_Hynde_, knave.

_I_, ay.

_Ibent_, bent.

_Ibonde_, bound.

_Ichaunged_, changed.

_Idyght_, dight, dressed, prepared, made ready.

_Ifedered_, feathered.

_Ilke_, each.

_In-fere_, together.

_Inocked_, nocked, notched.

_Ipyght_, _Up ipyght_, p. 26.

_Iquyt_, acquitted, set at liberty.

_Iswore_, sworn.

_Itake_, taken.

_Japes_, tricks.

_Ken_, know.

_Kest_, cast.

_Kirtle_, upper petticoat.

_Knave_, servant, man.

_Kod_, quod, quoth, said.

_Kyrtell_, waistcoat.

_Kythe nor kin_, acquaintance nor kindred.

_Lappe_, wrap.

_Late_, lake, play, game.

_Launsgay_, a sort of lance.

_Leasynge_, lying, falsehood.

_Lede_, train, suite.

_Ledesman_, guide.

_Lee_, plain.

_Lefe_, willing. _Whether he were loth or lefe_, whether he would or not.

_Leffe_, leave, left.

_Leffes_, leaves.

_Lende_, meet, encounter.

_Lene_, lend.

_Lere_, learn.

_Lere_, cheek.

_Lese_, lose.

_Let_, omit, hinder, hindered.

_Leugh_, laughed.

_Lever_, rather.

_Lewtè_, loyalty, faith, truth; _leauté_, F.

_Leythe_, light.

_Ligge_, lay.

_Lin_, stop, stay.

_Lithe_, attend, hear, hearken. {394}

_Loffe_, love.

_Lore_, lost.

_Lough_, _Loughe_, _Low_, laughed.

_Lowe_, “a little hill.”—_P._

_Lown_, villain, knave, base fellow.

_Lust_, desire, inclination.

_Lyght_, light; or, perhaps, for _lyte_, little.

_Lynde_, _Lyne_, the lime or linden tree; or collectively lime trees, or trees in general.

_Lyth_, see _Lithe_.

_Lyveray_, livery, habit, delivery: the mess, portion, or quantity of provisions delivered out at a time by the butler was called _a livery_.

_Masars_, cups, vessels.

_Masterye_, “a trial of skill, high proof of skill.”—_P._

_Mair_, more.

_Maney_, see _Meyne_.

_May_, maid.

_Me_, _That ever yet sawe I me_, a gallicism; _que jamais j’ai vu moi_.

_Meal_, oat-meal.

_Meal-poke_, meal-bag, bag in which oatmeal is put.

_Meat-rife._

_Mede_, _To quyte hym well his mede_, to reward him to some purpose.

_Medys_, midst, middle.

_Meede_, reward.

_Mesh_, _All to mesh_, to a mash or jelly.

_Met_, _Mete_, measured.

_Methe_, meat.

_Meyne_, attendants, retinue; _mesnie_, F.

_Meythe_, might.

_Mickle_, much, great, very.

_Mister_, need. It is _misters_ in the original.

_Mo_, more.

_Molde_, earth.

_Mot_, _Mote_, might, may.

_Mote_, meeting, assembly, court, audit.

_Mountenaunce_, amount, duration, space.

_Mow_, mouth.

_Mowe_, may.

_Muckle_, see _Mickle_.

_Myrthes_, mirth, merriment. _A man that myrthes can_, a minstrel, fiddler, juggler, or the like.

_Myster_, need.

_Nane_, none.

_Nar_, nor, than.

_Ner_, ear. So in “_The Romaunt of the Rose_:”

“He streight up to his _ere_ ydrough The stronge bowe.” {395}

_Ner_, (_ne wer it_), were it not.

_Nip_, p. 100.

_Nips_, p. 101.

_Nobellys_, nobles. The _noble_ was a gold coin, value 6s. 8d.

