Robyn and Gandelyn

This interesting ballad (derived from a manuscript of the 15th century,) belongs to the cycle of Robin Hood, as Mr. Wright remarks, "at least by its subject, if not by the person whose death it celebrates." It was first printed by Ritson in his Ancient Songs and Ballads, (i. 81,) and has been again printed by Mr. Wright in a little black-letter volume of Songs and Carols (No. X); from which we take our copy.

The similarity of the name Gandelyn to the Gamelyn of the Cook's Tale, attributed to Chaucer, and the affinity of that story to the Robin Hood ballads, are alluded to by the last-named editor. Is it not possible that this name reappears again in the "Young Gamwell" of Robin Hood and the Stranger?

The dialect of this piece is proved by an incidental coincidence, says Mr. Wright, to be that of Warwickshire.

I herde a carpyng of a clerk
Al at zone wodes ende,
Of gode Robyn and Gandeleyn
Was ther non other thynge.
Robynn lyth in grene wode Bowndyn.

Stronge theuys wern tho chylderin non,
But bowmen gode and hende:
He wentyn to wode to getyn hem fleych,
If God wold it hem sende.

Al day wentyn tho chylderin too,
And fleych fowndyn he non,
Til it were ageyn euyn,
The chylderin wold gon hom:

Half a honderid of fat falyf der
He comyn azon,
And all he wern fayr and fat inow,
But markyd was ther non.
"Be dere Gode," seyde gode [Robyn],
"Hereof we xul haue on."

Robyn bent his joly bowe,
Therin he set a flo,
The fattest der of alle [the herd]
The herte he clef a-to.

He hadde not the der islawe
Ne half out of the hyde,
There cam a schrewde arwe out of the west,
That felde Roberts pryde.

Gandeleyn lokyd hym est and west
Be euery syde;
"Hoo hat myn mayster slayin,
Ho hat don this dede?
Xal I neuer out of grene wode go,
Ti[l] I se [his] sydis blede."

Gandeleyn lokyd hym est and lokyd west,
And sowt vnder the sunne,
He saw a lytil boy
He clepyn Wrennok of Doune:

A good bowe in his hond,
A brod arewe therine,
And fowre and xx goode arwys
Trusyd in a thrumme.
"Be war the, war the, Gandeleyn,
Herof thu xalt han summe:

"Be war the, war the, Gandeleyn,
Herof thu gyst plentè."
"Euere on for an other," seyde Gandeleyn,
"Mysaunter haue he xal fle."

"Qwerat xal our marke be?"
Seyde Gandeleyn:
"Eueryche at otheris herte,"
Seyde Wrennok ageyn.

"Ho xal zeue the ferste schote?"
Seyde Gandeleyn:
"And I xal zeue thè on beforn,"
Seyd Wrennok ageyn.

Wrennok schette a ful good schote,
And he schet not too hye;
Throw the sanchothis of his bryk,
It towchyd neyther thye.

"Now hast thu zouyn me on beforn,"
Al thus to Wrennok seyde he,
"And throw the myzt of our lady
A bettere I xal zeue the."

Gandeleyn bent his goode bowe,
And set therin a flo,
He schet throw his grene certyl,
His herte he clef on too.

"Now zalt thu neuer zelpe, Wrennok,
At ale ne at wyn,
That thu hast slawe goode Robyn
And his knaue Gandeleyn.

"Now xalt thu neuer zelpe, Wrennok,
At wyn ne at ale,
That thu hast slawe goode Robyn
And Gandeleyyn his knave."
Robyn lyzth in grene wode bow[n]dyn.

, MS. gynge.

, MS. went.

, cut of, Ritson.

, MS. thu.

, MS. knawe.