Appendix
The Jolly Pinder of Wakefield With Robin Hood, Scarlet and John
In Wakefield there lives a jolly pindèr,
in Wakefield all on a green,
in Wakefield all on a green;
There is neither knight nor squire, said the pindèr,
nor baron that is so bold,
nor baron that is so bold;
Dare make a trespàss to the town of Wakefield,
but his pledge goes to the pinfold, &c.
All this be heard three witty young men,
’twas Robin Hood, Scarlet and John, &c.
With that they espy’d the jolly pindèr,
as he sat under a thorn, &c.
Now turn again, turn again, said the pindèr,
for a wrong way you have gone, &c.
For you have forsaken the king’s high-way,
and made a path over the corn, &c.
O that were great shame, said jolly Robin,
we being three, and thou but one, &c.
The pinder leapt back then thirty good foot,
’twas thirty good foot and one, &c.
He leaned his back fast unto a thorn,
and his foot against a stone, &c.
And there they fought a long summer’s day,
a summer’s day so long, &c.
Till that their swords on their broad bucklèrs,
were broke fast into their hands, &c.
Hold thy hand, hold thy hand, said bold Robin Hood,
and my merry men everyone, &c.
For this is one of the best pindèrs,
that ever I tryed with sword, &c.
And wilt thou forsake thy pinder’s craft,
and live in the green-wood with me? &c.
At Michaelmas next my cov’nant comes out,
when every man gathers his fee, &c.
I’ll take my blew blade all in my hand
And plod to the green-wood with thee, &c.
Hast thou either meat or drink? said Robin Hood,
for my merry men and me, &c.
I have both bread and beef, said the pindèr,
and good ale of the best, &c.
And that is meat good enough, said Robin Hood,
for such unbidden guest, &c.
O wilt thou forsake the pinder his craft,
and go to the green-wood with me? &c.
Thou shalt have a livery twice in the year,
the one green, the other brown, &c.
If Michaelmas day was come and gone,
and my master had paid me my fee,
and my master had paid me my fee,
Then would I set as little by him,
as my master doth by me,
as my master doth by me.
Notes
1 In his Elizabethan Drama, ii. 376.
2 As does Ingram in his Christopher Marlowe and his Associates.
3 Nash repeatedly bears witness to Greene’s popularity. “In a night and a day would he have yarkt up a pamphlet as well as in seven year, and glad was that printer that might be so blest to pay him dear for the very dregs of his wit” (Strange News). Harvey condemns him for “putting forth new, newer, and newest books of the maker” (Four Letters). Greene remained popular long after his death. In Sir Thomas Overbury’s “Character” of A Chambermaid, he tells us “She reads Greene’s works over and over”; and Anthony Wood informs us that since Greene’s time his works “have been mostly sold on ballad-mongers’ stalls.” In the introduction to Rowland’s ’Tis Merrie when Gossips meete (1602), (Hunterian Club Publications, vol. i.) there is a dialogue indicating that Greene’s works are still in demand. Ben Jonson in Every Man out of his Humour (1599) alludes to Greene’s works, whence one “may steal with more security,” referring undoubtedly, as does Rowland, to the great mass of Greene’s published work.
4 Upon which Nash comments: “Let other men (as they please) praise the mountain that in seven years brings forth a mouse, or the Italianate pen, that of a packet of pilfries, affordeth the press a pamphlet or two in an age, and then in dignified array, vaunts Ovid’s and Plutarch’s plumes as their own; but give me the man, whose extemporal vein in any humour, will excel our greatest art master’s deliberate thoughts; whose invention quicker than his eye, will challenge the proudest rhetorician, to the contention of like perfection, with like expedition.”—(Prefatory Address to Greene’s Menaphon.)
5 “But I thank God that he put it in my head, to lay open the most horrible cosenages of the common Conny-catchers, Coseners, and Cross-biters, which I have indifferently handled in those my several discourses already imprinted. And my trust is that these discourses will do great good, and be very beneficial to the commonwealth of England.”—The Repentance of Robert Greene.
