In Nottingham there lives a jolly tannèr,With a hey down, down, a down, down,His name is Arthur-a-Bland ;There is nere a squire in NottinghamshireDare bid bold Arthur stand.{182}With a long pike-staff upon his shouldèr,So well he can clear his way ;By two and by three he makes them to flee,For he hath no list to stay.And as he went forth, in a summers morning,Into the ‘forrest of merry’ Sherwood,To view the red deer, that range here and there,There met he with bold Robin Hood.As soon as bold Robin ‘he did’293espy,He thought some sport he would make,Therefore out of hand he bid him to stand,And thus to him ‘he’ spake :Why, what art thou, thou bold fellòw,That ranges so boldly here ?In sooth, to be brief, thou lookst like a thief,That comes to steal our kings deer.For I am a keeper in this forrest,The king puts me in trustTo look to his deer, that range here and there ;Therefore stay thee I must.“If thou beest a keeper in this forrèst,And hast such a great command,‘Yet’ thou must have more partakers in store,Before thou make me to stand.”{183}“Nay, I have no more partakers in store,Or any that I do not need ;But I have a staff of another oke graff,I know it will do the deed.For thy sword and thy bow I care not a straw,Nor all thine arrows to boot ;If I get a knop upon the bare scop,Thou can’st as well sh—e as shoote.”Speak cleanly, good fellow, said jolly Robìn,And give better terms to me ;Else Ile thee correct for thy neglect,And make thee more mannerly.Marry gep with a wenion ! quod Arthur-a-Bland,Art thou such a goodly man ?I care not a fig for thy looking so big,Mend thou thyself where thou can.Then Robin Hood he unbuckled his belt,And laid down his bow so long ;He took up a staff of another oke graff,That was both stiff and strong.Ile yield to thy weapon, said jolly Robìn,Since thou wilt not yield to mine ;For I have a staff of another oke graff,Not half a foot longer then thine.{184}But let me measure, said jolly Robìn,Before we begin our fray ;For I’le not have mine to be longer then thine,For that will be counted foul play.I pass not for length, bold Arthur reply’d,My staff is of oke so free ;Eight foot and a half, it will knock down a calf,And I hope it will knock down thee.Then Robin could no longer forbear,He gave him such a knock,Quickly and soon the blood came down,Before it was ten a clock.Then Arthur he soon recovered himself,And gave him such a knock on the crown,That from every side of bold Robin Hoods head,The blood came trickling down.Then Robin raged like a wild boar,As soon as he saw his own blood :Then Bland was in hast he laid on so fast,As though he had been cleaving of wood.And about, and about, and about they went,Like two wild bores in a chase,Striving to aim each other to maim,Leg, arm, or any other place.{185}And knock for knock they lustily dealt,Which held for two hours and more ;That all the wood rang at every bang,They ply’d their work so sore.Hold thy hand, hold thy hand, said Robin Hood,And let thy quarrel fall ;For here we may thrash our bones all to mesh,And get no coyn at all :And in the forrest of merry SherwoodHeareafter thou shalt be free.“God a mercy for ‘nought,’ my freedom I bought,I may thank my staff, and not thee.”What tradesman art thou ? said jolly Robìn,Good fellow, I prithee me show ;And also me tell, in what place thou dost dwel :For both of these fain would I know.I am a tanner, bold Arthur reply’d,In Nottingham long have I wrought ;And if thou’lt come there, I vow and swear,I will tan thy hide for ‘nought.’God-a-mercy, good fellow, said jolly Robìn,Since thou art so kind and free ;And if thou wilt tan my hide for ‘nought,’I will do as much for thee.{186}And if thou’lt forsake thy tanners trade,And live in the green wood with me,My name’s Robin Hood, I swear by the ‘rood,’I will give thee both gold and fee.If thou be Robin Hood, bold Arthur reply’d,As I think well thou art,Then here’s my hand, my name’s Arthur-a-Bland,We two will never depart.But tell me, O tell me, where is Little John ?Of him fain would I hear ;For we are alide by the mothers side,And he is my kinsman dear.Then Robin Hood blew on the beugle horn,He blew full lowd and shrill ;But quickly anon appear’d Little John,Come tripping down a green hill ;O what is the matter ? then said Little John,Master, I pray you tell :Why do you stand with your staff in your hand ?I fear all is not well.“O man I do stand, and he makes me to stand,The tanner that stands thee beside ;He is a bonny blade, and master of his trade,For soundly he hath tan’d my hide.”{187}He is to be commended, then said Little John,If such a feat he can do ;If he be so stout, we will have a bout,And he shall tan my hide too.Hold thy hand, hold thy hand, said Robin Hood,For as I do understand,He’s a yeoman good, of thine own blood,For his name is Arthur-a-Bland.Then Little John threw his staff away,As far as he could it fling,And ran out of hand to Arthur-a-Bland,And about his neck did cling.With loving respect, there was no neglect,They were neither ‘nice’ nor coy,Each other did face with a lovely grace,And both did weep for joy.Then Robin Hood took ‘them both’ by the hands,And danc’d round about the oke tree :“For three merry men, and three merry men,And three merry men we be :And ever hereafter as long as we live,We three will be ‘as’ one ;The wood it shall ring, and the old wife sing,Of Robin Hood, Arthur, and John.”