_Nombles_, _Numbles_, entrails; those parts which are usually baked in a pie: now, corruptly, called _humbles_ or _umbles_: _nombles_, F. Thus we say, _an Adder_, _an Apron_, _an Ouche_, instead of _a Nadder_, (Naddre), _a Napron_, _a Nouche_: the _n_ being, through ignorance, transferred to the article. The reverse has happened in the words _A newt_, which should be written _An ewt_: a mistake the more remarkable as we say and write _An eft_; both from the same root: Efet, Saxon.

_Obeyedores_, [_obediener_].

_Okerer_, usurer.

_Or_, [en].

_Os_, us.

_Outdone_, undone.

_Owthe_, out.

_Paid_, beat, beaten.

_Palmer._ A _palmer_ was, properly, a pilgrim who had visited the Holy Land, from the palm-branch or cross which he bore as a sign of such visitation: but it is probable that the distinction between _palmers_ and other _pilgrims_ was never much attended to in this country. The palmer in the text seems to be no more than a common beggar; as is, likewise, the one in the romance.

_Partakers_, assistants, persons to take thy part.

_Passe_, extent, bounds, limits, district; as the _Pas de Calais_. Copland’s edition reads _compas_.

_Pauage_, _Pavag_, _Pavage_, _Pawage_, a toll or duty payable for the liberty of passing over the soil or territory of another: _paagium_, L.

_Pay_, content, satisfaction, money.

_Peces_, p. 32.

_Pecocke_, _With pecocke well ydight_, handsomely dressed with peacock feathers. Thus Chaucer, describing his “_squire’s yeman_:”

“A shefe of _peacocke arwes_ bright and kene, Under his belt he bare ful thriftely.”

In a little treatise of “_The Hors, the Shepe, and the Ghoos_,” printed by Caxton, it is said—

“Thurgh all the londe of Brutes Albyon For fetherd arowes as I reherce can _Ghoos_ is the best to make comparison Excepte fethers of _pecok_ and of _swan_.”

_Pinder._ The _pinder_ is the _pounder_ or _pound-keeper_; the petty officer of a manor, whose duty it is to impound all strange cattle straying upon the common, &c. {396}

_Plucke-buffet_, p. 75.

_Polle_, pull.

_Poke_, bag.

_Preke_, prick, a piece of wood in the centre of the target.

_Prese_, company.

_Prest_, ready, ready to go.

_Puding-pricks_, skewers that fasten the pudding-bag.

_Pyne_, _Goddes pyne_, Christ’s passion or crucifixion.

_Quequer_, quiver: Gocur, Saxon.

_Queyt_, quit, recompense.

_Qod_, quoth, says, said.

_Raked_, walked apace.

_Ray_, _Battle ray_, Battle-array. The same expression occurs in _The Tragicall History of Didaco and Violenta_, 1567:

“To traverse forth his grounde, to place His troupes _in batayle ray_.”

_Ray_, array, put in order.

_Raye._ _Cloth of ray_ was cloth not coloured or dyed. It is mentioned in many old statutes in contradistinction to _cloth of colour_. See 17 E. 3. c. 1, 7 H. 4. c. 10, 11 H. 4. c. 6, 1 R. 3. c. 8. The “_reied or striped cloth_” (Stow’s _Survay_, 1598, p. 436, 430) must have been very different.

_Reachles_, careless, regardless, unobservant.

_Red_, clear.

_Reuth_, pity, compassion.

_Reve_, taken by force.

_Reves_, bailiffs, receivers.

_Ripe_, cleanse. _Riped_, cleansed.

_Rod_, poles, perches. A rod, pole, or perch is usually sixteen feet and a half, but in Sherwood forest (according to Blount) it is 21 feet, the foot there being 18 inches.

_Rode_, rood, cross.

_Rung_, staff.

_Ryall_, royal.

_Ryalty_, royalty.

_Ryghtwys_, righteous, just.

_Sack_, a kind of Spanish wine, perhaps sherry, formerly much drank in this country; very different, at least, from the sweet (or canary) wine now so called.

_Sair_, sore.

