Ballads of Robin Hood and other Outlaws: Popular Ballads of the Olden Times - Fourth Series

In Short

These ballads chronicle the adventures of legendary outlaws like Robin Hood, Adam Bell, and Johnny o’ Cockley’s Well. Through a mix of grand epic cycles and shorter, punchy tales of daring, the collection preserves the voices of the common people of the Middle Ages. The stories emphasize themes of justice, rebellion, and loyalty, framing the outlaw not merely as a criminal, but as a folk hero who challenges corrupt authority. The book remains a vital touchstone for understanding how these myths evolved from oral tradition into the bedrock of English storytelling.

The Story

The collection opens with the expansive A Gest of Robyn Hode, an epic structure divided into eight "fyttes." It begins with Robin Hood’s encounter with a distressed, impoverished knight who owes a massive debt to the greedy Abbot of St. Mary’s. Robin, displaying his signature generosity, provides the funds to save the knight’s estate. This act of charity sets off a chain of confrontations with the Sheriff of Nottingham, the embodiment of state corruption. Robin’s men, particularly the stalwart Little John, engage in a constant, high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse with the Sheriff, marked by archery contests, disguises, and violent skirmishes.

The narrative arc shifts to the King’s involvement. King Edward, hearing rumors of the outlaw, eventually seeks him out. In a playful subversion of power, the King disguises himself and his court in Lincoln green—the very livery of the outlaws—before finally revealing his identity and granting them a conditional pardon. Robin’s time at court is short-lived; the freedom of the forest pulls him back, and he returns to his life under the trees for twenty-two years. The cycle concludes on a somber note, with Robin betrayed by the Prioress of Kirkesly Abbey and her lover, marking the end of his long, defiant life.

Beyond the Gest, the book gathers shorter, distinct ballads that mirror the same patterns of resistance. In Robin Hood and the Potter, the outlaw engages in a wily trade-war against the Sheriff. In Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne, he faces a lethal bounty hunter in a grim, visceral duel that tests his mettle and his faith in his patron, "Our Lady." The collection also introduces other legendary figures: Adam Bell, Clym of the Clough, and William of Cloudesly, whose story of rescuing a brother from the gallows in Carlisle echoes the themes of loyalty and brotherhood found in the Robin Hood cycle.

The later selections shift toward the sea, detailing the lives of pirates and privateers. Sir Andrew Barton depicts a historical clash between English ships and a Scottish captain, blurring the lines between piracy and patriotism. This ballad eventually morphs into the simpler Henry Martyn, which the editor notes as a "degenerate" version of the earlier tale, showing how stories shift and fade over time. The journey ends with The Outlaw Murray, a ballad reflecting the pride of the Scottish Borders, finalizing a collection that spans from the dense, shade-drenched forests of England to the open, lawless expanse of the salt sea, always keeping the perspective of the man on the run.

How It Unfolds

The call to the wild The ballads introduce the outlaw as a necessary response to a rigid social order, where poverty is a trap and the forest offers the only true liberty. The protagonists reject the stifling laws of the Church and the Crown, choosing instead to live by their own code of honor and "yeomanry."

The game of wits Conflict rarely begins with open warfare; it starts with clever disguises and wagers. Whether it is Robin posing as a potter or the King donning a green mantle, the characters constantly test their adversaries by forcing them into roles they do not understand.

The test of steel When diplomacy fails, the ballads transition into scenes of intense, rhythmic combat. Archery is elevated to an art form, where the "cloven wand" serves as a metaphor for the unerring accuracy and moral superiority of the outlaw.

The final confrontation The stories inevitably move toward a resolution with the authorities, acknowledging that such a life cannot exist forever in a vacuum. Even as they face death or capture, the outlaws maintain a defiant, melancholic dignity, often turning to their faith or their brothers-in-arms one last time.

The People

Robin Hood stands as the ultimate paradox: he is a thief who holds to a strict moral compass. He desires independence from the state but remains deeply tethered to his religious devotion to "Our Lady." He ends not as a victim of his own choices, but as a martyr betrayed by those within his own circle.

Little John is the necessary counterbalance to Robin’s flair. He is practical, loyal, and consistently the one who pulls the outlaw gang back from the brink of disaster. His relationship with Robin is the emotional spine of the collection; where Robin leads, John secures the path.

The Sheriff of Nottingham acts as the antagonist whose primary motivation is the maintenance of order at the cost of humanity. He represents the greed of the institutions—the Church and the law—and his persistent failure to capture the outlaws serves as the engine for the recurring humor and tension.

The Knight (Sir Richard at the Lee) is a mirror for the reader, an ordinary man swept into the outlaw’s orbit. Through his rescue, we see the transformative power of Robin’s charity, showing how the outlaw’s existence creates ripples of justice that reach those far outside the forest.

In Its Own Voice

'I make myn avowe to God,' saide Litell John, 'I had lever to crake thy crowne.'

Little John expresses his characteristic bluntness and readiness for violence when a steward refuses him food.

'Thou hast been traitor all thy life, Which thing must have an end.'

After a brutal, two-hour duel, Robin Hood delivers this final judgment to his deadly adversary, Sir Guy of Gisborne.

'I am a robber all on the salt seas, To maintain us brothers three.'

Henry Martyn explains his desperate, criminal necessity as he confronts a ship in the middle of a winter storm.

What It's Really About

This book explores the tension between the "law of the land" and the "law of the forest." It raises the fundamental question of whether justice is found in institutional statutes or in the equitable distribution of resources among the oppressed. The ballads suggest that the true measure of a man is not his title, but his capacity for loyalty and his willingness to risk everything for his fellows. Beneath the action, there is a deep, recurring preoccupation with the fragility of power; kings and sheriffs are easily outwitted by common archers, suggesting that the structures of civilization are far more porous—and arguably less virtuous—than those who lead them would like to admit.

Why Read It Today

Readers who love the intersection of history and folklore will find this collection endlessly fascinating. It captures a raw, rhythmic quality of language that feels both ancient and immediate. Reading these ballads is like listening to a series of echoes from a campfire; you can almost hear the cadence intended for an audience of centuries ago.

The book does not shy away from the realities of its age. You will encounter the casual violence of the period and the occasionally opaque Middle English phrasing, which can present a challenge for the casual reader. The editor’s inclusion of footnotes and annotations is vital here, bridging the gap between the original manuscripts and a modern understanding. It is not a quick read, nor is it a polished, modern novel; it is a primary source of the English imagination.

What stays with you is the persistent, defiant joy of the outlaws. Despite the grim endings and the constant threat of the gallows, these ballads are suffused with a love for the "levys grene" and the camaraderie of the brotherhood. It is a testament to the idea that as long as there is injustice, there will be stories of those who, for a short, brilliant time, successfully stood against it.