In Nottingham there lives a jolly tannèr,With a hey down, down, a down, down,His name is Arthur-a-Bland ;There is nere a squire in NottinghamshireDare bid bold Arthur stand.{182}With a long pike-staff upon his shouldèr,So well he can clear his way ;By two and by three he makes them to flee,For he hath no list to stay.And as he went forth, in a summers morning,Into the ‘forrest of merry’ Sherwood,To view the red deer, that range here and there,There met he with bold Robin Hood.As soon as bold Robin ‘he did’293espy,He thought some sport he would make,Therefore out of hand he bid him to stand,And thus to him ‘he’ spake :Why, what art thou, thou bold fellòw,That ranges so boldly here ?In sooth, to be brief, thou lookst like a thief,That comes to steal our kings deer.For I am a keeper in this forrest,The king puts me in trustTo look to his deer, that range here and there ;Therefore stay thee I must.“If thou beest a keeper in this forrèst,And hast such a great command,‘Yet’ thou must have more partakers in store,Before thou make me to stand.”{183}“Nay, I have no more partakers in store,Or any that I do not need ;But I have a staff of another oke graff,I know it will do the deed.For thy sword and thy bow I care not a straw,Nor all thine arrows to boot ;If I get a knop upon the bare scop,Thou can’st as well sh—e as shoote.”Speak cleanly, good fellow, said jolly Robìn,And give better terms to me ;Else Ile thee correct for thy neglect,And make thee more mannerly.Marry gep with a wenion ! quod Arthur-a-Bland,Art thou such a goodly man ?I care not a fig for thy looking so big,Mend thou thyself where thou can.Then Robin Hood he unbuckled his belt,And laid down his bow so long ;He took up a staff of another oke graff,That was both stiff and strong.Ile yield to thy weapon, said jolly Robìn,Since thou wilt not yield to mine ;For I have a staff of another oke graff,Not half a foot longer then thine.{184}But let me measure, said jolly Robìn,Before we begin our fray ;For I’le not have mine to be longer then thine,For that will be counted foul play.I pass not for length, bold Arthur reply’d,My staff is of oke so free ;Eight foot and a half, it will knock down a calf,And I hope it will knock down thee.Then Robin could no longer forbear,He gave him such a knock,Quickly and soon the blood came down,Before it was ten a clock.Then Arthur he soon recovered himself,And gave him such a knock on the crown,That from every side of bold Robin Hoods head,The blood came trickling down.Then Robin raged like a wild boar,As soon as he saw his own blood :Then Bland was in hast he laid on so fast,As though he had been cleaving of wood.And about, and about, and about they went,Like two wild bores in a chase,Striving to aim each other to maim,Leg, arm, or any other place.{185}And knock for knock they lustily dealt,Which held for two hours and more ;That all the wood rang at every bang,They ply’d their work so sore.Hold thy hand, hold thy hand, said Robin Hood,And let thy quarrel fall ;For here we may thrash our bones all to mesh,And get no coyn at all :And in the forrest of merry SherwoodHeareafter thou shalt be free.“God a mercy for ‘nought,’ my freedom I bought,I may thank my staff, and not thee.”What tradesman art thou ? said jolly Robìn,Good fellow, I prithee me show ;And also me tell, in what place thou dost dwel :For both of these fain would I know.I am a tanner, bold Arthur reply’d,In Nottingham long have I wrought ;And if thou’lt come there, I vow and swear,I will tan thy hide for ‘nought.’God-a-mercy, good fellow, said jolly Robìn,Since thou art so kind and free ;And if thou wilt tan my hide for ‘nought,’I will do as much for thee.