David of Doncaster

## Origin

David of Doncaster was a Merry Man named in the singular ballad *Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow*, but Howard Pyle used his name in *The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood* as the youngest of the Merry Men and for the anonymous yeoman wrestler saved by Sir Richard at the Lee in the ballad *A Gest of Robyn Hode*.

His hometown of Doncaster is near Barnsdale, the forest which Robin Hood originally operated out of before later writers started using Sherwood instead. He is not the only character to originate from Doncaster as Roger of Doncaster, the man who aided the Prioress of Kirklees in killing Robin, is also from the town.

## Merry Men

David warned Robin Hood that the Sheriff of Nottingham was setting a trap for him with the archery competition in *Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow*. In some tales it is David who learns of Will Stutely's execution sentence and brings news of where and when the hanging is meant to take place so that the Merry Men can mount a rescue of their fellow.

## The Denby Fair

Howard Pyle gives David's name to a previously unnamed young yeoman from the ballad *A Gest of Robyn Hode* who was saved by Richard at the Lee from a mob after winning a wrestling competition at the Denby fair. In this account the local favorite William of the Scar boasts that he will stand against any man and make any who challenge him "root the ground with their noses like swine in the forests" following his defeat of Egbert of Stoke who was considered the only man there who could possibly challenge him. David, who up until this point had been wisely watching from the crowd and not drawing attention to his outlawed self couldn't pass up the challenge and stepped into the ring where he was able to defeat William. Sir Richard thought the youth looked familiar but couldn't place him and David had the presence of mind not to announce himself so the winnings went to a nameless challenger. The nameless nature of the winner further angered William's supporters who were immediately riled when William did not get up quickly from the throw which defeated him as they thought he may have been killed.

As David wandered through the rest of the fair taking in the sights a mob slowly gathered and eventually a burly local blacksmith got David's attention and attacked him. While David was able to use his quarterstaff to defend himself the attack had emboldened the rest of the malcontents and someone was able to lob a stone into his head and stagger him while he was trying to dislodge the sagging blacksmith at which point the lot of them attacked and he was quickly stripped of his weapon and overwhelmed. Luckily Sir Richard and his attendants intervened and saved David's life and bandaged his injury. When David realized Richard was uncertain of his identity he informed the knight and Richard brought him along with him to the greenwood as he was already on his way to see Robin Hood when he had stopped at the fair and been asked to help officiate the wrestling competition.

## Appearances in Media

**Ballads:**

* *Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow*

**Literature:**

* *The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood* by Howard Pyle
* *Tales of Robin Hood* by Clayton Emery

**Film:**

* 1991 *Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves* as Bull played by Daniel Peacock

* Sheriff of Nottingham, Merry Men Expansion (Arcane Wonders)

**Comics:**

## Gallery

The Aged Palmer gives David of Doncaster News of Will Stutely in an illustration by Howard Pyle from *The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood*.David of Doncaster by Saeed Jalabi for the Sheriff of Nottingham board game Merry Men expansion pack (2016)Christian Slater as Will Scarlet with other Merry Men including Daniel Peacock as David of Doncaster in *Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)*