6 It is regretfully that one recognises that Collins does not belong at the head of this list. The surprising defects of the long-awaited definitive edition of Greene must now speak for themselves; its manifest excellences are well able to do so.
7 Writing in Notes and Queries, 1905.
8 Menaphon was probably written a year or so earlier, but Nash’s address was probably dated from the year of publication.
9 If we are to believe that Edward III. is Marlowe’s play the reference of this passage to Marlowe is made certain, for Greene ridicules the words ‘Ave Cæsar’ that occur in the play. The only other play in which the words are known to occur is Orlando Furioso by Greene himself. It would be too much to say that their use there is in ridicule of Marlowe, though even that is possible.
10 It may be, though it is not certain, that Greene was attacking Marlowe in the epistle prefixed to his Farewell to Folly (1591), in which he tells the gentleman students that his Mourning Garment had been so popular that the pedlar found the books “too dear for his pack, that he was fain to bargain for the life of Tomliuclin to wrap up his sweet powders in those unsavoury papers.” If “Tomliuclin” is a misprint for Tamburlaine this is Greene’s most direct and spiteful attack on Marlowe.
11 Gayley, Representative English Comedies, p. 410.
12 Orlando Furioso, ii. 76-79; Old Wives’ Tale, ii. 808-811.
13 See Storojenko, Huth Library, vol. I., p. 235, and Gayley, Representative English Comedies, p. 412.
14 Greene’s satirical use in Never too Late of the words “Ave Cæsar,” which occur in Edward III., Act i. Sc. I, and his connecting of them with a cobbler, seem to constitute Fleay’s case. The matter has already been mentioned in connection with Greene’s jealousy of Marlowe. The latest editor of Edward III., C. F. Tucker Brooke, in The Shakespeare Apocrypha, ignores the supposition that the play may be by Marlowe and dismisses the theory that it was by two hands. He puts forward the claims of Peele, not, however, with great weight.
15 And for another expression of the same idea see Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay, p. 264.
16 The refrain, “O, what is love! it is some mighty power,” occurs with almost a lyric note in George-a-Greene.
17 The Old Dramatists—Greene and Peele, p. 603.
18 For comment on this see p. lviii.
19 Though we accept the theory of the early composition of A Looking-Glass we fail to follow the arguments of Fleay and Gayley, derived from the introduction of Perimedes (licensed 29th March 1588), that in “the mad priest of the sun,” mentioned in connection with Atheist Tamburlaine, Greene can have any reference to the priests of Rasni in Act iv. Scene 3. Certainly Greene could not have held up such tame heroics for comparison with Marlowe’s vigorous declamation. Careful scrutiny fails to show that Greene was mentioning a work of his own. The mad priests of the sun would seem rather to be other products of the pen of Marlowe, or to be the work of some other dramatist, possibly Kyd, whom, with Marlowe, Greene was attacking. (See Koeppel in Herrig’s Archiv, 102, p. 357.)
20 Particularly the parts of Adam, Smith, and Alcon. It is hard to suppose that Spenser in his line, “pleasing Alcon,” in the Tears of the Muses (1591), could have been referring to Lodge.
21 As to date of the play we can say only that if Greene’s it must be the last one of his extant workmanship. It would not be safe to draw conclusions from the mention of George-a-Greene in Tarlton’s News out of Purgatory, as Tarlton was probably alluding to the source of the narrative used by Greene. Nor does the mention of “martial Tamburlaine” in the first scene help further than to indicate that the play was written after 1587.
22 This name was, however, quite common in this sense, Peele himself using it in his Farewell and in Polyhymnia.
23 The reference is to the edition in The Shakespeare Apocrypha.
24 Compare this with a line in James IV. (Act ii. Sc. I). “Better, than live unchaste, to lie in grave.”
25 See Gayley, Representative English Comedies, p. 422. Opinion to-day seems strongly to favour the theory that it was Nash to whom Greene referred in the famous passage in A Groatsworth of Wit, and not Lodge. Considerations of age, of personal association, of the comparative gifts of satire of Nash and Lodge strengthen this view. Nash helped Marlowe in the composition of a tragedy; why not Greene in the composition of a comedy?