{186}And if thou’lt forsake thy tanners trade,And live in the green wood with me,My name’s Robin Hood, I swear by the ‘rood,’I will give thee both gold and fee.If thou be Robin Hood, bold Arthur reply’d,As I think well thou art,Then here’s my hand, my name’s Arthur-a-Bland,We two will never depart.But tell me, O tell me, where is Little John ?Of him fain would I hear ;For we are alide by the mothers side,And he is my kinsman dear.Then Robin Hood blew on the beugle horn,He blew full lowd and shrill ;But quickly anon appear’d Little John,Come tripping down a green hill ;O what is the matter ? then said Little John,Master, I pray you tell :Why do you stand with your staff in your hand ?I fear all is not well.“O man I do stand, and he makes me to stand,The tanner that stands thee beside ;He is a bonny blade, and master of his trade,For soundly he hath tan’d my hide.”{187}He is to be commended, then said Little John,If such a feat he can do ;If he be so stout, we will have a bout,And he shall tan my hide too.Hold thy hand, hold thy hand, said Robin Hood,For as I do understand,He’s a yeoman good, of thine own blood,For his name is Arthur-a-Bland.Then Little John threw his staff away,As far as he could it fling,And ran out of hand to Arthur-a-Bland,And about his neck did cling.With loving respect, there was no neglect,They were neither ‘nice’ nor coy,Each other did face with a lovely grace,And both did weep for joy.Then Robin Hood took ‘them both’ by the hands,And danc’d round about the oke tree :“For three merry men, and three merry men,And three merry men we be :And ever hereafter as long as we live,We three will be ‘as’ one ;The wood it shall ring, and the old wife sing,Of Robin Hood, Arthur, and John.”
In Nottingham there lives a jolly tannèr,With a hey down, down, a down, down,His name is Arthur-a-Bland ;There is nere a squire in NottinghamshireDare bid bold Arthur stand.{182}
In Nottingham there lives a jolly tannèr,
With a hey down, down, a down, down,
His name is Arthur-a-Bland ;
There is nere a squire in Nottinghamshire
Dare bid bold Arthur stand.{182}
With a long pike-staff upon his shouldèr,So well he can clear his way ;By two and by three he makes them to flee,For he hath no list to stay.
With a long pike-staff upon his shouldèr,
So well he can clear his way ;
By two and by three he makes them to flee,
For he hath no list to stay.
And as he went forth, in a summers morning,Into the ‘forrest of merry’ Sherwood,To view the red deer, that range here and there,There met he with bold Robin Hood.
And as he went forth, in a summers morning,
Into the ‘forrest of merry’ Sherwood,
To view the red deer, that range here and there,
There met he with bold Robin Hood.
As soon as bold Robin ‘he did’293espy,He thought some sport he would make,Therefore out of hand he bid him to stand,And thus to him ‘he’ spake :
As soon as bold Robin ‘he did’293espy,
He thought some sport he would make,
Therefore out of hand he bid him to stand,
And thus to him ‘he’ spake :
Why, what art thou, thou bold fellòw,That ranges so boldly here ?In sooth, to be brief, thou lookst like a thief,That comes to steal our kings deer.
Why, what art thou, thou bold fellòw,
That ranges so boldly here ?
In sooth, to be brief, thou lookst like a thief,
That comes to steal our kings deer.
For I am a keeper in this forrest,The king puts me in trustTo look to his deer, that range here and there ;Therefore stay thee I must.
For I am a keeper in this forrest,
The king puts me in trust
To look to his deer, that range here and there ;
Therefore stay thee I must.
“If thou beest a keeper in this forrèst,And hast such a great command,‘Yet’ thou must have more partakers in store,Before thou make me to stand.”{183}
“If thou beest a keeper in this forrèst,
And hast such a great command,
‘Yet’ thou must have more partakers in store,
Before thou make me to stand.”{183}
“Nay, I have no more partakers in store,Or any that I do not need ;But I have a staff of another oke graff,I know it will do the deed.
“Nay, I have no more partakers in store,
Or any that I do not need ;
But I have a staff of another oke graff,
I know it will do the deed.
