Chapter I: Front Matter (1)

THE
ENGLISH AND SCOTTISH
POPULAR BALLADS

EDITED BY
FRANCIS JAMES CHILD

IN FIVE VOLUMES
VOLUME III

NEW YORK
DOVER PUBLICATIONS, INC.

This Dover edition, first published in 1965, is an
unabridged and unaltered republication of the work
originally published by Houghton, Mifflin and
Company, as follows:

Vol. I—Part I, 1882; Part II, 1884
Vol. II—Part III, 1885; Part IV, 1886
Vol. III—Part V, 1888; Part VI, 1889
Vol. IV—Part VII, 1890; Part VIII, 1892
Vol. V—Part IX, 1894; Part X, 1898.

This edition also contains as an appendix to Part X
an essay by Walter Morris Hart entitled “Professor
Child and the Ballad,” reprinted _in toto_ from Vol.
XXI, No. 4, 1906 [New Series Vol. XIV, No. 4] of the
_Publications of the Modern Language Association of
America_.

_Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 65–24347_

Manufactured in the United States of America

Dover Publications, Inc.
180 Varick Street
New York, N.Y. 10014

ADVERTISEMENT TO PART V

NUMBERS 114–155

REV. PROFESSOR SKEAT has done me the great service of collating Wynken de Worde’s text of The Gest of Robin Hood, the manuscript of Robin Hood and the Monk and of Robin Hood and the Potter, and all the Robin Hood broadsides in the Pepys collection. Mr MACMATH has collated the fragments of the earlier copy of The Gest which are preserved in the Advocates’ Library, and, as always, has been most ready to respond to every call for aid. I would also gratefully acknowledge assistance received from Mr W. ALDIS WRIGHT, of Trinity College, Cambridge; the Rev. EDMUND VENABLES, Precentor of Lincoln; Dr FURNIVALL; and, in America, from Mr W. W. NEWELL, Miss PERINE and Mrs DULANY.

F. J. C.

FEBRUARY, 1888.

ADVERTISEMENT TO PART VI

NUMBERS 156–188

Mr MACMATH has helped me in many ways in the preparation of this Sixth Part, and, as before, has been prodigal of time and pains. I am under particular obligations to Mr ROBERT BRUCE ARMSTRONG, of Edinburgh, for his communications concerning the ballad-folk of the Scottish border, and to Dr WILHELM WOLLNER, of the University of Leipsic, and Mr GEORGE LYMAN KITTREDGE, my colleague in Harvard College, for contributions (indicated by the initials of their names) which will be found in the Additions and Corrections. Dr WOLLNER will continue his services. Mr JOHN KARŁOWICZ, of Warsaw, purposes to review in ‘Wisła’ all the English ballads which have Polish affinities, and Professor ALEXANDER VESSELOFSKY has allowed me to hope for his assistance; so that there is a gratifying prospect that the points of contact between the English and the Slavic popular ballads will in the end be amply brought out. Thanks are due and are proffered, for favors of various kinds, to Lieutenant-Colonel LUMSDEN, of London, Lieutenant-Colonel PRIDEAUX, of Calcutta, Professor SKEAT, Miss ISABEL FLORENCE HAPGOOD, Professor VINOGRADOF, of Moscow, Professor GEORGE STEPHENS, Mr AXEL OLRIK, of Copenhagen (to whom the completion of SVEND GRUNDTVIG’S great work has been entrusted), Mr JAMES BARCLAY MURDOCH, of Glasgow, Dr F. J. FURNIVALL, Professor C. R. LANMAN, Mr P. Z. ROUND, and Mr W. W. NEWELL.

F. J. C.

JULY, 1889.

CONTENTS OF VOLUME III

BALLAD PAGE
114. JOHNIE COCK 1
(Additions and Corrections: IV, 495.)

