The Rhymes of Robin Hood 10

Sources and Editions of the Early Ballads

Robin Hood and the Monk

Source:    (a) MS. of about 1450: Cambridge University Library, Ff. 5. 48, fos. 128v-135v. (b) One leaf of a MS. of the same age, containing stanzas 69³-72, 77²-80², Bagford Ballads vol. i, art. 6, British Museum.

Editions:    R. Jamieson, Popular Ballads and Songs (Edinburgh, 1806), II, 54-72; C.H. Hartshorne, Ancient Metrical Tales (London, 1829), 179-97; Ritson, 1832, II, 221-36; Gutch, 1847, II, 7-20; Child, 1888, III, 97-101; Quiller-Couch, 1910, 585-600; Leach, 1955, 340-9; Faber Book of Ballads 1965, 81-93; Oxford Book of Ballads 1969, 405-19; R.B. Dobson and J. Taylor, Rymes of Robyn Hood. An introduction to the English Outlaw. (London 1976) 115-122.

Robin Hood and the Potter

Source:    MS. of about 1500: Cambridge University Library, Ee. 4. 35, fos. 14v-19r.

Editions:    Ritson, 1795, I, 81-96; Gutch, 1847, II, 22-35; Child, 1888, III, 109-13; Leach, 1955, 352-60; Dobson and Taylor, 1976, 125-132.

Robin Hoode his Death

Source:    Percy Manuscript: British Library, Additional MS. 27, 879, fos. 9-10.

Source of the Garland version:    The English Archer; or, Robert Earl of Huntington, Vulgarly call’d Robin Hood. York. Printed by N.  Nickson, in Feasegate. Price Fourpence (c. 1767). (Bodleian Library, Douce F.F. 71, no. 4).

Editions:    Bishop Percy’s Folio Manuscript, ed. Hales and Furnivall, I, 53-8; Child, III, 104-5; Dobson and J. Taylor, 1976, 134-137.

Editions of the Garland version:    Ritson, 1795, II, 183-7; Evans, 1810, II, 262-5; Gutch, 1847, II, 312-16; Child, 1888, III, 106-7; Quiller-Couch, 1910, pp. 635-9; Faber Book of Ballads (1965), pp. 94-6; Dobson and Taylor, 1976, 137-139.

Guye of Gisborne

Source:    Percy Manuscript: British Library, Additional MS. 27, 879, fos. 129r-130v.

Editions:    Bishop Percy’s Folio Manuscript, ed. Hales and Furnivall, II, 227-37. (Some of the following editions are not an exact copy of the original). Percy’s Reliques, 1765, I, 74; Ritson, 1795, I, 114-15; Gutch, 1847, II, 74-83; Child, 1888, III, 91-4; Quiller-Couch, 1910, 575-84; Leach, 1955, 334-40; Dobson and Taylor, 1976, 141-145.

NB    The Gest has survived in printed form only.

This page contains information found in Rymes of Robyn Hood, Dobson and Taylor, pp. 113, 123, 133, 140.