194. to him.
204. of this.
221. So wanting.
231. by th’.
144
ROBIN HOOD AND THE BISHOP OF HEREFORD
A. a. Robin Hood’s Garland, London, J. Marshall & Co., Aldermary Churchyard, No 23. b. ‘Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford,’ Douce Ballads, III, 123 b, London, C. Sheppard, 1791. c. Chappell’s Popular Music of the Olden Time, p. 395, from a broadside printed for Daniel Wright, next the Sun Tavern in Holborn. d. Robin Hood’s Garland, 1749, No 23.
B. E. Cochrane’s Song-Book, p. 149, No 113.
A a in Ritson’s Robin Hood, 1795, II, 146, “compared with the York copy,” that is, with two or three slight changes: Evans, Old Ballads, 1777, 1784, I, 211. B, the Scottish copy, is very likely only an imperfect remembrance of a broadside, but the date of the MS., though this is perhaps not determinable, has been put as early as 1730.
Robin Hood, expecting the Bishop of Hereford to pass near Barnsdale, has a deer killed for his dinner. He dresses himself and six of his men in shepherd’s attire, and when the Bishop approaches they make an ado to attract his attention. The Bishop interrogates them. Robin owns that they mean to make merry with the king’s venison. The Bishop will show them no mercy; they must go before the king with him. Robin summons his band with his horn and it is the Bishop’s turn to cry mercy. Robin will not let him off, but takes him to Barnsdale, and makes him great cheer. The Bishop foresees that there will be a heavy reckoning. Little John searches the Bishop’s portmanteau, and takes out three hundred pound; enough, he says, to make him in charity with the churchman. They make the Bishop dance in his boots, A, or sing a mass, B, and he is glad to get off so lightly.
The Bishop of Hereford appears in the next ballad, Robin Hood and Queen Katherine. He there tells us that Robin had made him sing a mass out of hours, and had borrowed money of him against his will.