115. ROBYN AND GANDELEYN 12

116. ADAM BELL, CLIM OF THE CLOUGH, AND WILLIAM OF CLOUDESLY 14
(Additions and Corrections: III, 518; IV, 496; V, 297.)

117. A GEST OF ROBYN HODE 39
(Additions and Corrections: III, 519; IV, 496; V, 240,
297.)

118. ROBIN HOOD AND GUY OF GISBORNE 89

119. ROBIN HOOD AND THE MONK 94

120. ROBIN HOOD’S DEATH 102
(Additions and Corrections: V, 240, 297.)

121. ROBIN HOOD AND THE POTTER 108
(Additions and Corrections: IV, 497.)

122. ROBIN HOOD AND THE BUTCHER 115

123. ROBIN HOOD AND THE CURTAL FRIAR 120
(Additions and Corrections: V, 297.)

124. THE JOLLY PINDER OF WAKEFIELD 129

125. ROBIN HOOD AND LITTLE JOHN 133
(Additions and Corrections: V, 297.)

126. ROBIN HOOD AND THE TANNER 137

127. ROBIN HOOD AND THE TINKER 140

128. ROBIN HOOD NEWLY REVIVED 144

129. ROBIN HOOD AND THE PRINCE OF ARAGON 147

130. ROBIN HOOD AND THE SCOTCHMAN 150

131. ROBIN HOOD AND THE RANGER 152

132. THE BOLD PEDLAR AND ROBIN HOOD 154
(Additions and Corrections: V, 240.)

133. ROBIN HOOD AND THE BEGGAR, I 155

134. ROBIN HOOD AND THE BEGGAR, II 158

135. ROBIN HOOD AND THE SHEPHERD 165

136. ROBIN HOOD’S DELIGHT 168

137. ROBIN HOOD AND THE PEDLARS 170

138. ROBIN HOOD AND ALLEN A DALE 172

139. ROBIN HOOD’S PROGRESS TO NOTTINGHAM 175

140. ROBIN HOOD RESCUING THREE SQUIRES 177

141. ROBIN HOOD RESCUING WILL STUTLY 185
(Additions and Corrections: IV, 497.)

142. LITTLE JOHN A BEGGING 188

143. ROBIN HOOD AND THE BISHOP 191

144. ROBIN HOOD AND THE BISHOP OF HEREFORD 193

145. ROBIN HOOD AND QUEEN KATHERINE 196

146. ROBIN HOOD’S CHASE 205

147. ROBIN HOOD’S GOLDEN PRIZE 208
(Additions and Corrections: III, 519.)

148. THE NOBLE FISHERMAN, OR, ROBIN HOOD’S PREFERMENT 211

149. ROBIN HOOD’S BIRTH, BREEDING, VALOR AND MARRIAGE 214

150. ROBIN HOOD AND MAID MARIAN 218
(Additions and Corrections: III, 519.)

151. THE KING’S DISGUISE, AND FRIENDSHIP WITH ROBIN HOOD 220

152. ROBIN HOOD AND THE GOLDEN ARROW 223
(Additions and Corrections: V, 241.)

153. ROBIN HOOD AND THE VALIANT KNIGHT 225

154. A TRUE TALE OF ROBIN HOOD 227

155. SIR HUGH, OR, THE JEW’S DAUGHTER 233
(Additions and Corrections: III, 519; IV, 497; V, 241,
297.)

156. QUEEN ELEANOR’S CONFESSION 257
(Additions and Corrections: IV, 498; V, 241, 297.)

157. GUDE WALLACE 265
(Additions and Corrections: V, 242.)

158. HUGH SPENCER’S FEATS IN FRANCE 275
(Additions and Corrections: IV, 499; V, 243.)

159. DURHAM FIELD 282
(Additions and Corrections: V, 297.)

160. THE KNIGHT OF LIDDESDALE 288

161. THE BATTLE OF OTTERBURN 289
(Additions and Corrections: III, 520; IV, 499; V, 243,
297.)

162. THE HUNTING OF THE CHEVIOT 303
(Additions and Corrections: IV, 502; V, 244, 297.)

163. THE BATTLE OF HARLAW 316
(Additions and Corrections: V, 245.)

164. KING HENRY FIFTH’S CONQUEST OF FRANCE 320
(Additions and Corrections: V, 245.)

165. SIR JOHN BUTLER 327

166. THE ROSE OF ENGLAND 331

167. SIR ANDREW BARTON 334
(Additions and Corrections: IV, 502; V, 245.)

168. FLODDEN FIELD 351
(Additions and Corrections: IV, 507; V, 298.)

169. JOHNIE ARMSTRONG 362
(Additions and Corrections: III, 520; IV, 507; V, 298.)

170. THE DEATH OF QUEEN JANE 372
(Additions and Corrections: V, 245, 298.)

171. THOMAS CROMWELL 377

172. MUSSELBURGH FIELD 378
(Additions and Corrections: IV, 507.)

173. MARY HAMILTON 379
(Additions and Corrections: IV, 507; V, 246, 298.)

174. EARL BOTHWELL 399
(Additions and Corrections: V, 247.)

175. THE RISING IN THE NORTH 401

176. NORTHUMBERLAND BETRAYED BY DOUGLAS 408
(Additions and Corrections: V, 299.)

177. THE EARL OF WESTMORELAND 416
(Additions and Corrections: V, 299.)

178. CAPTAIN CAR, OR, EDOM O GORDON 423
(Additions and Corrections: III, 520; IV, 513; V, 247,
299.)

179. ROOKHOPE RYDE 439

180. KING JAMES AND BROWN 442

181. THE BONNY EARL OF MURRAY 447
(Additions and Corrections: IV, 515.)

182. THE LAIRD O LOGIE 449
(Additions and Corrections: III, 520; IV, 515; V, 299.)

183. WILLIE MACINTOSH 456
(Additions and Corrections: IV, 516.)

184. THE LADS OF WAMPHRAY 458
(Additions and Corrections: III, 520.)

185. DICK O THE COW 461

186. KINMONT WILLIE 469
(Additions and Corrections: IV, 516.)

187. JOCK O THE SIDE 475

188. ARCHIE O CAWFIELD 484
(Additions and Corrections: IV, 516.)

ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS 496

114

JOHNIE COCK

#A.# Percy Papers, Miss Fisher’s MS., No 5, 1780.

#B.# ‘Johnny Cock,’ Pieces of Ancient Poetry from Unpublished
Manuscripts and Scarce Books, Bristol, 1814, [John Fry], p. 53.

#C.# ‘Johnny Cock,’ Pieces of Ancient Poetry, etc., p. 51.

#D.# ‘Johnie of Cockerslee,’ Kinloch’s annotated copy of his Ancient
Scottish Ballads, p. 38 _bis_.

#E.# ‘Johnie o Cocklesmuir,’ Kinloch MSS, VII, 29; Kinloch’s Ancient
Scottish Ballads, p. 36.

#F.# ‘Johnie of Breadislee,’ Scott’s Minstrelsy, I, 59, 1802.

#G.# ‘Johnnie Brad,’ Harris MS., fol. 25.

#H.# ‘Johnnie o Cocklesmuir,’ Buchan’s MSS, I, 82; Dixon, Scottish
Traditional Versions of Ancient Ballads, p. 77, Percy Society, vol.
xvii.

#I.# ‘Johnie of Braidisbank,’ Motherwell’s Minstrelsy, p. 23.

#J.# Chambers, Scottish Ballads, p. 181.

#K.# Finlay’s Scottish Ballads, I, xxxi: one stanza.

#L.# Harris MS., fol. 25 b: one stanza.

#M.# Froude, Thomas Carlyle, II, 335, New York, 1882, supplemented by
Mrs Aitken: one stanza.

The first notice in print of this precious specimen of the unspoiled traditional ballad is in Ritson’s Scotish Song, 1794, I, xxxvi, note 25: the Rev. Mr Boyd, the translator of Dante, had a faint recollection of three ballads, one of which was called ‘Johny Cox.’ Before this, 1780, a lady of Carlisle had sent a copy to Doctor Percy, #A#. Scott, 1802, was the first to publish the ballad, selecting “the stanzas of greatest merit” from several copies which were in his hands. John Fry gave two valuable fragments, #C#, #B# (which he did not separate), in his Pieces of Ancient Poetry, 1814, from a manuscript “appearing to be the text-book of some illiterate drummer.”[1] I have been able to add only three versions to those which were already before the world, #A#, #D#, #G#; and of these #D# is in part the same as #E#, previously printed by Kinloch.

Pinkerton, Select Scotish Ballads, II, xxxix, 1783, has preserved a stanza, which he assigns to a supposititious ballad of ‘Bertram the Archer:’[2]

‘My trusty bow of the tough yew,
That I in London bought,
And silken strings, if ye prove true,
That my true-love has wrought.’

This stanza agrees with #J# 6, and with #A# 18, #H# 19 in part, and is very likely to belong here; but it might be a movable passage, or commonplace.

All the versions are in accord as to the primary points of the story. A gallant young fellow, who pays no regard to the game-laws, goes out, despite his mother’s entreaties, to ding the dun deer down. He kills a deer, and feasts himself and his dogs so freely on it that they all fall asleep. An old palmer, a silly auld, stane-auld carl, observes him, and carries word to seven foresters [fifteen #B#, three (?) #C#]. They beset Johnie and wound him; he kills all but one, and leaves that one, badly hurt, to carry tidings of the rest. Johnie sends a bird to his mother to bid her fetch him away, #F# 19, 20, cf. #B# 13; a bird warns his mother that Johnie tarries long, #H# 21 (one of Buchan’s parrots). The _boy_ in #A# 20, 21 is evidently a corruption of _bird_. Information is given the mother in a different way in #L#. #B-G# must be adjudged to be incomplete; #I-M# are mere fragments. #H# has a false and silly conclusion, 22–24, in imitation of Robin Hood and of Adam Bell. Mrs Harris had heard another version besides #G# (of which she gives only one stanza, #L#), in which “Johnie is slain and thrown owre a milk-white steed; news is sent to Johnie’s mother, who flies to her son.” It is the one forester who is not quite killed that is thrown over his steed to carry tidings home, #F# 18, #G# 11. #D# 19, #E# 17, and Mrs Harris’s second version are, as to this point, evidently corrupted.