26 disdain: often used.
27 Such repetition is common, see pp. 37, 188, 190.
28 Use.
29 Often used for “where,” as “whenas” is used for “when.”
30 Boast.
31 A false quantity.
32 Another false quantity.
33 Attained the position of.
34 Simple, rude.
35 Lest; often so used.
36 Here and on p. 59 used in the sense of “neglect” or “refrain from.”
37 Care.
38 It should be remembered that the scene divisions are not made by Greene.
39 In Elizabethan writers this term is used in both genders to express general relationship. Here it means cousin.
40 Strive, contend.
41 Upbraid.
42 Same as “vile.”
43 Resent.
44 In the use of the descending throne, trap-door, property tomb, balcony and curtain, as well as in plastic use of scenes (pp. 42 and 248) Greene illustrates the best practice of his time.
45 Advise.
46 Here clearly a change of scene is supposed. Between the two scenes the Quarto has only this stage direction to Fausta: “Make as though you were a-going out, Medea meet her and say.” As some time is supposed to elapse between the two scenes they are here differentiated. Such is not the case in George-a-Greene (p. 439) in which the action goes right on in two settings.
47 Prepared.
48 Among Elizabethan playwrights the use of the names of English institutions, prisons, cathedrals and inns, in foreign scene-settings, is quite common.
49 Evidently a reminiscence of I Kings xviii. 27.
50 Sex.
51 A false quantity.
52 Dyce’s query “loadstar” is adopted instead of “load-stone” of the quarto.
53 Over-scrupulous.
54 Exult, strut.
55 From this line we are made to conclude that Greene intended to write a second part of Alphonsus of Arragon.
56 Lover.
57 Beat back.
58 Degree.
59 Beauty.
60 Because.
61 Dyce’s suggestion is accepted instead of “either” of the quartos.
62 Pearls.
63 Foolish.
64 In rearranging a corrupt text Dyce made “Clown” and “Adam” two distinct persons. It is clear from the first sentence in Act iv., Scene 4, that they are identical. Clown’s first three speeches are given in the first four quartos to Smith, meaning Adam, the Smith’s man. It should be noticed that First Ruffian calls Adam “smith,” and “this paltry smith.”
65 The same pun occurs in Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay, Act IV., Scene I.
66 Requite.
67 Farcy.
68 The Quartos designate the two latter as “A young Gentleman and a poor Man.”
69 Merchandise which the borrower took in lieu of part of the sum to be secured from the usurer.
70 Counterpart, duplicate.
71 Until.
72 Grave, sober.
73 Remilia and Alvida are assuming parts.
74 A proverbial expression. Compare Shakespeare’s Richard III., Act III. sc. 7: “Play the maid’s part,—still answer nay, and take it.”
75 Through a trap in the stage.
76 Destroyed.
77 A form of endearment, equivalent to “pet.”
78 The Quarto reads, “Mark but the Prophets, we that shortly shows,” etc. J. C. Smith suggests “Prophet’s woe”; J. C. Collins, “Prophet, he,” etc.
79 An old form of “mess.”
80 “The term no doubt has reference to the sumptuary enactments regulating the breadth of the lace which was allowed to be worn.”—Collins.
81 Mock-velvet.
82 Quarrelling, squabbling.
83 Business.
84 I bet my cap to a noble (a gold coin).
85 Strong ale that makes men swagger and bluster.
86 Sendal, “a kinde of Cypres stuffe or silke.”—Minsheu, Guide into the Tongues, 1617. Sussapine is supposed by Collins to be a corruption of “gossampine,” meaning a cotton cloth.
87 Attending to.
88 Toil.
89 Intend.
90 Prepared.
91 Pieces of silver money.
92 The quartos are unintelligible. This is the conjectural reading of Mr J. C. Smith, given in Collins’ edition.
93 Compassion.
94 Rustic dialect for “I trow I taught.”
95 The quartos have “Enters Radagon solus.”
96 Straits.
97 Drab.
98 Printed “Satropos,” but the word is a title and not a proper name.
99 A faggot in a hostelry, which is kept alight by the guests.
100 “Bird” is the young of an animal. Adam is talking euphuistical nonsense.
