ROBINHOODhe was and a tall young man,Derry derry down,And fifteen winters old ;And Robin Hood he was a proper young man,Of courage stout and bold.Hey down, derry derry down.{162}Robin hee[1] would and to fair Nottingham,With the general for to dine ;There was hee aware of fifteen forrestèrs,And a drinking bear, ale, and wine.What news ? What news ? said bold Robin Hood.“What news fain wouldest thou know ?”Our king hath provided a shooting match,And I’m ready with my bow.We hold it in scorn, said the forrestèrs,That ever a boy so youngShould bear a bow before our king,That’s not able to draw one string.I’le hold you twenty marks, said bold Robin Hood,By the leave of our lady,That I’le hit a mark a hundred rod,And I’le cause a hart to dye.We’l hold you twenty mark, then said the forrestèrs,By the leave of our lady,Thou hit’st not the marke a hundred rod,Nor causest a hart to dye.Robin he289bent up a noble bow,And a broad arrow he let flye,He hit the mark a hundred rod,And he caused a hart to dye.{163}Some say hee brake ribs one or two,And some say hee brake three ;The arrow within the hart would not abide,But it glanced in two or three.The hart did skip, and the hart did leap,And the hart lay on the ground ;The wager is mine, said bold Robin Hood,If’t were for a thousand pound.The wager’s none of thine, then said the forrestèrs,Although thou beest in haste ;Take up thy bow, and get thee hence,Lest wee thy sides do baste.Robin Hood hee took up his noble bow,And his broad arrows all amain ;And Robin he[1] laught, and begun [for] to smile,As hee went over the plain.Then Robin he[1] bent his noble bow,And his broad arrows he let flye,Till fourteen of these fifteen forrestèrsUpon the ground did lye.He that did this quarrel first beginWent tripping over the plain ;But Robin he290bent his noble bow,And hee fetcht him back again.{164}You said I was no archer, said Robin Hood,But say so now again :With that he sent another arròw,That split his head in twain.You have found mee an archer, saith Robin Hood,Which will make your wives for to wring,And wish that you had never spoke the word,That I could not draw one string.The people that lived in fair NottinghàmCame running out amain,Supposing to have taken bold Robin Hood,With the forresters that were slain.Some lost legs, and some lost arms,And some did lose their blood ;But Robin hee took up his noble bow,And is gone to the merry green wood.They carried these forresters into fair Nottinghàm,As many there did know ;They dig’d them graves in their church-yard,And they buried them all a-row.⁂, invertedThe paragraph of which the following is an extract appeared in the evening paper intitled “The Star,” April 23, 1796: “A few days ago as some labourers were digging in a garden at Fox-lane, near Nottingham, they discovered six human skeletons entire, deposited in regular order side by side, supposed{165}to be part of the fifteen foresters that were killed by Robin Hood. Near the above place anciently stood a church, built in the early ages of Christianity, dedicated to St. Michael, which was totally demolished at the Reformation. . . . No doubt but the bones in question were properly buried in St. Michael’s churchyard. The proprietors of the garden humanely ordered the pit where the bones were found to be filled up, being unwilling to disturb the relics of humanity and the ashes of the dead.”
ROBINHOODhe was and a tall young man,Derry derry down,And fifteen winters old ;And Robin Hood he was a proper young man,Of courage stout and bold.Hey down, derry derry down.{162}Robin hee[1] would and to fair Nottingham,With the general for to dine ;There was hee aware of fifteen forrestèrs,And a drinking bear, ale, and wine.What news ? What news ? said bold Robin Hood.“What news fain wouldest thou know ?”Our king hath provided a shooting match,And I’m ready with my bow.We hold it in scorn, said the forrestèrs,That ever a boy so youngShould bear a bow before our king,That’s not able to draw one string.I’le hold you twenty marks, said bold Robin Hood,By the leave of our lady,That I’le hit a mark a hundred rod,And I’le cause a hart to dye.We’l hold you twenty mark, then said the forrestèrs,By the leave of our lady,Thou hit’st not the marke a hundred rod,Nor causest a hart to dye.Robin he289bent up a noble bow,And a broad arrow he let flye,He hit the mark a hundred rod,And he caused a hart to dye.{163}Some say hee brake ribs one or two,And some say hee brake three ;The arrow within the hart would not abide,But it glanced in two or three.The hart did skip, and the hart did leap,And the hart lay on the ground ;The wager is mine, said bold Robin Hood,If’t were for a thousand pound.The wager’s none of thine, then said the forrestèrs,Although thou beest in haste ;Take up thy bow, and get thee hence,Lest wee thy sides do baste.Robin Hood hee took up his noble bow,And his broad arrows all amain ;And Robin he[1] laught, and begun [for] to smile,As hee went over the plain.Then Robin he[1] bent his noble bow,And his broad arrows he let flye,Till fourteen of these fifteen forrestèrsUpon the ground did lye.He that did this quarrel first beginWent tripping over the plain ;But Robin he290bent his noble bow,And hee fetcht him back again.{164}You said I was no archer, said Robin Hood,But say so now again :With that he sent another arròw,That split his head in twain.You have found mee an archer, saith Robin Hood,Which will make your wives for to wring,And wish that you had never spoke the word,That I could not draw one string.The people that lived in fair NottinghàmCame running out amain,Supposing to have taken bold Robin Hood,With the forresters that were slain.Some lost legs, and some lost arms,And some did lose their blood ;But Robin hee took up his noble bow,And is gone to the merry green wood.They carried these forresters into fair Nottinghàm,As many there did know ;They dig’d them graves in their church-yard,And they buried them all a-row.
