"We live here like 'squires, or lords of renown, 145 Without e'er a foot of free land; We feast on good cheer, with wine, ale, and beer, And ev'ry thing at our command." Then music and dancing did finish the day; At length, when the sun waxed low, 150 Then all the whole train the grove did refrain, And unto their caves they did go. And so ever after, as long as he liv'd, Altho' he was proper and tall, Yet, nevertheless, the truth to express, 155 Still Little John they did him call. 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, 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,[L13] 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,[L35] 35 Thou canst as well sh--e as shoote."