101 A leathern bag or bottle for wine.
102 White is an epithet of endearment.
103 A lease by word of mouth.
104 “Drabler, an additional piece of canvas, laced to the bottom of the bonnet of a sail, to give it greater depth.”—(N. E. D.)
105 Bisa; the north wind.
106 Cotton-cloth, or bumbast.
107 Press, similar to “mease” for “mess,” p. 102.
108 Ready.
109 Companion, therefore—equal.
110 Axis.
111 Confound, therefore to destroy.
112 Adyt; the innermost sanctuary of a temple.
113 “The ale” here means the ale-house, as it does in Shakespeare’s Two Gentlemen of Verona (II. 5).
114 A famous comic trick in the early plays. Adam is a late figure of the Vice type. Compare Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay (V. 2) in which Miles is carried off on a Devil’s back.
115 Bold, brave.
116 An instrument used by pick-pockets in cutting purses.
117 To shave or cut, therefore to pillage, plunder.
118 To draw, to pour; here used in the sense of “to fill.”
119 Let all the standing-bowls go round.
120 This is the emendation by J. C. Smith, given in Collins’ edition, of the unintelligible “Lamana” of the quartos.
121 A reminiscence of Kyd’s Spanish Tragedy (Scene XII), in which Hieronimo enters with a poniard and a rope.
122 Decoys.
123 Know not.
124 A very faithful paraphrase of chapter 4 of the book of Jonah.
125 Wide breeches, here breeches pockets.
126 The head of a red-herring. The term may have become synonymous with the fish itself. Adam’s meaning cannot be said to be very clear.
127 I could endure.
128 A fine white bread.
129 Breeches.
130 The quartos give “Lepher,” which is unintelligible. This reading is Dyce’s conjecture. It is of little moment that these places are not plains but mountains.
131 Own.
132 The title in the quartos was “The History of Orlando Furioso, one of the Twelve Peers of France.”
133 Judgment.
134 “To man” is a term in falconry, and means to accustom to man, to make tractable.
135 Cuirasses.
136 A false quantity.
137 Dominion.
138 Here as elsewhere improperly used as the name of a place.
139 These four lines occur nearly verbatim towards the end of Peele’s Old Wives’ Tale, ll. 885-8.
140 Pearls.
141 Cliffs.
142 Same as French rebattre, beat back.
143 An allusion to the recent repulse of the Spanish Armada.
144 Blasts.
145 Giglot, a wanton woman.
146 Thraso and Gnatho were well-known characters in the Eunuchus of Terence, and references to them are very common in the works of Elizabethan writers.
147 Hurled, dashed to pieces.
148 In his Francesco’s Fortunes Greene satirizes “Ave Cæsar” as it occurs in Edward III., presumably by Marlowe.
149 Love.
150 Confounded, dismayed.
151 At this point the Alleyn manuscript begins.
152 The first four of these lines are, with the exception of the last half of the first line, from the 117th stanza of the twenty-seventh Canto of Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso; the other four are from the 121st stanza of the same Canto.
153 A corrupt passage is here supplemented by words from the Alleyn manuscript.
154 A streamer attached to a lance.
155 See Odyssey X. 302, and following. A stock reference in Euphuism.
156 A phrase signifying excess; probably “understanding” should be supplied.
157 Mad.
158 Another false quantity.
159 The designation in the quartos is “the Clown.”
160 Makes Canopus look dark.
161 Fiddler is undoubtedly played by Tom, the clown who had before played Angelica. See the next speech.
162 Apprehend, take in.
163 Signifying that the actor could extemporise as he chose. Ad lib., ad libitum would now be the direction.
164 The Muses.
165 A corrupt passage is here supplemented by four lines from the Alleyn manuscript.
166 An interesting reminder of the exigencies of Elizabethan stage technique. The scenes represent different localities, but as Sacripant dies at the end of a scene, his body remains on the stage until removed by the best means possible.