The hero’s name is Johnny Cock, #B# 2, #C# 1; Johny Cox, Rev. Mr Boyd; John o Cockis (Johny Cockis?), #H# 17; Johny o Cockley’s Well, #A# 14; o Cockerslee, #D# 14; of Cockielaw, in one of the versions used by Scott for #F#; o Cocklesmuir, #E# 13, #H# 15. Again, Johnie Brad, #G# 1, #L#; Johnie o Breadislee, #F# 14; Braidislee, #J# 2.

The hunting-ground, or the place where Johnie is discovered, is up in Braidhouplee, down in Bradyslee, #A# 6, high up in Bradyslee, low down in Bradyslee, #A# 12; Braidscaur Hill, #D# 6, Braidisbanks, #D# 12, #I# 1; Bride’s Braidmuir, #H# 2, 5; Broadspear Hill, #E# 2, 5; Durrisdeer only in #F# 4. The seven foresters are of Pickeram Side, #A# 3, 19; of Hislinton, #F# 9. #B# 1^1 reads, Fifteen foresters in the braid alow; which seems to require emendation, perhaps simply to Braid alow, perhaps to Braidislee.

With regard to the localities in #A#, Percy notes that Pickeram Side is in Northumbria, and that there is a Cockley Tower in Erringside, near Brady’s Cragg, and a Brady’s Cragg near Chollerford Bridge. There is a Cockley, _alias_ Cocklaw, in Erringside, near Chollerton, in the south division of Tynedale Ward, parish of St John Lee. The Erring is a small stream which enters the Tyne between Chollerton and Chollerford. Again, Cocklaw Walls appears in the map of the Ordnance Survey, a little to the north and east of Cockley in Erringside, and Cocklaw Walls may represent the Cockley’s Well of the ballad. (Percy notes that Cockley’s Well is said to be near Bewcastle, Cumberland.) I have not found Brady’s Cragg or Pickeram Side in the Ordnance Survey maps, nor indeed any of the compounds of Braidy or Braid anywhere.

There is a Braid a little to the south of Edinburgh, Braid Hills and Braid Burn; and Motherwell, Minstrelsy, p. 17, says that there is tradition for this region having been the hunting-ground.

Scott’s copy, #F#, lays the scene in Dumfriesshire, and there is other tradition to the same effect.[3]

Percy was struck with the occurrence of the wolf in #A# 17, found also in #B# 10, #C# 5. He considered, no doubt, that the mention of the wolf was a token of the high antiquity of the ballad. “Wolues that wyryeth men, wommen and children” are spoken of in Piers Plowman, #C#, Passus, X, v. 226, Skeat, 1886, I, 240, and the #C# text is assigned to about 1393. Holinshed (1577), I, 378, says that though the island is void of wolves south of the Tweed, yet the Scots cannot boast the like, since they have grievous wolves.

#F# is translated by Schubart, p. 187; Wolff, Halle der Völker, I, 41, Hausschatz, p. 224; Doenniges, p. 10; Gerhard, p. 51; R. von Bismarck, Deutsches Museum, 1858, I, 897; Cesare Cantù, Documenti alla Storia Universale, V, 806; in Le Magasin Pittoresque, 1838, p. 127 b; by Loève-Veimars, p. 296. Grundtvig, p. 269, No 41, translates a compound of #F#, #I#, #E# (Kinloch’s Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 36), and #B#; Knortz, Schottische Balladen, No 18, a mixture of #F# and others.

A

Communicated to Percy by Miss Fisher, of Carlisle, 1780, No 5 of MS.

1
Johny he has risen up i the morn,
Calls for water to wash his hands;
But little knew he that his bloody hounds
Were bound in iron bands. bands
Were bound in iron bands

2
Johny’s mother has gotten word o that,
And care-bed she has taen:
‘O Johny, for my benison,
I beg you’l stay at hame;
For the wine so red, and the well baken bread,
My Johny shall want nane.

3
‘There are seven forsters at Pickeram Side,
At Pickeram where they dwell,
And for a drop of thy heart’s bluid
They wad ride the fords of hell.’

4
Johny he’s gotten word of that,
And he’s turnd wondrous keen;
He’s put off the red scarlett,
And he’s put on the Lincolm green.

5
With a sheaf of arrows by his side,
And a bent bow in his hand,
He’s mounted on a prancing steed,
And he has ridden fast oer the strand.

6
He’s up i Braidhouplee, and down i Bradyslee,
And under a buss o broom,
And there he found a good dun deer,
Feeding in a buss of ling.

7
Johny shot, and the dun deer lap,
And she lap wondrous wide,
Until they came to the wan water,
And he stemd her of her pride.

8
He ’as taen out the little pen-knife,
’Twas full three quarters long,
And he has taen out of that dun deer
The liver bot and the tongue.

9
They eat of the flesh, and they drank of the blood,
And the blood it was so sweet,
Which caused Johny and his bloody hounds
To fall in a deep sleep.

10
By then came an old palmer,
And an ill death may he die!
For he’s away to Pickram Side,
As fast as he can drie.

11
‘What news, what news?’ says the Seven Forsters,
‘What news have ye brought to me?’
‘I have noe news,’ the palmer said,
‘But what I saw with my eye.

12
‘High up i Bradyslee, low down i Bradisslee,
And under a buss of scroggs,
O there I spied a well-wight man,
Sleeping among his dogs.

13
‘His coat it was of light Lincolm,
And his breeches of the same,
His shoes of the American leather,
And gold buckles tying them.’

14
Up bespake the Seven Forsters,
Up bespake they ane and a’:
O that is Johny o Cockleys Well,
And near him we will draw.

15
O the first y stroke that they gae him,
They struck him off by the knee;
Then up bespake his sister’s son:
‘O the next’ll gar him die!’

16
‘O some they count ye well-wight men,
But I do count ye nane;
For you might well ha wakend me,
And askd gin I wad be taen.

17
‘The wildest wolf in aw this wood
Wad not ha done so by me;
She’d ha wet her foot ith wan water,
And sprinkled it oer my brae,
And if that wad not ha wakend me,
She wad ha gone and let me be.

18
‘O bows of yew, if ye be true,
In London, where ye were bought,
Fingers five, get up belive,
Manhuid shall fail me nought.’

