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,5
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,10
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,15
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.20
"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,25
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;30
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,35
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.40