167 Silly-minded.
168 Amiss, fault.
169 In spite of, notwithstanding.
170 Orlando is adapting his language to his disguise.
171 Splendid.
172 “A kinde of Cipres stuffe or silke.” Minsheu, Guide into the Tongues, 1617.
173 Outstripped.
174 Hunting-dogs.
175 A coarse woolen cloth.
176 For alamort: dejected.
177 Pearls.
178 Cliffs.
179 Rarer.
180 Made that woman blush. That, etc.
181 Pocket.
182 Pass by, outstrip.
183 Be you assured.
184 The magical five-rayed star used as a defence against demons.
185 Care not for.
186 Guests.
187 Confounded.
188 In Bacon’s day Brasenose College was not in existence.
189 Bargain.
190 Edward could not have fought before Damascus.
191 Swaggering.
192 Equivalent to “’swounds,” “God’s wounds.”
193 Tied by love.
194 A glass which reflects magically distant or future events and scenes.
195 Leathern wine-jugs.
196 “After Bacon and Edward had walked a few paces about (or perhaps towards the back of) the stage, the audience were to suppose that the scene was changed to the interior of Bacon’s cell.”—Dyce.
197 “Perhaps the curtain which concealed the upper stage... was withdrawn, discovering Margaret and Bungay standing there, and when the representation in the glass was supposed to be over, the curtain was drawn back again.”—Dyce.
198 An allusion to the proverb, “Early up and never the nearer.”
199 Breviary, portable prayer-book.
200 Bullies.
201 Skeltonical verse.
202 A term of endearment.
203 Loose shoes.
204 The allusion is to Alexander Barclay’s English version (1509) of Sebastian Brant’s Narrenschiff.
205 “An expression borrowed from the author whose style is here imitated—
“Construas hoc,
Domine Dawcocke!
‘Ware the Hauke, Skelton.”—Dyce.
206 A prison in the old north gate of Oxford, so named after one of the moods of the third syllogistic figure.
207 A dance resembling the waltz or polka.
208 Overturned; literal transference from the Latin.
209 Nourishing to cattle, productive.
210 Laden.
211 Trismegistus.
212 Porphyry.
213 An atom compared with.
214 Possibly the reference is to Lutetia (Paris) rather than Utrecht, which was not yet a university town.
215 Love-kindling looks.
216 “The salt-cellar, generally a very large and massive one, stood in the middle of the table; guests of superior rank always sat above it towards the upper part of the table, those of inferior rank below it towards the bottom.”—Collins.
217 Spices.
218 Dried plums.
219 Sugar plums.
220 Protuberant.
221 Cliffs.
222 The stage direction is, “Enter Friar Bacon drawing the curtains, with a white stick, a book in his hand,” etc.
223 Greene uses the same pun in A Looking Glass, Act I. scene 2.
224 A watchman’s pike or halbert.
225 Miles’ blundering reminiscences of “Cunctator.”
226 Miles is here punning on “coursed.”
227 Beyond all measure.
228 These are discovered in the upper stage just as Margaret and Friar Bungay were discovered in Act. II. scene 3.
229 Venture.
230 A bout.
231 Dyce suggests that Greene here meant “scholars.” Gayley suggests that Bacon may have taken the glass.
232 Britons.
233 Mutton is a cant term for a prostitute.
234 Welt and guard are synonymous: without facing or ornament, as these are against the statute.
235 A pack.
236 “The ‘curtana’ or ’pointless sword’ of mercy; the ’pointed sword’ of justice; the ’golden rod’ of equity.”—Gayley.
237 Here begins a compliment to Queen Elizabeth.
238 The complete title of the 1598 edition was, “The Scottish History of James the Fourth, Slain at Flodden. Intermixed with a pleasant comedy, presented by Oberon King of Fairies.”
239 “A technical term for the burlesque dance of an anti-masque, and there being several performers takes a plural verb.”—W. W. Greg, Modern Language Review, I., p. 248.
240 Collins defines this, after Skeat, as a stableman, a stable-cleaner.
241 My quiet.
242 I’ll make.
243 Erewhile. Greene’s Scottish dialect is not very accurate.
244 Advise.
245 Contradict.
246 Sword, dagger.
247 Never the nearer: a favourite phrase with old writers.
248 Some words are wanting here.
249 Hold you your chattering.
250 Decoys.
251 Hold back.
252 “To” is here used in the sense of “compared with.”