ROBINHOODhe was and a tall young man,Derry derry down,And fifteen winters old ;And Robin Hood he was a proper young man,Of courage stout and bold.Hey down, derry derry down.{162}
ROBINHOODhe was and a tall young man,
Derry derry down,
And fifteen winters old ;
And Robin Hood he was a proper young man,
Of courage stout and bold.
Hey down, derry derry down.{162}
Robin hee[1] would and to fair Nottingham,With the general for to dine ;There was hee aware of fifteen forrestèrs,And a drinking bear, ale, and wine.
Robin hee[1] would and to fair Nottingham,
With the general for to dine ;
There was hee aware of fifteen forrestèrs,
And a drinking bear, ale, and wine.
What news ? What news ? said bold Robin Hood.“What news fain wouldest thou know ?”Our king hath provided a shooting match,And I’m ready with my bow.
What news ? What news ? said bold Robin Hood.
“What news fain wouldest thou know ?”
Our king hath provided a shooting match,
And I’m ready with my bow.
We hold it in scorn, said the forrestèrs,That ever a boy so youngShould bear a bow before our king,That’s not able to draw one string.
We hold it in scorn, said the forrestèrs,
That ever a boy so young
Should bear a bow before our king,
That’s not able to draw one string.
I’le hold you twenty marks, said bold Robin Hood,By the leave of our lady,That I’le hit a mark a hundred rod,And I’le cause a hart to dye.
I’le hold you twenty marks, said bold Robin Hood,
By the leave of our lady,
That I’le hit a mark a hundred rod,
And I’le cause a hart to dye.
We’l hold you twenty mark, then said the forrestèrs,By the leave of our lady,Thou hit’st not the marke a hundred rod,Nor causest a hart to dye.
We’l hold you twenty mark, then said the forrestèrs,
By the leave of our lady,
Thou hit’st not the marke a hundred rod,
Nor causest a hart to dye.
Robin he289bent up a noble bow,And a broad arrow he let flye,He hit the mark a hundred rod,And he caused a hart to dye.{163}
Robin he289bent up a noble bow,
And a broad arrow he let flye,
He hit the mark a hundred rod,
And he caused a hart to dye.{163}
Some say hee brake ribs one or two,And some say hee brake three ;The arrow within the hart would not abide,But it glanced in two or three.
Some say hee brake ribs one or two,
And some say hee brake three ;
The arrow within the hart would not abide,
But it glanced in two or three.
The hart did skip, and the hart did leap,And the hart lay on the ground ;The wager is mine, said bold Robin Hood,If’t were for a thousand pound.
The hart did skip, and the hart did leap,
And the hart lay on the ground ;
The wager is mine, said bold Robin Hood,
If’t were for a thousand pound.
The wager’s none of thine, then said the forrestèrs,Although thou beest in haste ;Take up thy bow, and get thee hence,Lest wee thy sides do baste.
The wager’s none of thine, then said the forrestèrs,
Although thou beest in haste ;
Take up thy bow, and get thee hence,
Lest wee thy sides do baste.
Robin Hood hee took up his noble bow,And his broad arrows all amain ;And Robin he[1] laught, and begun [for] to smile,As hee went over the plain.
Robin Hood hee took up his noble bow,
And his broad arrows all amain ;
And Robin he[1] laught, and begun [for] to smile,
As hee went over the plain.
Then Robin he[1] bent his noble bow,And his broad arrows he let flye,Till fourteen of these fifteen forrestèrsUpon the ground did lye.
Then Robin he[1] bent his noble bow,
And his broad arrows he let flye,
Till fourteen of these fifteen forrestèrs
Upon the ground did lye.
He that did this quarrel first beginWent tripping over the plain ;But Robin he290bent his noble bow,And hee fetcht him back again.{164}
He that did this quarrel first begin
Went tripping over the plain ;
But Robin he290bent his noble bow,
And hee fetcht him back again.{164}
You said I was no archer, said Robin Hood,But say so now again :With that he sent another arròw,That split his head in twain.
You said I was no archer, said Robin Hood,
But say so now again :
With that he sent another arròw,
That split his head in twain.
You have found mee an archer, saith Robin Hood,Which will make your wives for to wring,And wish that you had never spoke the word,That I could not draw one string.
You have found mee an archer, saith Robin Hood,
Which will make your wives for to wring,
And wish that you had never spoke the word,
That I could not draw one string.
The people that lived in fair NottinghàmCame running out amain,Supposing to have taken bold Robin Hood,With the forresters that were slain.
The people that lived in fair Nottinghàm
Came running out amain,
Supposing to have taken bold Robin Hood,
With the forresters that were slain.
Some lost legs, and some lost arms,And some did lose their blood ;But Robin hee took up his noble bow,And is gone to the merry green wood.
Some lost legs, and some lost arms,
And some did lose their blood ;
But Robin hee took up his noble bow,
And is gone to the merry green wood.
They carried these forresters into fair Nottinghàm,As many there did know ;They dig’d them graves in their church-yard,And they buried them all a-row.
They carried these forresters into fair Nottinghàm,
As many there did know ;
They dig’d them graves in their church-yard,
And they buried them all a-row.
⁂, invertedThe paragraph of which the following is an extract appeared in the evening paper intitled “The Star,” April 23, 1796: “A few days ago as some labourers were digging in a garden at Fox-lane, near Nottingham, they discovered six human skeletons entire, deposited in regular order side by side, supposed{165}to be part of the fifteen foresters that were killed by Robin Hood. Near the above place anciently stood a church, built in the early ages of Christianity, dedicated to St. Michael, which was totally demolished at the Reformation. . . . No doubt but the bones in question were properly buried in St. Michael’s churchyard. The proprietors of the garden humanely ordered the pit where the bones were found to be filled up, being unwilling to disturb the relics of humanity and the ashes of the dead.”