Francis B. Gummere (1855–1919)

Gummere was a well-known scholar in his time; he was Professor of English at Haverford College and judging by his acknowledgements worked with Francis Child and KIttredge. His preface makes clear he adopted conservative editing principles for his time, not adding any significant emendations not found in one of his sources. His collection begins with a longish introduction pp.xi - xcviii. He then goes on to the Gest of Robin Hood, other Robin Hood ballads, Otterburn, other border ballads, later quasi-historical ballads like "The Bonnie Earl of Moray" and then more romantic ballads and legendary ballads like Hind Horn and King Estmere. Aside from some tendency toward chronological order in the beginning, the ballads do not seem to be in any special order. They are supported by notes by Gummere aided by Kittredge, so they represent the best medieval/early modern English scholarship of the time in the US.… (more)