253 Tablets, memorandum books.
254 My soul.
255 Dwelt.
256 Greene probably intended a Scotch dialect form of “lovely.”
257 The player was expected to extemporise until off the stage.
258 The scene between Bohan and Oberon may properly be entitled “Chorus,” as such scenes appear at the end of each act with the exception of the fifth. The relationship of the three dumb shows with the play as a whole and with each other has not been explained. In many places the text is hopelessly corrupt.
259 The entire passage is so corrupt as to be unintelligible.
260 Manly’s readjustment of a corrupt passage, based upon a suggestion by Kittredge, has been accepted.
261 The song is not inserted. It was not necessarily composed by the author of the play.
262 Frown.
263 Words that describe you.
264 Cozener’s terms.
265 Prepared, ready.
266 What then?
267 Gnatho is the parasite in the Eunuchus of Terence. Here and elsewhere in this play the name refers specifically to Ateukin.
268 Printed “Gnatho.”
269 Silent.
270 The text of this Chorus is very corrupt.
271 A piece of money worth from 6s. to 10s. Puns upon the several meanings of the word were frequent.
272 Strike, beat.
273 ϕιλαυτία, self-love, Collier’s emendation of a meaningless passage in the quartos.
274 The word “gentlemen” is addressed to the audience.
275 An Irish coin below the value of the earliest shilling, so called from having a harp on it.
276 Babbler, chatterer.
277 Strut.
278 This lyrical passage was undoubtedly sung.
279 See Æneid XII., 411; a favourite allusion of the Euphuists.
280 Again addressed to the audience.
281 A church seat for loungers, the original in Carfax Church, Oxford. To sit on Pennyless Bench indicated extreme poverty.
282 Kittredge’s emendation. For the unintelligible “lakus” of the quarto one would accept Collier’s conjecture “Jack-ass,” were it not for the fact, enunciated by Collins (after N. E. D.), that this word was unknown before the eighteenth century.
283 Collier’s emendation for “a rapier and dagger,” it being clear that Slipper has miscalled the weapons.
284 So also in the quarto, line 5, scene v. of this act, French “oui” is spelled “wee.”
285 Shrew.
286 Love.
287 The sword of Sir Bevis of Southampton; the common synonym for a sword.
288 Manly’s suggested emendation of the meaningless “His grave, I see, is made,” of the quarto.
289 Revive, resuscitate him.
290 Waiting for.
291 “To the speeches of the King of England throughout this scene is prefixed Arius. Collier remarks, History of English Dramatic Poetry, iii. 161, ‘It is a singular circumstance that the King of England is called Arius, as if Greene at the time he wrote had some scruple in naming Henry VIII. on account of the danger of giving offence to the Queen and Court.’”—Collins.
292 Pillage, plunder.
293 Tried, skilled.
294 Then.
295 From this point the scene is confused.
296 Grimaces.
297 Truest love of all.
298 By dramatic convention this speech should belong to the King of Scots.
299 One who impounds stray cattle.
300 Lower.
301 Inroad.
302 In ballad style, though not found in the ballad “The Jolly Pinder of Wakefield.”
303 Affections.
304 For “enjoin.”
305 A woman who sells “souce” or brine for pickling.
306 “Allusions to velvet as being costly, fine, and luxurious are very common in the Elizabethan writers.”—Collins.
307 Pay the penalty for.
308 Lose.
309 Here the scene may be supposed to have changed, although George has not left the stage. In the quarto the scene runs on without break.
310 Through a door at the back of the stage.
311 Love.
312 Colour, complexion.
313 The stage direction in the quarto is: Enter a Shoemaker sitting upon the stage at work: Jenkin to him.
314 Beggar.
315 Bold, brave.
316 See the ballad printed in the Appendix.
317 Dear.
318 Derived first from the language of the chase, this phrase probably came to mean “dogs of all kinds.”
319 Confound.