_Salved_, (_salued_?) saluted. The word _salewed_, in this sense, occurs repeatedly in _The Hystorye of Reinard the Foxe_ (Pinson’s edition); and (_vide tamen Salvid_ in the _Gesta Romanorum_, MS. Har. 7333, No. 48) in that of “_Kynge Ponthus of Galyce_,” 1511. “_Salue_,” F. i. “_Salewe_,” F. ii. K. Ponthus.

_Scathe_, harm.

_Schetyng_, shooting.

_Schomer_, summer. {397}

_Sclo_, slay.

_Scop_, scalp, pate.

_Scoper_, supper.

_Scouth_, p. 105.

_Serefe_, _Screffe_, sheriff.

_Se_, vide _See_.

_Seche_, seek.

_See_, regard, protect. The same phrase occurs in Chaucer’s _Troilus and Cresside_:

“Madame, quoth Pandare, God you save see.”

_Seker_, sure.

_Selerer._ The cellarer (_celerier_, _cellararius_, or _cellarius_) was that officer who furnished the convent with provisions, _cui potus et escæ cura est, qui cellæ vinariæ et escariæ præest, promus_ (DU CANGE). He appears to have been a person of considerable trust, and to have had a principal concern in the management of the society’s revenues. See Spelman’s _Glossary_, Fuller’s _Church History_, &c.

_Semblaunte_, semblance, appearance.

_Sene_, see.

_Sete_, p. 25.

_Sets._ _Sets with Roben Hood such a lass!_ probably such a lass would suit or become him well; but the passage is either singular or corrupt.

_Sette_, mortgaged.

_Shawe._ _Shaw_ is usually explained by _little wood_, but _greenwood little wood_ would be ridiculous tautology; it may therefore mean _shade_, which appears its primitive signification: Scuƿa, Saxon. See p. 327, ver. 5. _Shaws_, “little woods.”—P.

_Shende_, hurt, annoy. _Shente_, hurt, wounded.

_Shet_, shut.

_Shete_, shoot.

_Shone_, [shoes].

_Shope_, shaped, made.

_Shraddes._ See the note.

_Shrewde_, _Shrewed_, unlucky.

_Shrift_, confession.

_Shroggs_, “shrubs, thorns, briars. G. Doug. _scroggis_.”—P.

_Shyt_, shut.

_Skaith_, hurt, harm. _They feared for his skaith_, _i.e._ for the harm it might do them.

_Slack_, low ground.

_Slade_, “a slip of greensward between plow-lands, or woods, &c.”—P.

_Slawe_, _Slone_, slain.

_Sle_, _Sloo_, slay.

_Somers_, sumpter-horses.

_Sorowe_, sorry. {398}

_Sothe_, sooth, truth.

_Sound_, see _A-sound_.

_Soyt_, sooth, truth.

_Spear_, ask. _Speer’d_, asked, inquired.

_Stalward_, _Stalworthe_, stout, well made.

_Stane_, stone.

_Stark_, stiff.

_Stede_, time.

_Steven._ _At some unsett-steven_, at some unlooked for time, by some odd accident, by mere chance, voice.

_Stime_, spark, particle or ray of light.

_Stint_, stop.

_Sto’_, store, p. 219.

_Strang_, strong.

_Strete_, lane, path, way.

_Sweaven_, dream.

_Sweer_, p. 100.

_Syne_, after, afterward, then.

_Syth_, afterward.

_Takles_, arrows.

_Takyll_, arrow.

_Tarpe_, p. 68.

_Tene_, grief, sorrow, distress, vexation.

_Tene_, grieve.

_The_, thrive, prosper.

_Thes_, thus, this.

_Thos_, thus.

_Throwe_, space.

_To-broke_, broken.

_To-hande staffe_, two-hand staff, quarter-staff.

_Tortyll_, wreathed, twined, twirled, twisted; _tortillé_, F.

_Tray_, anger.

_Tree_, staff.

_Treyffe_, thrive.

_Trow_, true.

_Trowet_, troth.

_True_, trow, believe.

_Trystell_, _Trystyll_.

