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ROBIN HOOD'S PROGRESS TO NOTTINGHAM, by                    
First Line: Robin hood he was a tall young man
Last Line: And they buried them in a row
Subject(s): Robin Hood


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 he would and to fair Nottingham,
With the general for to dine;
There he was ware of fifteen foresters,
And a-drinking beer, 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 in scorn,' then said the foresters,
"That ever a boy so young
Should bear a bow before our king,
That's not able to draw one string.'
"I'll hold you twenty marks,' said bold Robin Hood,
"By the leave of Our Lady,
That I'll hit a mark a hundred rod,
And I'll cause a hart to die.'
"We'll hold you twenty marks,' then said the foresters,
"By the leave of Our Lady,
Thou hitst not the mark a hundred rod,
Nor causest a hart to die.'
Robin Hood he bent up a noble bow,
And a broad arrow he let fly,
He hit the mark a hundred rod,
And he caused a hart to die.
Some said he brake ribs one or two,
And some said he brake three;
The arrow within the hart would not abide,
But it glanced in two or three.
The hart did skip, the hart did leap,
And the hart lay on the ground;
"The wager is mine,' said bold Robin Hood,
"If 'twere for a thousand pound.'
"The wager's none of thine,' then said the foresters,
"Although thou beest in haste;
Take up thy bow, and get thee hence,
Lest we thy sides to baste.'
Robin Hood he took up his noble bow,
And his broad arrows all amain,
And Robin Hood he laughed, and begun to smile,
As he went over the plain.
Then Robin Hood he bent his noble bow,
And his broad arrows he let fly,
Till fourteen of these fifteen foresters
Upon the ground did lie.
He that did this quarrel first begin
Went tripping over the plain;
But Robin he bent his noble bow,
And he fetched 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 me an archer,' saith 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 foresters that were slain.
Some lost legs, and some lost arms,
And some did lose their bleed,
But Robin Hood he took up his noble bow,
And is gone to the merry green wood.
They carried these foresters into fair Nottingham,
As many there did know;
They digged them graves in their churchyard,
And they buried them all in a row.





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