For thy sword and thy bow I care not a straw,Nor all thine arrows to boot ;If I get a knop upon the bare scop,Thou can’st as well sh—e as shoote.”
For thy sword and thy bow I care not a straw,
Nor all thine arrows to boot ;
If I get a knop upon the bare scop,
Thou can’st as well sh—e as shoote.”
Speak cleanly, good fellow, said jolly Robìn,And give better terms to me ;Else Ile thee correct for thy neglect,And make thee more mannerly.
Speak cleanly, good fellow, said jolly Robìn,
And give better terms to me ;
Else Ile thee correct for thy neglect,
And make thee more mannerly.
Marry gep with a wenion ! quod Arthur-a-Bland,Art thou such a goodly man ?I care not a fig for thy looking so big,Mend thou thyself where thou can.
Marry gep with a wenion ! quod Arthur-a-Bland,
Art thou such a goodly man ?
I care not a fig for thy looking so big,
Mend thou thyself where thou can.
Then Robin Hood he unbuckled his belt,And laid down his bow so long ;He took up a staff of another oke graff,That was both stiff and strong.
Then Robin Hood he unbuckled his belt,
And laid down his bow so long ;
He took up a staff of another oke graff,
That was both stiff and strong.
Ile yield to thy weapon, said jolly Robìn,Since thou wilt not yield to mine ;For I have a staff of another oke graff,Not half a foot longer then thine.{184}
Ile yield to thy weapon, said jolly Robìn,
Since thou wilt not yield to mine ;
For I have a staff of another oke graff,
Not half a foot longer then thine.{184}
But let me measure, said jolly Robìn,Before we begin our fray ;For I’le not have mine to be longer then thine,For that will be counted foul play.
But let me measure, said jolly Robìn,
Before we begin our fray ;
For I’le not have mine to be longer then thine,
For that will be counted foul play.
I pass not for length, bold Arthur reply’d,My staff is of oke so free ;Eight foot and a half, it will knock down a calf,And I hope it will knock down thee.
I pass not for length, bold Arthur reply’d,
My staff is of oke so free ;
Eight foot and a half, it will knock down a calf,
And I hope it will knock down thee.
Then Robin could no longer forbear,He gave him such a knock,Quickly and soon the blood came down,Before it was ten a clock.
Then Robin could no longer forbear,
He gave him such a knock,
Quickly and soon the blood came down,
Before it was ten a clock.
Then Arthur he soon recovered himself,And gave him such a knock on the crown,That from every side of bold Robin Hoods head,The blood came trickling down.
Then Arthur he soon recovered himself,
And gave him such a knock on the crown,
That from every side of bold Robin Hoods head,
The blood came trickling down.
Then Robin raged like a wild boar,As soon as he saw his own blood :Then Bland was in hast he laid on so fast,As though he had been cleaving of wood.
Then Robin raged like a wild boar,
As soon as he saw his own blood :
Then Bland was in hast he laid on so fast,
As though he had been cleaving of wood.
And about, and about, and about they went,Like two wild bores in a chase,Striving to aim each other to maim,Leg, arm, or any other place.{185}
And about, and about, and about they went,
Like two wild bores in a chase,
Striving to aim each other to maim,
Leg, arm, or any other place.{185}
And knock for knock they lustily dealt,Which held for two hours and more ;That all the wood rang at every bang,They ply’d their work so sore.
And knock for knock they lustily dealt,
Which held for two hours and more ;
That all the wood rang at every bang,
They ply’d their work so sore.
Hold thy hand, hold thy hand, said Robin Hood,And let thy quarrel fall ;For here we may thrash our bones all to mesh,And get no coyn at all :
Hold thy hand, hold thy hand, said Robin Hood,
And let thy quarrel fall ;
For here we may thrash our bones all to mesh,
And get no coyn at all :
And in the forrest of merry SherwoodHeareafter thou shalt be free.“God a mercy for ‘nought,’ my freedom I bought,I may thank my staff, and not thee.”
And in the forrest of merry Sherwood
Heareafter thou shalt be free.
“God a mercy for ‘nought,’ my freedom I bought,
I may thank my staff, and not thee.”
What tradesman art thou ? said jolly Robìn,Good fellow, I prithee me show ;And also me tell, in what place thou dost dwel :For both of these fain would I know.
