A true tale of Robbin, or, [A] briefe touch of the life and death o[f that r]enowned outlaw, Robert Earle of Huntin[gton vu]lgarly called Robbin Hood who lived and died in [1]198. being the 9. yeare of the reigne of King Ri[chard] the First, commonly called Richard Cuer de Lyou [sic] / [ca]refully collected out of the truest writers of our English c[hronicl]les, and published for the satisfaction of those who desire to [have?] truth purged from falsehood, by Martin Parker.

A True Tale , of Robin Hood . BOth Gentlemen or Yeomen bould or whatsoever you are : To have a stately story tould , attention now prepare . It is a Tale of Robbin Hood , that I to you will tell : Which being rightly understood , I know will please you well . This Robbin ( so much talked on ) was once a man of fame . Instiled Earle of Huntington Lord Robert Hood by Name . In Courtship and Magnificence , his carriage won him prayse , ●… d greater favour with his Prince 〈…〉 than any in his dayes . 〈…〉 bounteous Liberality ●… he too much did excell , ●… nd loved men of quality , more than excéeding well . His great Revennues all he sould for wine and costly chéere : He kept thrée hundred Bowmen hold , he shooting lov'd so deare . No Archer living in his time , with him might well compare , He practis'd all his youthfull prime , that excercise most rare . At last by his profuse expence , he had consum'd his wealth ; And being outlawed by his Prince , in woods he liv'd by stealth . The Abbot of S. Maries Rich , to whom he money ought , His hatred to this Earle was such , that he his downefall wrought . So being outlawed ( as 't is told ) he with a Crew went forth , Of lusty Cutters stout and bold , and robbed in the North . Among the rest , one little Iohn , a yeoman bold and frée : Who could ( if it stood him upon ) with ease encounter thrée . One hundred men in all he got , with whom ( the Story sayes ) Thrée hundred common men durst not hold combate any wayes . They Yorkshire woods frequented much , and Lancashire also : Wherein their practises were such , that they wrought mickle woe . None rich durst travell to and fro , ( though ne're so strongly arm'd . ) But by these théeves ( so strong in show ) they still were rob'd and harm'd . His chiefest spight to the Clergie was , that lived in monstrous pride : No one of them he would let passe , along the high way side : But first they must to dinner goe , and afterwards to Shrift : Full many a one he served so , thus while he liv'd by theft . No Monkes nor Fryers he would let goe , without paying their Fées : If they thought much to be us'd so , their stones he made them léese : For such as they the Country fill'd , with Bastards in those dayes . Which to prevent , these Sparkes did geld , all that came by their wayes . ●… ut Robbin Hood so gentle was and bore so brave a minde : ●… f any in distresse did passe , to them he was so kinde , That he would give and lend to them , to helpe them at their néede : This made all poore men pray for him , and wisht he well might spéede . The Widdow and the Fatherlesse he would send meanes unto : And those whom famine did oppresse found him a friendly foe . Nor would he doe a woman wrong , but sée her safe conveid : He would protect with power strong all those who crav'd his ayde . The Abbot of Saint Maries then , who him undid before : Was riding with two hundred men , and Gold and Silver store : But Robbin Hood upon him set with his Couragious Sparkes : And all the coyne , perforce did get , which was twelve thousand Markes . He bound the Abbot to a Trée , and would not let him passe . Before that ( to his men and he ) his Lordship had sayd Masse . Which being done upon his horse he set him fast a stride : And with his face towards his ar — he forced him to ride . His men were faine to be his guide , for he rode backward home : The Abbot being thus vilifide did sorely chafe and fume . Thus Robbin Hood did vindicate his former wrongs receiv'd : For 't was this covetous Prelate , that him of Land bereav'd . The Abbot he rode to the King , with all the haste he could , And to his Grace he every thing , exactly did unfold . And sayd if that no course were tane , ( by force or Stratagem ) To take this Rebell and his traine , no man should passe for them . The King protested by and by , unto the Abbot then , That Robbin Hood with spéed should dye , with all his merry men . But ere the King did any send , he did another feate : Which did his Grace much more offend , the fact ( indéed ) was great . For in a short time after that , the Kings Receivers went . Towards London with the Coyne they got , for 's Highnesse Northerne Rent . Bold Robbin Hood and little Iohn , with the rest of their Traine : ( Not dreading Law ) set them upon , and did their gold obtaine . The King much moved at the same , ( and the Abbots talke also , ) In this his anger did proclaime , ( and sent word to and fro : ) That whoso'ere alive or dead , could bring him Robbin Hood , Should have one thousand Markes well payd , in gold and silver good . This promise of the King did make , full many yeomen bold , Attempt stout Robbin Hood to take , with all the force they could : But still when any came to him , within the gay gréene wood : He entertainement gave to them , with Venison sat and good . And shewd to them such martiall sport , with his long bow and Arrow , That they of him did give report , how that it was great sorrow , That such a worthy