19
He has killd the Seven Forsters,
He has killd them all but ane,
And that wan scarce to Pickeram Side,
To carry the bode-words hame.

20
‘Is there never a boy in a’ this wood
That will tell what I can say;
That will go to Cockleys Well,
Tell my mither to fetch me away?’

21
There was a boy into that wood,
That carried the tidings away,
And many ae was the well-wight man
At the fetching o Johny away.

B

Pieces of Ancient Poetry from Unpublished Manuscripts and Scarce
Books, Bristol, 1814, p. 53.

1
Fifteen foresters in the Braid alow,
And they are wondrous fell;
To get a drop of Johnny’s heart-bluid,
They would sink a’ their souls to hell.

2
Johnny Cock has gotten word of this,
And he is wondrous keen;
Heś custan off the red scarlet,
And on the Linkum green.

3
And he is ridden oer muir and muss,
And over mountains high,
Till he came to yon wan water,
And there Johnny Cock did lie.

4
They have ridden oer muir and muss,
And over mountains high,
Till they met wi’ an old palmer,
Was walking along the way.

5
‘What news, what news, old palmer?
What news have you to me?’
‘Yonder is one of the proudest wed sons
That ever my eyes did see.’

* * * * *

6
He’s taen out a horn from his side,
And he blew both loud and shrill,
Till a’ the fifteen foresters
Heard Johnny Cock blaw his horn.

7
They have sworn a bluidy oath,
And they swore all in one,
That there was not a man among them a’
Would blaw such a blast as yon.

8
And they have ridden oer muir and muss,
And over mountains high,
Till they came to yon wan water,
Where Johnny Cock did lie.

9
They have shotten little Johnny Cock,
A little above the ee:
. . . . . . .
‘For doing the like to me.

10
‘There’s not a wolf in a’ the wood
Woud ’ ha’ done the like to me;
‘She’d ha’ dipped her foot in coll water,
And strinkled above my ee,
And if I would not have waked for that,
‘She’d ha’ gane and let me be.

11
‘But fingers five, come here, [come here,]
And faint heart fail me nought,
And silver strings, value me sma things,
Till I get all this vengeance rowght!’

12
He ha[s] shot a’ the fifteen foresters,
Left never a one but one,
And he broke the ribs a that ane’s side,
And let him take tiding home.

13
‘... a bird in a’ the wood
Could sing as I could say,
It would go in to my mother’s bower,
And bid her kiss me, and take me away.’

C

Pieces of Ancient Poetry from Unpublished Manuscripts and Scarce
Books, Bristol, 1814, p. 51.

1
Johnny Cock, in a May morning,
Sought water to wash his hands,
And he is awa to louse his dogs,
That’s tied wi iron bans.
That’s tied wi iron bans

2
His coat it is of the light Lincum green,
And his breiks are of the same;
His shoes are of the American leather,
Silver buckles tying them.

3
‘He’ hunted up, and so did ‘he’ down,
Till ‘he’ came to yon bush of scrogs,
And then to yon wan water,
Where he slept among his dogs.

* * * * *

4
Johnny Cock out-shot a’ the foresters,
And out-shot a the three;
Out shot a’ the foresters,
Wounded Johnny aboun the bree.

5
‘Woe be to you, foresters,
And an ill death may you die!
For there would not a wolf in a’ the wood
Have done the like to me.

6
‘For’ ’twould ha’ put its foot in the coll water
And ha strinkled it on my bree,
And gin that would not have done,
Would have gane and lett me be.

7
‘I often took to my mother
The dandoo and the roe,
But now I’l take to my mother
Much sorrow and much woe.

8
‘I often took to my mother
The dandoo and the hare,
But now I’l take to my mother
Much sorrow and much care.’

D

Kinloch’s annotated copy of his Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 38
_bis_: a West-Country version.

1
Up Johnie raise in a May morning,
Calld for water to wash his hands,
And he has calld for his gude gray hunds,
That lay bund in iron bands. bands
That lay bund in iron bands

2
‘Ye’ll busk, ye’ll busk my noble dogs,
Ye’ll busk and mak them boun,
For I’m going to the Braidscaur hill,
To ding the dun deer doun.’

3
Whan Johnie’s mither gat word o that,
On the very bed she lay,
Says, Johnie, for my malison,
I pray ye at hame to stay.

4
Your meat sall be of the very, very best,
Your drink sall be the same,
And ye will win your mither’s benison,
Gin ye wad stay at hame.

5
But Johnie has cast aff the black velvet,
And put on the Lincoln twine,
And he is on to gude greenwud,
As fast as he could gang.

6
His mither’s counsel he wad na tak,
He’s aff, and left the toun,
He’s aff unto the Braidscaur hill,
To ding the dun deer doun.

7
Johnie lookit east, and Johnie lookit west,
And he lookit aneath the sun,
And there he spied the dun deer sleeping,
Aneath a buss o whun.

8
Johnie shot, and the dun deer lap,
And he’s scaithed him in the side,
And atween the water and the wud
He laid the dun deer’s pride.

9
They ate sae meikle o the venison,
And drank sae meikle o the blude,
That Johnie and his twa gray hunds
Fell asleep in yonder wud.

10
By ther cam a silly auld man,
And a silly auld man was he,
And he’s aff to the proud foresters,
As fast as he could dree.

11
‘What news, what news, my silly auld man?
What news? come tell to me:’
‘I heard na news, I speird na news
But what my een did see.

12
‘As I cam in by Braidisbanks,
And doun amang the whuns,
The bonniest youngster eer I saw
Lay sleepin amang his hunds.

13
‘His cheeks war like the roses red,
His neck was like the snaw;
His sark was o the holland fine,
And his jerkin lac’d fu braw.’

14
Up bespak the first forester,
The first forester of a’:
O this is Johnie o Cockerslee;
Come draw, lads, we maun draw.

15
Up bespak the niest forester,
The niest forester of a’:
An this be Johnie o Cockerslee,
To him we winna draw.

16
The first shot that they did shoot,
They woundit him on the bree;
Up bespak the uncle’s son,
‘The niest will gar him die.’

17
The second shot that eer they shot,
It scaithd him near the heart;
‘I only wauken,’ Johnie cried,
‘Whan first I find the smart.

18
‘Stand stout, stand stout, my noble dogs,
Stand stout, and dinna flee;
Stand fast, stand fast, my gude gray hunds,
And we will gar them die.’

19
He has killed six o the proud foresters,
And wounded the seventh sair:
He laid his leg out owre his steed,
Says, I will kill na mair.

20
‘Oh wae befa thee, silly auld man,
An ill death may thee dee!
Upon thy head be a’ this blude,
For mine, I ween, is free.’

E

Kinloch’s MSS, VII, 29: from recitation in the North Country.

