Robin Hoods Progress to Nottingham

Ritson's Robin Hood, ii. 13.

"From an old black-letter copy in the collection of Anthony à Wood. It is there said to go 'To the tune of Bold Robin Hood;' and the chorus is repeated in every stanza. To the above title are added the following doggerel lines:—

Where hee met with fifteen forresters all on a row,
And hee desired of them some news for to know,
But with crosse-grain'd words they did him thwart,
For which at last hee made them smart."

One or two corrections made by Gutch from copies in the Roxburghe collection have been admitted.

Robin Hood he was 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.

Robin Hood hee would unto fair Nottingham,
With the general for to dine;
There was hee aware of fifteen forresters,
And a drinking beer, 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 forresters,
"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 lad[y'],
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 forresters,
"By the leave of our lady,
Thou hit'st not the marke a hundred rod,
Nor causest a hart to dye."

Robin Hood he bent 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.

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 forresters,
"Although thou beest in haste;
Take up thy bow, and get thee hence,
Lest wee thy sides do baste."

Robin Hood he took up his noble bow,
And his broad arrows all amain;
And Robin Hood he laught, and begun to smile,
As hee went over the plain.

Then Robin Hood he bent his noble bow,
And his broad arrowes he let flye,
Till fourteen of these fifteen forresters
Upon the ground did lye.

He that did this quarrel first begin
Went tripping over the plain;
But Robin Hood he bent his noble bow,
And hee fetcht him back again.

"You said I was no archer," said Robin Hood,
"But say so now again;"
With that he sent another arrow,
That split his head in twain.

"You have found mee an archer," said 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 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.

They carried these forresters into fair Nottingham,
As many there did know;
They dig'd them graves in their church-yard,
And they buried them all a-row.

, and he;

, and to, Ritson.

, bear.

, saith. Ritson.