Digital Tradition Mirror

Robin Hood's Progress to Nottingham

Robin Hood's Progress to Nottingham

Robin Hood hee 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 he would and to fair Nottingham
With the general for to dine
There was he ware of fifteen forresters,
And a drinking bear, ale and wine.

"What news? What news?" said bold Robin Hood;
"What news, fain wouldst thou know
Our king hath provided a shooting-match.
And I'm ready with my bow."

"We hold it ill scorn," then 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 Lady,
That I'le hit a mark a hundred rod,
And I'le cause a hart to dye."

"We'll hold you twenty mark," then said the forresters,
"By the leave of Our Lady,
Thou hitst 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 dy.

Some said hee brake ribs one or two,
And some said 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 was 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 hee took up his noble bow,
And his broad arrows all amain,
And Robin Hood he laught, and began to smile,
As hee went over the plain.

Then Robin Hood hee bent his noble bow,
And his broad arrows 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 he 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 Nottingham
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 Hood hee took up his noble bow,
And is gone to the merry green wood.

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

Child #139
From The Ballad Book by MacEdward Leach
SF
Apr98

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!

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