1
Johnie rose up in a May morning,
Calld for water to wash his hands,
And he has calld for his gud gray hunds,
That lay bund in iron bands. bands
That lay bund in iron bands

2
‘Ye’ll busk, ye’ll busk my noble dogs,
Ye’ll busk and mak them boun,
For I’m gaing to the Broadspear hill,
To ding the dun deer doun.’

3
Whan Johnie’s mither heard o this,
She til her son has gane:
‘Ye’ll win your mither’s benison,
Gin ye wad stay at hame.

4
‘Your meat sall be o the very, very best,
And your drink o the finest wine;
And ye will win your mither’s benison,
Gin ye wad stay at hame.’

5
His mither’s counsel he wad na tak,
Nor wad he stay at hame;
But he’s on to the Broadspear hill,
To ding the dun deer doun.

6
Johnie lookit east, and Johnie lookit west,
And a little below the sun,
And there he spied the dun deer lying sleeping,
Aneath a buss o brume.

7
Johnie shot, and the dun deer lap,
And he has woundit him in the side,
And atween the water and the wud
He laid the dun deer’s pride.

8
They ate sae meikle o the venison,
And drank sae meikle o the blude,
That Johnie and his twa gray hunds
Fell asleep in yonder wud.

9
By there cam a silly auld man,
A silly auld man was he,
And he’s aff to the proud foresters,
To tell what he did see.

10
‘What news, what news, my silly auld man,
What news? come tell to me:’
‘Na news, na news,’ said the silly auld man,
‘But what mine een did see.

11
‘As I cam in by yon greenwud,
And doun amang the scrogs,
The bonniest youth that ere I saw
Lay sleeping atween twa dogs.

12
‘The sark that he had on his back
Was o the holland sma,
And the coat that he had on his back
Was laced wi gowd fu braw.’

13
Up bespak the first forester,
The first forester ava:
‘An this be Johnie o Cocklesmuir,
It’s time we war awa.’

14
Up bespak the niest forester,
The niest forester ava:
‘An this be Johnie o Cocklesmuir,
To him we winna draw.’

15
The first shot that they did shoot,
They woundit him on the thie;
Up bespak the uncle’s son,
The niest will gar him die.

16
‘Stand stout, stand stout, my noble dogs,
Stand stout, and dinna flee;
Stand fast, stand fast, my gude gray hunds,
And we will mak them dee.’

17
He has killed six o the proud foresters,
And he has woundit the seventh sair;
He laid his leg out oure his steed,
Says, I will kill na mair.

F

Scott’s Minstrelsy, I, 59, 1802; made up from several different
copies. Nithsdale.

1
Johnie rose up in a May morning,
Called for water to wash his hands:
‘Gar loose to me the gude graie dogs,
That are bound wi iron bands.’

2
When Johnie’s mother gat word o that,
Her hands for dule she wrang:
‘O Johnie, for my bennison,
To the grenewood dinna gang!

3
‘Eneugh ye hae o the gude wheat-bread,
And eneugh o the blude-red wine,
And therefore for nae vennison, Johnie,
I pray ye, stir frae hame.’

4
But Johnie’s buskt up his gude bend bow,
His arrows, ane by ane,
And he has gane to Durrisdeer,
To hunt the dun deer down.

5
As he came down by Merriemass,
And in by the benty line,
There has he espied a deer lying,
Aneath a bush of ling.

6
Johnie he shot, and the dun deer lap,
And he wounded her on the side,
But atween the water and the brae,
His hounds they laid her pride.

7
And Johnie has bryttled the deer sae weel
That he’s had out her liver and lungs,
And wi these he has feasted his bludey hounds
As if they had been erl’s sons.

8
They eat sae much o the vennison,
And drank sae much o the blude,
That Johnie and a’ his bludey hounds
Fell asleep as they had been dead.

9
And by there came a silly auld carle,
An ill death mote he die!
For he’s awa to Hislinton,
Where the Seven Foresters did lie.

10
‘What news, what news, ye gray-headed carle?
What news bring ye to me?’
‘I bring nae news,’ said the gray-headed carle,
‘Save what these eyes did see.

11
‘As I came down by Merriemass,
And down amang the scroggs,
The bonniest childe that ever I saw
Lay sleeping amang his dogs.

12
‘The shirt that was upon his back
Was o the holland fine;
The doublet which was over that
Was o the Lincome twine.

13
‘The buttons that were on his sleeve
Were o the gowd sae gude;
The gude graie hounds he lay amang,
Their mouths were dyed wi blude.’

14
Then out and spak the first forester,
The heid man ower them a’:
If this be Johnie o Breadislee,
Nae nearer will we draw.

15
But up and spak the sixth forester,
His sister’s son was he:
If this be Johnie o Breadislee,
We soon shall gar him die.

16
The first flight of arrows the foresters shot,
They wounded him on the knee;
And out and spak the seventh forester,
The next will gar him die.

17
Johnie’s set his back against an aik,
His fute against a stane,
And he has slain the Seven Foresters,
He has slain them a’ but ane.

18
He has broke three ribs in that ane’s side,
But and his collar bane;
He’s laid him twa-fald ower his steed,
Bade him carry the tidings hame.

19
‘O is there na a bonnie bird
Can sing as I can say,
Could flee away to my mother’s bower,
And tell to fetch Johnie away?’

20
The starling flew to his mother’s window-stane,
It whistled and it sang,
And aye the ower-word o the tune
Was, Johnie tarries lang!

21
They made a rod o the hazel-bush,
Another o the slae-thorn tree,
And mony, mony were the men
At fetching our Johnie.

22
Then out and spake his auld mother,
And fast her teirs did fa;
Ye wad nae be warnd, my son Johnie,
Frae the hunting to bide awa.

23
‘Aft hae I brought to Breadislee
The less gear and the mair,
But I neer brought to Breadislee
What grieved my heart sae sair.

24
‘But wae betyde that silly auld carle,
An ill death shall he die;
For the highest tree on Merriemass
Shall be his morning’s fee.’

25
Now Johnie’s gude bend bow is broke,
And his gude graie dogs are slain,
And his bodie lies dead in Durrisdeer,
And his hunting it is done.

G

Harris MS., fol. 25: from Mrs Harris’s recitation.

1
Johnnie Brad, on a May mornin,
Called for water to wash his hands,
An there he spied his twa blude-hounds,
Waur bound in iron bands. bands
Waur bound in iron bands

2
Johnnie’s taen his gude bent bow,
Bot an his arrows kene,
An strippit himsel o the scarlet red,
An put on the licht Lincoln green.

3
Up it spak Johnnie’s mither,
An’ a wae, wae woman was she:
I beg you bide at hame, Johnnie,
I pray be ruled by me.

4
Baken bread ye sall nae lack,
An wine you sall lack nane;
Oh Johnnie, for my benison,
I beg you bide at hame!

5
He has made a solemn aith,
Atween the sun an the mune,
That he wald gae to the gude green wood,
The dun deer to ding doon.

