No. 147: Robin Hood's Golden Prize
[There are no known US or Canadian version of this ballad.]
CONTENTS:
1. Child's Narrative
2. Footnotes [There is one footnote for this ballad]
3. Brief (Kittredge)
4. Child's Ballad Text A (For text changes versions from A a to make A b- A d see End-Notes)
5. End-Notes
ATTACHED PAGES (see left hand column):
1. Recordings & Info: 147. Robin Hood's Golden Prize
A. Roud No. 3990: Robin Hood's Golden Prize (9 Listings)
2. Sheet Music: (Bronson's traditional music versions)
3. English and Other Versions (Including Child versions A with additional notes)]
Child's Narrative: Robin Hood's Golden Prize
A. a. Wood, 401, leaf 39 b.
b. Garland of 1663, No 14.
c. Garland of 1670, No 13.
d. Pepys, II, 114, No 101.
Also Roxburghe, III, 12, 486; Old Ballads, 1723, II, 121; Douce, III, 121, London, by L. How, of the last century.
Ritson's Robin Hood, 1795, II, 97, from a, with changes. Evans, Old Ballads, 1777, 1784, I, 160, agrees nearly with the Aldermary garland.
Entered, says Ritson, in the Stationers' book, by Francis Grove, 2d June, 1656.[1] Being directed to be sung to the tune "R. H. was a tall young man," that is, R. H.'s Progress to Nottingham, this ballad is the later of the two.
Robin Hood, disguised as a friar, asks charity of two priests. They pretend to have been robbed, and not to have a penny. Robin pulls them from their horses, saying, Since you have no money, we will pray for some, and keeps them at their prayers for an hour. Now, he says, we will see what heaven has sent us; but the monks can find nothing in their pockets. We must search one another, Robin says, and beginning the operation finds five hundred pounds on the monks. Of this he gives fifty pounds to each of the priests to pay for their prayers, keeping the remainder. The priests would now move on, but Robin requires three oaths of them, of truth, chastity and charity, before he lets them go.
The kernel of the story is an old tale which we find represented in Pauli's Schimpf und Ernst, 1533, Osterley, p. 397, Anhang, No 14, 'Wie drey lantzknecht vmb ein zerung batten.' Three soldiers, out of service, meet the cellarer of a rich Benedictine cloister, who has a bag hanging at his saddle-bow, with four hundred ducats in it. They ask for some money, for God's sake and good fellowship's. The cellarer answers that he has no money: there is nothing but letters in his bag. Then, since we all four are without money, they say, we will kneel down and pray for some. After a brief orison, the three jump up, search the bag, and find four hundred ducats. The cellarer offers them a handsome douceur, and says he had the money in the bag before; but to this they will give no credence. They give the monk his share of one hundred, and thank God devoutly for his grace. Retold by Waldis, with a supplement, Esopus, IV, 21, ed. Kurz, II, 64; and by others, see Oesterley's notes, p. 552, Kurz's, p. 156.
a seems to be signed L. P., and these would most naturally be the initials of the versifier.
Translated by Doenniges, p. 198, by Anastasius Grün, p. 131.
Footnotes:
1. Also says Kitson, Robin Hood, II, 97, by Francis Coule, 13th June, 1631; but the ballad there entered is The Noble Fisherman.
Brief Description by George Lyman Kittredge
Edition a seems to be signed L. P., probably the initials of the versifier. The kernel of the story is an old tale, found, for example, in Pauli's Sehimpf und Ernst, 1533 (Oesterley, Anhang, No, 14).
Child's Ballad Text
'Robin Hoods Golden Prize'- Version A a;Child 147 Robin Hood's Golden Prize
a. Wood, 401, leaf 39 b.
b. Garland of 1663, No 14.
c. Garland of 1670, No 13.
d. Pepys, II, 114, No 101.
1 I have heard talk of bold Robin Hood,
Derry derry down
And of brave Little John,
Of Fryer Tuck, and Will Scarlet,
Loxley, and Maid Marion.
Hey down derry derry down
2 But such a tale as this before
I think there was never none;
For Robin Hood disguised himself,
And to the wood is gone.
3 Like to a fryer, bold Robin Hood
Was accoutered in his array;
With hood, gown, beads and cricifix,
He past upon the way.
4 He had not gone [past] miles two or three,
But it was his chance to spy
Two lusty priests, clad all in black,
Come riding gallantly.
5 'Benedicete,' then said Robin Hood,
'Some pitty on me take;
Cross you my hand with a silver groat,
For Our dear Ladies sake.
