The tolk ballads. Robin Hood Ballads contents: Introduction chapter the life of Robin Hood

Conclusion
“The downfall of Robert earle of Hun­ting­ton, afterward {l}called Robin Hood of merrie Sherwodde: with his love to chaste Matilda, the lord Fitzwater’s daughter, afterwardes his faire maide Marian. Acted by the right honourable, the earle of Notingham, lord high admirall of England, his servants. Imprinted at London, for William Leake, 1601.”
“The death of Robert, earle of Hun­ting­ton, otherwise called Robin Hood of merrie Sherwodde: with the lamentable tragedie of chaste Matilda, his faire maid Marian, poysoned at Dunmowe, by king John. Acted, Imprinted.”
These two plays, usually called the first and second part of Robin Hood, were always, on the authority of Kirkman, falsely ascribed to Thomas Heywood, till Mr. Malone fortunately retrieved the names of the true authors, Anthony Mundy and Henry Chettle. As they seem partly founded on traditions long since forgotten, and refer occasionally to documents not now to be found; at any rate, as they are much older than most of the common ballads upon the subject, and contain some curious and possibly authentic particulars not elsewhere to be met with, the reader will excuse the particularity of the account and length of the extracts here given.
The first part, or downfall of Robert earle of Hun­ting­ton, is supposed to be performed at the court and command of Henry VIII., the poet Skelton being the dramatist, and acting the part of chorus. The introductory scene commences thus:
“Enter Sir John Eltam, and knocke at Skelton’s doore.
Sir John. Howe, maister Skelton! what, at studie hard? Opens the doore.
Skel. Welcome and wisht for, honest Sir John Eltam,—
Twill trouble you after your great affairs,
[i.e. the surveying of certain maps which his majesty had employed him in;
To take the paine that I intended to intreate you to,
About rehearsall of your promis’d play.
Elt. Nay, master Skelton; for the king himselfe,
As wee were parting, bid mee take great heede
Wee faile not of our day: therefore I pray
Sende for the rest, that now we may rehearse.
Skel. O they are readie all, and drest to play.
What part play you?
Elt. Why, I play little John,
And came of purpose with this greene sute.
Skel. Holla, my masters, little John is come.
[At every doore all the players runne out: some crying where? where? others, Welcome, Sir John: among others the boyes and clowne.
Skel. Faith, little Tracy, you are somewhat forward.
What, our maid Marian leaping like a lad!
If you remember, Robin is your love,
Sir Thomas Mantle yonder, not Sir John.
Clow. But, master, Sir John is my fellowe, for I am Much the
miller’s sonne. Am I not?
Skel. I know yee are, sir:—
And, gentlemen, since you are thus prepar’d,
Goe in, and bring your dumbe scene on the stage.
And I, as prologue, purpose to expresse
The ground whereon our historie is laied. Exeunt, manet Skelton.
Trumpets sounde, enter first King Richard with drum and auncient, giving Ely a purse and sceptre, his mother and brother John, Chester, Lester, Lacie, others at the king’s appointment, doing reverence. The king goes in: presently Ely ascends the chaire, Chester, John, and the queene part displeasantly. Enter ROBERT, EARLE OF HUNTINGTON, leading Marian; followes him Warman, and after Warman, the prior; Warman ever flattering and making curtsie, taking gifts of the prior behinde and his master before. Prince John enters, offereth to take Marian; Queen Elinor enters, offering to pull Robin from her; but they infolde each other, and sit downe within the curteines.
In 1993, a previously unknown manuscript of 21 Robin Hood ballads (including 2 versions of The Jolly Pinder of Wakefield) turned up in an auction house and eventually wound up in the British Library. Called The Forresters Manuscript, after the first and last ballads, which are both titled Robin Hood and the Forresters, it was published in 1998 as Robin Hood:
The Forresters Manuscript. It appears to have been written in the 1670s. While all the ballads in the Manuscript had already been known and published during the 17th and 18th centuries (although most of the ballads in the Manuscript have different titles then ones they have listed under the Child Ballads), 13 of the ballads in Forresters are noticeably different from how they appeared in the broadsides and garlands. 9 of these ballads are significantly longer and more elaborate than the versions of the same ballads found in the broadsides and garlands. For 4 of these ballads, the Forresters Manuscript versions are the earliest known versions.