SHIPTON-UNDER-WYCHWOOD,

How dirty your house is Mrs. let me sweep it up so decent and so clean all on this merry Christmas time, for I have a tanner a-coming in, and room he must have.

I am a tanner of noting hand long time I've wrote my name Bold-rauthra-band, I with my long hook, spike, staff, so well I clear my way, by two or by three I made them to flee, for I give them no leave for to stay. As I was going across Mesher wood were the red deer which run there and here there I spied Bold Robin Hood. As soon as Bold Robin Hood he did me spy some sport he thought for to make and thus out of hand he bid me to stand and thus unto he did speak.

Who art thou then bold fellow that reigns so boldly here, by theself in the breath the looks like a thief come to steal our queen's deer.

Thee bist not the keeper of this forest nor yet under any command, thee must have more protectors in store before the before the canst bid me to stand.

No more protectors in store, no more have I any need, for I have a staff, and another old craft, sure to do the deed.

Speak clearly bold fellow give better terms unto me, neither will I for thy neglect. I'll make the more manly by thee staff and the bow I care not a straw nor all the bow arrows to boot. If thou get a knock all on the brow stock thou must just as well run as to shoot. Lets measure staffs bold fellow. My staffs 8 foot and a ½ knock down a calf I'll worn he'll knock down thee.

A Whistle.

Who's that coming over yonder hill. Little John Bold Robin Hood to fight the for thy fill. What's the matter master pray unto me tell I see thee stand with thee staff in thee hand I fear its all not well.
This tanner he stands he makes me to stand he's the tanner-hood that stands by my side. He's a bonny blade in his masters trade so well he a tanned me hide.
The must be condemned bold fellow if thou so feat to do if the lookst so stout thee and I'll have a bout and thee shalt tan my hide too.

Fight Little Johns killed.

£5 for a good doctor, £10 for a good doctor if he was but here
Doctor quick saddle thee horse and brush away.
Hold my horse Jack.
I got him fast by the tail.
He come I old doctor Good must I command thee bold Robin Hood.
Were cost thee come from.
From ome.
What canst thee do.
Cure a jackdaw with the tooth-ache.
How cost do that.
but his 'yud off and throw his body in the ditch.
any body could do that.
I got a box of pills to cure all ills I cured old Jig-me-joles wife with the roomatis in neran of her elbows swelled up as big as the atom-a-to bacco pipes she died poor old soured that was'nt my fault. I can cure the itch, the stitch, the palsy, and the ghout, pains within, pains without, and all the rantantorious boxes. I can cure this man if he's not quite dead if he'll rise up and take one of my pills. So little John rise up thy head. I travelled through England, through Scotland, and France, know me little John lets have a English dance Green sleeve and yellow lace four monkeys dance apace.
Know here come I old Beelzebub on me I cars me club in me hand dripping pan don't he think I'm a jolly old man. Last Christmas Day I turned the spit I burned me finger I feels it hit the pot lid bnat the ladel aye, aye, says the grid iron cant you to agree I'm the justice bring hum to me. In comes the fryin pan with his long tail and swer's if the cant agree I'll send hum all to jail.

NOTE I.
The earlier part of this text is a corrupt version of the ballad of Robin Hood and the Tanner, Arthur a Bland. The following quotations are from English and Scottish Ballads, edited from the collection of F. J. Child, by H. C. Sargent and G. L. Kittredge, and the marginal numbers indicate the order of the stanzas as printed in that volume.

24.	 'I am a tanner,' bold Arthur reply'd,
		'In Nottingham long have I wrought;
	And if thou 'lt. come there, I vow and do swear
		I will tan thy hide for naught'.

22. 	With a long pikestaff upon his shoulder,
		So well he can clear his way;
	By two or by three he makes them to flee,
		For he hath no list to stay.

23. 	And as he went forth, in a summer's morning,
		Into the forrest of merry Sherwood,
	To view the red deer, that range here and there,
		There met he with bold Robin Hood.

24. 	As soon as bold Robin Hood did him espy,
		He thought some sport he would make;
	Therefore out of hand he bid him to stand,
		And thus to him he spake:

25. 	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 king's deer.

27.	 'If thou beest a keeper in this forrest,
		And hast such a great command,
	Yet thou must have more partakers in store,
		Before thou make me to stand.'

28. 	' Nay, I have no more partakers in store,
		Or any that I do need;
	But I have a staff of another oke graff,
		I know it will do the deed.'

10 	Speak cleanly, good fellow,' said jolly Robin,
		And give better terms to me;
	Else I'll thee correct for thy neglect,
		And make thee more mannerly'.

29. 	'For thy sword and thy bow I care not a straw,
		Nor all shine arrows to boot;
	If I get a knop upon thy bare scop,
		Thou canst   a~ well shite as shoote.'

  'But let me measure,' said jolly Robin, . . .

15. 	 I pass not for length,' hold Arthur reply 'd,
		My staff is of oke so free;
	Eight foot and a half, it will knock: down a calf,
		And I hope it will knock down thee.'

29. 	He blew full lowd and shrill,
		But quickly anon appeared Little John,
	Come tripping down a green hill.

30.	O what is the matter?' then said Little John,
		' Master, I pray you tell;
	Why do you stand with your staff in your hand ?
		I fear all is not well'.

31	. to man, I do stand, and he makes me to stand,
		The tanner that stands thee beside;
	He is a bonny blade, and master of his trade,
		For soundly he hath tend my hide'

32. 	'He is to be commended,' then said Little John,
		'If such a feat he can do;
	If he be so stout, we will have a bout,
		And he shall tan my hide too.'

NOTE 2.
In some verses headed The Infallible Mountebank. Or, Quack Doctor, which occur in a small undated volume entitled The Harangues, or Speeches of several celebrated Quack-Doctors, in Town and Country; By Various Hands [London: Printed for J. Robinson, at the Golden-Lion in Ludgate Circus; and Sold at the Pamphlet- Shops in London and Westminster. Price 6d.] a quack makes the usual boast that he can cure

all Ills.
Past, present, and to come;
The Cramp, the Stitch,
The Squirt, the Itch,
The Gout, the Stone, the Pox,
The Mulligrubs,
The Bonny Scrubs,
And all Pandora's Box.