6 'For I have been wandring all this day,
And nothing could I get;
Not so much as one poor cup of drink,
Nor bit of bread to eat.'
7 'Now, by my holydame,' the priests repli'd,
'We never a peny have;
For we this morning have been robd,
And could no mony save.'
8 'I am much afraid,' said bold Robin Hood,
'That you both do tell a lye;
And now before that you go hence,
I am resolvd to try.'
9 When as the priests heard him say so,
Then they rode away amain;
But Robin Hood betook him to his heels,
And soon overtook them again.
10 Then Robin Hood laid hold of them both,
And pulld them down from their horse:
'O spare us, fryer!' the priests cry'd out,
'On us have remorse!'
11 'You said you had no mony,' quoth he,
'Wherefore, without delay,
We three will fall down on our knees,
And for mony we will pray.'
12 The priests they could not him gainsay,
But down they kneeled with speed;
'Send us, O send us,' then quoth they,
'Some mony to serve our need.'
13 The priests did pray with mournful chear,
Sometimes their hands did wring,
Sometimes they wept and cried aloud,
Whilst Robin did merrily sing.
14 When they had been praying an hours space,
The priests did still lament;
Then quoth bold Robin, Now let's see
What mony heaven hath us sent.
15 We will be sharers now all alike
Of the mony that we have;
And there is never a one of us
That his fellows shall deceive.
16 The priests their hands in their pockets put,
But mony would find none:
'We'l search our selves,' said Robin Hood,
'Each other, one by one.'
17 Then Robin took pains to search them both,
And he found good store of gold;
Five hundred peeces presently
Vpon the grass was told.
18 'Here is a brave show,' said Robin Hood,
'Such store of gold to see,
And you shall each one have a part,
Cause you prayed so heartily.'
19 He gave them fifty pound a-peece,
And the rest for himself did keep;
The priests durst not speak one word,
Bur they sighed wondrous deep.
20 With that the priests rose up from their knees,
Thinking to have parted so;
'Nay, stay,' said Robin Hood, 'one thing more
I have to say ere you go.
21 'You shall be sworn,' said bold Robin Hood,
'Vpon this holy grass,
That you will never tell lies again,
Which way soever you pass.
22 'The second oath that you here must take,
All the days of your lives
You never shall tempt maids to sin,
Nor lye with other mens wives.
23 'The last oath you shall take, it is this,
Be charitable to the poor;
Say you have met with a holy fryer,
And I desire no more.'
24 He set them upon their horses again,
And away then they did ride;
And hee returnd to the merry green-wood,
With great joy, mirth and pride.
End-Notes: Robin Hood's Golden Prize
a. Robin Hoods Golden Prize.
He met two priests upon the way,
And forced them with him to pray.
For gold they prayed, and gold they had,
Enough to make bold Robin glad.
His share came to four hundred pound,
That then was told upon the ground;
Now mark, and you shall hear the jest;
You never heard the like exprest.
Tune is, Robin Hood was a tall young man.
London, Printed for F. Grove on Snow-hill.
Entred according to order. Finis, L.P. F. Grove's date, according to Mr. Chappell, is 1620-55. Ritson says that the ballad was entered in the Stationers' book by Francis Grove, 2nd June, 1656.
b. Robin Hoods Golden Prize: Shewing how he robbed two priests of five hundred pound.
The tune is, Robin Hood was a tall young man.
41. gone past.
61. all the.
71. holy dame: priest.
92. Then wanting.
101. hold on.
131. with a.
154. fellow.
174. he for was.
184. For praying so.
191. pounds.
193. not to.
231. it wanting.
c. Title the same: except, Tune is.
24. he is.
41. gone past.
71. holy dame.
92. Then wanting.
101. holt of.
131. with a.
151. now wanting.
154. fellow.
171. pain: both wanting.
183. each one shall.
191. pounds.
241. upon wanting.
d. Title as in c.
Printed for William Thackeray at the Angel in Duck-lane. (1689.)
11, bold wanting.
22. think was never known.
41. gone past.
71. holy dame.
83. before you do go.
91. so say.
101. hold on.
111. you 'd: quoth Robin Hood.
122. kneel.
131. with a.
143. let us.
151. now wanting.
152. the wanting.
154. fellow.
162. could.
171. pain: both wanting.
174. he for was.
183. each one shall.
191. pounds.
192. doth for did.
201. up wanting.
223. unto sin.
233. with wanting.
241. on for upon.
Additions and Corrections
P. 210. The signature to a, L. P., is for Laurence Price: Ebsworth, Roxburghe Ballads, VI, 64.