man as he , should thus be put to shift , Being late a Lord of high degrée , of living quite bereft . The King to take him , more and more , sent men of mickle might : But he and his still beate them sore , and conquered them in fight : Or else with love and courtesie , to him he won their hearts . Thus still he lived by robbery , throughout the Northerne parts . And all the Country stood in dread , of Robbin Hood and 's men : For stouter Lads ne're liv'd by bread , in those dayes nor since then . The Abbot ( which before I nam'd , ) sought all the meanes he could , To have by force this Rebell tane , and his adherents bold . Therefore he arm'd five hundred men , with furniture compleate : But the outlawes slew halfe of them , and made the rest retreate . The long bow and the arrow kéene , they were so us'd unto : That still they kept the Forest gréene , in spight o' th' proudest foe . Twelve of the Abbots men he tooke , who came him to have tane : When all the rest the field forsooke , these he did entertaine ; With Banquetting and Merriment , and having us'd them well , He to their Lord them safely sent , and will'd them him to tell : That if he would be pleas'd at last to beg of our good King ; That he might pardon what was past , and him to favour bring : He would surrender backe agen the money which before Was taken by him and his men , from him and many more . Poore men might safely passe by him , and some that way would chuse , For well they knew that to helpe them , he evermore did use . But where he knew a Miser Rich that did the poore oppresse ; To féele his Coyne his hand did itch hée'de have it more or lesse . And sometimes when the high-way fayld , then he his courage rouses ; He and his men have oft assayld such rich men in their houses : So that through dread of Robbin then , and his adventurous Crew : The Mizers kept great store of men , which else maintayn'd but few . King Richard of that name the first , Sirnamed Cuer de Lyon , Went to defeate the Pagans Curst , who kept the coasts of Syon , The Bishop of Ely Chancelor was left as vice Roy here , Who like a potent Emperor , did proudly domminere . Our Chronicles of him report that commonly he rode : With a thousand Horse from court to court , where he would make abode . He riding downe towards the North , with his aforesayd traine : Robbin and his did issue forth them all to entertaine . And with the Gallant Gray Goose wing , they shewed to them such play , That made their horses kickle and fling , and downe their Riders Lay . Full glad and faine the Bishop was for all his thousand men , To séeke what meanes he could to passe , from out of Robbins ken . Two hundred of his men were kil'd , and fourescore horses good ; Thirty who did as captives yéeld , were carryed to the gréene wood : Which afterwards were ransomed , for twenty Markes a man : The rest set spurres to horse and fled , to th towne of Warrington . The Bishop sore enraged then , did in King Richards name : Muster a power of Northerne men , these outlawes bold to tame . But Robbin with his courtesie , so wonne the meaner sort , That they were loath on him to try , what rigor did import . So that bold Robbin and his traine , did live unhurt of them : Vntill King Richard came againe , from faire Ierusalem . And then the talke of of Robbin Hood , his royall eares did fill : His grace admir'd that ith gréene wood , he thus continued still . So that the country farre and neare , did give him great applause : For none of them néede stand in feare , but such as broke the lawes . He wished well unto the King , and prayed still for his health : And dever practised any thing , against the Common wealth . Onely because he was undone , by 'th' Crewell Clergie then : All meanes that he could thinke upon , to vexe such kinde of men , He enterprized with hatefull spléene , in which he was to blame : For fault of some to wréeke his téene on all that by him came . With wealth which he by Robbery got eight almes houses he built : Thinking thereby to purge the blot , of blood which he had spilt : Such was their blinde devotion then , depending on their workes : Which if 't were true , we Christian men , inferiour were to Turkes . But to speake true of Robbin Hood , and wrong him not a jot : He never would shed any mans blood , that him invaded not . Nor would he iniure husbandmen , that toyl'd at Cart and Plough . For well he knew , were 't not for them , to live no man knew how . The King in person with some Lords , to Nothingham did Ride , To try what Strength and skill affords , to Crush these out lawes pride . And as he once before had done , he did againe proclaime That whosoere would take upon to bring to Nothingham , Or any place within the Land Rebellious Robbin Hood , Should be prefer'd in place to stand , with those of Noble blood . When Robbin Hood heard of the same , within a little space , Into the Towne of Notingham , a letter to his Grace , He shot upon an Arrow head , one evening cunningly ; Which was brought to the King and read before his Maiestie : The Tennour of this Letter was that Robbin would submit , And be true Leigeman to his Grace , in any thing that 's fit ; So that his Highnesse would forgive , him and his merry men all : If not he must i' th Gréene wood live , and take what chance did fall , The King would faine have pardoned him , but that some Lords did say : This president will much condemne your Grace another Day . While