6
He luiket east, he luiket wast,
An in below the sun,
An there he spied the dun deer,
Aneath a bush o brume.

7
The firsten shot that Johnnie shot,
He wounded her in the side;
The nexten shot that Johnnie shot,
I wat he laid her pride.

8
He’s eaten o the venison,
An drunken o the blude,
Until he fell as sound asleep
As though he had been dead.

9
Bye there cam a silly auld man,
And a silly auld man was he,
An he’s on to the Seven Foresters,
As fast as he can flee.

10
‘As I cam in by yonder haugh,
An in among the scroggs,
The bonniest boy that ere I saw
Lay sleepin atween his dogs.’

* * * * *

11
The firsten shot that Johnnie shot,
He shot them a’ but ane,
An he flang him owre a milk-white steed,
Bade him bear tidings hame.

H

Buchan’s MSS, I, 82; Dixon, Scottish Traditional Versions of Ancient
Ballads, p. 77, Percy Society, vol. xvii.

1
Johnnie raise up in a May morning,
Calld for water to wash his hands,
And he’s commant his bluidy dogs
To be loosd frae their iron bands. bands
To be loosd frae their iron bands

2
‘Win up, win up, my bluidy dogs,
Win up, and be unbound,
And we will on to Bride’s Braidmuir,
And ding the dun deer down.’

3
When his mother got word o that,
Then she took bed and lay;
Says, Johnnie, my son, for my blessing,
Ye’ll stay at hame this day.

4
There’s baken bread and brown ale
Shall be at your command;
Ye’ll win your mither’s blythe blessing,
To the Bride’s Braidmuir nae gang.

5
Mony are my friends, mither,
Though thousands were my foe;
Betide me life, betide me death,
To the Bride’s Braidmuir I’ll go.

6
The sark that was on Johnnie’s back
Was o the cambric fine;
The belt that was around his middle
Wi pearlins it did shine.

7
The coat that was upon his back
Was o the linsey brown;
And he’s awa to the Bride’s Braidmuir,
To ding the dun deer down.

8
Johnnie lookd east, Johnnie lookd west,
And turnd him round and round,
And there he saw the king’s dun deer,
Was cowing the bush o brune.

9
Johnnie shot, and the dun deer lap,
He wounded her in the side;
Between him and yon burnie-bank,
Johnnie he laid her pride.

10
He ate sae muckle o the venison,
He drank sae muckle bleed,
Till he lay down between his hounds,
And slept as he’d been dead.

11
But by there came a stane-auld man,
An ill death mat he dee!
For he is on to the Seven Foresters,
As fast as gang could he.

12
‘What news, what news, ye stane-auld man?
What news hae ye brought you wi?’
‘Nae news, nae news, ye seven foresters,
But what your eyes will see.

13
‘As I gaed i yon rough thick hedge,
Amang yon bramly scroggs,
The fairest youth that eer I saw
Lay sleeping between his dogs.

14
‘The sark that was upon his back
Was o the cambric fine;
The belt that was around his middle
Wi pearlins it did shine.’

15
Then out it speaks the first forester:
Whether this be true or no,
O if it’s Johnnie o Cocklesmuir,
Nae forder need we go.

16
Out it spake the second forester,
A fierce fellow was he:
Betide me life, betide me death,
This youth we’ll go and see.

17
As they gaed in yon rough thick hedge,
And down yon forest gay,
They came to that very same place
Where John o Cockis he lay.

18
The first an shot they shot at him,
They wounded him in the thigh;
Out spake the first forester’s son:
By the next shot he maun die.

19
‘O stand ye true, my trusty bow,
And stout steel never fail!
Avenge me now on all my foes,
Who have my life i bail.’

20
Then Johnnie killd six foresters,
And wounded the seventh sair;
Then drew a stroke at the stane-auld man,
That words he neer spake mair.

21
His mother’s parrot in window sat,
She whistled and she sang,
And aye the owerturn o the note,
‘Young Johnnie’s biding lang.’

22
When this reached the king’s own ears,
It grievd him wondrous sair;
Says, I’d rather they’d hurt my subjects all
Than Johnnie o Cocklesmuir.

23
‘But where are all my wall-wight men,
That I pay meat and fee,
Will gang the morn to Johnnie’s castle,
See how the cause may be.’

24
Then he’s calld Johnnie up to court,
Treated him handsomelie,
And now to hunt in the Bride’s Braidmuir,
For life has license free.

I

Motherwell’s Minstrelsy, p. 23.

1
Johnie rose up in a May morning,
Called for water to wash his hands, hands
And he is awa to Braidisbanks,
To ding the dun deer down. down
To ding the dun deer down

2
Johnie lookit east, and Johnie lookit west,
And it’s lang before the sun,
And there he did spy the dun deer lie,
Beneath a bush of brume.

3
Johnie shot, and the dun deer lap,
And he’s woundit her in the side;
Out then spake his sister’s son,
‘And the neist will lay her pride.’

* * * * *

4
They’ve eaten sae meikle o the gude venison,
And they’ve drunken sae muckle o the blude,
That they’ve fallen into as sound a sleep
As gif that they were dead.

* * * * *

5
‘It’s doun, and it’s doun, and it’s doun, doun,
And it’s doun amang the scrogs,
And there ye’ll espy twa bonnie boys lie,
Asleep amang their dogs.’

* * * * *

6
They waukened Johnie out o his sleep,
And he’s drawn to him his coat:
‘My fingers five, save me alive,
And a stout heart fail me not!’

* * * * *

J

Chambers’s Scottish Ballads, p. 181, stanzas 13, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23,
26: from the recitation of a lady resident at Peebles.

1
His coat was o the scarlet red,
His vest was o the same;
His stockings were o the worset lace,
And buckles tied to the same.

2
Out then spoke one, out then spoke two,
Out then spoke two or three;
Out spoke the master forester,
‘It’s Johnie o Braidislee.

3
‘If this be true, thou silly auld man,
Which you tell unto me,
Five hundred pounds of yearly rent
It shall not pay your fee.’

* * * * *

4
‘O wae be to you seven foresters!
I wonder ye dinna think shame,
You being seven sturdy men,
And I but a man my lane.

5
‘Now fail me not, my ten fingers,
That are both long and small!
Now fail me not, my noble heart!
For in thee I trust for all.

6
‘Now fail me not, my good bend bow,
That was in London coft!
Now fail me not, my golden string,
Which my true lover wrocht!’

* * * * *

7
He has tossed him up, he has tossed him doun,
He has broken his collar-bone;
He has tied him to his bridle reins,
Bade him carry the tidings home.

K

Finlay’s Scottish Ballads, I, xxxi.

