Digital Tradition Mirror

The Jolly Pinder of Wakefield

The Jolly Pinder of Wakefield

1 IN Wakefield there lives a jolly pinder,
In makefield, all on a green;

2 'There is neither knight nor squire,' said the pinder,
  'Nor baron that is so bold,
Dare take a trespasse to the town of Wakefield,
But his pledge goes to the pinfold,'

3 All this beheard three witty young men,
'T was nobin Hood, Scarlet, and John;
With that they spyed the jolly pinder,
As he sate under a thorn.

4 'Now turn again, turn again,' said the pinder,
'For awrong way have you gone;
For you have forsaken the king his highway,
And made a path over the corn.'

5 'O that were great shame,' said jolly Robin,
'We being three, and thou but one:'
The Pinder leapt back then thirty good foot,
'T was thirty good foot and one.

6 He leaned his back fast unto a thorn,
And his foot unto a stone,
And there he fought along summer's day,
A summer's day so long.
Till that their swords, on their broad bucklers,
Were broken fast unto their hands.

7 'Hold thy hand, hold thy hand,' said Robin Hood,
  'And my merry men every one;
For this is one of the best pinders
That ever I try'd with sword.

8 'And wilt thou forsake thy pinder his craft,
And live in the green wood with me?
....
....

9 'At Michaelmas next my covnant comes out,
When every man gathers his fee;
I'le take my blew blade all in my hand,
And plod to the green wood with thee.'

10 'Wast thou either meat or drink,' said Robin Hood,
'For my merry men and me?
....
....

11 'I have both bread and beef,' said the pinder,
'And good ale of the best;'
'And that is meat good enough,' said Robin Hood,
'For such unbidden guest.

12 'O wilt thou forsake the pinder his craft,
And go to the green wood with me?
Thou shalt have a livery twice in the year,
The one green, the other brown shall be.

13 'If Michaelmas day were once come and gone
And my master had paid me my fee,
Then would I set as little by him
As my master doth set by me.'

Child #124
From Child, version A
a. Wood, 402, leaf 43. b. Garland of 1663, No 4. b, Gnrland of 1670, No 3.
d. Pepys, 1I, 100, No 87 a. Wood, 401, leaf G1 b
SOF
OCT98

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!