that the King and Lords did stay debating on this thing : Some of these outlawes fled away unto the Scottish King : For they suppos'd if he were tane or to the King did yéeld : By th' commons all the rest on 's traine full quickely would be Quell'd , Of more than full a hundred men , but forty tarryed still : Who were resolv'd to sticke to him let fortune worke her will . If none had fled , all for his sake had got their pardon frée : The King to favour meant to take his merry men and he . But ere the pardon to him came . this famous Archer dy'd : His death and manner of the same ▪ I le presently describe . For being vext to thinke upon his followers Revolt : In melancholly passion he did recount his fault . Perfideous traytors , sayd he then , in all your dangers past , Have I you guarded as my men , to leave me thus at last ? This sad perplerity did cause , a Fever ( as some say . ) Which him unto confusion drawes . though by a stranger way . This deadly danger to prevent , he hide him ( with all spéede ) Vnto a Nunnery with intent , for his healths sake to bléede . A faithlesse Fryer did pretend , in love to let him blood : But he by falshood wrought the end , of famous Robbin Hood . The Fryer ( as some say ) did this , to vindicate the wrong : Which to the Clergie he and his , had done be power strong . Thus dyed he by trechery , who could not dye by force : Had he liv'd longer certainely King Richard in remorse , Had unto favour him receav'd , he brave men elevated . T is pitty he was of life bereav'd , by one which he so hated . A treacherons Léech this Fryer was , to let him bléed to death : And Robbin was me thinkes an asse , to trust him with his breath . His Corpes the Priores of the place , ( the next day that he dy'd ) Caused to be hurted ( in meane case ) close by the high way side . And over him she caused a stone , to be fired on the ground : An Epitaph was set thereon , wherein his name was found , The date o th yeare and day also , shée made to be set there : That all who by the way did goe . might sée it plaine appeare , That such a man as Robbin Hood , was buried in that place : And how he lived in the gréene wood , and Rob'd there for a space . It seemes that though the Clergie he , had put to mickle woe : He should not quite forgotten be , although he was their foe . This woman though she did him hate , yet loved his memory : And thought it wondrous pitty that , his fame should with him dye . This Epitaph , as Records tell , within this hundred yeares , By many was discerned well , but time all things outweares . His followers when he was dead , were some received to grace : The rest to forraigne Countries fled , and left their native place . Although his funerall was but meane , this woman had in minde : Least his fame should be burried cleare , from those that came behind . For certainely before nor since , no man ere vnderstood : Vnder the reigne of any Prince , of one like Robbin Hood . Full thirtéene yeares and something more , these outlawes lived thus : Feared of the rich , loved of the poore , a thing most marvelous . A thing unpossible to us , this story séemes to be : None dares be now so venturous , but times are chang'd we sée . We that live in these latter dayes , of civill government ; ( If néede be ) have a hundred wayes , such outlawes to prevent . In those dayes men more barbarous were , and lived lesse in awe : Now ( God be thanked ) people feare , more to offend the Law . No roaring Guns were then in use , they dreampt of no such thing : Our English men in fight did chuse , the gallant gray Goose wing , In which activity these men , ( through practise ) were so good . That in those dayes non equald them , specially Robbin Hood . So that it séemes , kéeping in Caves , in Woods and Forrests thicke : Thei 'd beate a multitude with staves , their Arrowes did so pricke . And none durst neare unto them come , unlesse in courtesie : All such he bravely would send home , with mirth and Iollity . Which courtesie won him such love , as I before have told : 'T was the chéefe cause that he did prove , more prosperous than he could , Let us be thankefull for these times , Of plenty , truth , and peace : And leave our great and horrid crimes , least they cause this to cease . I know there 's many fained Tales of Robbin Hood and 's Crew . But Chronicles which seldome fayles , reports this to be true : Let none then thinke this a lye , for if t were put to th' worst : They may the truth of all discry , i' th raigne of Richard the first . If any Reader please to try . ( as I direction show ) The truth of this brave History , héele finde it true I know . And I shall thinke my labour well bestowed to purpose good : When 't shall be sayd that I did tell , True tales of Robbin Hood .

The Epitaph which the Prioresse of the Monastery of Kirkes Lay in Yorke shire , set over Robbin Hood , which ( as is before mentioned ) was to bee reade within these hundreth yeares ( though in old broken English ) much to the same sence and meaning

Decembris Quarto Die 1198. Anno Regni Richardii primi 9.

Robert Earle of Huntington , lies under this little stone . No Archer was like him so good : his wildnesse named him Robbin Hood . Full thirtéene yeares and something more , these Northerne parts he vexed sore . Such out lawes as he and his men , may England never know agen .

Some other superstitious words were in it , which I thought fit to leave out .

FINIS .