_Tynde_, _Tyndes_, tines, antlers, the pointed branches that issue from the main beam of a stag. “In Ynglond ther ys a shepcote, the wyche schepekote hayt ix dorys, & at yeuery dor stondet ix ramys, & every ram hat ix ewys, & yevery ewe hathe ix lambys, & yevery lambe hayt ix homes, & every horne hayt ix TYNDES: what ys the somm of all thes belle?” (MSS. More, Ee. 4. 35.)

_Unketh_, uncouth, strange.

_Unneth_, scarcely.

_Up-chaunce_, by chance.

_Venie_, _Brave venie_, merry vein, jovial humour. {399}

_Wan_, _Wonnynge wan_, dwelling-place.

_Wan_, got.

_Warden-pies._ _Wardens_ are a species of large pears. In Shakespeare’s _Winter’s Tale_, the clown, enumerating the articles he had to provide for the sheep-shearing feast, says he “must have saffron to colour the _warden-pies_.”

_Warse_, worse.

_Was_, wash. “And afterward the justices arise and _wasse_, and geffe thanks unto the new serjaunts forther gode dyner” (_Origines Juridiciales_, p. 116). This ceremony, which, in former times, was constantly practised as well before as after meat, seems to have fallen into disuse on the introduction of forks, about the year 1620: as before that period our ancestors supplyed the place of this necessary utensil with their fingers.

_Watchman_, a probable mistake for _Waithman_, outlaw. See Notes, &c., p. lxxiii.

_Wed_, _Wedde_, pawn, pledge, or deposit. _To wedde_, in mortgage. _Lay my life to wedde_, pawn my life.

_Weele_, well.

_Welt_, _Welt them at his wyll_, did as he pleased with them, used them at his pleasure.

_Wed_, _Wende_, go, hye.

_Wenest_, thinkest.

_Wenion_, _Marry gep with a wenion!_ “He shoulde have bene at home a preaching _with a waniant_,” says Bishop Latimer, _Sermons before King Edward VI._, p. 35. This phrase, _with a wannion_, is common in old plays, but, though its meaning be obvious, even Mr. Steevens is unable to “explain the word at the end of it” (_Shak._ xiii. 440). It is now corrupted to _with a vengeance_.

_Went_, wended, gone.

_Werschep_, worshipped, reverenced, respected.

_West_, wist, known.

_Wete_, know.

_Whang_, _Leathern whang_, leather thong or string.

_Whereas_, where.

_Whute_, whistle.

_Wigger wand_, wicker wand.

_Wight_, _Wighty_, strong. _N.B._ The latter word seems everywhere a mistake for the former.

_Wilfulle_, doubtful.

_Win_, see _Wen_.

_Win_, get.

_Wist_, wis, trow, believe.

_Wist_, knew.

_Wode_, mad.

_Wodys_, woods.

_Wolwarde_, wearing a flannel shirt, by way of penance. See Steeven’s _Shakespeare_, 1793, v. 360. {400}

_Won_, dwell.

_Wonest_, dwellest.

_Woodweele_, “the golden ouzle, a bird of the thrush kind.”—P.

_Worthe_, _Wo worthe the_, woe be to thee.

_Wrack_, ruin, destruction.

_Wroken_, wreaked, revenged.

_Wyght_, strong, stout.

_Wynne_, go.

_Wys_, trow; there is no modern word precisely synonymous.

_Wyte_, _Wytte_, know.

_Y_, I.

_Yede_, _Yeed_, went.

_Yeff_, if.

_Yeffell_, evil.

_Yeft_, gift.

_Yemenry_, yeomanry. _Thow seys god yemenry_, thou speakest honestly, fairly, sensibly, like a good yeoman.

_Yend_, yon.

_Yeomandree_, _Yeomandry_, yeomanry, followers.

_Yerdes_, rods.

_Yever_, ever.

_Yfere_, together.

_Ylke_, same. _Ylke same_, very same.

_Ynowe_, enough.

_Yode_, went.

_Yole_, Christmas.

_Yonder_, under.

_Yong men_, yeomen (which is every where substituted in Copland’s edition). See Spelman’s _Glossary_ in the wordes _Juniores_, _Yeoman_; Minshen’s _Guide into Tongues_, in the latter word; Tyrwhitt’s edition of the _Canterbury Tales_, iv. 195; Shakespeare’s _Plays_, 1793, xiv. 347.