‘There’s no a bird in a’ this foreste
Will do as meikle for me
As dip its wing in the wan water
An straik it on my ee-bree.’

L

Harris MS., fol. 25 b.

But aye at ilka ae mile’s end
She fand a cat o clay,
An written upon the back o it
‘Tak your son Johnnie Brod away.’

M

Froude’s Life of Carlyle, 1795–1875, II, 335, New York, 1882,
completed by a communication of Mr Macmath: as sung by Carlyle’s
mother.

‘O Busk ye, O busk ye, my three bluidy hounds,
O busk ye, and go with me,
For there’s seven foresters in yon forest,
And them I want to see.’ see
And them I want to see

* * * * *

#A.#

‘The Seven Forsters at Pickeram Side’ _is a title supplied by
Percy_.

6^2. I wun _is added by Percy, at the end_.

7^3, 17^3. one water.

15^1. Oh.

19^4. bord words, or bood words.

#B# _follows_ #C# _in Fry without a break. Words distinguished by ’ ’
in_ #B#, #C# _are emendations or additions of Fry. 4, 5 come
between 12 and 13_.

1^1. braid alow.

10^1. the word.

10^5. would have.

11^2. hearted.

13^3. bows.

4^3. Out-shot.

#D.#

“There is a West-Country version of this ballad, under the title
of Johnie of Cockerslee, differing very little from the present.
The variations in the reading I have marked at their respective
places.” _Kinloch. Assuming that Kinloch has given all the
variations (which include six entire stanzas), the West-Country
version is reproduced by combining these readings with so much
of the other copy, Kinloch’s Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 38, as
did not vary._

15^3. _Kinloch neglected to alter_ Cocklesmuir here.

#E.#

6^3. lying _is struck through, probably to improve the metre.
Kinloch made two slight changes in printing_.

#H.#

5^1. Mony ane. (?)

9^1. Johnnie lap: _probably an error of the copyist_.

9^2, 18^2. wound: _cf._ 20^2.

21^4. bidding.

_Dixon has changed_ stane-auld _to_ silly-auld _in 11^1, 12^1,
20^3;_ Cockis _to_ Cockl’s _in 17^4; and has Scotticised the
spelling_.

#I.#

_Motherwell notes a stanza as wanting after 3, some stanzas as
wanting after 4, 5._

#J.#

“The version of the ballad here given is partly copied from those
printed in the Border Minstrelsy and in the publications of
Messrs Kinloch and Motherwell, and is partly taken from the
recitation of a lady resident at Peebles and from a manuscript
copy submitted to me by Mr Kinloch. The twelfth, thirteenth,
fourteenth, sixteenth, seventeenth, twenty-first, twenty-second,
twenty-third, twenty-sixth, and twenty-seventh stanzas are here
printed for the first time.” _Chambers. The 14th stanza had been
printed by Scott, #F# 12; the 23d, repeated here (6), by
Pinkerton; the 27th is #D# 20. The first half of the 12th is #D#
13^{1,2}, and the remainder Chambers’s own: compare his 11 and
#F# 11, from which it seems to have been made._

#L.#

“I have heard another version, where Johnnie is slain and thrown
‘owre a milk-white steed.’ News is sent to Johnnie’s mother, who
flies to her son; But aye at ilka ae mile’s end, etc.”

#M.#

“While she [Carlyle’s mother] was at Craigenputtock, I made her
train me to two song-tunes; and we often sang them together, and
tried them often again in coming down into Annandale.” _The last
half of the stanza is cited. Letter of T. Carlyle, May 18, 1834,
in Froude’s Life, 1795–1835_, II, _335_.

“Mrs Aitken, sister of T. Carlyle, sent me [January 15, 1884] the
first two lines to complete the stanza of this Johny Cock, but
can call up no more of the ballad.” _Letter of Mr Macmath._

115

ROBYN AND GANDELEYN

Sloane MS., 2593, fol. 14 b, British Museum.

Printed by Ritson, Ancient Songs, 1790, p. 48, and by Thomas Wright, Songs and Carols (selected from the Sloane MS.), No X, London, 1836, and again in his edition of the whole MS. for the Warton Club, 1856, p. 42. The manuscript is put at about 1450.

Wright remarks on the similarity of the name Gandelyn to Gamelyn in the tale assigned to the Cook in some manuscripts of the Canterbury Tales, and on the resemblance of the tale of Gamelyn to Robin Hood story. But he could hardly have wished to give the impression that Robin in this ballad is Robin Hood. This he no more is than John in the ballad which precedes is Little John; though Gandelyn is as true to his master as Little John is, and is pronounced to be by the king, in ‘Robin Hood and the Monk.’ Ritson gave the ballad the title of ‘Robin Lyth,’ looking on the ‘lyth’ of the burden as the hero’s surname; derived perhaps from the village of Lythe, two or three miles to the north of Whitby. A cave on the north side of the promontory of Flamborough, called Robin Lyth’s Hole (popularly regarded as the stronghold of a pirate), may have been, Ritson thinks, one of the skulking-places of the Robin who fell by the shaft of Wrennok. “Robin Hood,” he adds, “had several such in those and other parts; and, indeed, it is not very improbable that our hero had been formerly in the suite of that gallant robber, and, on his master’s death, had set up for himself.” Thought is free.

Translated by Grundtvig, Engelske og skotske Folkeviser, page 44, No. 6.

1
I herde a carpyng of a clerk,
Al at ȝone wod_es_ ende,
Of gode Robyn and Gandeleyn;
Was þ_er_ no_n_ oþ_er_ þynge.
Robyn_n_ lyth in grene wode bowndy_n_

2
Stronge theuys wern þo chylderi_n_ no_n_,
But bowme_n_ gode and hende;
He wenty_n_ to wode to gety_n_ he_m_ fleych,
If God wold it he_m_ sende.

3
Al day we_n_ty_n_ þo chylderi_n_ too,
And fleych fowndy_n_ he no_n_,
Til it wer_e_ a-geyn euy_n_;
Þe chylderi_n_ wold go_n_ hom.

4
Half a_n_ honderid of fat falyf der
He comy_n_ a-ȝon,
And alle he wern fayr and fat i-now,
But markyd was þ_er_ no_n_:
‘Be der_e_ God,’ seyde gode Robyn,
‘Here of we xul haue on.’

5
Roby_n_ bent his joly bowe,
Þ_er_ in he set a flo;
Þe fattest der of alle
Þe herte he clef a to.

6
He hadde not þe der i-flawe,
Ne half out of þe hyde,
Th_ere_ cam a schrewde arwe out of þe west,
Þ_a_t felde Robert_es_ pryde.

7
Gandeleyn lokyd hy_m_ est and west,
Be eu_er_y syde:
‘Hoo hat my_n_ mayst_er_ slayin?
Ho hat do_n_ þis dede?
Xal I neu_er_ out of grene wode go
Til I se [his] sydis blede.’

