Robin Hood and the Tanner;

Or, Robin Hood Met with His Match.

A merry and pleasant song relating the gallant and fierce combat fought between Arthur Bland, a tanner of Nottingham, and Robin Hood, the greatest and most noblest archer of England. Tune is, Robin Hood and the Stranger.

Ritson's Robin Hood, ii. 33, from an old black-letter copy in the collection of Anthony à Wood.

There is a copy with a few unimportant variations in A Collection of Old Ballads, i. 83, from which a single reading has been admitted.

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.

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 espy,
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 fellow,
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 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 forrest,
And hast such a great command,
Yet thou must have more partakers in store,
Before thou make me to stand."

"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 thou get'st a knop upon the bare scop,
Thou canst as well sh—e as shoote."

"Speak cleanly, good fellow," said jolly Robin,
"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.

"I'le yield to thy weapon," said jolly Robin,
"Since thou wilt not yield to mine;
For I have a staff of another oke graff,
Not half a foot longer then thine.

"But let me measure," said jolly Robin,
"Before we begin our fray;
For I'le not have mine to be longer than 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.

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 Sherwood
Hereafter 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 prethee me show:
And also me tell in what place thou dost dwell,
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 Robin,
"Since thou art so kind and free;
And if thou wilt tan my hide for nought,
I will do as much for thee.

"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 beaugle horn,
He blew full lowd and shrill,
And 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 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."

"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.

, did him.

. I get. Ritson.