What tradesman art thou ? said jolly Robìn,
Good fellow, I prithee me show ;
And also me tell, in what place thou dost dwel :
For both of these fain would I know.
I am a tanner, bold Arthur reply’d,In Nottingham long have I wrought ;And if thou’lt come there, I vow and swear,I will tan thy hide for ‘nought.’
I am a tanner, bold Arthur reply’d,
In Nottingham long have I wrought ;
And if thou’lt come there, I vow and swear,
I will tan thy hide for ‘nought.’
God-a-mercy, good fellow, said jolly Robìn,Since thou art so kind and free ;And if thou wilt tan my hide for ‘nought,’I will do as much for thee.{186}
God-a-mercy, good fellow, said jolly Robìn,
Since thou art so kind and free ;
And if thou wilt tan my hide for ‘nought,’
I will do as much for thee.{186}
And if thou’lt forsake thy tanners trade,And live in the green wood with me,My name’s Robin Hood, I swear by the ‘rood,’I will give thee both gold and fee.
And if thou’lt forsake thy tanners trade,
And live in the green wood with me,
My name’s Robin Hood, I swear by the ‘rood,’
I will give thee both gold and fee.
If thou be Robin Hood, bold Arthur reply’d,As I think well thou art,Then here’s my hand, my name’s Arthur-a-Bland,We two will never depart.
If thou be Robin Hood, bold Arthur reply’d,
As I think well thou art,
Then here’s my hand, my name’s Arthur-a-Bland,
We two will never depart.
But tell me, O tell me, where is Little John ?Of him fain would I hear ;For we are alide by the mothers side,And he is my kinsman dear.
But tell me, O tell me, where is Little John ?
Of him fain would I hear ;
For we are alide by the mothers side,
And he is my kinsman dear.
Then Robin Hood blew on the beugle horn,He blew full lowd and shrill ;But quickly anon appear’d Little John,Come tripping down a green hill ;
Then Robin Hood blew on the beugle horn,
He blew full lowd and shrill ;
But quickly anon appear’d Little John,
Come tripping down a green hill ;
O what is the matter ? then said Little John,Master, I pray you tell :Why do you stand with your staff in your hand ?I fear all is not well.
O what is the matter ? then said Little John,
Master, I pray you tell :
Why do you stand with your staff in your hand ?
I fear all is not well.
“O man I do stand, and he makes me to stand,The tanner that stands thee beside ;He is a bonny blade, and master of his trade,For soundly he hath tan’d my hide.”{187}
“O man I do stand, and he makes me to stand,
The tanner that stands thee beside ;
He is a bonny blade, and master of his trade,
For soundly he hath tan’d my hide.”{187}
He is to be commended, then said Little John,If such a feat he can do ;If he be so stout, we will have a bout,And he shall tan my hide too.
He is to be commended, then said Little John,
If such a feat he can do ;
If he be so stout, we will have a bout,
And he shall tan my hide too.
Hold thy hand, hold thy hand, said Robin Hood,For as I do understand,He’s a yeoman good, of thine own blood,For his name is Arthur-a-Bland.
Hold thy hand, hold thy hand, said Robin Hood,
For as I do understand,
He’s a yeoman good, of thine own blood,
For his name is Arthur-a-Bland.
Then Little John threw his staff away,As far as he could it fling,And ran out of hand to Arthur-a-Bland,And about his neck did cling.
Then Little John threw his staff away,
As far as he could it fling,
And ran out of hand to Arthur-a-Bland,
And about his neck did cling.
With loving respect, there was no neglect,They were neither ‘nice’ nor coy,Each other did face with a lovely grace,And both did weep for joy.
With loving respect, there was no neglect,
They were neither ‘nice’ nor coy,
Each other did face with a lovely grace,
And both did weep for joy.
Then Robin Hood took ‘them both’ by the hands,And danc’d round about the oke tree :“For three merry men, and three merry men,And three merry men we be :
Then Robin Hood took ‘them both’ by the hands,
And danc’d round about the oke tree :
“For three merry men, and three merry men,
And three merry men we be :
And ever hereafter as long as we live,We three will be ‘as’ one ;The wood it shall ring, and the old wife sing,Of Robin Hood, Arthur, and John.”
And ever hereafter as long as we live,
We three will be ‘as’ one ;
The wood it shall ring, and the old wife sing,
Of Robin Hood, Arthur, and John.”