8
Gandeleyn lokyd hy_m_ est and lokyd west,
And sowt vnd_er_ þe sun_n_e;
He saw a lytil boy
He clepy_n_ Wrennok of Donne.

9
A good bowe in his hond,
A brod arwe þ_er_ ine,
And fowr_e_ and twenti goode arwys,
Trusyd in a þrumme:
‘Be war þe, war þe, Gandeleyn,
Her-of þu xalt ha_n_ sum_m_e.

10
‘Be war þe, war þe, Ga_n_deleyn,
Her of þu gyst plente:’
‘Eu_er_ on for a_n_ oþ_er_,’ seyde Gandeleyn;
‘Mysau_n_t_er_ haue he xal fle.

11
‘Qwer-at xal o_ur_ marke be?’
Seyde Gandeleyn:
‘Eu_er_yche at oþ_er_is herte,’
Seyde Wrennok ageyn.

12
‘Ho xal ȝeue þe ferste schote?’
Seyde Ga_n_deleyn:
‘And I xul ȝeue þe on be-forn,’
Seyde Wrennok ageyn.

13
Wrennok schette a ful good schote,
And he schet not to hye;
Þrow þe sa_n_choþis of his bryk;
It towchyd neyþ_er_ thye.

14
‘Now hast þu ȝouy_n_ me on be-forn,’
Al þus to Wrennok seyde he,
‘And þrow þe myȝt of o_ur_ lady
A better_e_ I xal ȝeue þe.’

15
Gandeleyn bent his goode bowe,
And set þ_er_ in a flo;
He schet þrow his grene certyl,
His h_er_te he clef on too.

16
‘Now xalt þu neu_er_ ȝelpe, Wrennok,
At ale ne at wyn,
Þ_a_t þu hast slawe goode Roby_n_,
And his knaue Gandeleyn.

17
‘Now xalt þu neu_er_ ȝelpe, Wrennok,
At wyn ne at ale,
Þ_a_t þu hast slawe goode Roby_n_,
And Ga_n_deley_n_ his knaue.’

Roby_n_ lyȝth in grene wode bowndy_n_

* * * * *

_Written continuously, without division of stanzas or verses. The
burden, put after 1, stands at the head of the ballad._

And _for_ & _always_.

1^4. gynge.

4^3. I now.

4^5. Robyn _wanting_.

5^1. went.

7^6. Ti I.

9^3. & xx.

10^2. hir.

12^3. ȝewe.

12^4. seyd.

14^3. þ^u myȝt.

17^4. Ga_n_delyyn: knawe.

_Last line_: bowdy_n_.

116

ADAM BELL, CLIM OF THE CLOUGH, AND WILLIAM OF CLOUDESLY

#a.# Two fragments, stanzas 113^4–128^2, 161^2–170, of an edition by
John Byddell, London, 1536: Library of the University of
Cambridge.[4]

#b.# A fragment, stanzas 53^3–111^3, by a printer not identified:
formerly in the possession of J. Payne Collier.[5]

#c.# ‘Adambel, Clym of the cloughe, and Wyllyam of cloudesle,’ William
Copeland, London [1548–68]: British Museum, C. 21, c. 64.[6]

#d.# ‘Adam Bell, Clim of the Clough, and William of Cloudesle,’ James
Roberts, London, 1605: Bodleian Library, C. 39, Art. Selden.

#e.# Another edition with the same title-page: Bodleian Library,
Malone, 299.

#f.# ‘Adam Bell, Clime of the Cloug[he], and William off Cloudeslee,’
Percy MS., p. 390: British Museum. Hales and Furnivall, III, 76.

‘Adam Bell’ is licensed to John Kynge in the Stationers’ Registers, 19 July, 1557–9 July, 1558: Arber, I, 79. Again, among copies which were Sampson Awdeley’s, to John Charlewood, 15 January, 1582; and, among copies which were John Charlwoode’s, to James Robertes, 31 May, 1594: Arber, II, 405, 651. Seven reprints of the seventeenth century, later than #d#, are noted in Mr W. C. Hazlitt’s Handbook, p. 35.

The larger part of #a# has been reprinted by Mr F. S. Ellis, in his catalogue of the library of Mr Henry Huth, I, 128 f, 1880.[7] #b# was used by Mr W. C. Hazlitt for his edition of the ballad in Remains of the Early Popular Poetry of England, II, 131.[8] #c# was reprinted by Percy in his Reliques, 1765, I, 129, with corrections from #f#; and by Ritson, Pieces of Ancient Popular Poetry, 1791, p. 5, with the necessary emendations of Copland’s somewhat faulty text. #d# is followed by a Second Part, described by Ritson, in temperate terms, as “a very inferior and servile production.” It is here given (with much reluctance) in an Appendix.

Adam Bell, Clim of the Clough, and William of Cloudesly, outlawed for breach of the game-laws, swear brotherhood, and betake themselves to Inglewood, a forest adjacent to Carlisle. William is a wedded man, and one day tells his brethren that he means to go to Carlisle to see his wife and children. Adam would not advise this, lest he should be taken by the justice. William goes to Carlisle, nevertheless, knocks at his window, and is admitted by Alice, his wife, who tells him with a sigh that the place has been beset for him a half year and more. While they make good cheer, an old woman, whom William had kept seven years for charity, slips out, and informs the justice that William is come to town.[9] The justice and the sheriff come presently with a great rout to take William. Man and wife defend the house till it is set on fire. William lets his wife and children down with sheets, and shoots on till his bowstring is burnt, then runs into the thick of his foes with sword and buckler, but is felled by doors and windows thrown on him, and so taken. The sheriff orders the gates of Carlisle to be shut close, and sets up a gallows to hang William. A boy, friendly to the family, gets out at a crevice in the wall, and carries word to Adam and Clim, who instantly set out for the rescue.

Adam and Clim find the gates shut so fast that there is no chance of getting in without a stratagem. Adam has a fair written letter in his pocket: they will make the porter think that they have the king’s seal. They beat on the gate till the porter comes, and demand to be let in as messengers from the king to the justice. The porter demurs, but they browbeat him with the king’s seal; he opens the gate; they wring his neck and take his keys. First bending their bows and looking to the strings, they make for the market-place, where they find Cloudesly lying in a cart, on the point to be hanged. William sees them, and takes hope. Adam makes the sheriff his mark, Clim the justice; both fall, deadly wounded; the citizens fly; the outlaws loose Cloudesly’s ropes. William wrings an axe from the hand of an officer, and smites on every side; Adam and Clim shoot till their arrows are gone, then draw their swords. Horns are blown, and the bells rung backwards; the mayor of Carlisle comes with a large force, and the fight is hotter than ever. But all for naught, for the outlaws get to the gates, and are soon in Inglewood, under their trysty-tree.