The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood- (NY) c1845 Cozzens
[No date given. Published by Phillip J. Cozzens (Cozans); c. 1845 at 107 Nassau Street, NYC. Reprinted in British Ballads from Maine, 1929. Barry's notes follow. Also found with minor changes as Child A taken from J. H. Dixon, Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England, p. 71, 1846.
I'm not sure why the publisher's name is spelled differently, usually it's Cozans, who had two locations on Nassau Street.
R. Matteson 2015]
No text of this old ballad has as yet been recovered, though it is sure to be found in Maine; but for a special reason it seems important to include it in the American Songster published by Cozzens (there being at least four other American songsters known to us, none of them with sufficient means of identification), it appears next to "Robin Hood Rescuing the Three Squires," there called "Bold Robin Hood." Both seem to be from stall copies, apparently English, if we may judge by the spelling of "pedlar." We have found a good traditional copy of the rescue of the squires, and it will be only a question of search to locate this song.
Yet it is not this text which should be sought for diligently, although this the one printed by Professor Child, from Dixon's Ancient Poems, Ballads, and songs of the peasantry of England, (1846). Dixon says that he got his text from an aged woman in Bermondsey, Surrey, who informed him that she had often heard her grandmother sing it, and that it never was in print." However, he says that he "has of late met several common stall copies." The American songster must have been printed about the same time as Dixon's book. No one copying from his text would have changed it to this illiterate form, although they run
parallel, verse for verse and line for line. (The spelling- "litle" for "little" by the way, probably marks the old pronunciation "leetle," well remembered by one of the editors as very common in New England.)
The form of the songster text indicates a stall copy of about the second quarter of the nineteenth century. If the ballad came to America by way of this broadside, it must have been of comparatively late introduction.
But what the collector should seek with diligence is not the text of this ballad, but of the older underlying one, Robin Hood Newly Revived" (Child 128). This is the same story of Robin Hood's contest with his own nephew, will Gamwell, who becomes "Gamble Gold," perhaps by way of being Gamwell Bold. He is not peddling with a pack; but attired like a gentleman, is escaping the law with a leisureliness which must have caused gratification even to his redoubtable uncle.
For killing of my own father's steward,
I am forced to this English wood,
And for to seek an uncle of mine;
Some call him Robin Hood, (Stanza 18)
is his explanation when the fighting with broadswords-which Robin regarded as less deadly than the bow is over. Robin Hood was walking at midday in the forest and
There was he met of a deft Young man
As ever walkt on the way.
His doublet it was of silk, he said,
His stockings like scarlet shone,
And he walkt on along the way,
To Robin Hood then unknown'
(Stanzas 8, 4)
Robin Hood's well-meant offer to make the stranger one of his yeomen is rejected with scorn and a challenge to fight, in which the stranger proves the better man. Explanations follow in which Young Gamwell hereafter known as Will Scarlet, learns that he has found the relation he was seeking.
But Lord! what kissing and courting was there,
When these two cousins did greet!
And they went all that summers day,
And Little John did meet. (Stanza 20)
This is no baseborn ballad. Professor Child says, "The story seems to have been built up on a portion of the ruins of the fine tale of Gamelyn. (See Skeat's Chaucer, IV, 645 ff.)" At least it existed in old broadsheets. Anthony a Wood and Pepys had it in their collections, according to Professor Child, and it was in the Robin Hood' Garland of 1663 and 1670, and has been reprinted in the Roxburghe Ballads.
The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood- Published by Phillip J. Cozzens (Cozans); c. 1845 at 107 Nassau Street, NYC.
1 There chanced to be a pedlar bold,
A pedlar bold he chanced to be;
He rolled his pack all on his back,
And he came tripping o'er the lee.
2 By chance he met two troublesome blades,
Two troublesome blades they chanced to be;
The one of them was bold Robin Hood,
And the other was Little John so free.
3 Oh pedlar, pedlar, what is in thy pack?
Come speedily and tell to me,
I've several suits of the gay green silks,
And silken bow-strings two or three.
4 If you have several suits of the gay green silk,
And silken bow-strings two or three,
Then it's by my body cries Little John,
'One half your pack shall belong to me.
5 Oh nay, oh nay, says the pedlar bold,
Oh nay, oh nay, that never can be;
For there's never a man from fair Nottingham
Can take one half my pack from me.
6 Then the pedlar he pulled off his pack,
And put it a little below his knee,
Saying, If you do move me one perch[1] from this,
My pack and all shall gang with thee.
7 Then Little John he drew his sword,
The pedlar by his pack did stand;
They fought until they both did sweat,
Till he cry'd, Pedlar, pray hold your hand.
8 Then Robin Hood he was standing by,
And he did laugh most heartily;
Saying I could find a man of a smaller scale,
Could thrash the pedlar and also thee.
9 Go you try, master, says Little John,
Go you try, master, most speedily,
Or by my body, says Little John,
I am sure this night you will know[2].
10 Then Robin Hood he drew his sword,
And the pedlar by his pack did stand;
They fought till the blood in streams did flow,
Till he cried, Pedlar, pray hold your hand!
11 Pedlar, pedlar, what is thy name?
Come speedily and tell to me:
My name my name I ne'er will tell,
Till both your names you have told to me.
12 The one of us is bold Robin Hood,
And the other Little John so free,
Now says the pedlar it lays to my good will,
Whether my name I choose to tell to thee.
13 I am Gamble Gold of the gay green woods,
And travell'd far beyond the sea;
For killing a man in my father's land
From my country I was forc'd to flee.
14 If you are Gamble Gold of the gay green woods,
And travelled far beyond the sea,
You are my mother's own sister's son;
What nearer cousins then can we be.
15 They sheathed their swords with friendly words,
So merrily they did agree,
They went to a tavern and there they dined,
And cracked bottles most merrily.
1. rod
2. I am sure this night you will not know me (Dixon).