[Illustration]

PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE, HANSON AND CO. EDINBURGH AND LONDON

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE

Original spelling and grammar have been generally retained, with some exceptions noted below. Original printed page numbers are shown like this: {52}. Original small caps are now uppercase. Italics look _like this_. Footnotes have been relabeled 1–359, and moved from within paragraphs to the ends of chapters. The transcriber produced the cover image and hereby assigns it to the public domain. Original page images are available from archive.org—search for "odcollectrobinho00ritsrich".

Page ix, List of Embellishments. The page reference for KIRKLEY HALL is changed from “xlv” to “xiv”.

Page xxi. The Pedigree of Robin Hood in the printed book was a complicated chart, which cannot be represented properly in this simple text edition. Therefore a transcription has been provided, based on the geneological numbering system of Robert B. Henry—see for example wikipedia.org, search for Ahnentafel_with_generation. I apologize for any errors you might find in this transcription. The Henry system starts with a progenitor, numbered 1, his/her children, numbered 11, 12, etc, followed by grandchildren 111, 112, etc. The system ordinarily depends on knowing the order of birth of children to parents, but that is not provided in our book, so our Henry numbers are, in that respect, arbitrary, showing only parentage. Also, the abbreviation m. is used in this transcription, ordinarily meaning “married”, but in this case indicating only parentage.

Page xvii. “drowne themselves (as it were,” changed to “drowne themselves (as it were),”, to close the left parenthesis.

Page lvi. A missing left double quotation mark was inserted before ‘_Rob._ Wind once more,’.

Page lxxiii note. Changed “It is from þæðan, _venari_, _fugare_)” to “It is from þæðan, _venari_, _fugare_”.

Page c note. The phrase “fr ðes”, retained, might be an error; perhaps it should read “friðes”?

Page ci. “16:h” to “16th”.

Page cv note. Changed “in 1621 (the very date, by the way, which appears on Mr. Tollet’s window,” to “in 1621 (the very date, by the way, which appears on Mr. Tollet’s window),”.

Page cviii. Added right parenthesis after “1783, p. 255.” to balance the left parenthesis before “See Steevens’s”.

Page 164n. The original inverted asterism has been replaced with an asterism ⁂ in this text edition.

Page 170. “Robin Hdoo served” to “Robin Hood served”.

Page 188 music midi file. In bar 9, the E-sharp has been corrected to E-natural.

Page 263n. The footnote “Elephant.” had no anchor in the text, and is therefore relocated here. A volunteer suggested that it might attach to ‘eglantine’ in the first line on the page.

Page 269n. The footnote “Robin Hood.” had no anchor in the text; a new one was inserted after “Robin” in the third stanza.

Page 302 midi file. In bar 6, the first note has been corrected to a quarter-note. In bar 7, the eighth notes have been corrected to sixteenth notes.

Page 312n. The footnote had no anchor; a new one is inserted after “And ‘wandred’”.

Page 348n. Changed “later period in Germany (see” to “later period in Germany, see”

Pages 354, 355 midi file. The three music snippets on these pages are meant to be sung as a single three-part chorus, and have been so rendered in the midi file. Note that transcribing early music notation into modern notation is not an exact science; in 1609, when this piece was published, music notation was still considered more of a guide than a mandate. Therefore, adjustments were made so that the sound file makes musical sense.

Page 357 midi file. As with the previous piece, which was also published in 1609, adjustments were made so that the sound file makes musical sense.

Page 387. Several entries in the Glossary ending with comma were altered to end with full stop.

Page 393. “_Lewtè_, loyal y,” changed to “_Lewtè_, loyalty,”.

Page 396. There are in several places in this book instances of words printed in mixtures of uncial, insular, and humanist type. These have been rendered in common unicode characters in this text edition; images are provided for the html, epub, and mobi editions. A particularly odd instance occurs on page 396, where the Saxon word meaning _Quequer_ is rendered herein “Gocur”.